Homewood Police Chief Denise McGrath is not new to running marathons, yet she’d never run in the race closest to home until Sept. 6 when she ran her first Hidden Gem Half Marathon.

Having many other races under her belt, McGrath did not have any specific expectation for this race. She said the Hidden Gem was unbelievable. She plans to be at all future Hidden Gems. 

One thing McGrath enjoyed about the Gem was the community involvement to support the runners. It was the support from neighbors throughout the race that really kept her going, she said. 

“You can’t do a race like this without volunteers,” McGrath said. “But then all the neighbors, the way they decorated the different themes in the different neighborhoods, it really kept me going.” 

Unlike her other races, she didn’t do serious preparation for the Gem. Her plan was to enjoy the race that fell on her birthday. 

Her love for running allows McGrath to give back to communities that matter to her. 

She ran the Big Sur Marathon in California in 2017 where she first connected with the organization Semper Fi & America’s Fund that helps critically wounded, sick and injured service members, veterans and their families. 

She collaborated with them again in 2024 raising money for the organization while running the Boston Marathon.