The Nike coach getting black women on the trails

The trail world isn't well-known for being an inclusive space for either women or people of color. Dora Atim is on a mission to change that.

“I’m always annoyed about something,” Dora Atim laughs as we try to recall one particular gripe she posted a few weeks ago. Such is the life of someone who isn’t happy with the status quo, I suggest.

Dora is a Nike running coach and the London-based creator of Ultra Black Running, a “trail running community designed to amplify and empower Black Women and Non-Binary people.” In a sport that’s predominantly both white and male, it’s clear why Dora might want to push this envelope.

Dora Atim of Ultra Black Running

It’s the kind of movement that requires a big personality, though. I enjoy the vibrancy Dora gives my Instagram timeline. On a superficial level, it’s her always-bright hair, but really it’s her progressive attitude and enthusiastic sharing that I look out for. And if she’s always annoyed, 1) it doesn’t show, and 2) it’s likely because she’s always thinking about how to improve things around her.

Dora’s first run

You might expect a Nike coach to be a lifelong athlete, but Dora’s fir…