Two-Time Olympian Beverly Ramos Is Bringing Hope Back To Puerto Rico
- 5 years ago
This two-time Olympian is using running to bring hope back to Puerto Rico.
Beverly Ramos is the most accomplished runner in Puerto Rican history.
Her 55:15 set the course record at the 2018 NYRR Bronx 10 Mile.
Now she’s partnering with the New York-based organization to help those closer to home.
BEVERLY RAMOS
The Rising New York Road Runners program, the main focus is to put kids through different skills and teach them healthy ways of life. It doesn’t really have to be you becoming an elite runner, no, it’s more about you get out there, get moving, learn how to play, play basketball, and do little things that would be healthier for your life.
The program will launch in nine Boys & Girls Clubs, which enroll about 3,400 children.
Ramos’ sponsor New Balance has already donated 1,000 pairs of running shoes.
One of their goals is to reduce stress among students.
BEVERLY RAMOS
You went through something so terrible and obviously nobody wants to go through that. You learn and you appreciate when you have everything on your side, when you’re healthy, and when your country’s doing well, when you’re getting good sleep, when you’re getting good food… Only when you go through something like that you can really understand that we’re blessed for having everything.
Ramos was marathon training in Puerto Rico when Hurricane Maria struck in 2017.
BEVERLY RAMOS
I had to improvise a few weeks of training, I had no communication with my coach so that wasn’t really great. For example, last year we didn’t have enough bottles of water available in the country, so I had to rationalize and that’s crazy. You want to be super hydrated, want to drink as much as possible and eat good, quality food and that wasn’t even available as well. I feel as if every detail was a disaster. That first week after the hurricane, I only slept like two hours a day, and that’s something, you have to get your rest. It’s just the little things weren’t there but that’s the only way you can learn the things that you’re capable of, going into terrible times and learning more about yourself.
She says the restorative power of running is still much needed on the island.
I guess bad news and good news along the way. More bad news than good news. We’re restructuring pretty much everything. Some people have their jobs and in three months, they don’t. Or great things that we’re bringing down to Puerto Rico. We didn’t have a community services program down there for kids and now we’re going to start this. It’s just a constant change of things but I believe that if we keep working in the right way, everything is going to be OK.
Beverly Ramos is the most accomplished runner in Puerto Rican history.
Her 55:15 set the course record at the 2018 NYRR Bronx 10 Mile.
Now she’s partnering with the New York-based organization to help those closer to home.
BEVERLY RAMOS
The Rising New York Road Runners program, the main focus is to put kids through different skills and teach them healthy ways of life. It doesn’t really have to be you becoming an elite runner, no, it’s more about you get out there, get moving, learn how to play, play basketball, and do little things that would be healthier for your life.
The program will launch in nine Boys & Girls Clubs, which enroll about 3,400 children.
Ramos’ sponsor New Balance has already donated 1,000 pairs of running shoes.
One of their goals is to reduce stress among students.
BEVERLY RAMOS
You went through something so terrible and obviously nobody wants to go through that. You learn and you appreciate when you have everything on your side, when you’re healthy, and when your country’s doing well, when you’re getting good sleep, when you’re getting good food… Only when you go through something like that you can really understand that we’re blessed for having everything.
Ramos was marathon training in Puerto Rico when Hurricane Maria struck in 2017.
BEVERLY RAMOS
I had to improvise a few weeks of training, I had no communication with my coach so that wasn’t really great. For example, last year we didn’t have enough bottles of water available in the country, so I had to rationalize and that’s crazy. You want to be super hydrated, want to drink as much as possible and eat good, quality food and that wasn’t even available as well. I feel as if every detail was a disaster. That first week after the hurricane, I only slept like two hours a day, and that’s something, you have to get your rest. It’s just the little things weren’t there but that’s the only way you can learn the things that you’re capable of, going into terrible times and learning more about yourself.
She says the restorative power of running is still much needed on the island.
I guess bad news and good news along the way. More bad news than good news. We’re restructuring pretty much everything. Some people have their jobs and in three months, they don’t. Or great things that we’re bringing down to Puerto Rico. We didn’t have a community services program down there for kids and now we’re going to start this. It’s just a constant change of things but I believe that if we keep working in the right way, everything is going to be OK.