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.
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.
