Charlie Dark MBE, the Renaissance Man Remixing Running Culture

As a DJ, Charlie Dark MBE has traveled the world bringing people together on the dance floor. Getting people to find community through movement has always been his passion, whether as founder of the Urban Poets Society, a mentor for Bikestormz, through Bridge the Gap, and certainly with his London-based running group Run Dem Crew. Run Dem Crew was born out of his burnt-out from the music industry, when on Christmas Day 2006, Charlie decided to go for a run. Fast forward to 2024, and Run Dem Crew continues to transform running by encouraging the vulnerable and outsiders to take up space in running. "It's a sport not just for the professionals, elite or fast runners," as he describes it, "but also for those who run marathons in over five hours, because there, that's where you see the will power to and inner strength."