Running News Daily

Hundreds of dogs to run at Boston Marathon to honour late pups

On April 16, hundreds of furry friends will take to the 127th Boston Marathon course to honour Spencer and Penny, the official Boston Marathon dogs who died of cancer in February. 

More than 100 golden retrievers and their owners are expected to attend and walk to the finish line in a special one-mile event organized by a regional group called MA Golden Meetups. The doggo parade will be the day before the world’s most prestigious marathon on Patriots Day, April 17.

In 2018, Spencer went viral after he was seen in a video holding “Boston Strong” flags in his mouth, cheering on the marathoners racing past him in the rain. Since 2014, Spencer has watched the marathon near Ashland State Park (around the five-mile mark on the Boston course), and Penny, who was three years younger, was often seen by his side.

This year’s race will be the first marathon Spencer and Penny will not attend since 2013. The two golden retrievers will also be commemorated on a billboard in Ashland, Mass., with the slogan “Forever Boston Strong.”

Boston Strong was a slogan created to empower the community after the 2013 Boston Marathon bombing. This year marks 10 years since the catastrophic event.

“We miss you and are proud to call you a friend and forever the ‘Official Dog’ of the Boston Marathon,” the Boston Athletic Association (B.A.A.) said in a tweet. 

The dog walk will start at 10 a.m. outside the Boston Common and end at the Boston Marathon finish line on Boylston St. “In memory of Spencer and Penny, the Boston Marathon Goldens, and so many of our beloved furry members who have battled canine cancer,” the website states.