FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Told She Might Never Walk Again, Phoenix Leader Will Spend 24 Hours on the Streets, Then Run 56 Miles in One Day for Her Unhoused Neighbors
Dolores Grace trades her bed for the pavement to document what 9,726 Maricopa County residents face every night, then runs her age in miles on Oct. 25 to benefit Champions for the Homeless
PHOENIX, Ariz. (Sept. 30, 2026) — Nearly two decades ago, doctors told Dolores Grace that walking would be too much for her body, let alone running. On Oct. 3, she will spend 24 hours living on the streets of Phoenix alongside neighbors experiencing homelessness. Days later, on Oct. 25, 2026, she will run 56 miles in a single day, one mile for every year of her life.
Both efforts anchor Age Is Just Mileage: The 112,000 Ultra Challenge, a fundraising campaign benefiting Champions for the Homeless, a program of the Nick Lowery Foundation founded by NFL legend and Kansas City Chiefs Hall of Famer Nick Lowery.
Grace, founder of The Leadership Firm and president of Fit+Well Dynamics, will document her 24 hours on the street and share the account publicly. The goal: put a human face on numbers most people scroll past.
Why 24 hours on the street
On a single night this year, 9,726 people were counted experiencing homelessness in Maricopa County, according to the 2026 Point-in-Time Count. One in eight was a child. In 2024, 828 people experiencing homelessness died in the county, per the Maricopa County Medical Examiner.
Grace will carry no money or cards, take no shelter bed or supplies meant for others, and ask permission before recording anyone. She will eat, rest and walk where her neighbors on the street do, with a safety contact nearby. She is clear about the limits of the undertaking.
“I’m not pretending I’ll know what they live through. I get one day. They are forced to endure it every day,” said Grace. “But I’ve learned that nobody opens their hearts or wallets for a statistic. They open them for a person. So I’m going to go meet those people, listen, and bring their story back to everyone who drives past them.”
“Running 56 miles is my crazy,” Grace added. “Surviving a Phoenix street isn’t anybody’s choice. If one day out there gets even a few more people to show up for their neighbors, every mile after it is worth it.”
The experience will be conducted with the knowledge and support of Champions for the Homeless. No one will be filmed or photographed without consent.
About the beneficiary
Champions for the Homeless works with St. Vincent de Paul in downtown Phoenix to host volunteer events that can each serve up to 1,000 people. Every guest receives a hot sit-down meal, clothing, gift cards, a fresh haircut and time with a chiropractor, all while a live band plays. St. Vincent de Paul has served more than 1 million people in the last three years.
All donations are tax-deductible, with receipts issued by the Nick Lowery Foundation.
The run: 56 miles, one day
On Oct. 25, 2026, Grace will run 56 miles, about 112,000 steps, through Phoenix and Scottsdale. For roughly eight years she has marked each birthday by running a little farther and turning the effort into a fundraiser. The campaign is co-presented by The Leadership Firm and Fit+Well Dynamics.
The public can join in several ways:
- Donate any amount at ageisjustmileage.com.
- Sponsor a mile for $56, or claim one of six gold milestone miles, including mile 38, which Grace calls her worst mile every time.
- Run virtually from anywhere between Oct. 18 and Oct. 25. Entry is free, and every finisher is entered to win prizes, including $1,000 in health and fitness services.
- Compete for the Leadership Cup, a team challenge for companies and groups of four or more. The team with the most combined miles wins a trophy presented in person by Nick Lowery.
- Donate shoes and long-sleeve pullover shirts for men, women and children, the items that wear out first on Phoenix pavement.
Media opportunities
| When | What | Opportunity |
|---|---|---|
| Oct. 2 | Pre-interview | Grace on why she’s doing it, on camera or by phone |
| Oct. 3, 10 a.m. | Start of 24 hours | Departure point: Burton Barr Central Library |
| Oct. 4, 10 a.m. | End of 24 hours | First interview after returning, at Cesar Chavez Plaza |
| Oct. 18–25 | Virtual run week | Local runners, teams and Leadership Cup contenders |
| Oct. 25, 6 a.m. | 56-mile run | Start at TG The Gym Phoenix, then milestone miles through Phoenix and Scottsdale; route at ageisjustmileage.com |
| Oct. 25, 7 p.m. | Finish Line | Mile 56 finish at Royal Palms Resort |
To protect the privacy and safety of people experiencing homelessness, media will not accompany Grace during the 24 hours. Photos, video and her first-hand account will be available afterward on request.
About Dolores Grace
Dolores Grace builds leaders, health and strong organizations. She is the founder and Chief Experience Officer of The Leadership Firm and president of Fit+Well Dynamics. An expert in leadership development, master-level coach and naturopath practitioner, she brings more than 30 years of experience in human development, health and wellness, and experience design.
About Champions for the Homeless
Champions for the Homeless is a program of the Nick Lowery Foundation, founded by NFL Hall of Fame kicker Nick Lowery. Working with St. Vincent de Paul in Phoenix, it hosts events that serve neighbors experiencing homelessness with meals, clothing, haircuts and care, delivered with respect, dignity and love.
Media contact
Photos, video and interviews available on request.
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