By Martin Luttrell
Jenene Vernon has been running for 20 years, and completed marathons on three continents. As she closes in on the coveted “Six Star” medal, her motivation remains steadfast on honoring her late mother by raising money for lung cancer research and support.
Vernon, 46, of Mendon, will compete in the Berlin Marathon in Germany on Sept. 27, then the New York City Marathon on Nov. 1. She will run to raise money for the LUNGevity Foundation in both events.
She runs in memory of her mother who was diagnosed with lung cancer in 2005 and passed away two years later.
Despite having completed the Chicago, Tokyo, London and Boston marathons and many shorter races, running was not an activity Vernon considered until after college.
“I hated running,” she said. “In my junior year of college I took a kinesiology class and found out I had to run a mile. I dropped the course.”
That changed after her mother’s diagnosis at age 60. Jenene took personal leave from work to travel with her mother from Long Island into Manhattan for chemotherapy at Memorial Sloan Kettering.
“We were fortunate to have those two years. It gave us a different lease on life. We were happiest together,” Vernon said. “She wasn’t a smoker. She was loving and funny, a giving person.”
After the diagnosis Vernon felt helpless, but when she learned of a 5K race to benefit a lung cancer foundation, she realized she could get in condition for the run of a little over three miles.
“I started running as a way to raise awareness. My mom came and cheered me on,” she said. “Then, I started to run more and started doing half marathons. In my 30s I started to run for fitness.”
While training for a half marathon in 2023 she tore her ACL. While recovering from surgery she told her husband, Josh, that she wanted to push herself, and looked for a marathon to enter. She found LUNGevity, and through the organization she and Josh entered the Chicago Marathon.
“It went pretty well,” she said. “I learned so much from that. First half went great. The second half, all I had put in my stomach (for hydration and energy), slowed me down. My husband finished first. I saw friends along the way. That helps push you along.”
Then came an opportunity to run Boston last year, which she enthusiastically trained for, despite not being a fan of running on hills.
“One of the things they do for charity runners is you get to train on the course every weekend and work with coaches,” she said. “We were on the course pretty much every weekend.”
She ran the Boston Marathon to raise funds for Mass Eye and Ear at Mass General Brigham, the London Marathon for Asthma and Lung UK, and Tokyo for the Japan Cancer Society and LUNGevity. With the Berlin Marathon later this month and New York City in November, she will qualify to receive the Abbott World Marathon Majors Six Star medal.
She intentionally saved the New York City Marathon for last.
Vernon recalled the weekly car rides with her mom to receive chemotherapy, crossing the Queensboro Bridge and holding her hand while her mom cracked jokes. On Nov. 1 she will run across that bridge on the way to the finish line.
“New York will be very special,” she said. “It will mean a lot to me.”
Vernon and her husband have raised approximately $35,000 through their marathons for LUNGevity Foundation, Mass Eye and Ear, Asthma + Lung UK, the Japan Cancer Society and Get Kids Going. Across all their charity efforts, they have raised more than $70,000, she said, including $20,000 for the Spread the Joy Foundation.
Nearly $10,000 of the funds raised has come directly from the local community. Residents have donated both money and items to resell for charity.
“I don’t think I could do this without the local running community,” Vernon said. “They’re amazing, and we couldn’t do it without these communities in our life.”
To donate to LUNGevity through Jenene’s marathon efforts, click the links below:
- For the Berlin Marathon
- For the New York City Marathon
Photo top of page: Jenene Vernon after completing the London Marathon (courtesy Jenene Vernon).
