On Aug. 9, 2025, the streets of Harlem came alive as thousands gathered for the annual Percy Sutton Harlem 5K, a highlight of Harlem Week.
At 8 a.m. on Edgecombe Avenue, runners took their marks. The excitement was tangible as participants, young and old, prepared to race through the streets of West Harlem.
“This is my first year racing in general…and doing this one felt extra special, because it’s in my neighborhood,” said Joanna Gutierrez, a first-time Percy Sutton 5K runner. “It’s just great energy all around.”
Hosted by New York Road Runners, the event welcomed more than 5,200 participants, marking the largest number of finishers since the start of the race in 2009; with more than 50 high school girls from NYRR’s Run for the Future program running their first 5k alongside Broadway star Patina Miller, who mentored girls through a six-week educational program.
“For me, it feels great to be able to be one of the ambassadors of this program. Being able to serve as a coach and a mentor to these young girls in high school right now at the start of their running journeys…was worth everything.”
Alongside the Run for the Future program, nearly 200 members of the Tau Omega Chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority and hundreds of young athletes from ages two to 18 participated under the Rising NYRR youth program.
And among the diverse groups participating in the event, more than 160 older adults celebrated the 15th anniversary of the New York Road Runners’ Striders program.
Launched in 2010 at Canaan Baptist Church in Harlem, the Striders began as a small walking group for seniors but has now expanded into a full-on community. What started with just 100 participants has now reached 53,000 over the past 15 years.
The program offers weekly walking sessions across all five boroughs and empowers older adults to not only stay active, but connected.
Sid Howard, a coach with the Striders since the start, says he has watched the program help seniors realize their potential.
“I’ve seen it grow by the fact that a lot of seniors had no idea they could actually do what they can do. The most important thing about the seniors, I tell them, you don’t know what you can do until you do it…We got seniors in the 70s that could run a marathon.”
At 9:30 a.m., the Striders were already buzzing with excitement. As the music played, many members were seen dancing and laughing, ready to take on their 1-mile walk.
Among the Striders was Gertrude Lane, a truly special participant who has been with the Striders program since the very beginning. At 96 years old, Lane makes this event a priority in her calendar.
“Every year I do the same thing, and I like it because I meet new people, and I think it’s beautiful,” says Lane.
Lane’s passion for running comes from the guidance she receives from her coach. She met Myna Majors approximately 17 years ago through a fitness program, and their bond has only grown stronger.
“I’m Gertrude’s coach, Gertrude’s friend, and she is a family member,” said Majors. “She makes me who I am.”
Their connection was not the only thing that improved over the years — Lane’s abilities have as well.
“She has not slowed down, never. In fact, she has improved and grown from day one, from the time that I met her.”
Lane said that Majors is a main reason why she returns.
“I decided to stick with it because I learned a lot of things that I haven’t heard before. I’m taught well, especially with my coach.”
Lane’s journey began in Charleston, South Carolina, where she was born before moving to Harlem. After attending City College, she became an assistant principal.
Beyond her professional achievements, Gertrude is deeply involved in her church, Mt. Zion Lutheran Church, where she has formed more lifelong friendships, some of whom were there to hug and cheer her on as she walked.
“It feels great,” Lane said when reflecting on the support she received as people cheered her on during the race.
Majors, who has witnessed the energy of the Percy Sutton 5k firsthand for over 15 years, admits that the sense of community is one of the event’s most rewarding aspects.
“The community, the feeling, the wonderful buildings, the people, everything about it,” Majors said about the neighborhood. “Everyone’s like, I’m so happy to be here. There’s no division here. You don’t see any kind of negative energy, only positive energy, and that’s what we need.”
There was a palpable sense of pride in the air, perhaps coming from parents cheering on their child in their first race, children supporting their Strider grandparents or parents, or from all runners who woke up that morning and chose to challenge themselves.
The day proved that it is never too late to better yourself.
For older adults looking to get more active, Lane offers some practical advice.
“Don’t try to run first,” Gertrude advises. “Try to walk and walk faster until you can get the hang of it.”
Both agree that the key to staying active later in life is to start slow and stay consistent.
As Majors puts it, “There’s no such word as can’t, remove the apostrophe T and the word you have left with is can.”
