Sustainable Well-Being with Iman Smith—Black Running History, The Journey of 26.2 & Coaching Self-Belief
Sustainable Well-Being is a special 5-episode series of Into the Well with host Ryan Willms, in collaboration with Allbirds and their community initiative, Allgood Collective. The episodes cover a variety of topics from regenerative farming and running, to cleaning up the oceans and dream interpretation. We dive in with deep with inspiring individuals that are co-creating a world of connection, growth and sustainable well-being for themselves, their community and for our planet.
On this episode Ryan speaks with designer and running coach, Iman Smith. He shares his journey through high school sports, the dream of the Olympics, learning from his coaches and how that lead to joining the US Military, lured in by the promise of their track team. Years later, Iman was brought back to running inspired by an unexpected character, and he shares the lessons of 26.2 miles and the road to accomplishing the feat and the parallels with life. Running with Black Roses lead to coaching and how the lineage of greatness and self-belief can inspire overcoming anything, even a devastating car crash.
“I’m not a black man, I’m a man. I’m only black because that’s what you see. If I was your uncle, you’d just see me as your uncle. But because of that running can be dangerous...”