The Wanderer recently had the privilege of interviewing two women whose determination is astounding. You see, these friends are running hard to help others. Kristen Wingate and Jen Pease, Mattapoisett residents, are runners who have taken their joy of movement to the next level, running to raise money that will help Multiple Sclerosis research.
We caught up with these amazing women in between their busy schedules that includes being mothers with young children.
Wingate said, “Jen and I met through our daughters becoming best friends at daycare. We had both always been into running. After I had completed the 2021 Boston Marathon as a charity runner for the Joe Andruzzi Foundation, Jen decided, after having her fourth child, that she wanted to also run the Boston Marathon.” Jen is also facing her own challenges as due to MS.
They would run the Boston Marathon for the Joe Andruzzi team. They raised $20,000 in 2023. That began their marathon running journey. They would go on to run the 2024 Chicago Marathon and the 2024 New York City marathon. They also plan on running the Boston Marathon in April 2026.
Jen told us,” Kristen and I will both be running the Boston Marathon in April. She is running with her company, Brewster Ambulance, since they are a vendor for the race. I am running for the first time as an adaptive athlete since MS falls under ATAXIA, which is one of the impairment categories recognized by the Boston Athletic Association.”
In discussing her diagnosis Jen said, “I have experienced numbness in my hands. My hands were fully numb from December of 2024 until August of 2025. My neurologist believes the numbness was caused by a new lesion on my spine, and since the spinal cord is so tightly packed, there was no room for my body to create a way around the scar formed there. Usually after the three-month mark, you kind of give up on your body figuring it out, but after nine months my feeling finally came back. Exciting times in my world.”
The runners answered a number of questions, offering insight into their busy lives and what keeps them pushing on. We asked what inspired them to travel in their quest to bring attention to MS.
“We set a goal in 2023 to run all six world marathon majors,” Kristen said. When Jen was diagnosed, their focus firmly became planted for MS fundraising. Jen added, “Once I was diagnosed with MS in December of 2024, we knew we found our driving cause.” They both applied to run the Berlin Marathon and raised money for MS charities from Jen’s hospital room. “From there we knew we were on this journey together,” Jen emphasized. “MS is a great cause to raise money for because the research being done and new disease modifying treatments being discovered have a significant impact on individuals living with MS.”
We learned that the pair have run many road races including: Mother’s Day 5K, the Fourth of July road race, The Lions Club Triathlon, the New Bedford half Marathon, the USA Women’s Half Marathon , Mattapoisett Mother’s Day 5K, Mattapoisett Fourth of July Road Race, Mattapoisett Triathlon, the New Bedford Half Marathon, USA Women’s Half Marathon in Key West, The Falmouth Road Race, DNRT Trail Run in Dartmouth, Frosty Runner 10.5 Mile Road Race in Rochester, Boston Marathon, Bank of America Chicago Marathon, TCS New York City Marathon, BMW Berlin Marathon, and the Colt State Park Half Marathon in Bristol, Rhode Island. They are also planning to participate in the Tokyo Marathon in 2027 for team MS-UK.
Regarding the issues raised by MS, Pease shared, “The biggest effect I notice personally is that my legs go numb when I overheat, specifically after running. I will be fine for my entire run, but the second I stop running the heat takes over, my legs go numb, and I am unable to stand on my own. Luckily, Kristen is the best running partner of all time and will catch me at the end of our runs and hold on to my arm until my legs regain feeling a minute or so later.”
“Being a mother with MS means facing every day with as much positivity as possible,” Pease said. “When it comes to being a mom, I haven’t given up anything. I will fight through fatigue to be present for my children and try not to show any effects of my disability, so they aren’t worried about me.”
Now Pease and Wingate are bringing their enthusiasm to a race in Mattapoisett on December 6 at 9:00 am, called “The Santa Stampede.”
We asked Pease how that came about. “Honestly, my eight-year-old daughter was the driving force in this race coming together. She saw the positive impact the Mother’s Day 5K has had on local postpartum moms and she wanted to do something good for people living with MS.”
Jen said, “Multiple Sclerosis is not a one-size-fits-all disease. Every day feels different, and it’s a learning curve to realize when your body just feels a little off, and when you are experiencing a flare that may need medical attention. I never want people to be scared to ask me questions about it. I’m really open and willing to educate people about what I have learned so far on this journey. Living with an invisible chronic disease can be frustrating at times and can feel lonely in dealing with these symptoms, so it’s nice to know there are people who care and who support me even when they can’t outright see I am struggling.”
We asked Jen what she would say to someone newly diagnosed. “My biggest piece of advice would be to stay positive. Multiple Sclerosis treatment has come such a long way over the past few decades that it is no longer a grim diagnosis leading to life in a wheelchair. Trust your body, speak up for yourself when something feels wrong, find the right treatment plan and team for you, and continue to live your life. I opted for a daily medication as my treatment, but there are so many options people can select that fit their life. My diagnosis inspired me to never stop moving and to use the MS community as a platform to have a positive impact in this world.”
The Santa Stampede will be held on Saturday, December 6 at 9:00 am. For more information, you can visit runsignup.com.
By Marilou Newell