Celebrating the Human-Animal Bond, One Step At A Time

Development Coordinator Katy Kesselman chatted with dog adopter and runner extraordinaire Jen English about her upcoming Boston Marathon run for Baypath. Read on to learn what motivates and inspires this humane hero – and how YOU can help her cross the finish line for animals!

The Boston Marathon is truly iconic. What inspired you to run this historic race (which begins right here in Hopkinton!) in honor of Baypath?

Although I’ve been running since high school, I never thought I’d run a marathon, let alone Boston. When I heard Baypath was looking for a volunteer runner, I told my friend (and long-time Baypath Board Member) Sandy Gittlen I could maybe do it if Baypath desperately needed someone. Next thing I knew, I was signing up for Boston. So, if anybody is responsible for inspiring me to do this, it’s Sandy. But that’s not really a surprise, because she’s also the one who convinced me to adopt my dog Obi from Baypath!

It’s not lost on me that it can be difficult to get a bib to run Boston. I’m honored to be able to run this marathon that holds so much meaning while representing the organization that introduced me to Obi.

Marathon training is known to be both physically and mentally taxing. Fundraising is also very challenging. How are training and fundraising going?

Training has been, dare I say, fun. The longest I ever ran before I started marathon training in December was a half marathon. So it’s been exciting that with each long run, I’m running longer than I’ve ever done. It’s also been an interesting challenge to train during winter. I’ve had some peaceful post-snowfall runs that made me grateful I pushed myself out of my comfort zone to run in the cold.

Fundraising has probably been more difficult for me than the marathon training! I’ve raised just over $6,000 of my $10,000 goal for Baypath and am hoping to close that gap in March, so I can focus on race day as April approaches.

Tell us more about your connection to animals generally and Baypath specifically.

My family got our first dog when I was in high school — a beagle named Duke. He battled with epileptic seizures his whole life, but his howls brought so much joy to our neighborhood. A few years later, we rescued a black lab named Twist. He’d been severely mistreated in his past life, but I’m grateful we were able to welcome him into our home and show him what love is. We kept his original name because he would twist his body into a U-shape whenever he got excited.

I heard of Baypath through my friend and former coworker, Sandy. She had told me for years that my sister and I needed to adopt a dog from Baypath. In February 2021, she sent a picture of a senior dog originally named Sadie and asked if we’d be interested in meeting her. A couple days later, she was ours.

As big Star Wars fans, we named her Obi, and she quickly ingratiated herself into our hearts. Obi and I share a deep connection, and she helped me through some difficult times. She is beloved in our community, as she frequently visits the stores where she knows she can get treats. Obi has given me so much joy, and I want to help other humans and animals share that same healing connection. 

If you could share one or two important lessons you’ve learned during this experience, what would they be?

The main lesson I’ve learned throughout training is how resilient our bodies and minds actually are when we push ourselves. Each mileage increase, sore muscle, and mind battle is another sign that I can keep going. 

So many of the animals Baypath helps have been through heartbreaking situations, yet they prove to us humans over and over again that love and hope are stronger. I think I can push myself through 26.2 miles and Heartbreak Hill to prove that too. 

What are your hopes for the big day on April 15th?

More than any performance goal, I want to run the race with patience and strength. I know I’ll face obstacles in my mind and body throughout the race, but I want to savor each moment, even the painful ones, and relish the fact that I’m part of something incredibly special.

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