Northeast OKC Fitness Studio Highlights Martin Luther King Jr. Through Health, Fitness

Intentional Fitness hosted a 5k run ahead of Martin Luther King Day. They say it's an opportunity to highlight the historic Black community and introduce runners to what the community can offer.

Runners took to the streets of Northeast OKC and one runner, Emmanuel Sosanya, said King walked so he could run.

“We're running a lit path through the neighborhood so that way one we can see a little bit and but also again have a theme of running a lit path that Martin Luther King and others have set for us and kind of taken on that torch and leading the way,” Sosanya said.

The run started on the bustling 23rd street then through the neighborhood. For some runners like Donelle Cole, this was his own backyard.

“My family grew up in this area and grew up in this environment and health wasn't something we were always able to be apart of,” Cole said.

Cole said the 5k run makes him think about King's legacy and the legacy he wants to leave behind for his daughter to follow.

“I want her to be able to take on some of the great attributes and some of the great habits that i try to exemplify in my life, and pass it along to her,” Cole said.

Sosanya said King laid the groundwork for northeast Oklahoma City and his business.

“There's actually properties on the east end where the deeds say no person of African descent is supposed to own those properties. Now you have people that look like us buying up properties on the eastside, but not just us other people are coming in and seeing the value,” Sosanya said.

“I really like that there's all these businesses over here that give you a chance to kind of check out and hang out with your friends before and after the race,” Bonnie Rutel said.

The studio said this is their first run to pay homage Martin Luther King Jr. They hope to make this an annual event in his honor.