She’s running the Boston Marathon for a cause

Sep 4, 2021

MATTAPOISETT — Training for your first marathon with three young kids is hard enough. But for Mattapoisett resident Kristen Wingate, that training schedule includes raising $10,000.

Wingate is running the Boston Marathon as part of the Joe Andruzzi Foundation team. As a fundraising runner, she had to commit to raising $10,000 to be entered into the race. And if that money isn’t raised by the race, she has to pay the difference.

“The minimum is $10,000,” Wingate said. “The goal is to get more than $10,000.”

Since starting her training and fundraising effort, just weeks after having her four-month old daughter, Wingate has raised about $7,500.

“Everyone’s really stepped up and been very generous,” she said.

Wingate decided to start raising money for the foundation after meeting Joe Andruzzi, a former Patriots player, at work.

Andruzzi is a cancer survivor, whose foundation financially supports those with cancer, often helping them with necessities and making ends meet.

Wingate recalled one time with Andruzzi when a man came up to them and explained how the foundation had helped him and his family with his cancer. Wingate said she was struck by the way Andruzzi handled the situation, taking little credit for the work his foundation had done.

“The way he treated this man was amazing,” said Wingate. From there, she realized: “I need to make it a point to do something.”

So Wingate has been training and racing in support of the foundation. She ran a half marathon in Maine to benefit the foundation only 12 weeks postpartum.

But Wingate said there’s a benefit to running so soon after giving birth.

“The only way I could get her to calm down,” she said, “was just put her in the stroller to run.”

Wingate often runs up to eight miles with her four-month-old and 2-year-old in the stroller. On Saturday’s she does a long run on her own, reaching close to 20 miles.

Before the race on Oct. 11, she’ll have already been on runs over 20 miles — just six short of the marathon distance.

And while Wingate said “training’s been tough,” she noted it’s “a great way to get back in shape for an amazing cause.”

To donate, go to Wingate’s fundraising page.