brotherhood through running: an interview with black men run captain george morse

George Morse is a co-captain of the Black Men Run Philadelphia chapter.

Ian Campbell is the founder of eseo, an app that unites athletes in communities around Philadelphia. 

George and Ian sat down to chat about brotherhood, community work, and their mutual passion for running.

Talk to us about how you got into running

I got into distance running with one of my classmates. He was running with the group in Philadelphia when it was first formed in Atlanta in 2013 by Jason Russell and Ed Walton. 

I came across the Philadelphia chapter in the spring of 2015 when I came out to a Wednesday night group run. The fellowship, the welcoming—it was electric, genuine, and organic. 

I was reluctant to run because I hadn’t run more than three miles outside of the track. These guys were running on the road through the inner city. It can be pretty intimidating, but the guys were like, “We got you.”

Making it through the run, seeing the beautiful landmarks in the city, and the brotherhood, that’s what kept me coming back.

What about that brotherhood keeps you coming back to the group?

Being a part of the brotherhood, and being connected to brothers in an organic fellowship. We have brothers from different professional backgrounds and parts of the world, brothers who serve in the military and law enforcement, and brothers working in real estate, healthcare, IT. It’s great just sharing ideas and connecting.

Also, the mental health aspect helps me. It keeps me thriving in all areas of my life.

Can you talk about the support systems the group offers?

We really stand on our “no man left behind” slogan. And I’ve seen it firsthand. We start the race or run and we get through it together. Most people fall into a pace and find a partner. But if you lag behind, best believe you’ll have a captain or a vice captain or one of your brothers in the group swing back for you and help you get ot the finish line.

It’s all about inspiration, motivation, and accountability. We’re all we got, so there really is no man left behind. If you come out and join us, you’ll witness that.

What does the future look like for BMR?

We’ll continue to do great work together in unity. We’ll continue to have our feet on the ground in the community, impacting the youth, and mentoring. 

We’ll also be doing more strategic collaborations that are in line with our core values and philosophy. 

We have a national meet-up in October that will take place at the Detroit Free Press Marathon. It’s being hosted by the BMR senior leadership team. I’m looking forward to running that.

We also have a partnership with Saucony, so look for some great things from that partnership as well. I don’t want to let things out of the bag early but they’ll be some major things happening in October for our national meet-up. 

There are great things coming for BMR nationally and locally.

Where can people learn more about you?

Our main website is www.blackmenrun.com. You can always go to our social media platforms like Instagram and Twitter. Our Linktree there will navigate you to all the pertinent information about the group.

If you want to get involved, you can see if BMR has a chapter in your state or city. We also have chapters in Africa, Japan, and the UK. It’s a diverse group of brothers. A lot of people do things that I may not have passion for but you’ll be able to find someone who can give you insight into their experiences. 

Is there anything else you want to mention?

I think it’s important to highlight the organizations I work with. I’m a committee member Northeast YMCA branch. I work there with the youth. 

I’m also a part of the Market Street Run for Blue that’s taking place on October 23rd. If you want to come out, contact me for a BMR discount code if you’re a member. It’s a great way to support law enforcement—it really is a thankless job.

I also want to shout out to my fellow captain Lawrence Harrington and my fellow team members, Eric, Leroy, Jeremy, Scott. And shout out to Swagga House Run Club as well, Josh Perez and Ron Pichardo. Shout out to the running community in Philadelphia. I’ve got love for everyone in the running community.  

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At eseo, we’re dedicated to creating a thriving community of athletes in Philadelphia. From hikers to spikers, golfers to goalies—if you can move, you’re an athlete. Download the app to become a part of our team!