As the Crow Flies

the crow athletics newsletter | issue 4
curated by patrick caron

Schooner Head Path - Mount Desert Island, ME

Dear Subscriber First Name,

Good morning and welcome! This is our fourth week of the newsletter, and I’ve started to find a rhythm in preparing for its release every Monday. Earlier this year, I published a post on my Instagram about the power of consistency, after having surpassed 3,000 consecutive days of running. Although training for wild adventures in the mountains is very different from typing out these words, I’ve realized the same principles of consistency can be applied to many areas of life, and I’m trying to implement these with my writing. As I described, “More than anything, consistency is a mindset,” and I aim to bring that mindset to my work with this newsletter.

My thanks goes out to all of you for being a part of the As the Crow Flies community, and for continuing to engage with this space each week. The kind comments I’ve received from many of you have been great encouragement and motivation to continue being a consistent source of relevant and thought-provoking content. I sincerely appreciate the support. 

In last week’s newsletter, I provided links to several powerful pieces written by BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and People of Color) runners, all of whom spoke out about the racial injustices that exist in our world, as well as within our running communities. We need to keep these conversations going and continue to amplify these voices and share their stories. I’ve gathered additional articles related to running and race that can be found in the Crow Notes section of the newsletter, and I’ve also included a list of organizations that support BIPOC runners if you are interested in learning more about them and/or supporting them.

If you’re new to subscribing, and don’t want to miss out on our past content, we now have a place on the Crow Athletics website where you can view all previous issues of the newsletter.

Let’s begin Issue 4 of As the Crow Flies.

The CAW

In this past Friday’s post on The CAW, author Kelly Grogan explores how her relationship with running has continued to evolve over time, while diving into some of the life lessons she has learned along the way. It’s a beautifully written piece that will likely stir up a mix of emotions before leaving you with an urge to head outside and hit the trails.

Defying Gravity by Kelly Grogan

“In his book On Trails: An Exploration, Robert Moor writes, ‘In the end, we are all existential pathfinders: We select among the paths life affords, and then, when those paths no longer work for us, we edit them and innovate as necessary. The tricky part is that while we are editing our trails, our trails are also editing us.’ The choices we make, make us. We get to edit our paths, innovate them. We get to choose the story we tell about our lives—and the paths we choose, the story we tell, changes us too.”
Read More ➝

Share your story!
If you have a story to share (and we all do!), we'd love to have your contribution. We have a submission form on The CAW's homepage, or you can email me directly with your ideas.

Crow Notes

  • “I like to think our sport is very inclusive. And I’ve seen that, over the years, more African-American, more Indian, more Asian people participate. But it’s still a predominantly white sport—especially cross-country or distance running. We need to reach out to more African-Americans and people of color to participate in road racing events. Distance running, I’ve always said, is where nobody knows your religion, or what your educational background is—you just go out there and run 26.2 miles. But you do see what the majority of the people doing it look like. With the benefits of being a distance runner for mental health, if we can get more people doing it, it would be a winning situation for everybody. Of every race.” Four-time U.S. Olympian Mebrahtom “Meb” Keflezighi is interviewed for this Outside Magazine article, in which he shares his perspective on racism, his personal experiences encountering it, and his hopes for addressing racism within the running community.

  • “I’ve been in this situation before and I’ve taken my stance before, so this has ignited me. I feel like a fire is burning in me. I’m proud of people who are protesting. I’m proud of people who are taking a stand. I feel like now, more than ever, I’m understood. When I took my stance, it was at a time when things were happening, but nothing was being done. When I took my stance, I was completely misunderstood. Now I feel like everyone feels how I felt.” U.S. Olympian Gwen Berry, who received a year long probation after bowing her head and raising her first while atop the podium of the Pan American Games, shares why she is more determined than ever to fight racial injustice.

  • “It’s more than just sharing similar beliefs—it’s about your actions, today and tomorrow.” In “How to Be an Ally to the Black Running Community,” an article written by Rozalynn S. Frazier for Runner’s World, several prominent members of the running community reflect on what it’s like to be a black runner, and how white runners can become better allies. Also, a detailed list of resources is provided, all of which are great launching off points for educating oneself.

  • In a blog post for women’s apparel brand Oiselle, Angel Piccirillo grapples with her experiences as a biracial woman. She offers ways in which we can move forward in these times through education and having challenging conversations with ourselves and those around us. Angel asks us not to allow this moment in history to be just that, momentary, but for it to be an opportunity for major shifts in the ways we inhabit this world.

  • Running coach David Roche recently wrote a piece for Trail Runner magazine titled, “Listening To Black Voices In Trail Running And Beyond.” He writes about what it means to listen, the process of translating learning into action, and how we all need to take part in the fight for equity. Speaking more specifically to the running world, he states, “coaches, fellow athletes, race directors, magazines, writers, shoe companies and everyone else have roles to play. Being welcoming is a start, but it’s not enough. It’s essential to affirm and amplify Black voices and experiences, then actively support diversity through our time and/or pocketbooks with whatever platform we have.”

  • Runner, speaker, and author Mirna Valerio is offering a virtual course titled, “Introduction to Identity, Social Justice, and Antiracism for the White Community.” It’s a two part course, taking place this Tuesday and Thursday, and you can learn more and register here.

Weekly Musing

Each week, I'll share with you a quote to reflect upon, one which speaks to us as runners, but more importantly, as humans. The words of author Jen Sincero caught my attention, as they describe how repetitive patterns create the world in which we live. This concept ties in nicely with the idea of consistency I introduced at the beginning of the newsletter. Through consistent practice and dedication to bettering ourselves, our craft, and the world around us, we can influence change. What's important to understand is that this change starts with us. It's an ever evolving practice that we can begin at any time, so why not now?


“Our thoughts become our words, our words become our beliefs, our beliefs become our actions, our actions become our habits, and our habits become our realities.”
Jen Sincero

Thanks for reading Issue 4 of As the Crow Flies by Crow Athletics. We encourage you to forward this email and share it with friends, family, and anyone else who may have interest!

Also, if you have any comments or suggestions about the newsletter, or just want to start a conversation, feel free to reach out by simply replying to this email or connecting with me on Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter.

Be well and run gently,
Patrick