West Roxbury Resident to run Boston Marathon® on YMCA Boston Team

West Roxbury resident Kristen Fennell, 35, is a Y girl through and through. She grew up less than half a mile from the Parkway YMCA, where she went to pre-school, day camp, and learned to swim. Today, as the Healthy Living Director at the Huntington Avenue branch she is gearing up to complete her third Boston Marathon® running as part of the YMCA of Greater Boston’s team.

Fennell’s relationship with the YMCA over the years comes full circle. The Y sparked some of Fennell’s first athletic endeavors, and thirty-some years later, her passion for running led her right back to the Y. “A couple of years after college, my friends were getting into road races and I realized not only could I not run a 5k, I probably could not run to save my life – so I made a change,” says Fennell. “I can still remember the first time I ran a mile without stopping.”

Soon, Fennell was signing up for marathons, which led to her to become a spin instructor and a personal trainer. Her current job as Healthy Living Director can be traced back to her life-changing decision to run a single mile. “If you don't go outside your comfort zone, you will never find what you are looking for,” says Fennell, who also coaches other runners.

All funds raised by Y Marathon team members will support the YMCA of Greater Boston’s teen programs, and as a Y employee, Fennell knows just how far these funds go. This past summer, the YMCA of Greater Boston gave out more than 17,000 free three-month memberships to teens at the Y’s 13 branches with unlimited access and held more than 900 community events. Programs like Safe Dating, Cyber Bulling, Job Readiness, Volunteerism, Leadership, and SAT prep empower and engage youth in productive ways.

“When you run for the Y’s Boston Marathon team, you are raising money to help us give a teen in Greater Boston access to summer programming, swim classes, and camp,” says James Morton, YMCA of Greater Boston President and CEO. “This past summer was our busiest to date with each of our branches creating programming to fit the needs of the youth in their neighborhoods, which would not be possible without funds raised by our runners. We wish them the best this April.”

Runners who have qualified to receive a Boston Marathon bib and would like to experience the camaraderie of running with a team while supporting charity are welcome to join the YMCA of Greater Boston’s Marathon team by raising a minimum of $1,500.

To donate to Kristen Fennell and the rest of the YMCA team, please visit: https://www.crowdrise.com/o/en/campaign/ymca-boston-2019.

ABOUT THE YMCA OF GREATER BOSTON:

The YMCA of Greater Boston is the state’s leading nonprofit committed to strengthening communities. Every day the Y works with thousands of men, women and children to ensure that everyone, regardless of age, income or background, has the opportunity to learn, grow and thrive. As the nation’s fifth largest charity, the Y is creating meaningful memberships. Going beyond gym and swim, the Y provides members with access to quality health and fitness experts and equipment while giving back and providing support to thousands every day. For more than 165 years, the Y has been developing skills and emotional well-being through education and training, welcoming and connecting diverse populations, preventing chronic disease and building healthier communities through collaborations and policymakers. The Boston YMCA is the first Y in the United States.