Latest news with #UltraMarathon
Cosmopolitan
a day ago
- Entertainment
- Cosmopolitan
The cast of Dallas Cowboy Cheerleaders now: Six months after filming, here's what they've been up to
Season 2 of America's Sweethearts: Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders is now streaming on Netflix, offering fans an inside look as DCC Senior Director Kelli Finglass and Head Choreographer Judy Trammell assemble another elite team of talented athletes. The episodes picked up just before the final round of auditions for the 2024–2025 squad and followed the chosen candidates through training camp, emotional cuts, the official team reveal, and into the heart of the NFL season. The NFL season wrapped up in January 2025, meaning some time has passed since filming ended. From DCC Senior Director Kelli Finglass to the veterans, rookies and some of our fave alums, here's what the squad are up to now. Kelli Finglass, a former DCC from 1984 to 1989, became director in 1991 and transformed the squad into a global brand. Known for her high standards and no-nonsense leadership, Finglass expected nothing less than excellence from every cheerleader this season. Since filming ended for the second season, Kelli has been spending time with family. She posted a picture from her son Ryan's 31 mile marathon run, writing: "A regular marathon wasn't enough… first Ultra Marathon in the books! ✅ Proud of @ryan_finglass #31Miles #LegsOfSteel." She also appeared on Beavers Wealth Management podcast alongside Ryan for a Mother's Day special episode, and responded to rumours she'd had a face lift in a video posted to her Instagram. Judy Trammell, a DCC alum from 1980 to 1984, became head choreographer in 1991 and has led the squad's iconic routines for over four decades. In March, she announced she's expecting her fifth grandchild sharing a picture of her son and his partner at their baby gender reveal. A month later, she celebrated her first born's birthday, sharing a throw back snap on her grid. Before joining the DCC in 2022, Amanda danced for the Golden State Warriors and overcame a training camp cut with determination and grit. Since filming, Amanda has been travelling the world with her husband Ralph. They've been everywhere from Switzerland to Lake Como and have been sharing lots of scenic photos on their Instagram accounts. In May, she attended Dallas Cowboys 2020-2024 cheerleader Jessica Bowman's (now Lanham) wedding. Alongside a picture of her and Ralph, she wrote: "The best night celebrating the @jbo97 and @lanham5 🥹 isn't the bride just perfection? Wow!" Once known as Caroline's little sister, Anna Kate stepped into her own as a seasoned DCC member after a strong rookie year. She turned 25 in June and was surprised with a party from her boyfriend Michael Snyder. As well as turning a year older, Anna has been travelling and doing press for the show, recently travelling to New York along with the rest of the squad. Armani has been booked and busy since filming, working with several brands including Vaseline and Shea Moisture. She's also been doing a bit of travelling, and attended Jessica Bowman's hen weekend in Cabo, Mexico. She moved home in May and shared the process to her 67,000 followers. The longest running veteran to try out for the year, Chandi has been keeping busy since season two ended. She recently had a little hair makeover, dying her dark locks honey brown. She attended the baby shower of Dallas Cowboys 2020-2024 cheerleader Mckenzie in February. After making the team last year, Reece returned as a veteran for season two, now happily married to her college sweetheart and first ever boyfriend, Will. She celebrated her one-year anniversary in April, sharing a picture from her wedding day with a sweet message. "I'm so thankful God placed you in my life and to have been a part of an incredible vendor team to document your beginnings as husband and wife" she wrote."It's been such an honor to watch your journey and all the amazing things God is doing through you both." The same month, she sat down with Will to talk to Valley View Baptist Church youth. A fan-favorite rookie candidate last season, Charly was the 2023-2024 squad's very last cut. Since filming, she's been doing a bit of travelling, as well as spending time with fellow rookies Ariel and Ava. One of the breakout stars of season one, Kelcey spent five seasons with the squad from 2019-2024. Following her retirement from the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders in 2024, Kelcey shifted her focus to her full-time career as a pediatric nurse. She also got engaged - and later married - to Nate Crnkovich. Although she's stepped away from the spotlight of professional cheerleading, she continues to stay involved in the dance and wellness world and she's still very close to the team, recently attending Jessica's wedding. Kalina joined the DCC in 2019 and became a four‑year veteran. After taking a break, Victoria relocated to New York to chase her dream of joining the Rockettes, and now shares her life through fitness, dance, and mental‑health advocacy. She regularly posts videos of her choreography on Instagram and recently shared a video of her last dance for DCC to promote the second season. America's Sweethearts: Dallas Cowboy Cheeleaders season 2 is available to stream on Netflix.
South China Morning Post
13-06-2025
- Sport
- South China Morning Post
Ultra-marathon sensation Sunmaya Budha blazes a trail for women to follow
Three days before the Hong Kong 100 Ultra Marathon in January, Sunmaya Budha was racing against time to reach the city due to visa delays. She was nearly 3,000km away, in Nepal's mountainous Jumla district. She first had to catch a flight from its tiny, weather-dependent airstrip to another city, then to the capital, Kathmandu, and finally onwards to Hong Kong. Advertisement Within 48 hours of landing, however, Budha did not just run the 103km race along the Sai Kung Peninsula and across Hong Kong's forests, beaches and hillsides, but also scored a record-breaking victory . In what sports commentators called 'devastating for her competitors', Budha finished the women's run in 11:11:47, breaking Chinese runner Xiang Fuzhao's 2020 record of 11:28:21. 'I was incredibly happy setting a new record after a few setbacks the previous year,' says Budha, 26, on a warm spring day in Kathmandu. She is rushing again, this time flying to Italy the following day for a training camp, before competing in the Chengdu Trail Race 60km, which she would go on to win. 'It makes me realise the importance of hard work,' she says, 'and that nothing is impossible if you are determined.' Sunmaya Budha during a 2023 Nepal Trail Series run in Kathmandu. Photo: Nepal Trail Series Budha has had an indomitable spirit her entire life. She rebelled against the teen marriage still practised in Nepal's remote villages and revolted against social norms that restrict girls from following their chosen career paths. Budha is now Nepal's fastest woman ultra-marathon trail runner, third in Asia and 13th globally in the female 23-34 age group, according to the International Trail Running Association's performance index, which puts her in the world's top 0.01 per cent in the field. In Hong Kong, where she frequently travels for races, Budha has become a force to be reckoned with. Six of her seven races in 2023 were in the city. She won the North Face 100 Ultra Trail Challenge Hong Kong 100km race and Lantau 50 (27km) in the same week in December, having won the 50k TransLantau race the previous month. She also won another half marathon and two 50k races in March and April that year. Those wins seemed prophetic. Around 2018, Rémi Duchemin from the Ultra-Trail du Mont-Blanc Organising Committee said he saw Budha 'winning the world's greatest races in the coming 10-15 years, zero doubt'. Meanwhile, Lithuanian runner Gediminas Grinius described Budha as 'calm, serene and sometimes shy, but on the trails, she is the killer – silent killer'. Advertisement
Daily Record
12-06-2025
- Sport
- Daily Record
Dean Castle Country Park set to host Ultra Marathon events
Athletes can take part either as an individual or relays. The stunning grounds of Dean Castle Country Park will host K6 and K12 Ultra Marathon events on Sunday, August 3 as runners take on a unique endurance challenge set against one of Ayrhsire's most scenic backdrops. Participants can choose between individual ultra-marathons or team relays, aiming to complete as many laps as possible of a 4km mixed-terrain loop within either six or 12 hours. The route is mostly pathed with a few hill sections, offering a rewarding challenge for runners of all levels. All participants will benefit from chip timing, a finishers medal, and first aid cover throughout the event and marshals will be on hand to offer support along the route. Facilities include access to on-site toilets, showers, a café, and boiling water. A dedicated athletes' village will also be available, providing space for tented support throughout the day.
The Herald Scotland
07-06-2025
- Health
- The Herald Scotland
Former Kilmarnock player tackling jungles and deserts to help daughter
The former midfielder has made his peace with the fact that his daughter will never date a boyfriend, never get married, never have children or find an escape from the 50 different symptoms associated with a debilitating illness. The one thing he can't accept is the impotence of sitting around, doing nothing. His solution is extreme in a very real sense. To raise money for the Reverse Rett charity, 56-year-old 'Mavis' completed the infamous Marathon des Sables over seven days of gruelling heat then finished third in the 230-kilometre Ultra Marathon in Peru last year. On Saturday he tackles the 104-mile Ultra Scotland event between Dalry and Melrose and while his fundraising efforts have contributed over £100k to the search for a cure, the benefits to his own state of mind have been equally undeniable. 'I always say to people that Dionne's condition has given me some unbelievable life experiences and made me realise what's important in life,' he tells Herald Sport. 'Ordinarily I would have never have done the events I've done. Subconsciously I think it also became a substitute for me for the loss of football as well. I played for 21 years and from the age of 22, I started to train every day as if I was contesting a World Cup final.' He retired from playing for St Mirren in 2006 and found coaching an unfulfilling experience. Managing two Subway stores in Coatbridge and Bellshill failed to fill the void left by professional football. In 2008 the credit crunch came along and swallowed up the profits. A neighbour flagged up a recruitment drive by Police Scotland and, after 15 years on the thin blue line, he accepted a role with a London-based charity supporting survivors of human trafficking. His work provides a constant reminder that everyone has their crosses to bear. 'Dionne was 11 months old and there was no sign of crawling or walking before she started refluxing and being sick 20 or 30 times a day,' he recalls of the period when he realised his daughter was ill. Regular visits to the Royal Hospital for Sick Children in Glasgow and Wishaw General failed to come up with a conclusive diagnosis. A breakthrough came, unexpectedly, during a family holiday in Florida when he googled neurologists and found one 30 minutes away. Costing £800, tests and blood samples came back showing that Dionne had a rare genetic neurological and developmental disorder which affects the way the brain develops. Primarily found in females Rett Syndrome causes a progressive loss of motor skills and language. Reverse Rett is a research organisation focussed on delivering treatment to sufferers. While they can do little for Dionne in the here and now, Reilly's quest for a future breakthrough has brought some startling and unexpected life experiences. 'Originally I started doing the events to raise awareness for the charity and for Dionne,' Reilly explains. 'But through that I discovered that I was getting something from it as well. 'You can never replace the adrenaline of playing on a Saturday, but the illness gave me a purpose and incentive to keep fit and healthy and switch from a team event to seeing how far I could push myself.' He began modestly with a Glasgow 10k in 2012 before moving on to the Three Peaks Challenge, spanning Ben Nevis, Scaffel Pike in the Lake District and Snowdon in Wales over the course of 24 hours. A formidable challenge to even the toughest of mortals, Reilly was convinced to go higher, harder. Read more: Malky Mackay on Hibs' £5m chance, training-ground plan and the Black Knights Stephen McGowan: Is Dermot Desmond absentee landlord or Celtic mastermind? Incorporating a 2.4-mile swim in open water, 112 miles on a bike, then a marathon, Iron Man events offered an immediate challenge. He couldn't swim and hadn't cycled since the age of 10. Signing up to a swimming club and purchasing an aluminium bike for £500, he completed two Iron Man events before setting his sights on the legendary Marathon des Sables, a 160-mile ultramarathon held every year in the Sahara Desert. 'There was a freak heatwave and the temperatures were almost 60 degrees centigrade every day,' he recalled. 'A French competitor died on day two and one of my tent mates suffered a cardiac arrest. He was dead for two minutes before they managed to bring him back.' Even a brutal test of endurance failed to tick off all the boxes on the bucket list to end them all. Last year he ran 230 kilometres through the Amazon Jungle in Peru and finished third. 'Prior to the year I did it, only 15 per cent of the competitors finished it,' Reilly explains. 'Day two we hit the jungle and day three was incredible. We went through a protected area where less than 50 westerners had ever ventured. 'One of the reasons for that is that they have a protected species of bat, with only six of them left on the planet. 'We stayed that night with a small indigenous tribe in the jungle. Only 12 people in the whole world spoke the tribe's language. You would put your hammock up and sleep dangling between a couple of trees.' His Just Giving efforts have now raised over £60,000. His autobiography and other initiatives bolster the tally to something in the region of £100k and on Saturday he plans to raise the tally a little more by completing 104 miles and four marathons on the Southern Upland Way between Dalry and Melrose in the Ultra Scotland race. It's a long way from his old, distant life as a professional footballer with Motherwell, Killie, St Johnstone and St Mirren. 'I was at Killie 11 years or so and I had my best memories at Rugby Park, winning the Scottish Cup. But I hardly watch any games on TV these days,' he says. Gathering dust in the attic, he gifted his Scottish Cup jersey and medal away to a diehard Kilmarnock fan and gave a Kaiserslautern jersey acquired after a UEFA Cup defeat in 1999 to a roofer working on his home. 'The experience and the memories sustain me more than souvenirs,' he explains. 'Going down John Finnie Street with the cup and seeing people happy is what I think of. 'Kilmarnock still ask me to do the in-house TV channel and the truth is that I barely know the players. I loved my career and gave it everything and I don't know if subconsciously this is just the way I cope with the loss of that, but I couldn't tell you the last live game I was at or the last 90 minutes I watched on TV. 'I love my boxing now and if you gave me the choice now of watching the Champions League final or a big title fight, I'd watch the boxing.' Mark Reilly will complete the Ultra Scotland race today (Saturday 7 June 2025). To support his fund-raising efforts for Rett Syndrome research visit
The Citizen
07-06-2025
- The Citizen
Cops on the run! Hundreds of police officers to tackle tomorrow's Comrades Marathon
A cop chase of a different kind is expected tomorrow when 437 SAPS members pursue their personal bests in the 98th Comrades Marathon, highlighting not only athletic endurance but also the organisation's commitment to health, wellness and resilience. The group includes 66 female and 371 male officers from across all nine provinces. Their participation marks a notable increase from the 356 officers who competed in 2024, reflecting a growing culture of fitness within SAPS ranks. National Police Commissioner General Fannie Masemola has thrown his support behind the participants, commending their dedication and reinforcing SAPS's focus on human capital development through wellness initiatives. 'Their involvement underscores the values of perseverance, unity and discipline that define both the SAPS and the spirit of the Comrades Marathon,' says Masemola. The 89km 'down run' from Pietermaritzburg to Durban will see over 22 000 runners take part, with SAPS runners proudly flying the organisation's flag as ambassadors of health and community engagement. Combining science, service and sport to serve the community Constable Anna Mapheto (26), stationed at SAPS Lephalale in Limpopo, serves at the Community Service Centre — the first point of contact for the public. She plays a vital role in handling complaints, opening case dockets and responding to emergencies, while also supporting crime victims and fostering trust within the community. Mapheto began her policing career after being appointed on October 3, 2022. She completed her training at SAPS Academy in Umtata and was placed as a student constable at SAPS Polokwane before being permanently stationed at Lephalale on January 3, 2024. In addition to her law enforcement duties, Mapheto holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Molecular and Life Sciences from the University of Limpopo (2021) and is pursuing a Bachelor of Arts in Forensic Sciences at the University of South Africa. She is passionate about using scientific methods to solve crimes and aspires to join the SAPS Forensic Science Laboratories. A dedicated long-distance runner, she competes for the SAPS Limpopo Marathon Club. She sees physical fitness as essential to mental strength and resilience in the demanding police environment. 'As a police official, with this physically demanding job and high-stress environment, running marathons keeps me physically and mentally fit to cope in the field of policing. I encourage my colleagues to stay active, as it boosts their health, relieves stress and strengthens both body and mind, thus helping to build healthier, safer and secure communities,' says Mapheto. In 2023, she placed second in both the Maroela Marathon's 10km women's open category and the SAPS national women's open 10km at the Sanlam Cape Town Marathon. She also completed the 42.2km marathon and participated in the 50km Ultra Marathon the same year. Inspired by service and resilience Seventy-two SAPS marathon runners from KZN will line up in Pietermaritzburg tomorrow, 14 of who will tackle the race for the first time. One of the first-time participants is Constable Lindanokuhle Sakhile Mdunge, a community service centre officer based at Ladysmith Police Station. Mdunge joined SAPS in 2022 after earning both a diploma and BTech in policing from the Tshwane University of Technology. He underwent intensive training at SAPS Academy Umthatha and now serves his community with commitment and compassion. Although new to the Comrades, the 31-year-old is no stranger to challenging long-distance races. He qualified for the Comrades with an impressive 3:10 finish at the Sanlam Cape Town Marathon. He also completed the demanding 52km Nquthu to Dundee Ultra Marathon, which gave him the confidence to push further. A personal highlight was completing the 72km Mpumalanga Cosmo 3 in1 Marathon — an achievement that propelled him towards the Comrades down run. Unlike many newcomers who idolise international runners, Mdunge finds his inspiration closer to home. He credits fellow police officer Constable Nqabayesizwe Zulu, stationed at SAPS Gauteng provincial headquarters, as his role model. 'He has been running the Comrades Marathon for over five years, and he is the one who motivated me. I am looking forward to the race, and running in the colours of my beloved organisation will encourage me not to give up. The race takes place in the month dedicated to the youth in South Africa, and as such I will do my best to show the tenacity of the youth in our country, the bravery of all young people in the SAPS, and show the world that police in South Africa are resilient,' says Mdunge. While some may approach their first Comrades with caution, Mdunge already has long-term goals. His sights are set on earning a green number — a recognition awarded to runners who complete 10 Comrades Marathons. For him, it's more than a race; it's the start of a dream come true.
