Guiding the next generation through running and mentorship

New York City Police Department First Deputy Commissioner Tania Kinsella will be mentoring a group of 29 New York City high school girls as they prepare to run their first-ever 5K with New York Road Runners' free program, “NYRR Run for the Future.”

The six-week program introduces 11th and 12th-grade girls to the sport of running. Created in 2011, the program has had over 600 participants throughout its existence. The young women are guided through the process of running, from how to warm up to what to wear and what to eat for breakfast to prepare for their run.

The young women in this year's program will participate in the Rising New York Road Runners Harlem 5K this Saturday. Kinsella will assist the young women in preparation for the marathon and participate in a Run for the Future panel, where she will talk to the girls about her own career.

“Mentorship is not just about running,” Kinsella told NYN Media. “Doing this is not just about running, but it's about letting other young girls see other women in leadership roles. For me, it was all about just making sure that these young women see positive role models, and see that these positive role models are running too.”

Kinsella, a Staten Island native, is the first woman of color to serve as first deputy commissioner of the NYPD. She began her running journey in 2015,a month after the birth of her son. Though she had run a little before, she said her postpartum running journey was the catalyst for a new way of life. 

“When I run, I have clarity for the day. I can focus better, I'm happier, I'm more attentive, and I feel good, so I make better choices,” she said. 

Kinsella went on to become a six-time finisher of the TCS New York City Marathon and a member of the NYPD Run Club. 

“She's just a really big believer in the power of running to transform lives, and that's why it's so great that she's participating as a mentor,” said Rob SimmelkJaer, CEO of New York Road Runners. 

“It's easy for us to forget that a lot of these young women in their communities, their public schools, they don't have access to professionals like this on a regular basis. They may not meet people who are lawyers, doctors or police officers in a positive setting like this. So that's a big part of this, which is just expanding their horizons as to what's possible in life.”

The Rising New York Road Runners event is open for all youth from 2 to 18 years old to participate in. Unlike the Percy Sutton Harlem 5K race, which is open only to adults, there are no entry fees for the Rising New York Road Runners event. The races are scheduled to take place on Saturday as part of “Harlem Week 2024,” a celebration of the neighborhood.

“Half the battle is in your head,” Kinsella said. “What I'm hoping that these young girls get out of this is having confidence in themselves, and knowing that they could do something hard.”