The 112,000 Ultra Challenge, benefiting Champions for the Homeless

Walking again was my finish line. Now: 56 miles. One day.For our neighbors.

This birthday, I'm running a -mile ultramarathon in a single day, one mile for every year I've been alive, about 112,000 steps. It's my birthday gift to myself: a thank-you for another year of health. And I'm paying it forward. Every mile I cover raises money for Champions for the Homeless, feeding, clothing, and loving neighbors right here in Phoenix.

My legs are in. Is your wallet?

Run with me virtually
Age is just MILEAGE THE 112,000 ULTRA CHALLENGE
Dolores Grace running a desert trail in Phoenix, wearing Age Is Just Mileage gear

Last year: 55 miles.

This year: 56.

Every one of them for our neighbors.

Sponsor a mile

Why Champions for the Homeless

Champions for the Homeless was started by NFL legend and Kansas City Chiefs Hall of Famer Nick Lowery under the Nick Lowery Foundation. Working with St. Vincent de Paul in downtown Phoenix, it hosts volunteer events, and each one can serve up to a thousand people in need. Each guest gets a hot sit-down meal, clothing, gift cards, a fresh haircut, and time with a chiropractor, all while a live band plays.

It's not a handout line. It's a party thrown for neighbors, because that's what they are.

Learn more about the charity ↗
  • RespectA haircut, an adjustment, a meal served at a table. The same care anyone would want.
  • DignityNobody is a number here. People are seen, greeted, and called by name.
  • LoveLive music, full plates, and volunteers who show up because they want to.

Pick your pace.

Give what you can, or pick a level. Every dollar goes to Champions for the Homeless.

Your paceAny amountPick your own number. Five dollars or five hundred, it all counts.Give any amount → Warm-Up$25Every ultra starts with a stretch.Give $25 → Thousand-Step Club$112A dollar for every thousand steps I take.Give $112 → A Penny a Step$1,120One cent for every one of my 112,000 steps. You carried the whole run.Give $1,120 →

Every gift is tax-deductible, and you'll receive a receipt from the Nick Lowery Foundation.

Sponsor a mile. Own a year.

Each square is one mile, and one year of my life. Miles start at , a dollar for every year. Milestone miles in gold are $10 for every year, because the later ones hurt more. Sponsor one yourself, in honor of someone you love, or on behalf of your company, team, or organization. Your name goes on the mile, I run it for you, and a photo from your mile gets posted right here on the site.

Want mile 1? Mile 13, the half marathon mark? Mile 38, my worst mile, every single time? Mile 56, when it all hurts? Your call.

Up for grabs Sponsored Milestone miles

Milestone sponsors get the spotlight

Only six exist. Claim one and your name or logo goes on this page, you get your own shout-out on social, and your mile photo gets top billing, pain face and all.

Run with me. From anywhere.

56 miles is my crazy. What's yours? Sign up for the virtual run and log your own miles anywhere, any day from : a neighborhood loop, a treadmill, a stroller walk, a kid's first mile. Walk it, run it, roll it. Together we're going for , ten for every year.

Walk one mile, and you could win $1,000 in health and fitness services.

Sign up for the virtual run
Age is just MILEAGE THE 112,000 ULTRA CHALLENGE OCT 18–25, 2026 · RUN ANYWHERE 002 YOU BENEFITING CHAMPIONS FOR THE HOMELESS A PROGRAM OF THE NICK LOWERY FOUNDATION PRESENTED BY The Leadership Firm

How it works

Sign up free. Pick your distance. Get out there any day from Oct 18 to Oct 25, snap a photo, and log your miles. Entry is free, never a registration fee, which means donations are what make this whole thing work. Give what you can.

Every finisher is entered to win. The rest you earn. Log your miles on RunSignup by 11:59 PM Arizona time on Sunday, Oct 25, and check back here for winners on Monday, Oct 26 at noon Arizona time.

Log your milesPrize rules

What you can win

    Running with friends? Your team could win the Leadership Cup →

    Prize rules and details →

    The Leadership Cup

    Leaders go first. So here's the challenge: build a team from your company, your running crew, or your group chat, log your miles from Oct 18 to Oct 25, and the team with the most combined miles takes home the Leadership Cup. A real trophy, presented to the winners in person by NFL legend and Kansas City Chiefs Hall of Famer Nick Lowery. Yours to display for a year, then defend.

    And the Cup isn't all you take home. Nick will raise a toast to your team's success, and every team member gets autographed memorabilia to keep.

    Coworkers, neighbors, old friends, your book club. Any group, four people or more. Walkers count. Your CEO counts double in bragging rights only. Running with your company? Ask HR about donation matching while you're at it; it can double every dollar your team raises.

    Presented by The Leadership Firm

    How to enter: one person registers and creates the team during sign-up. Everyone else registers and picks that team from the list. That's it.

    Register and create your team
    The Leadership Cup trophy, engraved with the Age Is Just Mileage seal

    Got shoes? Bring them.

    I'll wear through a pair of running shoes in 56 miles. People living on Phoenix streets wear through theirs just getting through the week, on pavement hot enough to burn skin all summer long. Shoes are the thing that runs out first and matters most.

    So besides dollars, I'm collecting shoes and long-sleeve pullover shirts for men, women, and kids. Every pair goes to a neighbor who needs it.

    A pile of donated shoes and boots

    Drop-off:

    Got a carload? Too far to drive? We'll come to you. Contact us to arrange a pickup.

    • Shoes, all sizesMen's, women's, and kids'. Sneakers and sturdy walking shoes are gold. New is best; gently used with plenty of life left works too.
    • Long-sleeve pullover shirtsMen's, women's, and kids', every size. Nights get cold, and sleeves protect from the sun by day.
    • SocksThrow in a pair with those shoes. You'd be amazed what dry socks do for a person.

    Three ways to get in this race

    Give money or shoes

    Not ready to own a whole mile? Any amount counts. Every dollar supports Champions for the Homeless, and your gift is tax-deductible. Shoes and shirts go to the drop-off.

    Run it virtually

    Log your own miles, wherever you are, Oct 18 to 25. Prizes on the line.

    See how it works

    Spread it

    Share this page. One share from you reaches people I never could.

    About Dolores

    Age is just mileage.Ask me how I know.

    I'm Dolores Grace. I build leaders, health, and strong organizations. On October 25, I'm putting all three to work for 56 miles.

    How the impossible became a birthday tradition.

    Almost two decades ago, I was told walking would be too much trouble for me. Running again? Not even on the table.

    With nothing to lose, I turned both of my careers on myself: everything I knew about human development and everything I knew about health. I got stronger. Then I ran. Then I ran farther.

    My birthday became the checkpoint, the day to prove I'm a little better and a little stronger than the year before. It's a bad idea that gets worse every year. (Ask my legs.)

    Then people started paying attention. And I figured if my birthday run mattered to other people, I'd better make it do the most good it possibly could. For about eight years now, my birthday miles have run for charity. This year, every one of them is for Champions for the Homeless.

    So this is my birthday present to myself: knowing my victory makes a difference in my community. And maybe it pushes you to be your best, in your body, in your work, and as a leader where you live.

    Thank you for joining me in this. Every mile you log, every dollar you give, and every pair of shoes you drop off turns one woman's stubborn birthday tradition into something that feeds, clothes, and cares for our neighbors. I'm grateful to have you with me.

    Dolores

    Then and now

    Same woman. Different finish line.

    It starts in a hospital hallway, where the goal was one more step with a walker. It ends where I train today.

    Sound on.

    Why The Leadership Firm is presenting this.

    Leadership isn't a title. It's going first, especially when it's hard. That's the whole idea behind this run, and it's why TLF puts its name on it.

    It's also why teams are competing for the Leadership Cup. The best teams don't just talk about culture. They show up, log the miles, and do the most good while they're at it.

    See the Leadership Cup
    TLF, The Leadership Firm

    The 112,000 Ultra Challenge · Sunday, Oct 25

    56 miles. Seven stops. One finish line.

    From a gym in north Phoenix, up to Pinnacle Peak, down through Scottsdale, and across to Camelback. Here's the whole day, mile by mile.

    Pinnacle Peak Rd Thunderbird Rd Shea Blvd Camelback Rd 32nd St Tatum Blvd Scottsdale Rd Pima Rd 1 13 38 50 1 Start 2 Tour Health & Wellness 3 The Herb Box 4 Optimyze Scottsdale 5 Optimyze 6 Pomo 7 Royal Palms · Finish N. Phoenix
    Milestone miles (1, 13, 26, 38, 50, 56) Every mile in between
    1. 1
      TG The GymMile 0 · Phoenix

      The starting line. Four warm-up miles in the cool of the morning, then back past the gym and north.

    2. 2
      Tour Health and WellnessAbout mile 16 · North Scottsdale

      The northernmost point of the day. From here, it's (mostly) downhill in every sense.

    3. 3
      The Herb BoxAbout mile 26 · Shea Blvd, Scottsdale

      The marathon mark, and a well-earned refuel. Most people would stop here. I'm not even halfway.

    4. 4
      Optimyze ScottsdaleAbout mile 30 · Scottsdale

      Past the halfway point and into the long middle miles.

    5. 5
      Optimyze North PhoenixAbout mile 41 · Phoenix

      Just down the road from where it all started, and right around my worst miles.

    6. 6
      Pomo Pizzeria NapoletanaAbout mile 49 · Scottsdale Rd, Scottsdale

      Half a century is right around the corner.

    7. 7
      Royal Palms Resort and SpaMile 56 · Camelback Rd, Phoenix

      The finish line. The birthday mile. The hardest one.

    Route and mile marks are approximate. On Sunday, Oct 25, follow along live on Facebook and Instagram.

    Is your business on the route? Sponsor that mile.

    Claim the mile that runs past your door, and when I hit it on race day, I'll give your business a live shout-out to everyone following along. Want to be in the moment? I'll stop and film it with you right out front.

    Your name goes on the mile, and the shout-out goes live. That's a lot of eyeballs for the price of one mile.

    Claim your mile

    On the route? Share this map with your customers so they know when to come out and cheer.

    #AgeIsJustMileage

    Follow the miles.

    Training runs, behind the scenes, the good, the ugly, and mile 38. The longer clips live here.

    Featured clips

    Countdown clip

    T-minus 35 days.

    A look back at the hospital hallway, and a look at where I train now. More countdown clips are on the way.

    Tap to play. Sound on.

    Sponsor a mile

    Get on the wall.

    From Oct 18 to 25, this page opens up to you. Every virtual runner, walker, and stroller-pusher can make the wall.

    1. 1
      Log your miles anywhere, any day from Oct 18 to 25.
    2. 2
      Snap a photo or shoot a quick video. Sweat, sunrise, dog, costume, chaos. All welcome.
    3. 3
      Post it with #AgeIsJustMileage and tag us.
    4. 4
      We'll feature our favorites right here, and the best one wins the Best Photo prize.
    Sign up for the virtual run

    Rules and details

    The fine print. (It's short.)

    Everything you need to know to run, win, give, and follow along.

    Entry

    Entry is free. No registration fee, and no purchase or donation is required to participate or win. Register on RunSignup.

    Logging your miles

    Run, walk, or roll any distance, anywhere, any day from Sunday, Oct 18 through Sunday, Oct 25. Log your miles through virtual results on RunSignup by 11:59 PM Arizona time on Sunday, Oct 25.

    A screenshot of your GPS miles (from a watch or running app) is required to win any mileage prize, including Most miles and the Leadership Cup.

    Prizes

    • Grand prize, $1,000 Fit+Well Dynamics gift certificate: a drawing among every participant who logs any distance.
    • Most miles, $50 Pomo gift certificate: the most individual miles logged, verified by GPS screenshot.
    • Top fundraiser, $999 Fit+Well Dynamics gift certificate: the most donations raised through your personal RunSignup referral code.
    • Best photo, $50 Royal Palms gift certificate: chosen by the Age Is Just Mileage team from photos posted with #AgeIsJustMileage and tagging us.
    • Kids' champion, $25 Disney gift card: open to participants 10 and under, chosen by the Age Is Just Mileage team.

    The Leadership Cup

    Teams of four or more. Team miles are the total of all team members' logged miles, verified by GPS screenshots. The winning team takes home the Leadership Cup, a toast from Nick Lowery, and autographed memorabilia for every team member.

    Nick keeps an active travel schedule, so the trophy presentation will be arranged with the winning team at a time and place as soon as possible after the event.

    Winners

    All winners will be announced Monday, Oct 26 at 12:00 noon Arizona time, right here on this site.

    Race day

    Follow along live on Sunday, Oct 25 on Facebook and Instagram.

    Mile sponsors

    Every sponsored mile carries the sponsor's name, and a photo from that mile will be posted on this site after race day.

    Shoe and shirt drive

    Drop off shoes and long-sleeve pullover shirts at TG The Gym, 3901 E Thunderbird Rd, Phoenix, during the gym's regular business hours, October 1 through 25. Got a carload? Contact us to arrange a pickup.

    Donations

    Donations support Champions for the Homeless, a program of the Nick Lowery Foundation. Gifts are tax-deductible, and receipts come from the Nick Lowery Foundation.