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February Update from Jo Jo - One of the Tough Girl 7



Update from Jo Jo - Tough Girl 7

Sarah,

Quoting Instagram: To Sarah Williams & the Tough Girl Tribe, Wow!!! Thank you. I was thrilled to be chosen as one of the Tough Girls in the “7 Women 7 Challenges”. This challenge would not be possible without Sarah or the Tough Girl Tribe. Every day I wake up excited to drink my coffee and run. It is reassuring to know that all of you are also challenging yourselves in 2017. However, to know that collectively, we all positively support one another is epic, perhaps a bit rare in the world today. Congratulations Sarah, what you have created is remarkable!!!

Initially, in December; following our conversation, I was disappointed. You were so professional and you/your questions were perfect and despite the distance between us, it was obvious that you are striking, inside and outside; you are attentive, considerate and positive, not to mention thorough in your attention to detail. Personally, on several occasions, I had no answer or the answer I had was dull, perhaps lacking a point, leaving me disappointed.

I spent several days thinking about/processing the conversation. The “7 Women 7 Challenges” was a brilliant idea, ordinary women, doing extraordinary challenges.

However, although all 7 women and all 7 challenges are awesome; there are so many “unknowns” the training, nutrition, hydration, sleep, racing and most important the balance, all “unknowns” to all 7.

It is a challenge within a challenge, brilliant!!!

Women from all over the world, now have the opportunity to follow the “7 Women 7 Challenges” and with thanks to you, dream!!!

“Every great dream begins with a dreamer.”

With the arrival of 2017, it was time to get serious. I love goals and the planning and the organization, although important, are to me almost as exciting as the training necessary to reach the goal.

When I started penciling dates; training/racing on to the calendar, it was obvious there was a problem. All along, I had been planning on attempting to qualify for the 2017 US 50K Team. This means I would have to train and race sub 3:33:00 prior to August; one race in March and one race in April.

I had also committed to race at the World Snowshoe Championships in February and to race at the US National Snowshoe Championships in March and all four races would require travel; Saranac Lake, New York; Long Island, New York; Madison, Wisconsin and Bend, Oregon. The 2017 calendar was top heavy, changes would be necessary.

It is far more logical to attempt to qualify for the 2018 US 50K Team. This will allow me to train and race sub 3:33:00 for an entire year, ultimately with a new racing schedule that spans 2017, the immediate pressure is removed and the training necessary will be more tailored towards success.

2017 Racing Schedule

February: 2017 World Snowshoe Championships; Saranac Lake, New York

March: 2017 US Snowshoe Championships; Bend, Oregon

May: Hachie 50K Ultra Marathon; Waxahachie, Texas*

June: USATF Mountain Running Championship; North Conway, New Hampshire

September: World Masters Mountain Running Championships; Vrsatec, Slovakia*

December: Tallahassee Ultra Distance Classic 50K; Tallahassee, Florida*

2018 Racing Schedule

February: Jed Smith Ultra 50K; Sacramento, California*

*Tentative

Goals

  • 2018 USA 50K Team

  • 2017 USATF Ranking; Fastest Female 50K; 50/over

  • Personal Best/50K

  • Inspire others!!!

Training

Running: Every day; No run/ January 20th & January 27th

Speed Work: Tuesday

Core: Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday

Mileage: 870+ Miles

Nutrition

Vegetarian In addition to fruits, vegetables and grains, I eat dairy, eggs and salmon.

Challenges

Eating: I am always hungry!!!

Sleeping: I am completely finished at the end of the day and heading towards the pillow between 8:00 and 9:00 PM.

Social Media: No Time!!!

Run, Eat, Run, Sleep, Repeat

Inspiration

Sarah, you routinely ask your guests to define where the inspiration comes from. It is a wonderful, thought provoking question. I think about it all the time. My inspiration always comes from the people in my life, most often the people who have overcome very difficult circumstances.

When you look close enough at people who have set challenges and succeeded in not only the challenges, but more importantly in life, these people have very often also overcome very difficult circumstances.

These are the people in my life who have inspired me.

Childhood

Great Grandmother: My great grandmother was the only one of ten children who immigrated to the USA from Ilmington, England.

Father: My father’s grandparent are from Scotland and when they

immigrated to the USA, they brought with them a family history of alcoholism. Although I do not struggle with this disease, I do have

many of the characteristics passed on to me as a result of this history.

Mother: My mother, an original “Tough Girl” suffered 2nd/3rd degree burns over 75% of her body. She was given a choice; life or death. She chose life.

Adulthood

Husband: Top Gun Fighter Pilot

Son: United States Military Academy/West Point Graduate

Daughter: My daughter, Annika was born in China and was abandoned at birth by her parents in a train station.

I am not perfect, my life is not perfect and the people in my life are not perfect, but it is all perfect for me and it has created the person that I am today. I am a product of my life.

Thank you for all you have done for not only me, but women all over the world. You are remarkable!!!

Johanna “Jo Jo” Rogers

Listen to Jo Jo as she shares more of her story.

7 Women - 7 Challenges - 2017

Part 1 - Jo Jo starts at 2 hr 50min


Part 2 - Jo Jo is on first!



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