Blog: Feature Stories

Whether you’ll run, walk, or volunteer at Saturday’s 21^st running of the Novant Health Charlotte Marathon, half marathon, or Chick-fil-A 5k, you’ll probably have someone waiting and watching for you who’d appreciate some hot tips on where to find you along the course. We got you. Or maybe you’re looking for some easy-to-get-to vantage points to cheer on runners, that’s out of the uptown parking footprint. That’s cool, too! 

We believe this event route is not only a great way to see Charlotte on foot, it’s also pretty accommodating for spectators, as well. Here are six more great places to watch for runners along the course – that aren’t the start or finish line. 

Mile 2: At Fourth Street and Hawthorne Lane, near Novant Health Hospital. You’ll be just south of uptown here, and you’ll find plenty of parking, too. You’ll have 30 solid minutes of athletes passing here, with the lead runner coming through about 7:30am. 

Miles 6.25 – 7.34: This more than a mile-long stretch of stately trees and historic homes along Queens Road West makes for fantastic viewing. There’s a wide median here, which will give you plenty of room to spread out as runners pass for the better part of an hour, starting at about 8am. 

Miles 10 – 10.6: If you’re following a half marathon runner, you should have plenty of time to decamp and catch your runner(s) as they head north along East Morehead Street between S. McDowell Street and S. Tryon St., before heading toward the finish. 

Mile 12.7: Here’s where the marathoners and half marathoners split. The Sole will host a cheer section here, so there’s sure to be plenty of action. And, no matter what distance they’re covering, runners will be ready for a little extra energy at this point! 

Miles 15-17 and 21-23: Pull up along North Davidson Street or on 35^th or 36^th Streets, and you’ll be able to see your runners twice within just a few blocks walk. 

Miles 18 and 20: Here’s another great spot to see the marathon runners twice from the same location. Runners will pass this intersection at The Plaza and Mecklenburg Ave. at miles 18 and 20. If you’re headed back to the finish, you should have plenty of time. 

You can find more info on how to make the most of your day along the course here in our Novant Health Charlotte Marathon Spectator Guide. The footprint of the event start and finish line areas can be found here, and turn-by-turn directions for the course are here. 

And even if you won’t be running this year’s events, the Novant Health Charlotte Marathon Expo presented by Fleet Feet is free and open to the running public on Friday, November 14 from 10am – 7pm. 

At most any event, there are as many stories as there are runners. When Danyel Manley, family, and friends hit the start of the Novant Health Charlotte Marathon, they’ll be carrying on a legacy of service that began with Danyel’s oldest sister, Tracey Gabriel. Tracey passed away from metastatic melanoma in November of 2024. As a mother, sister, friend, and labor and delivery nurse at Novant Health; she left a lasting impression on every life she touched. 

A Calling to Care

Friends and family say Tracey’s journey to Charlotte and to nursing was guided by compassion and a calling to care for others. And like most journeys, it was far from a straight line. A divorce and the need to care for her own two kids forced her to change gears – and careers – from car sales, to nursing. As she told The Charlotte Ledger in 2021, she’d always seen herself in scrubs.

In her nearly 20 years as a nurse, Tracey’s warmth and dedication to service made her an idyllic coworker and caregiver. “She was just such a pillar of her community at the hospital,” Danyel told us. “She felt like nursing was her calling … she was just so passionate about it and was so loved in that community.” 

Katrina Biel is a lifelong friend of Tracey’s. They met as kids when Katrina moved into the neighborhood up in New York and remained close for more than four decades. “There’s very little of my lifeline she’s not a part of … she just had such a genuine, good heart,” Katrina said. “Her heart was for her patients, her heart was for people—which made her an amazing person and nurse.” 

Faith and Acceptance 

Tracey’s final year was characterized by grace and determination to continue living fully despite her diagnosis. “She was a fighter and she was going to do everything she could to stick around,” Katrina told us. “She doubled-down on her faith throughout her illness, but if this was her calling … she was going to accept it.”

Danyel recalls, “She immediately wanted to just live to the fullest extent that she could.” And even though Tracey wasn’t a runner, that meant signing-up her entire family for a 5K run hosted by one of the local churches. “She was so thrilled that she actually did it, but she finished it!” That spirit is why the family chose the Novant Health Charlotte Marathon weekend to remember her together, convening as a group called “Tracey’s Tribe.” 

The team will include friends, family and some of Tracey’s former colleagues. Danyel will be running the marathon, while her husband, daughter, and some others in the Tribe will run or walk the Chick-fil-A 5K. Except for Katrina. She made it abundantly clear that she wouldn’t be running, but would be at the finish line to celebrate everyone’s accomplishments. “I love her with everything in me,” she joked. “but no, I am not running!”

Extending Tracey’s Legacy 

Barely a year since Tracey’s passing, her family and friends want to make sure the celebration and her legacy extend beyond race day. They’ve established a new nursing scholarship at Central Piedmont Community College in Tracey’s name to help future caregivers follow in her footsteps. 

“Her heart was always for her patients,” Katrina added. “There can’t be anything more suiting than a legacy that helps future nurses carry on her work.” 

Though Tracey’s passing is keenly felt, her family and friends hope others will be inspired by her story and, as her sister put it, “ to keep her spirit alive through gathering and remembering her and how much she meant to so many people.” And when Tracey’s Tribe lines up next weekend at the Novant Health Charlotte Marathon start, and as new nursing students receive a helping hand in Tracey’s name; her spirit of community, compassion and kindness will continue. 

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For lots of running parents, mixing training and family responsibilities requires creativity, teamwork, and sacrifice. Actually, that’s all parents. But we digress. Anyways, parents who run just make it work. Whether that means getting up and out on the road well before your kids wake, logging miles after they’ve gone to bed, or during their practices or recitals… you just figure it out. And some parents manage to take it next level; not just running, but training for speed, distance – or in Nathanael Williams’ case – a world record. 

Yes, Nathanael Williams: metallurgist by day, coach by afternoon, and running dad—mostly in the early morning. He isn’t just lacing up for the Novant Health Charlotte Marathon… he’s aiming for the fastest half marathon while pushing a double stroller. “A couple of weeks before the Around the Crown 10K, I did a faster run with the double stroller and thought, ‘Maybe I could run fairly fast, even with the double,’” he told us. He clocked 33:32 that day; good enough for 18^th overall. That’s seriously fast, even without extra passengers. 

For starters, this record is no gimme. The current fastest time stands at 1:14:20. And Guinness rules actually require two living, non-stuffed passengers aboard the stroller to make it count. “It says in the rules, you have to have two living persons inside of it,” explains Nathanael. “No weight, just two living persons.” For Nathanael, that means his twins will be once again along for the ride. 

Even as a solo act, Nathanael is no slouch. He clocked a 2:30 marathon in Chicago in 2021. He ran varsity at Colorado School of Mines, as part of the team’s first national championship squad. A job with Hailie Gold Mine brought him to the Carolinas, but post-collegiate injuries kept him out of the competitive mix for a few years. Now Nathanael says he’s running well and up for the challenge. 

“I’ve been able to run a little more consistently. God’s given me a little bit of grace,” he said. These days, he’s up at 4 a.m. for early miles or on the bike if he can’t bring the kids—though that’s not his preference. “It’s not as fun because I can’t do it with the kids. Running, I can push them in the stroller, and we’re together.” 

Family is at the heart of the Williams’ running, and Nathanael and his wife Molly are clearly all in on the future of the sport. They also coach cross country together at Lancaster (SC) High School. And yes, their kids come along for cross country practice, too. 

Molly’s every bit the runner, as well; recording a 3:05 at that same Chicago Marathon. Even though she says she’s found it much more difficult to get back into running consistently this year; she and their oldest, Rosalie, will be cheering on Nathanael and the twins during this record attempt. “Spectating is a sport too! It’s an event for our whole family,” she told us.  

Records aside, the Williams’ will be racing into town Saturday morning, November 15, for Nathanael’s attempt. Molly says they expect at least a few of their cross country team’s runners will make the state championship meet that’ll be held on Friday, the night before Nathanael’s half marathon. Just another weekend of juggling family and running. Regardless of the outcome, they’ll have one heck of a story to tell about the 2025 Novant Health Charlotte Marathon weekend. 

Let’s just be honest here—most of us hate missing a workout, even when we’re feeling lousy. But there are times when swapping your sneakers for the couch is actually the smart (and healthy!) move.

How do you know when it’s cool to keep running or when it’s time for that unscheduled rest day? Dr. Keith Anderson from Novant Health (and medical director of the Novant Health Charlotte Marathon) drops this super simple rule: “I usually refer to the neck check,” he says. “If your symptoms are from the neck and above, you’re probably OK to run, but maybe back off on duration and pace. Sore throat, a little bit of a cough, nasal drainage, maybe ear pressure, or headache—these are the things that are neck or above.”

But, he adds, if you’ve got body aches, a fever, chest congestion, or you just feel wiped, Dr. Anderson says you’re better off resting up and letting your body recover. “Be smart about it, and if you really feel bad, you’re probably going to be better off with a little bit of rest than the extra run.” Coach Anne Fechtel from Cross Conditioning Training in Charlotte agrees. She sees runners try to “make up missed miles” all the time after they’ve been sick. “If you have a runny nose or nasal congestion, it’s okay to run and can actually sometimes help clear your sinuses. But if you have a cough, fever, or any GI illness, it’s best to take the time off,” Anne says. Even with a basic head cold, it’s smart to listen to your body and not push through if you’re not feeling it. “Head colds can vary so much and often hit their worst a few days in, so use common sense.”

Here’s one more Coach Anne tip: Don’t stress if you miss a day or two—your fitness isn’t going anywhere. “If you only miss a couple days, you can hop back into your training plan,” she says. “But if you miss more than 3-4 days, adjust the volume down a bit—50 to 75 percent—and ease back in, matching the time you were out with easier running. Coach says she always err on the side of caution, coming back with a slower pace and shorter runs until she feel like herself again. Duly noted.

We totally get it. With big races or bucket list events on your calendar, you might be hesitant to sit one out. We’ve all done it. But sometimes, rest really is the best. If you’re not

sure, your primary care physician and running coach are in your corner. Don’t be afraid to ask their advice. Long story short: Listen to your body, be smart, and don’t sweat a few missed miles. It may be just what the doctor (and the coach) ordered.

Running may seem like an individual sport, but Team Hemby continues to prove it’s something much bigger. Each mile run and every dollar raised helps Novant Health Hemby Children’s Hospital provide the best possible care to its youngest patients and their families. Through the Novant Health Charlotte Marathon, runners like Myles Wynn are leading a movement that proves running really can change lives. 

When his family moved to Charlotte, Wynn told us they knew they wanted to get involved in the community. His wife joined the board of the Novant Health Foundation, which is how he learned about Team Hemby and ran the Novant Health Charlotte half marathon.

“It was amazing, just the coolest experience,” he told us. “Now I’ve got a bunch of my friends who have joined in, and one of them is actually tour in the hospital right now!”

Novant Health Foundation Philanthropy Manager Dani Smith says those fundraising miles are building critical care capacity that saves lives. “These funds are helping us create an intermediate care unit that bridges the gap between the PICU and the hospital’s general unit. This space will help limit readmissions and improve outcomes for our kids,” she explains. It’s a tangible difference Charlotte runners help make each year through the marathon. 

For Betsy Zarzour, Team Hemby’s coordinator, the joy lies in connecting purpose to pavement. “Making our miles meaningful and supporting children in the Charlotte area has been such a joy,” she says. “With every race, we’re expanding care — adding NICU beds, building new transition units, and providing more support for families in need.” 

Few understand that purpose better than Myles Wynn, who brings the energy of a marathoner and the heart of a dad who’s been there. His son Luke was just a month old when a respiratory virus turned to pneumonia, sending him into intensive care. “It was terrifying — we didn’t know if he’d make it,” Myles recalls. “Seeing those doctors and nurses in action showed me what real heroes look like”. When his family later returned to Charlotte, joining Team Hemby felt like more than a fit — it was a mission. 

Wynn’s goal is lofty: helping Team Hemby grow its fundraising to over a million dollars in the coming years. “I know it sounds big, but I’ve seen what’s possible,” he says, referencing his past experience running for Dana-Farber’s Boston Marathon team. “They give runners the fundraising playbook — stories, templates, everything. I’m wanting us build that same kind of system here so we can empower more runners to make a difference.” 

He’s not just talking about running, either. Wynn’s car is filled with Hemby bracelets and stickers his daughters hand out at school. “They’re all in — just like me,” he laughs. “It’s amazing to see how proud they are.” Balancing a full career, marathon training, and fatherhood isn’t easy, but Wynn says it’s worth every early morning. “I get up at four to run. It clears my head and fills my cup. After visiting Hemby or seeing a kid walk in for chemo, you realize — you have no problems.” 

For Wynn and his teammates, Team Hemby is more than a charity team — it’s a movement powered by gratitude and grit. “Charlotte’s growing fast,” he says. “We need to grow right along with it, so families get the care they deserve.”

It’s not too late to learn more or join Team Hemby as a fundraiser this season. In fact, you don’t even have to run! Learn more about it right here: https://thecharlottemarathon.com/team-hemby/