Meet RUNColumbus team member Jessielyn (Jess) Molina. Jess and her husband Razy have two kids Jake (9) and Emme (4) and a Jack Russell named Max. Jess’s husband is an active duty Marine and the family just recently moved to the area from Washington DC. This busy stay-at-is pointing toward an upcoming Chicago Marathon.
Why/when did you start running? I’ve been casually running since college but only started to run races after I had my son Jake. I wanted to show him that anything is possible with commitment and hard work so I decided to train for a distance that I never thought I can achieve and ran the Honolulu Marathon in 2012. I’ve been training for races here and there since then including the virtual Marine Corps Marathon in 2020. I’m hoping to do it in person someday since a solo marathon was so lonely!
What is your favorite aspect(s) of running? I’m not a fast runner by any means so for me it’s never about competing. I’m grateful that running has given me an outlet to relieve stress, clear my head, and give me that endorphin high! I love that running is a celebration, whether you’re an elite runner or you’re just looking to cross that finish line in whatever time, the running community will always cheer you on!
What excites you about being part of the RUNColumbus Race Series and Team? As a military family, we move every 3-4 years. We’ve lived in North Carolina, Japan, Hawaii, and Washington DC. I found that running is the perfect opportunity to explore our new community and hopefully meet new people!