Today we’d like to introduce you to Asia Rawls.
Hi Asia, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
My journey with running started as a child and eventually led me to compete at the collegiate level as an NCAA Division I athlete. What began as a love for competition evolved into a passion for coaching and helping others discover their potential through movement.
That passion ultimately led me to become the founder of Machine Athletics, elite level coaching right here in Detroit.
Since launching Machine Athletics, I have helped produce some of the fastest marathon performances in Detroit, including supporting athletes running 2:15, 2:28, 2:36, 2:41, 2:44, 2:45, 2:47, 2:53, 3:01, 3:33, and 3:43, and many more. I did that while running world major marathons and international races such as Paris Marathon, Detroit Free press marathon, Tokyo marathon, London marathon, Chicago marathon, New York City marathon, Sydney marathon, and Seville marathon in Spain.
While coaching others, I also ran multiple sub-3:30 marathons myself. I have been recognized by the Ted Corbitt Institute as both a runner and coach, and to my knowledge, no Black woman marathon coach has ever developed this range of marathon performances across both elite and recreational athletes.
In addition to marathon coaching, my athletic background is rooted in sprinting. I competed at Eastern Michigan University, where I qualified for the NCAA Championships in the 400-meter hurdles, earned NCAA Honorable Mention All-American honors, won conference titles, and served as team captain. While many athletes spend their careers specializing in either speed or endurance, I have successfully transitioned from an NCAA-level hurdler to a marathoner.
That journey has shaped the foundation of Machine Athletics. To my knowledge, there are no other NCAA sprinter qualifiers in the who have gone on to complete as many World Marathon Majors while also building a coaching resume that has produced marathon elite marathon performances. The combination of elite sprinting, marathon performance, and coaching achievement is what makes my story unique. My body and mind have always been built to adapt, evolve, and perform at the highest level, which is exactly why the name Machine Athletics resonates so deeply with who I am and what I represent.
Beyond coaching, I serve as an ASICS Running Ambassador and was selected to lead the Move Her Mind initiative, a project focused on understanding why women stop running and participating in sport at certain stages of life. That experience deepened my understanding of the barriers women face and strengthened my commitment to helping women move freely, confidently, and unapologetically.
In addition to my work, I am deeply committed to serving the Detroit running community. For more than a decade, I have mentored youth athletes, coached high school and collegiate runners, organized training opportunities for adults, and helped create pathways for people from all backgrounds to experience the transformative power of running.
What makes me most proud isn’t just the times, but creating a pathway that shows what’s possible when athletes are given the structure, support, and belief to pursue goals they once thought were out of reach.
As a Black woman who continues to compete, coach, and lead, I hope my story expands what others believe is possible.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
It definitely has not been a smooth road. One of the biggest challenges has been building something that didn’t really exist before.
As a Black woman, a former NCAA sprinter, a marathoner, a coach, tech professional, and a business owner, there wasn’t a blueprint for the path I wanted to create.
I’ve had to navigate injuries, self-doubt, financial sacrifices, and the realities of building a dream while maintaining a career and competing at a high level myself.
There have been moments as a woman when people have questioned my vision, my credentials, or whether I could successfully bridge the worlds of all things impossible. And I did, right in their eyes. Right in their face.
As a woman, there was time people thought women couldn’t coach men. And I did.
As a an athlete there was a time people thought you couldn’t still run or sprint past age 30. And I did
As a w first-gen college student, people thought I couldn’t earn two masters and be academic and athletic. But I was
I wanted to show something that was humanly impossible. As a woman, there was time people thought women couldn’t coach men. And I did.
As a an athlete there was a time people thought you couldn’t still run or sprint past age 30. And I did
As a w first-gen college student, people thought I couldn’t earn two masters and be academic and athletic. But I was
I wanted to show something that was humanly impossible. I was trying to discover how far human potential could go.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
What many people don’t know is that my life extends far beyond running. I hold both an MBA and a Master of Science in Computer Information Systems from the University of Detroit Mercy. I’ve always been fascinated by technology, artificial intelligence, data, and decision science, and I enjoy studying how these disciplines shape the way we live, work, and solve problems.
My education was deeply influenced by the university’s Jesuit tradition, which taught me that knowledge carries a responsibility to serve others. I learned to think critically, lead ethically, and understand how faith, business, and technology can work together to create meaningful impact. That perspective continues to influence how I lead, how I approach innovation, and how I strive to build systems that help people reach their highest potential.
What was your favorite childhood memory?
One of my favorite childhood memories is completing a 25-mile running program when I was just nine years old. When I finished, they gave me a T-shirt to commemorate the achievement. I remember putting it on immediately, and it felt like a badge of honor. At that age, I didn’t fully understand the significance of what I had accomplished. I just knew I was proud. My coach, Lisa Page, took a photo of me standing in front of her house wearing that shirt, and for years I forgot the moment even happened.
Looking back at that photo as an adult, I realize the seeds of who I would become were already there. I see confidence, determination, and a young girl who believed she could do hard things before she ever had the language to describe it. Lisa was much more than a coach. She was a mentor, a role model, and in many ways a second parent. She captured a moment that would become a blueprint for my life. That memory reminds me how deeply our youth shapes our future and how one coach’s belief in a child can leave a lasting impact for decades. It’s one of the reasons I care so deeply about coaching today. I know firsthand that a simple act of encouragement can change the course of someone’s life.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.machineathletics.co/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/brown_bambi
