Mayor Read Credits Dog Reggie For Helping Her Win Fitness Challenge

FAIRFAX CITY, VA — For the first time, the mayor of Fairfax City has defeated the mayors of Falls Church and Vienna in the Mayors’ Fitness Challenge.

The annual competition between the three mayors began in 2021 as a way to encourage people cooped up due to the pandemic to get outside and exercise.

For this year’s competition, the mayors recorded the average number of minutes they each exercised between March 16 and May 11. On Tuesday, the following results were released:

1. Mayor Catherine Read (Fairfax City): 3,960.69
2. Mayor Linda J. Colbert (Vienna): 2,243.47
3. Mayor Letty Hardi (Falls Church): 1,863.83

Read’s first-place finish clinched the title of “Most Fit Community” for the City of Fairfax, where the competition’s trophy will reside for the next year.

Patch reached out to Read on Thursday to find out to what she credits her victory in the 2024 Mayors’ Fitness Challenge.

“My fitness is centered around taking long walks with my rescue dog, Reggie Jackson Greeson-Read,” she said, in an email. “I was elected on Nov 8. 2022 and on Dec 3., I met Reggie at a Homeless Animal Rescue Team (HART) adoption day and he became my four-legged walking companion. He relishes his role as the ‘Mayor’s dog.'”

In addition to Reggie, Read credited two people for her victory. The first is Cardie MacDonald of Sun & Moon Yoga Studio, which has a studio in Arlington and one at 3975 University Drive #130 in Fairfax City.

“She’s rallied the troops every year for this fitness challenge and deserves the accolades,” Read said.

The second was Councilmember Tom Ross, whom Read called the personification of fitness.

“That man rides his bike, swims and golfs every week,” she said. “He can literally run rings around me and nearly everyone else on the dais with the exception perhaps of young Billy Bates.”

In addition to generating a little community spirit and hometown pride, the annual Mayors’ Fitness Challenge was established to encourage residents to tackle their own fitness challenge.

“Fairfax City’s long-term commitment to parks, trails and bike paths in this city make it easy for people of every age to enjoy physical activity right where they live,” Read said. “That will continue to be a focus as we build a more connected community that prioritizes pedestrians over cars.”