I'm on a mission to bring running to everyBODY, and have some fun along the way!
What's good?! My name is Sidney Baptista and I am on a mission to bring running to everyBODY!
What started as a goal to reach communities of color and people in low income neighborhoods, has become a mission to unite diverse communities through the sport of running.
"Running is a powerful connector and I believe we can use our sport to elevate voices, create community, and champion change."
My experience in running started in high-school where I broke school records in the 100m (10.8) and 200m (22.7) meter races and took our team to the 2005 Penn Relays to compete in the 4x400M relay race. I remember sitting at an all-school assembly and being congratulated by the Athletic Director as "the fastest man in Williston history."
Fun fact: 200m Olympic Bronze Medalist Gabby Thomas and I went to the same high-school, albeit 10 years apart. We had some of the same track coaches. And yes, she's the homie!
I started distance running in 2014 with Nike Run Club, in part to help manage the stress and moments of self-doubt I was feeling after quitting a comfortable career at PricewaterhouseCoopers to chase my dreams of creating a music festival. High-school, College, PwC, there was always a path. And suddenly there wasn’t.
The early days were hard but I got competitive. Coming from a sprinting background, I could not comprehend why anyone would run more than 1 lap on a track! As I cultivated more friendships through running, I quickly fell into training for the Chicago Marathon in 2015.
I was really enjoying my new routine and learned that running and training helped me build a level of discipline I had yet to experience. As I grew to love running, I naturally wanted EVERYONE to join me.
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Courtesy of Justin Keefe
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In early 2016 I became a Nike Run Club Pacer and met Coach Dan Fitzgerald, Co-Founder of Heartbreak Hill Running Company and Founder of The Heartbreakers. Coach Dan took me under his wing, helped me become a better runner, pacer and brought me on as a running coach at the now defunct Heartbreak Running Studio in Cambridge (an unfortunate casualty to the COVID-19 Pandemic).
Courtesy of Justin Keefe
For a multitude of reasons, it was difficult to get friends and family to meet me Downtown or in Cambridge for a run. In 2017, I decided it was time to bring running to my neighborhood of Dorchester and so I founded PIONEERS Run Crew (PRC) with a goal of reaching Black & Brown runners and normalizing running in our communities.
Our PRC community has grown to become the most diverse running community in all of Boston. I like to say the only place more diverse in Boston than a PRC group run is Target in South Bay.
Courtesy of Frances Ramirez
"We don't just celebrate those who are fast - we also champion those who finish last"
I was joined by my longtime friend Brennan Bonner who became our Head Coach and continues to be a mentor to me. In recent years, no one has had more influence in my coaching philosophy than Coach B.
My Coaching Style
When it comes to coaching, I like to keep it as simple as possible.
My coaching methodology has developed over the last 6 years of my own running and then coaching new runners. I remember what it felt like to discover running as an adult and what it felt like to be a new runner. I remember how much it hurt my entire body and how much I wanted to quit. This experience has helped inform the way that I coach new runners.
I find that with new runners, we need to first get them comfortable with the idea of running. Even if you are walking a bit during your runs, you’re still a runner. It’s just as much mental as it is physical. You need to believe you can do it and visualize yourself as the runner that you are.
In running, I preach consistency and repetition over perfection. Not every run is going to go well, especially early on. All I ask is that you trust the process and stick to the plan. I believe you can do it, and you should too!
What is PACE?
Coaching for every athlete, everywhere in the world
PACE is a coaching platform that adapts to the athlete based on their availability, goals and their chosen coach’s methodology.
Built in collaboration with top running coaches, it’s a low-cost, high value training option. The app does not replace 1:1 coaching, but rather is a personalized stepping stone towards helping you achieve your running goals.
Designed for anyone balancing their training with real-life responsibilities, PACE delivers workouts on your schedule, implementing my style, personality and approach to training. If you overshoot, undershoot, or completely miss a workout, PACE will automatically adjust your schedule, according to what I would recommend.
PACE brings high-quality training guidance to those who might not otherwise have access to a personal coach.
At $4.99/month ($49.99/year), you can pick me as your coach. My workouts are simple, and fast with a focus on increasing speed and general strength.
In my journey to normalize running in communities of color, I’m excited to use PACE as a tool to introduce training and coaching to everyone who wants to take their running to the next level.
What most excites me about PACE is the opportunity to democratize personalized coaching and to make running more equitable, which aligns with my personal mission of bringing running to everybody.
Sidney Baptista is a coach, leader & activist and founder of PIONEERS Run Crew in Boston.