Within NPDC, we don’t just have athletes who work hard on race courses — we have a team that cheers hard to support others too! These cheer stations are a staple of our community. They’re inspiring, they’re fun, and there a way everyone can participate on race day.
In April, NPDC awarded the Positivity Award to Hannah Silverfine and Emma Israel, who in addition to coming to workouts every week, have been integral to organizing cheer station for the many races in Washington, D.C. You can get to know them a little more here, and we hope to see you on the course or cheering with us in the future!
What does community mean to you?
Cheer stations are all about the community that you can cultivate in one moment in time. Community at a cheer station means knowing that even when it’s pouring and/or windy and/or freezing there is someone next to you with a smile and an inspirational story. Community means turning a corner and seeing 10 people you’ve only met a few times scream your name at the top of their lungs because you have a tagged shirt on. Community means showing up for yourself and for others, with and without being asked.
What’s your favorite part about cheering? What inspired you to make cheer stations for NPDC?
Cheer stations are a really special part of November Project’s culture. The community shows up for one another, and for others, by being out on the race course cheering on any race we can. I (Emma) always enjoyed running past the NP station in races I’ve run, even before I joined NP, and love participating in them when I am not racing myself. Half the fun of road races is the spectators and the energy along the course, so it’s great to be a part of that.
There isn’t just one of us that makes a cheer station happen, they truly are a community effort. We (Hannah and Emma) have stepped in to coordinate cheer stations in the last couple of months because we had bandwidth and energy, and have incorporated different traditions and creative ideas that so many other cheer stations leaders have come up with before us. We hope that everyone feels ownership of the effort, whether you’re at the station for 5 minutes or 5 hours.
If there’s a race you want to cheer for, we encourage you to consider taking the lead in coordinating the station! NPDC has all the supplies you’ll need, from signs to flags to a full team of volunteers who will help you along the way. If a formal role seems too hard, the good news is that even if you just show up with a few folks and your voices, that fully counts as a cheer station! Mission accomplished.
What are your favorite moments cheering? Racing? How do you compare the two sides of running?
In early 2022, pretty early on in our friendship, the two of us did a long run that ended at a cheer station at the HerStory 5k, a free race downtown for Women’s History Month. Hannah and Melanie M. were adding themes to all of their long runs, so Melanie planned a long run route (slash tour) that went by several landmarks about women’s history in DC, and we ended at the HerStory race route near the Capitol.
That cheer station was particularly fun because of the nature of that race! It’s a free 5k put on by Mayor Bowser to promote getting active and celebrate history-making women. It was a big race with high energy, and many of the participants were running their first ever road race. Our little NP group was quite possibly the only cheer station on the course, and the runners were so thrilled to see us. It was wonderful to be able to be there to support folks just getting into running – and hopefully, be a part of the reason they stick with it.
As always, we stayed out cheering until the very last runner went by, which, in our opinion, is one of the most meaningful NPDC cheer station traditions.
What’s your favorite NPDC cheer station moment to date?
One of my (Hannah’s) favorite NPDC cheer station moments was participating in the Marine Corps Marathon Cheer Station in fall 2022. I was recovering from an injury and had been disappointed to miss out on the fall marathon season. I debated whether or not to show up at the cheer station, but ultimately got myself out the door and over to the National Mall.
First I saw the NP flag, then I heard the music. Libby, Ana, Kathleen, Joe, Carrie and others had arrived at the crack of dawn to set up a tent, snacks, and all other types of party supplies. The rest of us filled the space with unending enthusiasm and dance moves. Multiple NPers were running, which made the hype all the more intense. It was the kind of energy that fully sweeps you into a bubble, where the only thing that matters is the runners in front of you and how loud you can scream supportive words. The moment that the other cheer station folks and I saw our NPers (like Emma), we rushed over to give them the biggest hugs, and proceed to chase them down our block of the course. I loved how much I felt like I was part of the race, even though I couldn’t run, because of the collective effort from our cheer station.
What’s your best fashion tip for runners?
Wear your grassroots gear front and center! Even if you’re not passing by the cheer stations, NP folks will always spot you and cheer you on—the bigger and brighter the better.
We’ve heard no one has ever looked bad in a onesie, either!
