Jo Jo was born in 1964, she was fortunate to grow up by the sea, with her sister and her two brothers. When not in school, they were outside. Sports were a very important part of life and they participated in ALL sports!
From 1977 it was field hockey and running. After 1985, Jo Jo started to focus more on her running. She lived one hour north of the Boston Marathon finish line and she dreamed that one day; she too, would be a runner, running in the Boston Marathon.
While following her passion, she started work as a flight attendant for American Airlines and married Rick Rogers (who was a US Navy Top Gun Fighter Pilot!) in 1990. She gave birth to her son in 1992, Holden Beck Rogers, who in 2014 Graduated; United States Military Academy at West Point. In 2000 she had her daughter Annika Xiuxian Rogers
Running
In 1999 she did her 1st Marathon the Tucson Marathon, where she ran a time of 3:06 and came 27th Female! In 2000 at the age of 36 she ran her 2nd Marathon which was her dream marathon it was the Boston Marathon which she ran in a time of 3:10 coming 149th Female and 125th American!
Since then she has gone on to run the Mississippi 50 Trail 50K in 2000, and 2002 coming 2nd female both times. The Atlanta Fat Ass 50K in 2004 and in 2015 she ran the Ghost Train Trail Race 25K where she came 1st Female. In 2016 she followed it up with another 1st female podium finish in the Savannah Rails to Trails 50K in a time of 4:05:34.
Now Jo Jo is entering her 50s she is a passionate running coach, and has been coaching at, Present Green Mountain Running Camp since 2008.
Jo Jo lives on an island off the coast of Maine in northern New England (USA), because of the remoteness of where she lives, she ends up doing the majority of her training alone.
Training is however, her favourite element of competitive athletics, but being so isolated can make it difficult, so on the long days, on the tough days. Jo Jo will plug in her headphones and start listening to music and podcasts. Without hesitation "The Tough Girl Podcast" is obviously her favourite!!
“Every great dream begins with a dreamer. Always remember you have within you the strength, the patience and the passion to reach for the stars and change the world.” Harriet Tubman
The Tough Girl "7 Women - 7 Challenges” has inspired Jo Jo “to reach for the stars and change the world.”
In 2017, she will be training and racing in an effort to be selected for the United States 50 Kilometer National Team.
The US 50K National Team will compete at the International Association of Ultra Runners (IAU) 50 Kilometer World Championship in Doha, Qatar in November 2017.
The United States will be represented by a Team of six men and six women ultra marathon runners.
Standards for Consideration for the 2017, US 50K National Team:
Runners must be citizens of the United States of America and be current USATF members and meet one of the following qualification standards:
Automatic selection will be given to the first American male and female that meet the performance standard (male; 3:00:00) (female; 3:33:00) at one of the following races.
Caumsett Park 50K (March)
Mad City 50K (April)
Additional selections will also be given to American males and females that meet the performance standards in “other” 50K road/trail races.
The US 50K National Team will be selected in August 2017.
For Jo Jo, this is a huge challenge, and like in life, there are NO guarantees.
For Jo Jo to be selected all aspects will need to come into play; training, sleep, nutrition, hydration, balance and a “single mindedness of purpose”.
"Success is not something I can hold in my hand. Success is something I hold in my heart."
Jo Jo appreciates so many things in her life; her health, her family, and the ability to go running and she appreciates both the opportunity to be selected for the US team, but also the opportunity to share her story and to encourage other women out there to go after their dreams, no matter their age.
I am excited to be following Jo Jo on this journey, and I wish her all the success in the world. This is a massive goal and being able to follow her on this journey will be an informative and interesting experience.
We will be following Jo Jo throughout 2017 and be kept up to date on her training, diet, nutrition, as well as her mental preparation.