10 Questions
David Joseph
For David Joseph of Montreal, being the co-founder of the yamajo Run Crew, which is now 100 members strong, has become a big part of his identity. It’s taken him to races as diverse as The Speed Project and the New York City, Chicago and Berlin Marathons. The pandemic may have put group runs and brunches on hold, but it hasn’t dampened this leader’s love – for its members or the activity they share.
1 How did the YAMAJO Run Crew start?
The crew started in 2014 – we say our anniversary is on April 15. When I say we, it’s me and my friend Daphné Exantus – she’s the co-founder of yamajo. We went to school together, and she was one of my first running partners.
Growing up, I wasn’t a fan of running, but I got into ocr (obstacle course racing) after college and wanted to get into the elite fields of those events. To do that, I needed to improve my running, so I started to run more and posting about those runs. I learned about the sport through the online community. I ran a half-marathon shortly thereafter for charity, and after that experience, I started to focus more on running than the Spartan events. I would meet with people to run, and the crew grew from there. Now, in our seventh year, we have more than 100 members of all ability levels.
2 Why is YAMAJO’s motto “crew love”?
Crew love is about letting the world know that what we’re doing goes beyond running. Running is what brings us together, but its effect is much greater.
3 Describe yourself in one word?
Black.
4 What has been the highlight of your time as a run crew leader?
Anytime the crew is together, especially if it’s not just to run, it’s a special moment. When people want to meet up outside of practice and give their time or energy, that’s when I can take a step back and see that people are genuinely happy together. It feels really good to have a part in that.
5 What’s your go-to post-race meal?
I race a lot outside of Montreal, because I’m usually coaching or planning cheer squads if an event is happening locally, so on the rare occasion I race at home, I’m having a poutine after. If I’m out of town, especially if I’m in America, I’ll search for the best chicken and waff les. My crew knows if we’re going for brunch, there needs to be chicken and waff les on the menu.
6 If you could have dinner with anyone, who would it be?
My father, because I lost him a few months ago, and it was always a difficult relationship. I met my dad when I was 10 years old. From then until now, maintaining a connection was hard. When he got sick, I realized I was about to lose a parent, and I wish I’d asked him more questions. He got sick during covid- 19, and even though he didn’t have it, visiting him was very difficult. Basically, I wish I’d had more time to have conversations and understand him as a person.
7 What’s your favourite place to run?
New York City. The energy in New York is unlike anywhere else in the world. There’s America, and then there’s New York.
8 What do you do to keep your passion for the sport alive?
I didn’t initially have aspirations for running to last this long, but here we are. Because I’m a competitive person, I keep the passion alive by setting new goals, big and small. I love that you can always improve if you put in the work.
9 Name a person who inspires you?
Joe Holder. He’s a trainer based in New York City. I followed him on Instagram, and through getting to know him, I’ve discovered that we share a lot of similar values about training.
He thinks training is about mastering little things that make you a better athlete, but all of these things also make you a better all-around human. And I agree. For me it’s not just about personal bests, it’s about personal growth.
10 What are you most looking forward to right now?
That’s easy. A million per cent, I’m looking forward to running with my crew. We’ve been running together for seven years, and in all of those years, I don’t think I’ve missed more than 10 runs. It’s been too long.— CR