“This is the third holiday we’ve decided to dress up and have some fun with it,” said Donato of the pair’s running routine. “For Christmas, we figured we’d go down Central Avenue and Lake Shore Drive in our Santa skirts and Santa hats and spread some Christmas cheer. It was a blast!” The pair dressed up in heart-themed ensembles for Valentine’s Day, and were most recently seen in their shamrock skirts and accessories on Tuesday.

“All the St. Patrick’s Day parades were canceled, so we figured we’d run in our own parade,” said Donato. “We had so many beeps and smiles and people cheering us on. It seems like so many people are down and having nothing to be happy about at this moment. It felt good to make people smile as they were walking or driving by.”

Both women are familiar faces in the area and fondly known as the “training twins,” though they are not related. Both graduated from Dunkirk High School and belong to Chautauqua Health and Fitness Center, where they are also spin class instructors. Correale is a stay at home mom and Donato teaches sixth grade math and science at Pine Valley Central School.

“I’ve been teaching for 20 years, and it was just so odd to go into school this week with no kids,” said Donato. “When I was getting their packets ready to take home, I wrote them each a little note to let them know I miss them.”

Fredonia residents Jackie Correale, left, and Jennifer Donato donned red outfits to celebrate Valentine’s Day as they ran through Dunkirk and Fredonia. Submitted Photo.

Donato said that she’ll be in contact with her students weekly by phone “just to let them know that I’m here and I care.”

Outside the classroom, Correale and Donato enjoy running together and training for marathons. Interestingly, Donato is one of few runners in the world who has qualified more than once to participate in the six world major marathons, otherwise known as the Abbott World Marathon Majors. This series consists of the largest marathons in the world that take place annually in Tokyo, Boston, London, Berlin, Chicago and New York City.

“In 2018, I ran all six races in one calendar year,” Donato told the OBSERVER. Fewer than 10 people in the world have accomplished this feat. For Donato this was a personal best, as the first time she ran all six races, she did so over the course of two years in 2016 and 2017.

Donato once again qualified to participate in all six races this year, but not all marathons will take place as scheduled. “Tokyo canceled first, and Boston and London have been postponed for fall,” Donato explained. “I still have the opportunity to do those, and I hope I still can.”

In the meantime, Correale and Donato are training to run in the Philadelphia Marathon this November. Both are also looking forward to running together on Easter Sunday, April 12, and they welcome all to join them.

“Jackie was going to go away for Easter, and I was going to go to Florida, but we’re staying put now,” said Donato. “We already have our Easter skirts and our bunny years. If anyone wants to join us, we’ll be meeting at 11 a.m. at Central Avenue and Temple Street in Fredonia. We’ll be running down Central Avenue to Lake Shore Drive in Dunkirk, running over to School No. 7 and then returning.”