Founder of The Sole Project Shannon Booker on How Atlanta’s Running Community Changed His Relationship with Running

Being a runner often encompasses so much more than the act of running. And for many of us, our relationship with the sport and the reasons we keep running evolve throughout the years.

After signing up for a corporate 5K in 2012, Shannon Booker kept running to burn off stress. He ran solo. Ran to escape his emotions. Pushed his limits — until his body broke down.

He was struggling with depression and anxiety when he moved from Florida to Atlanta and joined a running group called Movers and Pacers. Being a part of a community changed his relationship with running.

“I used running as a means to run away from my problems. But once I moved to Atlanta and found the running community, running became a place where I was running through my problems,” Shannon explains.

At the same time, he began to find greater meaning in his running journey. In 2020, amid the pandemic and systemic issues in America, he organized the Atlanta Run for Justice and Equality.

“I [wanted] to take running and create a space for everyone to come together and have meaningful conversations, because we may be on different sides of the aisle [with our] views, but one thing we do share in common is running,” Shannon explains.

After just three days of planning and promoting the event, 200 people — plus local news outlets — showed up for the run and the community conversation that followed. Shannon continued to host various events promoting fitness and social connection for months after.

“I think it was my purpose in that moment to create this space to bring people together, to open their mind to new things,” Shannon says. “While it’s no longer active, I’m happy that I created the space that started the conversation and built connection for people.”

That same year, Shannon had an idea to collect running shoe donations and distribute them to a local shelter. The effort evolved into a community-wide annual holiday campaign called The Sole Project, which Shannon continues to manage, partnering with local run clubs and running specialty retailer Big Peach Running Co.

Today, Shannon remains deeply involved in the running community, while working as a learning and development professional during his 9-5. In addition to running with Movers and Pacers, he recently became the Adidas Runners City Captain for Atlanta, encouraging and motivating runners of all levels and paces to come out and move each Tuesday.

“Running opened up this door for me to be able to make an impact in the community,” Shannon says. “I’m excited for 2025, because I feel like I’m back in that space where it’s fun again for me.”

That doesn’t mean he’s without goals to train for. In fact, the Boston Marathon is on the agenda this spring.

“I’m training to do well in the race but have fun and not put so much pressure on myself,” he notes. “For me, it’s all about having fun”

Below, Shannon shares how his experiences growing up shaped his desire to give back, and more details on two community initiatives: The Sole Project and Adidas Runner.

How did The Sole Project begin, and how has it evolved?

Shannon Booker: The Sole Project pretty much started as a passion project …. The holiday season came along, and during that time, I was also laid off from my job. I lost my job in June of 2020, and I was just going through it. And I’m like, ‘This will be something good, a way to give back and get my mind off of everything I’m going [through] with my job.’

I went to Canva, created the flyer, not expecting much of it …. I have a lot of run shoes that I can donate. That first year, I ended up collecting over 180 pairs of shoes and raised about $600.

I actually reached out to a buddy of mine who’s in the space. I’m like, ‘Hey, I wasn’t expecting this big turnout. So what do I do? Who can I connect with?’ He connected me with an organization here in Atlanta called the SafeHouse Outreach.

All the shoes that I collected over the course of the month leading up to Christmas Eve actually went to the outreach center, and I helped serve dinner to the unhoused and I passed out shoes and socks.

All the money that was raised, I purchased toiletry items, hats, gloves, and scarves. And on Christmas morning…I wrapped them all up in gift paper, I got in my car, and just drove around the city passing it all out. It was such a joy because, for me, it was a passion project to do something to give back.

The following year, friends called me to say, ‘Hey, are you doing your shoe drive again?’ I’m like, ‘Huh?’ … I guess it’s a thing. So again, did the same thing, but collected even more shoes and was able to donate to more organizations and shelters around the city.

To date, I’ve collected over 2,600 pairs of shoes. We’ve put together about 500-plus hygiene kits, about 1,000-plus clothing that’s been collected, in addition to being able to accommodate 20 organizations across Metro Atlanta.

Big Peach Midtown, Big Peach Brookhaven, and Big Peach Decatur have been my drop-off locations. I’m so appreciative for Mike, who is head of Big Peach, because he’s been a supporter since day one.

I also lead a run on Tuesdays. I’m the Adidas Runners City Captain for Atlanta, so there’s space where people can drop off [donations]. In addition, all my friends in the running space that lead running communities, they host a shoe drive as one of their run nights, where their members come and…donate to The Sole Project.

It’s very grassroots, organic. A lot of people always said to me, ‘So what’s your plan for The Sole Project? Do you want to grow and be the big thing?’ I said, ‘No, I enjoy where it is now, where it’s more intimate, it’s me, it’s enjoyable.’ I said, ‘Once it feels like a job, it won’t be enjoyable’ …. This is me doing what I generally love to do.

Has the desire to give back always been a part of who you are?

Shannon Booker: I grew up in an environment where the community service to others was instilled in me. My parents, they fostered and adopted. In addition, my mom ran her own childcare center and was actively involved in the community.

I’ll always make a joke, I tell folks, ‘My parents were the community parents, where everybody wanted to come hang out at the house.’ So growing up, there were always people at the house, family members living with us…anybody that needed somewhere to go. My door was always open at our house. I tell people, ‘We didn’t have a big house. We didn’t really have the room. But we made room if needed.’

Growing up in that environment, it’s just natural that I always like to give and help others. Now, my mission for this whole project is to inspire hope and contribute to the well-being of those less fortunate.

Another way you give back to the community is by leading a running group — what can you share about Adidas Runners?

Shannon Booker: In the spring, Adidas reached out to me with this opportunity, and it really aligned with what I want in my running journey …. I lost the fun in running, and I wanted to make sure, if I’m going to do this, it aligns with where I’m trying to get back to in my running. I became so caught up on training for New York, training for Boston…I stopped having fun. I wanted to ensure that what they’re looking for was where I’m at, and that was community and getting back to having fun with running.

We first officially launched here in Atlanta in July.

With the space that I’ve created through Adidas Runner, my focus, while we are a run group, is on the word movement …. Movement, for me, means moving in a way that works best for you.

So if you want to run, you want to walk, you want to jog, you want to bring the baby out in the stroller, you want to bring a dog, or if you’re someone with a disability and have to be pushed or assisted, we’re going to provide that for you. We want them to know that this is an inclusive community…come out and just enjoy the space.

When I host my runs on Tuesdays, I always make the same announcement…‘This is a community-based run. This is not a performance run. So we pretty much run together. We connect. If you’re looking for that performance space, this may not be a space for you, but we always welcome you.’

I don’t want it to be a space where people feel intimidated to come. I want to be a space where they can look and say, ‘Oh, I like this. I want to come and join that.’

Come out, connect, have a good time.

When you really think about it, running is not an inclusive space. If you’re being realistic, it’s not, right? But what can you do to help make it an inclusive space? Not focusing on the word ‘running’ so much, but let’s get out and let’s move. Let’s move in a healthy way that works best for you.

What do you find most inspiring about the running community in Atlanta?

Shannon Booker: What I love about the running community is that we are literally a community … It’s just all love in Atlanta’s running community. While people may have their primary run group, everyone supports each other, and it’s just the love of seeing everybody at runs and encouraging each other and building space for everyone.

It’s all love here, and that’s what I really enjoy about it. There’s a space for everyone.

Follow Shannon Booker on Instagram.

“I used running as a means to run away from my problems. But once I moved to Atlanta and found the running community, running became a place where I was running through my problems.” – Shannon Booker