Changing the Game: Women of Color Run Coaches Redefining the Industry

Photo by Kerri Phox via Brooks Running.

As Vanessa Peralta-Mitchell started getting more involved with the running industry, she realized that few, if any, women of color (WOC) were leaders in the sport.

“I started to play back all the instances of my run journey, identifying who was in these leadership roles and it made me curious, ‘What if I created something that highlighted a different type of run leader—women of color,’” Vanessa said.

A Personal Journey

Vanessa grew up in Hackensack, New Jersey where she became a runner and eventually people started to look to her for advice and tips. Being a role model inspired her to look into becoming an RRCA-certified run coach, but the cost and the distance to travel for in-person training were too much for her to take on at the time so she set that idea aside.

“It would be years later when I was expecting our third child that I would revisit the thought,” Vanessa said.

After being laid off she said she had time to think, and that it almost felt like a switch happened and she was determined to get certified.

Vanessa added, "with a baby still being nursed, I prepared all the things for my husband as he and our three kids saw me off. I would take a flight from Philly to Boston and embark on a journey that I would’ve never imagined that I would be on.”

Around the same time, Vanessa had a conversation with her mom that inspired her to pursue her goals. Her parents immigrated to the U.S. from Ecuador in the 1970s and although her mom aspired to go further with her education and career, she put all that on hold to raise a family.

"She had a moment of realization that she tearfully shared with me. With all of us grown and moved out, she couldn't help but think of all those goals she sacrificed. Seeing the strongest woman I know be so vulnerable, it made her message louder in my soul. She was in essence pouring her hopes and her dreams into me so that I could live a life without limits," she said.

An Idea Is Born

Motivated to make a change in the industry and inspired by her mother's story, Vanessa started her own business called VCPM, Inc. Then two months later, she created the Game Changers program which, in that first year, welcomed 16 WOC coaches who received funding for RRCA Coaching Certification. The program now has over 100 certified run coaches in 27 states, including Washington, D.C. Brooks Running has been the presenting sponsor in 2022, 2023, and 2024.

According to a 2022 study, 20% of NCAA D-1 head coaches are women and 6% identify as Black, Indigenous, People of Color (BIPOC) women (Silva-Breen et al., 2022). The Game Changers program aims to empower more WOC to become certified run coaches to redefine who is seen as the experts and leaders in the run industry.

“I want folks to know that Game Changers empowers women of color to go from community runner to industry leader by using coaching as our driving force. We are community leaders, health advocates, and role models to the generations that follow us into the sport. The bond we have comes from a shared mission of seeing needed change and being courageous enough to do something about it,” Vanessa said.

Paying It Forward

For Hema Lochan, coaching with the Game Changers program is all about community. Hema said seeing so many WOC talking about running and coaching at her first Game Changers meeting made her feel so much hope and validation.

“There was a lot of imposter syndrome when I started coaching, but my fellow Game Changers kept reminding me that I deserved to be there,” Hema said.

Hema has been coaching for three years, including being an NYRR Group Training coach, and has run over 30 marathons and several ultra marathons.

“I realized that I didn't always feel the most seen or included in running spaces, and really wanted to help make running accessible, joyful, and supportive for folks that have historically been denied access to the sport or never saw themselves as runners,” she said.

Jacq Gregg has had a similar experience being a Game Changers coach. She said her mentor, Gisela Perez told her about the program and that initially she was looking to get certified for her own education as a run leader for Back on My Feet and a run coordinator for Black Girls Run. She is also an NYRR Group Training coach.

“The thing that I love the most about being a part of the Game Changers program is that you are a Game Changer for life. It's not just about getting a coach's certification and sending you off. I am a part of a community of amazing women coaches of the BIPOC community. We share milestones, setbacks, tips and tricks and constantly celebrate and encourage each other, no matter where we are on the journey,” Jacq said.

Jacq added that the guidance she received from the program was so helpful in teaching her how to turn coaching into a business as an optional next step and the mentoring she received from seasoned run coaches proved invaluable.

The Future Is WOC Coaches

This fall the Game Changers program goes into its fifth round. Applications will open in August/early September and those accepted will participate in a nine-month program which includes RRCA coaching certification as well as business coaching and mentorship from WOC RRCA-certified run coaches. Vanessa is also planning on bringing the Game Changers Panel to more expos and events this fall.

“Our objective is to create an inclusive space where every runner, regardless of background, can engage in conversations that offer new viewpoints and insights. We believe in the power of collaboration and knowledge exchange; through our platform we can leverage our collective wisdom and expertise to empower each other and excel in run leadership,” Vanessa said.

Vanessa also just launched an exciting new program called PWRher’d (pronounced “powered”), an online training program designed to make road racing more inclusive and supportive for all runners.

“Backed by the expertise of our women of color certified run coaches from the Game Changers program, this enables us to work directly with road races so they can ensure their runners/movers/walkers are adequately prepared, supported, and equipped to reach their starting lines,” she said.

Learn more about the Game Changers program here or on Instagram at @vcpmitchell and about PWRher'd here or on Instagram at @pwrherd. You can also check them out on YouTube.