PHILADELPHIA, Pennsylvania (WPVI) — This Valentine’s Day, local runners spent their morning at the Philadelphia Zoo.
They participated in the Cupid’s Chase 5k, an event that supports the national programming of “Community Options Inc.”
“We are in 12 states nationwide…Our mission is to build housing and employment opportunities for individuals with disabilities,” said Executive Director of the Philadelphia Regional Office, Khyel Dicks.
“This year, we have over 700 runners, which is the most we’ve ever had…So to have this type of support on such a very special day for a lot of people…is overwhelming,” he continued.
Says Leigh Thomas Brown: “I love seeing the running community at races. We cheer for the fastest, we cheer for the slowest, somebody stops and has to tie a shoe, or their quad clenches up, and other runners stop and check on them. We say ‘hey’ to the police, and they say ‘hello’ back. We thank the volunteers, and the volunteers cheer. The only thing that matters is that we’re all out there. It’s the perfect microcosm of what the world is supposed to look like. In a world where we’re all fighting amongst ourselves, running is the opposite.”
DIAMOND VENCES
dvences@charlotteobserver.com
Charlotte Observer reporter Théoden Janes continues his series of interviews with often-influential, always-intriguing people who live and work in the Charlotte area — conducted while they run a handful of miles together. The hope is that the release of endorphins and dopamine will trigger responses that are less canned, less inhibited, more thoughtful, and more focused.
This week’s interviewee: Leigh Thomas Brown, 51, Realtor, keynote speaker, author, social-media influencer, and founder of the Patriot Relief disaster-response nonprofit.
Leigh Thomas Brown shows off her medal after setting a personal-best marathon time in Charlotte in November 2023. Courtesy of Leigh Thomas Brown
On her racing resume as a runner: 1:55:21 at the 2023 Huntersville Half Marathon; 26:24 at the ChristmasTown 5K in McAdenville in 2023; 4:09:21 at the 2023 Novant Health Charlotte Marathon.
Where we ran for this interview: In the Harrisburg Estates neighborhood, just north of Harrisburg Town Center.
What we covered: Her losses as a political candidate (and why she now views them, collectively, as a big win), the YouTube video that put her on the path to social-media success, and 3.1 miles at an average pace of 10:07.
The conversation is edited to improve clarity and flow.
Q. Alright, so the first thing I have to ask you, because I’m not quite getting it: Who are you, and what are you doing with your life?
I have a really hard time with that. It’s easiest to start with: I’m a wife. I have two kids that are … over 18, but they’re still on payroll. And I love my gigantic family, and I love my church, and I’m a child of God, and I do real estate. And then because I do real estate, I instruct and teach Realtors. And then because I do that, I found out they needed encouragement more than they need tips and tricks. So I became a motivational speaker, which led me to writing books. And then in the course of writing books, it led me to social-media influencing stuff. And then — because I can’t say no when people have needs, which is part of being an “encourager” — when Helene hit Western North Carolina, I started a nonprofit. Because why not? And now I’m building houses for people that are being refused help by other entities.
So, yeah. I just say “yes.”
Leigh Thomas Brown at a speaking engagement in Boston in 2018. Matt Difanis
Q. It doesn’t sound like this was a plan — a strategy. It sounds like you’ve gone where the wind has blown you.
That’s very accurate. I will say, if you’d asked me when I was in high school (at Northwest Cabarrus) what I would be doing — I wanted to be an English teacher or a chorus teacher. But in college, I changed gears very quickly. Then after I graduated, I changed gears, changed gears, changed gears, because I was trying to find where I belonged.
One thing I am good at is that if I don’t belong in something, I will pull up stakes and go. I don’t let moss grow on me. And it’s good for me to tell my kids that. My daughter, specifically, doesn’t know what she wants to do or be, and I keep telling her, “You don’t have to know yet.” I didn’t know. I paid for college by bartending and waiting tables; worked on Wall Street (as a financial advisor); sold chainsaws (as a customer business development manager for Husqvarna); had sworn I’d never go into real estate — and now I’m in Year 26.
Q. So with the Wall Street and Husqvarna jobs, in either or both cases, were you all-in going in, or were you just kind of like, Eh, let’s give this a try and maybe I’ll like it?
I was enamored of the idea of working on Wall Street because it seemed so glamorous in the movies. Then what I discovered is that people are different when you deal with their money. And I said, “I don’t want to see this side of people.” Combine that with living in Manhattan — I mean, I grew up on a farm. To live in Manhattan, where the only green you have is Central Park? I couldn’t live that way.
Husqvarna was my escape valve. They didn’t have any women in outside sales. So I said, “I’ll do it.” And I became the only woman on the sales force. I got to go to all the expos and trade shows, I made great friendships, but it was so corporate. We’ve all watched “Office Space.” I couldn’t do it.
I remember being on the phone with my mom and dad, and I said, “I don’t like this life.” They said, “Then just come home. Go into real estate. Real estate lets you find your own way.”
Q. But you said you swore that you’d never go into real estate.
Yeah. I didn’t want to end up doing what my dad did.
He worked at a real estate office on Eastway Drive, and I remember going to his office as a kid. I also remember wanting to do something bigger and grander, something different.
Q. What changed?
I realized my dad had built an amazing business in Charlotte, quietly.
But my dad’s also terribly disorganized. When I joined him, I was like, “Whoa! How do you live in this office?” There were piles everywhere. So I spent some time organizing what he had and living in his hip pocket.
I’m so grateful. I mean, to get to work with my dad every day for 11 years? What a gift.
Marketing material from the early days of Leigh Thomas Brown’s time working with her father, Darrell Thomas. Courtesy of Leigh Thomas Brown
Q. I know you had — at least, in the past — an interest in going into politics. (She ran unsuccessfully, as a Republican, for U.S. House seats in 2019 — in a special election — and 2024, and for an N.C. House seat in 2014.) Is that still something you’d like to pursue?
Well, let’s just be honest — I’ve run three times and lost three times. Glad I lost, because the state of politics today is so, so toxic. And I don’t do toxic very well, because I am an eternally cockeyed optimist. I believe in people, and I just don’t know that who we’re electing right now — on any front — believes in people, and in the inherent goodness of our communities. So, I think I was protected by losing those three times so that I could do other things.
But I will absolutely say I’m grateful for running because I’ve met so many cool people, built so many relationships, and learned a lot about myself. All three of those taught me: Things that look like a failure on the surface? Not actually failures. They’re just a different pathway opening up.
To me, the clearest example of that was losing that congressional primary in ’24. If I’d won, I couldn’t have gone to Western North Carolina, and done relief work, and started the nonprofit. So I’m really grateful that I lost, because I could be far more effective on the ground. And if I have my way, we’re going to get a piece of legislation through that’s going to help people who have lost their homes in a natural disaster, who are currently being foreclosed on. I’ve got three different congressmen working on it. And my prayer is that they will freaking talk to each other about it, and get it across the finish line.
If I hadn’t run, I wouldn’t know those people, I wouldn’t know the language; and then if I’d have won, I wouldn’t have been able to work with the people to see the problem so that it can be solved. So I know I’m where I’m supposed to be.
Whether I run again in the future? I don’t know if that’s where my skills are needed. I just need to be useful.
Leigh Thomas Brown was a 2014 Republican candidate for District 82 of the North Carolina House of Representatives. Michael A. Anderson Photography
Q. I saw a poll yesterday that determined public trust in ChatGPT is higher than it is in politicians.
That’s depressing.
But the advantage of elected officials over ChatGPT? They’re not destroying groundwater like data centers are. So we’ll give them one point in their favor.
Q. Do you feel like in some ways you have garnered more public trust via your social-media following than would be the case if you were in office?I wonder if — with your social-media platform (118,000 TikTok followers) and through public-speaking and your books — whether you feel like you almost have more power —
Oh, 100% I do, because I’m —
Q. — and that more people trust you because —
— I’m not beholden to anybody. I can’t be bought and sold. I don’t have to have a script. There’s nobody telling me what I can and can’t say. If I screw up, I’m free to own it, and I’m definitely a fan of personal responsibility and accountability. Lord knows I’ve made my mistakes. And I’ll make some more.
Q. Tell me a little bit about your strategy when it comes to TikTok and making videos, and how your strategy has changed as you’ve figured it out more.
This may not surprise you at all after our conversation: I have no strategy at all. I kind of go with the flow.
I’ve been dropping videos since 2011 I think was my first one. I was mad at Bank of America. And that was my first viral video. It was actually my first video, and it wound up on C-Span and CNBC, The Economist, Consumerist.
Q. What did you basically say?
So in the banking world — if you remember, 2011, the heart of the recession. I was representing a lot of short sales. We had helped a family that had job loss. They were in the middle of foreclosure. Well, they got a buyer for the house. Got the short sale approved. But because the two departments don’t talk to each other, the house closed, we had bank approval, keys changed hands, buyer moved in. The next week, Bank of America’s foreclosure guys show up to trash out the house, and of course, they’re armed, because you have to be in that world. The buyers were home. And they said, “Um, we just bought this house.” And I couldn’t get anybody on the phone. So I said, You know what? I’m gonna make a video.
I threw it on YouTube, and within two hours, I got a call from a vice president at Bank of America saying, “Uhhhh, what’s going on here?” So I gave him the scoop, explained what they’d done wrong. We got it resolved, and I had this Oh-ho-ho-HO! moment of, Okay, this is more powerful than I thought.
My following grew at that point. Then for a while it was fairly stable — until Helene, when I shared what was going on in the North Carolina mountains. It doubled my audience.
But my channel? It’s kind of a mess. I have a devotion series, and I spotlight locally owned businesses, and I do real estate, and I talk about political things that are generally local issues. And I talk about my running, because I know that it helps (newer runners) to know that where I started is where they are, and to know that you don’t have to be perfect or fast.
Q. You just have to be yourself.
Yeah. Good, bad or indifferent. I mean, there are people who want to tear you down. They thrive on bitterness, ugliness and mean words. You can’t feed that. You don’t feed trolls, you just let them go back under the bridge.
Q. Do you read the comments?
Sometimes. I didn’t when I ran for office. That was too painful. I was being attacked by people in my party, people in the other party, people in the middle who feel like it’s their job to tear up candidates.
One of the top questions I’m asked is, “What’s it going to take to get better people in office?” And I say it’s that the public has got to resist the urge to tear down candidates. They already know their life is going to be scrutinized. They know their viewpoints are going to be in disagreement with people. So you attack, and then you wonder why you only get candidates who are attack-back kind of people.
I mean, the internet’s not always an unhealthy place, but around politics, it’s 90% toxic.
Q. But you mentioned that you sometimes do talk about politics in your videos.
Of course I do, because there are policy issues that impact us.
I look at Cabarrus County — we’ve grown so quickly, we don’t know what to do. You have people that say, “Stop all the growth! Throw out the garbage! We’re full!” Then you have people who say, “We have jobs. It’s a great place to live. No wonder people want to come here. How do we manage this?”
Then you have voters who think that the D.C. issues are Cabarrus County issues. They’re not. What they’re doing in D.C. is important to pay attention to. But I think we have our policy focus backwards. If I talk to any voter on the street today, I guarantee they have formed an opinion about Venezuela, even though they haven’t known where Venezuela was since eighth-grade geography, when you had to find it on a map. But if I were to ask those same people, “How do you feel about the proposal to add a data center in the 28213 zip code?,” they’d say, “Wait, what? Where’s 28213? What’s a data center? What does it matter?”
Real estate agent and motivational speaker Leigh Thomas Brown, photographed in the Harrisburg Estates neighborhood last month. DIAMOND VENCES dvences@charlotteobserver.com
Charlotte voters should be looking at their candidates. They should be asking themselves, OK, what’s being talked about by the City Council and County Commission? But how many of them show up at meetings? Three, four? And it’s the same three or four every meeting. The rest don’t go, and then they get mad after the fact. From a policy perspective, people need to get educated before the fact, express an opinion before the fact. Then if you lose? OK, you can get mad.
I’ll give you a good example: There was a Dollar General that got built here in Cabarrus County, next to a residential neighborhood. And the neighbors pitched a flarin’ fit the minute the ground broke, wanting to fight it. “Shut it down!” And the response was, “Um, you all got notices about this, but didn’t respond. You all could have come to the Planning & Zoning meeting, City Council, County Commission, and you didn’t. So you have no voice now, because you squandered it earlier.”
So when I’m talking about policy on my social channels, my approach is generally: “This is your chance. You live here. You actually have a stake. Just exercise it. Right or wrong, exercise it.”
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Coming soon: Théoden runs with Remi Okamoto, a dancer from Japan who is in her third season with the Charlotte Ballet.
Do you know of an influential Charlottean who runs — whether for fun, for fitness, or to feed a serious addiction — and who might be willing to be interviewed by Théoden while they log a few miles together? Send an email with your suggestion(s) to tjanes@charlotteobserver.com.
Théoden Janes has spent nearly 20 years covering entertainment and pop culture for the Observer. He also thrives on telling emotive long-form stories about extraordinary Charlotteans and — as a veteran of three dozen marathons and two Ironman triathlons — occasionally writes about endurance and other sports. Support my work with a digital subscription
Dominic Ondoro, 37, raises his hands as he crosses the finishing line to win the Men’s Elite Life Time Miami Marathon on Sunday, January 25, 2026, in Miami, Florida.
Carl Juste
cjuste@miamiherald.com
While much of the nation woke up to heavy snow, icy conditions and power outages Sunday morning, the 18,500 runners in the Life Time Miami Marathon and Half-Marathon sweated through oppressive humidity and temperatures in the 70s as they ran past palm trees and cruise ships through downtown and along the waterfront.
The winners of the men’s and women’s marathon, Dominic Ondoro and Christine Welsh, and half marathon winners Mauricio Gonzalez and Tracy Barlow, all mentioned the challenges of Miami’s humidity; but they were not complaining.
They were happy to be wearing shorts and racing in the sunshine.
Men’s marathon winner Ondoro of Kenya finished in 2:17:47. He was racing in Miami for the first time and was somewhat affected by the winter storms, as his coach/manager got stuck in Dallas and was unable to travel to the race.
Ondoro, a 37-year-old father of three, landed at Miami International Airport at 1:08 a.m. Saturday after a long journey from Nairobi to Paris to Miami and was met by Dennis Rodrigues of Cooper City, a retired West Broward High School geography teacher who was called by a friend in the running community at the last minute to see if he would be willing to provide transportation and lodging for Ondoro, whom he had never met.
“I was in Africa last year, so I picked up Swahili, so I could talk to him a little bit,” Rodrigues said. “I loved my time in East Africa, Tanzania, found the East African people so sweet. They say ‘Hakuna Matata.’ No worries.
“By the time I got him to my house it was 2, 2:30 a.m. He woke up at 7:30 and wanted to go for a run, so I took him to Brian Piccolo Park a mile from my house. He did a 40-minute, 7-mile run. I Googled him, because I didn’t know him that well, and realized he has won over 20 marathons.”
Rodrigues and his wife gave Ondoro chicken and rice for lunch and dinner and three bananas for a pre-race breakfast.
Ondoro twisted his ankle at Mile 20 of Sunday’s race, was limping after crossing the finish line, but said he didn’t think it was a serious injury. He was delighted to head home with a gold medal to show his wife and children, ages 10, 6 and 4.
He said he liked the Miami course, particularly seeing cruise ships up close for the first time. “But I did not see them very well because I was running, that is my job,” Ondoro said.
Growing up on a tea and coffee farm in Kenya, Ondoro started running in school. Asked what he thinks about when he runs mile after mile, he smiled and replied: “Winning.”
Running for domestic abuse victims
Bradley Makuvire, a 27-year-old assistant running coach at El Paso Community college in Texas, finished in second place for the second year in a row. The Zimbabwe native bettered his time by two minutes from last year, clocking in at 2:20:12.
“I am disappointed because I wanted to win, but also happy because [it was a good result considering] the emergency door on my flight here from Texas had a problem so we had to make a landing in Indiana, we were delayed, so I was still a little bit tired,” he said.
“I tried to make a move towards the end of the race but the winner made a move earlier, and I just didn’t have enough to go with him.”
When he isn’t running or coaching running, Makuvire is a social worker focusing on victims of domestic abuse, particularly women and children.
“My Mom went through a lot of abuse, so that affected me a lot, and she didn’t get help,” he said. “I wanted to provide help for other people like my Mom.”
Ederson Vilela Periera of Brazil finished third behind Makuvire in 2:21:18.
Marine biologist Christina Welsh wins women’s marathon
The women’s marathon winner, 29-year-old Welsh of St. Petersburg, crossed the finish line in 2:42.14.
Welsh is a New Jersey native and pursuing a PhD in marine biology at the University of South Florida. She ran cross country at Division III Stockton University and ran her first marathon in 2019.
She ran a personal best 2:33:08 at the 2022 Houston Marathon, which qualified her for the 2024 Olympic Trials. She went on to finish second at the 2024 Philadelphia Marathon and won the 2025 Detroit Marathon.
Christina Welsh, 29, crosses the finishing line to win the Women’s Elite Life Time Miami Marathon on Sunday, January 25, 2026, in Miami, Florida. Carl Juste cjuste@miamiherald.com
“This one was the hardest to win,” she said. “There were a few more hills than I anticipated, which is my fault, I should have looked at the course ahead of time. And, obviously, it was a little bit warm. I do live in St. Petersburg, so I did a lot of afternoon training runs to get ready for it, but it was really warm. And, there was a lot of good competition this year.”
Welsh does research on fish metabolism in different temperatures and when they are exercising. She said she relates as a runner.
“I feel a lot like a fish on a treadmill when I’m running in the Florida humidity,” she said, smiling.
Sunday was her first time running the Miami Marathon and she enjoyed the experience.
“It was a beautiful course and there were so many spectators,” she said. “There were no parts of the course that were totally dead, even at the beginning of the race. There were so many spectators excited to cheer for everyone.”
Welsh plans to compete in Grandma’s Marathon in Minnesota in June. She said it is a fast course and she hopes to qualify for the Olympic Trials.
Ellie Stevens of Las Vegas finished second in the women’s marathon in 2:45:43 and Hanna Hauschild of Miami Beach was third in 2:52:27.
Half-marathon winner Gonzalez felt Colombian pride
The men’s half marathon was won by 37-year-old Mauricio Gonzalez of Bogota, Colombia. He has been running for 22 years, and this was his first Miami Marathon. He finished in 1:06:17.
“I came here two years ago to help train some other runners and once I saw the course, it was my dream to come back and compete here and to win it made the dream complete,” he said. “It is a spectacular route. Enjoying the beautiful scenery helps make the time go by faster.”
Gonzalez’s wife was also in the race and his 16-year-old son gave him a Colombian flag to wrap around his shoulders toward the finish.
Colombian Mauricio Gonzalez finishes first in the Men’s Elite Life Time Miami Half Marathon on Sunday, January 25, 2026, in Miami, Florida. Carl Juste cjuste@miamiherald.com
“Like every Colombian child, I dreamed of being a soccer player when I was little, but once I started running I didn’t want to do any other sport,” he said. “Seeing so many Colombian supporters along the race helped carry me and I was proud to be representing the 2,500 Colombian runners who were in the Miami Marathon.”
Paxton Smith of Miami, the 27-year-old former English teacher who now is a coach for “My Olympic Coach” organization, was the half-marathon runner up with a time of 1:08:27.
Third time was charm for Tracy Barlow in half-marathon
Tracy Barlow, a 40-year-old critical care nurse from London, had back-to-back third place finishes in the 2024 and 2025 Miami Half-Marathon, and finally reached the top of the podium on Sunday.
Lucy Dobbs of Indianapolis was runner-up in 1:19:32.
“The third time was the charm,” Barlow said, wearing a huge smile. “It was really humid and it was really windy the first four miles, especially crossing the bridge, so that was tough going. You have to try to pace yourself and make sure you don’t work too hard. Having done it a few times before, I knew how the heat can get you. But I don’t mind feeling hot and sweaty.”
Although Barlow grew up in the United Kingdom, she said she has never been a fan of cold weather and loves the weather in Florida. Her sister lives in Bradenton, and Barlow enjoys running in warm conditions whenever she visits.
Tracy Barlow of England lifts her arms as she crosses the finishing line to win the Women’s Elite Life Time Miami Half Marathon on Sunday, January 25, 2026, in Miami, Florida. Carl Juste cjuste@miamiherald.com
Barlow dabbled in gymnastics and soccer in elementary school and picked up running during college to shed weight. She fell in love with the sport, did her first half-marathon at age 23, has run the London Marathon numerous times and represented Great Britain in the marathon at the 2017 World Championships.
“It’s the only sport where the whole city comes out and supports you,” she said.
Barlow wakes up at 4:30 a.m. and gets in an hour’s run and then works a 12-hour shift at St. Thomas Hospital.
She finds running therapeutic.
“It makes you grateful for what you can do because you’re working with people who are really helpless and dependent on you and the fact that I can then go out for a run and clear my mind helps.”
This story was originally published January 25, 2026 at 1:17 PM.
Miami Herald sportswriter Michelle Kaufman has covered 14 Olympics, six World Cups, Wimbledon, U.S. Open, NCAA Basketball Tournaments, NBA Playoffs, Super Bowls and has been the soccer writer and University of Miami basketball beat writer for 25 years. She was born in Frederick, Md., and grew up in Miami.
People who like to change up their exercise routines are in good shape.
It’s the variety of workouts, not just the amount and duration of exercise, that really counts when it comes to extending one’s lifespan, a study published Tuesday suggests.
“If the total amount of physical activity is kept constant, you will get additional benefits from doing a mix of physical activities,” Han Han, a Harvard postdoctoral research fellow, told NewScientist.
For the study, Harvard researchers analyzed data collected from 111,000 adults over a 30-year period. People reported how much time they spent each week engaging in various physical activities including walking, running, swimming, bicycling, weight lifting, resistance training, yoga and stretching. Researchers also accounted for the amount of stairs people climbed and the amount of moderate or heavy outdoor work they did.
As expected, people who exercised more often had a lower risk of premature death. It ranged between 4% and 17%, depending on the average amount of exercise over the course of the study. But surprisingly, people who participated in the widest range of exercise types had a nearly 20% lower risk of premature death than people who were equally active but did a narrower variety of workouts.
Swimming was an exception. It did not correlate with an extended lifespan – but that does not mean it isn’t a worthwhile activity, just that more research is needed into its relationship with all-cause mortality, the study said.
The bottom line? Mix it up.
“When deciding how to exercise, keep in mind that there may be extra health benefits to engaging in multiple types of physical activity, rather than relying on a single type alone,” Yang Hu, a study’s authors a research scientist at Harvard, said in a statement.
Despite its large cohort and extended duration, the study had limitations. The data was based on people reporting their exercise choices and levels, which can lead to errors. Also, the participants mostly were white health care professionals – a lack of diversity that could skew the results, researchers said.
Thousands of runners and walkers in the District started their New Year’s Day early and took part in the FITDC Fresh Start 5K.
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Thousands run in DC’s ‘Fresh Start 5K’
While many in the D.C. region stayed up late Wednesday night welcoming in the new year, thousands in the District started the day early and took part in the FITDC Fresh Start 5K.
Yes, those walking and running in the 12th annual event were putting their best foot forward in 2026, but their feet, hands, ears and everything else was freezing. The temperature at the starting line on the Frederick Douglas Memorial Bridge was 27 and it felt like 15 degrees.
“I just got to get the new year started off right,” Terry Manago said. “This is my third time.”
In preparation for her early run, Manago went to bed just after midnight, closing out a night of watching Andy Cohen and Anderson Cooper on CNN’s New Year’s Eve coverage.
Roderick Adams woke up early on New Year’s Day for his IT job at Metro. Adams told WTOP he was taking part in the 5K during his lunch break.
“I’ve been up since 6:30,” Adams said. “This actually is going to be my first time.”
Hours ahead of the race, there were lots of volunteers setting up tables and tents before the walkers and runners arrived.
One of the volunteers, Ivone Gopaul, said she was there with friends, who decided to forfeit their parties and alcoholic beverages this year.
While they might have skipped parties, volunteer Jay Atchley couldn’t wait to see the Stranger Things finale on Netflix.
“I went to bed around 1 o’clock probably,” Atchley said.
Atchley wouldn’t give any spoilers, but did shake their head and said, “It was a surprising ending, that’s for sure.”
Thousands in the District got up early on the New Year’s Day to take part in the FITDC Fresh Start 5K.
(WTOP/Jimmy Alexander)
WTOP/Jimmy Alexander
Yes, those walking and running in the 12th annual event were putting their best foot forward in 2026, but their feet, hands, ears and everything else was freezing.
(WTOP/Jimmy Alexander)
WTOP/Jimmy Alexander
D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser lined up with other participants of the Fresh Start 5K.
(WTOP/Jimmy Alexander)
What if the secret to turning back the clock was as simple as lacing up your sneakers? Research suggests 1that just 75 minutes of jogging or running per week could reduce biological aging by up to 12 years, offering a compelling reason to hit the pavement.
Thousands of runners and walkers celebrate as they finish the 36th Annual Feaster Five Thanksgiving Day Road Race in Andover.
TIM JEAN/Staff photo
ANDOVER – The Feaster Five Road Race, a Thanksgiving Day tradition featuring family, fun, fitness and apple pie, takes over downtown Andover next week expecting more than 7,000 runners and walkers of all ages to join this special event.
When runners line up at the starting line this year, they will be chasing two well known targets: Bruins legend and Hall of Famer Zdeno Chara and World Marathon Champion Becca Pizzi for the brand new Can You Catch Them Challenge.
There is a new challenge in the 2025 Feaster Five Road Race. Beat former Bruins great Zdeno Chara, on right, or long-distance running star Becca Pizzi, on left, and you will help the MVS Scholarship Fund presented by Schneider Electric. Long-time Feaster Five race director Dave McGillivray, who is close to both Chara and Pizzi, is in center.
Sidney Olson is shown here in 2021 before her Kids K race. She had run two years, including 2022, and now the event is named in her honor, the “Sidney Mae Olson Rainbow Run.”
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Mary Beth Ellis, who lost her daughter Sidney Olson to a traffic accident in 2023, leads a 1K cross country race during Sidney’s Rainbow kids fun run before last year’s Feaster Five road race.
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NEW YORK CITY (WABC) — Thousands of runners geared up to kick off the TCS New York City Marathon in the Abbott Dash to the Finish Line 5K.
On Saturday morning, nearly 10,000 runners of all ages participated in the race to Central Park.
Participants started on Manhattan’s east side near the United Nations and raced through Midtown Manhattan to the TCS NYC Marathon finish line in Central Park.
The Abbott Dash is one of 60 adult and youth races produced bylocalnonprofit New York Road Runners.
The race was headlined by the USATF 5K Championships, with 2023 runner-up Ahmed Muhumed and 2023 champion Annie Rodenfels capturing this year’s titles.
ABC 7 New York is your home for the TCS NYC Marathon, and our Countdown to the Starting Line Special with Liz Cho and David Novarro airs on Saturday after Eyewitness News at 11:00 p.m.
Joining Liz and David will be Eyewitness News Meteorologist Brittany Bell with a look at the iconic 5-borough course. Eyewitness News Sports Anchor Ryan Field has reports on which top runners to look for, and Sports Anchor Sam Ryan will have an update on the exciting Wheelchair Division this year.
ABC7/WABC-TV and ESPN2 have been home to the award-winning TCS New York City Marathon broadcast since 2013.
Over 200 participants gathered at the starting line, dressed in creative costumes and makeup, while the sidewalks were lined with fans waiting to see racers sprint down the street in various styles of footwear.
Participant Parker Beckley (C) of Bozeman, Montana, crosses the finish line as he wins the 38th annual 17th Street High Heel Race on October 28, 2025 in Washington, DC. The annual race, with participants dress in drag costume racing down 17th Street in high heels, is one of the most iconic LGBTQIA+ celebrations in DC.
(Photo by Alex Wong/Getty Images)
Photo by Alex Wong/Getty Images
Men in maid outfits and colorful wigs at the annual 17th Street High Heel Race on Tuesday night.
(WTOP/Steve Dresner)
WTOP/Steve Dresner
Men dressed like Disney’s Princess Merida (left) and DHS Secretary Kristi Noem (center) at the annual 17th Street High Heel Race on Tuesday night.
(WTOP/Steve Dresner)
WTOP/Steve Dresner
A man dressed patriotically at the annual 17th Street High Heel Race on Tuesday night.
(WTOP/Steve Dresner)
WTOP/Steve Dresner
A participant poses for photographers prior to the 38th annual 17th Street High Heel Race on October 28, 2025 in DC. The annual race, with participants dress in drag costume racing down 17th Street in high heels, is one of the most iconic LGBTQIA+ celebrations in DC.
(Photo by Alex Wong/Getty Images)
Photo by Alex Wong/Getty Images
Participants dressed in Santa Claus costumes pose for photographers prior to the 38th annual 17th Street High Heel Race on October 28, 2025 in DC. The annual race, with participants dress in drag costume racing down 17th Street in high heels, is one of the most iconic LGBTQIA+ celebrations in DC.
(Photo by Alex Wong/Getty Images)
Photo by Alex Wong/Getty Images
Participants in costume pose for photographers prior to the 38th annual 17th Street High Heel Race on October 28, 2025 in Washington, DC. The annual race, with participants dress in drag costume racing down 17th Street in high heels, is one of the most iconic LGBTQIA+ celebrations in DC.
(Photo by Alex Wong/Getty Images)
Photo by Alex Wong/Getty Images
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High Heel Race in DC returns with dazzling costumes, community spirit
It’s not often there’s a running competition through the streets of D.C.’s Dupont Circle, where the main objective isn’t to finish first, but rather trying not to break a heel and fall flat on your face.
That was the general consensus of some of the participants at the 38th annual High Heel Race, held along 17th Street in Northwest on Tuesday night.
Over 200 participants gathered at the starting line at 17th and R streets, dressed in creative costumes and makeup, while the sidewalks were lined with fans and outdoor foodies, all waiting to see racers sprint down the street in various styles of footwear.
D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser was the honorable host of the longtime neighborhood tradition that dates back to the late 80s.
The High Heel Race first began on Halloween of 1986 as a bet between two drag queens. Now, it continues to gain wide support from the D.C. area’s LGBTQ community.
At the end of the 2025 race, several racers crossed the finish line at the same time, prompting some participants to ask, “Who won?”
Ironically, many had the same answer — “Those who didn’t fall flat on their faces were the ones who won this race.”
The real winner was Parker Beckley of Bozeman, Montana, who won the race while painted head to toe in teal and gold makeup as the Statue of Liberty.
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Do you like running and have an iron stomach? If so, the Taco Bell D.C. 50K might be right for you!
Do you like running and have an iron stomach? Then perhaps you’d like to lace up your shoes, pregame with some Pepto-Bismol and take part in the Taco Bell D.C. 50K race set for late November.
The race, described by organizers as the “ultimate mix of endurance and spice,” will kick off at 8 a.m. on Saturday, Nov. 29, from the Taco Bell Cantina in Alexandria.
Organizers say close to 300 people have already signed up for the event, which they emphasize is not sponsored or endorsed by Taco Bell, just fueled by it.
Participants who successfully run 50 kilometers (31 miles) in 11 hours and eat a Taco Bell menu item at stops across D.C., Alexandria and Arlington will be rewarded with a commemorative medal upon completion.
Note, drinks do not count as menu items and runners are required to keep all receipts and wrappers as proof of purchases.
The race starts and ends at 417 King Street in Alexandria, the site of one of the Taco Bell locations that runners will hit throughout the course. The other stops that runners are required to visit (in order) include:
231 South Van Dorn St, Alexandria, Virginia
4923 Lee Highway, Arlington, Virginia
2039 Wilson Blvd., Arlington, Virginia
3100 14th St. NW Suite 103, Washington, DC
1412 U St. NW, Washington, D.C.
808 7th St. NW, Washington, D.C.
50 Massachusetts Ave. NE, Washington, D.C.
Runners are expected to abide by a strict list of rules that, according to organizers, “may be amended, or changed to promote the spirit of this run.”
“The idea for this event was inspired by the original Taco Bell 50K Denver event. It sounded like so much fun, we wanted to bring it to D.C.,” reads the race announcement, underscoring that the event is also not associated with the Colorado race.
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If you want to run faster or farther, you have options. You can put in the work, getting up 40 minutes earlier to train, changing your diet, going harder and longer on each of your runs to build up strength.
Or, you can strap on one of Nike’s new robot shoes and mechanically boost your speed, your stamina, and your overall performance in a flash. Sounds way easier, and probably more fun too.
Today the footwear giant unveiled Project Amplify, an early design of a powered footwear system that Nike technicians are still developing with the goal of a commercial release in 2028.
Amplify has a few parts. At the top, an elastic cuff containing a ring of batteries fits onto the wearer’s calf. Attached to the battery array is a mechanical arm that points downward, with the thickest part sitting over the outside of the ankle. That thick part is where the motor lives, and that motor drives a hinged piece that’s attached to the heel of the shoe.
The shoe itself is a run-walk shoe with a carbon plate and modern Nike looks. (The company says you can detach the shoes and wear them sans motorized appliance; helpful for when the batteries need recharging.)
At the end of each step, the motor pulls up on the heel of the shoe. The device is calibrated so the movement of the motor can match the natural movement of each person’s ankle and lower leg. The result is that each step is powered, or given a little bit of a spring and an extra push by the robot mechanism.
Nike doesn’t expect that competitive athletes or distance runners will be able to strap these on and start shaving minutes off their marathon times. Rather, the device is meant to boost the movement of people who are thoroughly middle-of-the road runners or joggers. Nike cites the 10- to 12-minute miler as Project Amplify’s eventual target market. The company says a device like this will give the gentle assist necessary to help those folks either improve their overall fitness or help them endure longer distances while they’re on runs. It’s also being designed for everyday walkers and people who are on their feet for long stretches, basically giving any human the ability to stay mobile longer and with more comfort.
Nike has been developing Project Amplify for years; here are some prototypes.
The race has many aspects that set it apart from your typical 26.2 mile run, and none more so than its “Wear Blue Mile,” commemorating fallen service members.
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Racers look forward to honoring fallen warriors at the Marine Corps Marathon’s ‘Wear Blue Mile’
In just six days, runners will take over the streets of D.C. and Arlington, Virginia, for the 50th Marine Corps Marathon, and one of the highlights of the race is the commemorative “Wear Blue Mile.”
As runners approach the halfway mark of the race, they will turn calm and silent — Mile 12 on Haines Point in the District has no crowd and no cheering. Instead, a sea of blue signs showing the picture and name of a fallen service member will line the route, along with family members of the deceased.
Every few paces runners will see another face, another name and another date of death, and even the age of the service member when they were killed. On each “Faces of the Fallen” poster is also an American flag with a black ribbon.
John Cox, who has run the race 39 times, said the Blue Mile is a relatively new addition, but a very moving one.
“You can’t help but be impacted by it, because there’s so many faces and their sacrifice was for you,” Cox told WTOP. “And you see the reactions of the people who are running for individual people who are there, and they stop and acknowledge, and have their moments. It’s sobering for me.”
Two runners this year have not only passed by the faces numerous times, but they have also volunteered at the 12th mile, setting up signs and spending time with the military families who sit alongside the remembrances of their loved ones.
“To stand there holding the flag representing one of our fallen warriors … we watched literally the entire race,” Andrew Dalbey, who volunteered with his wife in 2023, said. “We saw the emotions of every runner. We had people coming up, the sweeper bus had actually passed them, and they’re like, ‘You know what? I’d heard about the blue mile and I just wanted to get to this point.’”
Dalbey said the mile is a “special section” that started in 2012, and that “basically, they’ve been out there at the Marine Corps Marathon ever since.”
“Wear blue: run to remember,” the organization behind the emotional mile, was founded in 2010 by several military spouses and family members who lost loved ones in combat.
Now when they place the blue posters on the route, they also add the service members who have died by suicide.
“Which is incredible. It’s important to remember them as well,” Dalbey said.
One such Marine who will be honored is Caleb Murfield, who died by suicide in 2007.
His father, Loren Murfield, will be a Blue Mile runner this year and told WTOP, “Caleb will have a poster on mile 12. My wife is going to be holding his flag on the tribute mile.”
This will be Murfield’s first time running the Marine Corps Marathon and seeing this stretch.
“I suspect, knowing how I run and, at 70 years old, how my body is taxed, I’m not sure how emotional I will be at the time, but I’ve already shed many tears over what it will look like,” Murfield said. “I’ve seen posters, I’ve seen pictures. I’ve already had that emotion, and I’m sure for the rest of my life, I will remember it.”
Other first-time runners, such as Navy veteran Kylie Vitukevich, will experience the Blue Mile for the first time this year.
“I think I’m most excited to see that. I’ve heard that it’s a very overwhelming, in a good way, spot to run,” she said.
Margaret Gill, a fellow first-time runner, said, “I think it puts into perspective how you have something big, like the military or marathon runners, and you can just break it down into individual people. So, taking the time to see those names, see those pictures, it lets you really get more intimate with what’s happening and who’s involved.”
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QUIZ: President Trump is bringing back the Presidential Fitness Test. How much do you remember?
– If you ever get sidelined by cramps, injury, or if you’re new to running and want to understand how your body moves, fitness tests are a great tool to become better, faster, and stronger. Let’s break down what tests are beneficial for runners? A gait analysis, which involves being recorded from different angles while running on a treadmill to look at form, including foot strike and body alignment, is especially useful for runners with chronic injuries like shin splints, patella femoral pain, or IT band issues. If you’re new to running, consider a functional movement screening, or FMS, which is when a coach or a trainer will typically put you through movements like single leg squat, push up, and step over, and then watch how your body moves. If your hip drops to one side or your knees cave in on that squat, then that could indicate weakness in your core stability. Some places like NYU, HSS and Columbia Run Lab offer running analyses, which combine a gate analysis on a treadmill with a movement screen like the FMS, so it’s one stop shopping. You can also often get an FMS at a gym as part of an initial training evaluation, and it can be useful on its own. If you wanna measure your cardio fitness, VO2 max is what you’re looking for. It’s an increasingly popular test in recent years. VO2 max measures your aerobic capacity. It can give you a sense of your cardiovascular fitness, which can be helpful as a benchmark to try to improve, often via short, intense intervals. This test can also help determine your max heart rate and training zones based on that. Lactate threshold or the point at which your body goes from aerobic to anaerobic is something you can train and improve. Knowing your threshold allows you to train in the proper zones so you can increase it. Wearable data is the most affordable option, and you can track a lot of these same things right from your watch like gate, cadence and stride length. But that data might not be very useful if you don’t know what to do with it. That’s where these tests come into play. For more expert advice about fitness testing for runners, check out runnersworld.com.
QUIZ: President Trump is bringing back the Presidential Fitness Test. How much do you remember?
President Donald Trump is reviving the long-retired Presidential Fitness Test, a test schools haven’t used in over a decade. Trump signed an executive order on July 31 directing the Secretaries of Health and Education to re-administer the exam.It’s not clear which exercises will be part of the test or when it will launch in schools.Along with the fitness test, Trump is also reinstating the Presidential Fitness Award, which recognizes top-performing students.The award program was first introduced in 1966 as an incentive to promote health and fitness to American children. How much do you remember about the test and award? Take the below quiz to find out.Not seeing the quiz? APP USERS: Tap here
WASHINGTON —
President Donald Trump is reviving the long-retired Presidential Fitness Test, a test schools haven’t used in over a decade.
Trump signed an executive order on July 31 directing the Secretaries of Health and Education to re-administer the exam.
It’s not clear which exercises will be part of the test or when it will launch in schools.
Along with the fitness test, Trump is also reinstating the Presidential Fitness Award, which recognizes top-performing students.
The award program was first introduced in 1966 as an incentive to promote health and fitness to American children.
How much do you remember about the test and award? Take the below quiz to find out.
One couple is venturing to the starting line not only with the goal of finishing this year’s marathon, but also honoring and advocating for the recognition of two fallen Marines, who died as heroes.
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This couple has a bigger mission than the finish line during this year’s Marine Corps Marathon
The 50th Marine Corps Marathon is less than a month away, and here at WTOP, we are highlighting some of the inspiring people that are running to that start line and what brought them there.
One couple is venturing to the starting line, not only with the goal of finishing this year’s marathon, but also honoring and advocating for the recognition of two fallen Marines, who died as heroes.
Andrew and Shelley Dalbey have run the Marine Corps Marathon before, but this year, they return from a slight hiatus and will continue to run as part of Team Jordan.
The group honors Lance Cpl. Jordan Haerter and Cpl. Jonathan Yale. Both men were killed on April 22, 2008, in Ramadi, Iraq.
Their two battalions were switching places at the Joint Security Station. Both men were standing guard at the entry control point when a large truck accelerated toward the gates. It did not stop on command and both men fired until it stopped and a suicide bomber detonated a 2,000-pound blast that killed them both.
“They had six seconds to stop a suicide bomber,” Andrew told WTOP. “They saved the lives of 150 Marines and Iraqi police officers.”
They were both posthumously awarded the Navy Cross and now this group, lead by Haerter’s mother, advocates for the two young men to receive the congressional Medal of Honor.
One couple is running the Marine Corps Marathon not only with the goal of finishing, but also honoring and advocating for the recognition of two fallen Marines.
(Courtesy Andrew and Shelley Dalbey)
Courtesy Andrew and Shelley Dalbey
Andrew and Shelley Dalbey have run the Marine Corps Marathon before, but this year, they return from a slight hiatus and will continue to run as part of Team Jordan.
(Courtesy Andrew and Shelley Dalbey)
Courtesy Andrew and Shelley Dalbey
One couple is running the Marine Corps Marathon while honoring and advocating for the recognition of two fallen Marines.
(Courtesy Andrew and Shelley Dalbey)
Courtesy Andrew and Shelley Dalbey
Team Jordan is a Marine Corps Marathon honoring two fallen Marines.
(Courtesy Andrew and Shelley Dalbey)
Courtesy Andrew and Shelley Dalbey
Speaking about the two fallen Marines’ families, Shelley said, “Nothing in my life has changed my life as much as these events have shaped and changed their lives.”
“They deserve to have their kids and their brothers remembered,” she added.
The couple and the other members of Team Jordan will all sport similar shirts honoring Lance Cpl. Haerter. They will also pay respects at his remembrance on the “Wear Blue Mile” where many fallen service members are honored.
This race and cause have special meaning for Andrew, as he was also a Marine. For the entire 26.2-mile race, he will carry the American flag complete with streamers with the names of both service members.
“In training, I will typically carry an eight-pound dumbbell just to develop the arm fatigue, the stamina for it,” Andrew said.
While they have raced the streets before, this is the first Marine Corps Marathon for Shelley since beating cancer a few years ago.
“Surgery was sufficient, but it took a while, because it was an abdominal surgery, so it took a while to get past that,” she told WTOP.
Though the Dalbeys have raced other marathons across the country, they keep coming back to the Marine Corps Marathon. This will be the ninth time Andrew has run with the Marines.
“It’s the power of this race. It’s the Marines that are out there cheering you on. … There’s no other race like it,” Andrew said.
Both said that this is a milestone in a personal fitness journey as well, as both have lost over 50 pounds in preparation for the marathon.
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Orangetheory classes in Orlando are helping runners prepare for marathons by offering a comprehensive workout that combines running, rowing, and strength training to boost endurance and prevent injuries.Inside the class, the focus is on heart rate, hustle, and sweat, providing a full-body workout that benefits runners of all levels.”It’s really a full-body workout, which is great. You’re getting everything,” Orangetheory Coach Danielle Sisco said.”We break it all down and we’re really just trying to build a stronger body, build up your metabolism and have you leaving feeling fantastic, ” Orangetheory Fitness Coach Thomas Stoakes said. The workout split at Orangetheory includes running, rowing, and strength training, designed to enhance endurance, build strength, and prevent injuries.”One thing I’ve learned: runners love running, lifters love lifting. We do it all here. But those that just hone in on running tend to be more injury-prone. That durability you build on the weight floor goes miles out on the course,” Stoakes said. Stoakes, gearing up for his fifth full marathon, and Sisco, training for her first half-marathon, are among those benefiting from the balanced approach.”I feel like having been focused on lifting legs and getting my legs stronger and then strength training as a whole… It’s made me a stronger runner. I didn’t realize that I could be faster from lifting, but I do feel like that’s what happened for me,” Sisco said.The misconception that one must choose between strength training and running is dispelled in these classes, where cross-training in the Orange Room enhances every mile on the road.”My basis at Orangetheory, I wasn’t sure how great I was going to be running outside because I mostly ran here, but it’s translated so well. My training in here has really helped me with my training outside,” Sisco said.Every rep and stride in the class brings runners one step closer to their finish line, demonstrating the power of cross-training in marathon preparation.
WINTER SPRINGS, Fla. —
Orangetheory classes in Orlando are helping runners prepare for marathons by offering a comprehensive workout that combines running, rowing, and strength training to boost endurance and prevent injuries.
Inside the class, the focus is on heart rate, hustle, and sweat, providing a full-body workout that benefits runners of all levels.
“It’s really a full-body workout, which is great. You’re getting everything,” Orangetheory Coach Danielle Sisco said.
“We break it all down and we’re really just trying to build a stronger body, build up your metabolism and have you leaving feeling fantastic, ” Orangetheory Fitness Coach Thomas Stoakes said.
The workout split at Orangetheory includes running, rowing, and strength training, designed to enhance endurance, build strength, and prevent injuries.
“One thing I’ve learned: runners love running, lifters love lifting. We do it all here. But those that just hone in on running tend to be more injury-prone. That durability you build on the weight floor goes miles out on the course,” Stoakes said.
Stoakes, gearing up for his fifth full marathon, and Sisco, training for her first half-marathon, are among those benefiting from the balanced approach.
“I feel like having been focused on lifting legs and getting my legs stronger and then strength training as a whole… It’s made me a stronger runner. I didn’t realize that I could be faster from lifting, but I do feel like that’s what happened for me,” Sisco said.
The misconception that one must choose between strength training and running is dispelled in these classes, where cross-training in the Orange Room enhances every mile on the road.
“My basis at Orangetheory, I wasn’t sure how great I was going to be running outside because I mostly ran here, but it’s translated so well. My training in here has really helped me with my training outside,” Sisco said.
Every rep and stride in the class brings runners one step closer to their finish line, demonstrating the power of cross-training in marathon preparation.
If you’re training more, whether you’re logging longer runs, lifting heavier, or simply moving more throughout the week, your calorie, fat, and fiber intake should rise accordingly. Otherwise, you could be increasing your risk of stress injuries, poor recovery, or long-term hormonal disruptions without realizing it.
Kylie Vitukevich started a running group in Southern Maryland from scratch in 2024, and now she and several members will run in the Marine Corps Marathon.
Kylie Vitukevich (second from right) and other runners after a race.(Courtesy Kylie Vitukevich)
Kylie Vitukevich (second from right) and other runners after a race.(Courtesy Kylie Vitukevich)
The 50th Marine Corps Marathon is less than a month away, and WTOP is highlighting some of the inspiring people who are running to that finish line.
When a mom of three and Navy veteran moved to Southern Maryland, she turned to pounding the pavement and started her own running group to build friendships and train for her first marathon.
Kylie Vitukevich moved to Leonardtown, Maryland, from Hawaii with her Navy reservist husband in 2022. She had just left the Navy after serving for eight years.
After having her third child shortly after moving, she started running during her free time, a hobby she never thought she would do.
“I was always that person in high school that would cut across the track and not finish the mile run in PE,” Vitukevich told WTOP. “But I didn’t really have anything for me, and I needed that outlet of something to do.”
She was inspired by her sister-in-law, who had completed the Boston Marathon a few times, and decided to look for an all-women running group.
“I didn’t really have any friends in the area. I didn’t know anyone that ran at all,” she said. “And although I do live in a very safe area, I just did not feel comfortable running on my own. I didn’t really know where to run.”
But she couldn’t find a running group anywhere. So, she started her own called the “St. Mary’s Girls Run Club.”
“I just had one person come, and it was amazing. I was terrified that nobody would show up because I really didn’t know anybody in the area,” Vitukevich said about the inaugural run of the group in March 2024.
“Since then, we’ve like consistently had 20-plus people come every weekend,” she added.
During the summer months, the women will often start well before sunrise to beat the summer heat, always getting a coffee afterward.
“It’s been such a great experience. I’ve met so many wonderful women, and I feel like it’s very inspiring to know them and know the reasons why they’re running,” she said.
Nine women from the group plan to run the Marine Corps Marathon this year, according to Vitukevich.
“And I’ve had at least that many say that they’re going to come cheer us on at various spots throughout the race. … Just knowing that these people are going to drive an hour and a half and come cheer us on, that makes me want to cry,” she said.
Vitukevich has run several half marathons. After her last 13.1-mile race, she figured she was ready to take the next step.
The Marine Corps Marathon will be special for the Navy veteran and her family.
“The Navy and the Marines, and the military in general, are very important to us, because I think we understand all the sacrifices that military families make firsthand,” she said.
Beyond her running group, she said her husband and three kids have supported her on this training journey, coming on long runs with water and words of encouragement. Her two oldest kids will even run alongside her on the finishing stretches of her runs.
She said she hopes the training with her group and family will propel her to high-fiving a Marine at the finish line.
“I’m hoping that I can high-five them with a smile on my face and not tears of sadness or pain,” she said.
Vitukevich said anyone who can’t find a running group that fits them, should take a chance and start their own.
“I’ve had such positive feedback from everyone that comes. I constantly get messages from girls in the group that say their running has improved so much. They never thought that they could run as far as they do or as fast as they have without the support from other people in the group,” she said.
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