Here at Youth Run NOLA we have something called a Running Buddy, which is pretty much exactly as it sounds — an adult runner who pairs with a small group of Youth Run NOLA students and takes to the track, course, path, or street for the race. It’s not mentoring, exactly — if you sign [...]

I can’t speak to the title of this post with firsthand experience — I’m not a coach, Youth Run NOLA or otherwise. But I am a pretty good observer, and a frequent one at that, so I feel qualified to describe coaching as an art. It’s a mixture of patience, hard work, discipline, planning, motivation. [...]

I included this photo today, courtesy of Youth Run NOLA’s intrepid photographer Heather Gilchrist, because it has struck me in recent days just how much Youth Run NOLA means to me, the staff and coaches, and most importantly the students. I think this picture is emblematic of that. What strikes me at every event, whether [...]

It’s been a busy autumn so far for the students of Youth Run NOLA, and with two 5k races under their belts already, the kids are gearing up for a third this Saturday! The cool turn in the weather — as I write this it’s chilly, windy, and gray — means we’re coming up on [...]

Since this is my first post for Claim Your Journey, I suppose I should introduce myself. Name’s Matt, how d’you do? I’m a man of many hats — I’m a film critic, freelance writer, graduate student, and amateur chef/wannabe Top Chef contestant. I moved to the Crescent City going on three years ago, never having [...]