855. Lauren "Fithy" Hunnewell, Animal Rescue League Volunteer & 41-Time Marathoner

"I run with all dogs, any dogs."

Lauren "Fithy" Hunnewell is the North America running events manager for New Balance. She is the New York Road Runners partnership lead, so she works super closely with the NYRR team on events including the New York City Half, the Fifth Avenue Mile, and, of course, the New York City Marathon. So, Lauren has a super fun job. She also does something really amazing every Monday and Friday morning: She runs with shelter dogs. Twice a week, every week, no matter the weather, Lauren goes to her local animal shelter to take the dogs for runs. Over the past two years, Lauren has logged more than 500 miles with dogs who need homes. In 2025 alone, she ran with 33 unique breeds. In this conversation, Lauren, who has run more than 40 marathons, talks about how she became an animal lover, and how she ended up volunteering at the Animal Rescue League down the street.

FOLLOW LAUREN @fithy07

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In this episode:

• All about Lauren's run today — with Atlas the German Shepherd! (2:15)
• How Lauren became a dog lover (6:10)
• How running with the dogs fits into Lauren's training (14:45)
• When and how Lauren became a runner (18:30)
• Lauren's history with the New York City Marathon (26:20)
• What Lauren's days look like at New Balance (34:05)
• Lauren's racing and running goals right now (43:45)
• Why Lauren takes her daughter to the Fifth Avenue Mile every year (46:50)
• Lauren's advice for running with dogs (59:55)

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