Runner’s World+ Member: Jo Jones
Jo is a Runner’s World+ member. Join her and thousands of others chasing their goals with day-by-day training plans, expert advice from editors and coaches, and unlimited digital access. We regularly feature members online and in print.
In October of 2019, I was diagnosed with high blood pressure. I had always been overweight (I was a size 12 in third grade) but I had always been “healthy”. At 225 lbs, I realized I was not healthy and needed to make some changes. I joined a gym and began calorie counting using Lose It!. The weight melted off, but over time, walking on the treadmill and using the elliptical just didn’t do it for me anymore.
On a camping trip in May of 2019 I decided to run a mile, and, although it was ugly, I did it. I was hooked! I began running every day after that and on July 4th I ran my first 5K distance. After that, I ran a 10K and a half marathon. On November 10th, 2019 I ran my first marathon at age 37 (my second one was in March, solo, on an indoor track...that is a whole other story!). Running has put my life on an entirely different trajectory! Without it, I don’t think I would have been able to maintain my current, healthy lifestyle if it wasn’t for the part running now plays in my life.
I began running all on my own, and was pretty much doing things on my own until after my first marathon. I found Runner’s World and realized that the articles and community that comes with Runner’s World+ was incredibly relevant to me. I love reading the articles and the product reviews!
I honestly run for two reasons. The first reason is 225 lbs Jo never thought she could even run a mile, let alone 26.2. I was that kid in gym class that made fun of all the fit people, but secretly wanted to be one of them. Now I am! I still feel the excitement every time I step out the door. And the second reason is, well, the bling you get from races. Medals, t-shirts, jackets, bananas, hot chocolate...who doesn’t love swag?
I run many routes now and cover a lot of my city in my training runs, but I still love running the original one mile route that I started with back when I began my running journey. It is mostly flat but it has one hill that can still murder me. I like running it to reflect on how far I’ve come (and how far out my current training takes me).
My favorite piece of gear is my Madison Marathon long sleeve t-shirt. I chose the Madison Marathon as my first marathon because it fit my training schedule. Did you know it is mostly hills? I sure didn’t and boy was my face red when I ran it. I train in that shirt, I wear it as regular clothing, and I race in it. It always makes me smile when I put it on and it reminds me of the enormous goal I achieved.
Despite having a super active and healthy lifestyle now, I still try to fit in playing video games as much as possible. My entire basement is an homage to 80’s and 90’s video game systems from the Atari 2600 to the PS1 and everything in between. Stepping into my basement is stepping back in time where you can still find Blockbuster movie rentals on the table, copies of Nintendo Power, and old TV Guides and all the action figures and toys you love from the 80’s.
To run until I die. I never want to stop! Oh, and running an ultra next year.
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