MIDDLEBURY – From one mile races to half marathons, Quinn, a five year old black lab from Naugatuck is still on the run, most of the time it’s for charity.
Quinn is owned by avid runners Katey Baruth and her husband Rick Shoup. Baruth and Shoup began taking Quinn on their road races when she was 15 months old, today the black lab has run in almost every town across the state.
Baruth and Shoup are part of the Connecticut running enthusiast club called the “Run 169 Towns Club” of which Quinn will soon be named a Queen.
Quinn has run in races in 168 towns, race 169 is set for Hartford on October 20, after she finishes 169 races, the club officially recognizes her as a “Queen” of the roads.
"We’ve been so lucky that she is extremely athletic,” Baruth said of her friendly dog, as she runs along the Greenway in Middlebury. “A switch just goes off when a race starts, she becomes a different dog.”
Because most races have a charity element, Quinn has been involved in helping to raise thousands of dollars for different causes.
It’s something we do as a family,” said Shoup, who has run 33 marathons. “Connecticut has so many races and there so many charities that are helped out by that.”
Quinn’s race on October 20 in Hartford will benefit the group and shelter known as the Protectors of Animals.