Announcing: ByteCares x Keep it Run Hundred Collab

This past year has been all about standing up for what you believe in and making real steps towards change. We are excited to announce a partnership with one of our amazing influencers, Alrick “Butta” Augustine, who literally takes thousands of steps every day to drive change in the African American community here in Los Angeles.

We caught up with him to learn more about his ‘why’s’ and how he ended up being the founder of an official Nike sponsored running club, Keep it Run Hundred (@keepitrun100).

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  How did you get into running?

  Preparing for the birth of my daughter I packed on daddy weight. The stress of a newborn, not eating, lack of sleep and the normal work routine caught up to me, and I quickly got to a unhealthy size.
  
  I just started doing 1-2 miles a day, then got up to 6 miles. To be honest, I didn’t love it at first. A friend signed me up to do a marathon with them, immediately I said—I can’t do that! But on the other hand my competitive nature kicked in, and I was determined to prove myself wrong.
  
  It was hard and I had to push my body. Once I hit that finish line and saw my daughter cheering for me on the other side, I was hooked. It was then that I fell in love with running. I wanted to take that feeling and share it with my people, my community.

• Running seems like a transformative process, are there any great stories you can share about those journeys?

  Keep It Run Hundred has helped so many people, I couldn’t count how many tell me how running has helped battle their depression (especially during this last year). I had someone tell me they were suicidal and our weekly runs finally gave them something to look forward to. Kids confide in me and tell me their parents are happier and able to keep up with them more.

  

• Any tips for someone who wants to get started?

  Just start! Do a 15 minute walk or run in one direction, then go back and do 15 minutes the other direction. Don’t let the running “stuff” trip you up. You don’t need expensive running shoes or mileage trackers. It takes time to build up any skill including running. Over time you will get better, stronger, and be able to run further, faster.

• We love that you also use Byte… How’s it going?

  I’m always smiling, I wear my aligners while I run. It’s all a part of my confidence. If I look good, then I feel good. Because I feel good inside and out, I’m able to present my best self to the club, and be an example, and hopefully an inspiration.

  

ByteCares will sponsor 30 local athletes—from starting out, to completing their first 5k, and culminating at a half marathon in September! We are excited to get involved, volunteer, and show support in our community! Stay tuned to follow the athletes’ stories and cheer them on at the finish line!