Drake Muyinza is revolutionizing the running industry. During the 2020 Austin Marathon, Muyinza broke the Guinness World Record for the longest fashion runway by running 26.2 miles and changing outfits every four miles. He demonstrated courage, determination, and reminded all of us how to find joy in running. His commitment and dedication to the sport and community have only grown since the marathon.
Breaking Boundaries
It’s never been easy for Drake Muyinza to run. Muyinza shared his inner dialogue as he runs. “As a black man, I’m afraid to run. I’m afraid of what they might think. Why is that black man running? I’m afraid of what they might see What is he running from? As a black man, I’m thinking too much.”
For a long time, Muyinza feared that he did not belong to the running community because no one looked like him on the trail. He was anxious to run because he did not want someone to think he was running from a crime. This is why Muyinza began to find solace in the fashion industry. He began to dress up on his runs to make it clear that he was just running and not suspicious.
With the recent light brought to the prejudices the black community faces, Muyinza decided it was time to stand up for the black kids. Muyinza is passionate about running because for him, “it’s therapeutic” and he wants all kids to be able to experience that release.
Buy a Mile
Muyinza started a “Buy a Mile” campaign to bring awareness to the everyday fear and anxiety that comes with being a black man and going on a run. For every $10 donated, Muyinza ran 1 mile and donated all of the proceeds to Marathon Kids. He believes in the Marathon Kids’ mission to get all kids active, to welcome every kid no matter their background, and show them the joy of running. Muyinza truly is inspiring the next generation to get active, but also to show compassion, empathy, and kindness towards those that need it most. Muyinza’s goal is to reach $2,000 or 200 miles run for Marathon Kids. As of today, he has run a little over 100 miles and has raised $1,500 in support of Marathon Kids programming. The “Buy a Mile” campaign will run until the end of July, by which time Muyinza hopes to have met his fundraising goal and have run all 200 miles.
How to Support Drake Muyinza
You can support Drake Muyinza and his “Buy a Mile” campaign by donating through Hellofund. You can also follow him on Instagram.