Boston Marathon 2015 Runner Profile: Jen McCutcheon, of Jamaica Plain

Photo: Jen is pictured with the Heartbreak Hill Running Company gorilla

Name: Jen McCutcheon

Age: Just turned 40 this April!

Profession: I work in global public health – supporting health projects throughout Africa.

Marathon experience: This will be my fifth Boston Marathon and my 15th overall.

Reason for running: I love to run and have done so almost my whole life – it keeps me healthy and sane, and over the years, has been the source of some of my dearest friends (there is a lot to talk about in three hour runs each week!). I sometimes run alone and enjoy getting into my own little world out there, and I often run with my amazing running buddies – the Jamaica Plain Pavement Junkies (JPPJ). From my experiences as a former physical therapist, and the events of the 2013 marathon, I am acutely aware that being able to run, and to run marathons, is a privilege, one that I am very grateful for. The Boston Marathon is by far my favorite race. I train all winter on the course, and as we all know, Boston has the best sports fans out there!

Charity: I qualify for Boston, however, I chose to also raise money and awareness as part of the Martin Richard Foundation (MR8) team this year. As a parent, a marathon runner and a Bostonian, I grieved a lot for the Richard family after they lost their son in the 2013 Boston Marathon. It feels good to be able to do a little bit to support them and the great work that the MR8 Foundation is doing to promote peace through education, community and athletics.

>>>Click here to view the charity page and/or to make a donation.

Training tip: I have two. (1) Listen to your body- no matter what training plan you are following, your body is the best judge of whether you are doing too much or too little. (2) Take it one mile at a time- whether you are running a marathon or your first 5K, break it down into little steps and celebrate the success of achieving each milestone. If you set your goals too high or too far out you are more likely not to achieve them and therefore get discouraged.

Bib number: 11704

If you’re running the 119th Boston Marathon on April 20, Patch wants to recognize you.

We’re putting together brief profiles of local runners, and we want to include you! To be featured on the Jamaica Plain Patch, email a photo and the above information to JP Patch editor Mike Bednarsky by emailing michael.bednarsky@patch.com