We caught up with Jamie who identifies herself as the Captain of Noxgear Nation-a RUNColumbus sponsor. In addition to running the ambassador program, Jamie assists customers with their orders, tracks inventory, processes returns, and repairs. As a thriving business right here in Central Ohio, Jamie notes that people seem to think that Noxgear is a much larger company than it is. The person who answers the phone or replies to your email is sometimes the same person who packs and ships your order.
Jamie is a wife, mom, and runner. She and her husband started dating at age 16 and have been married 18 years. They are raising “two strong young ladies.”
Why did you start running? I started running after I walked the Emerald City Quarter in 2010. I loved the finish line atmosphere and knew I needed more finish lines in my life. There is something magical about the finish line.
Favorite thing about running? My favorite thing about running is the calm it brings. I run in the dark predawn for almost 100% of my runs. It’s peaceful, most of the neighbors haven’t started their day yet and it feels like I have the world to myself. No matter how I feel before and during, I’m calm and centered after.
Favorite race(s) in Central Ohio? Oh gosh, this is a hard one. CapCity and Columbus Marathon are amazing and, hands down, a recommendation for first-timers. But my fave is the ORRRC Half/Marathon in Xenia. Why? Because there’s Cherry Coke at the finish. The older I get, the less I need the fireworks and crowds. I really enjoy the smaller events where the race director yells “GO!” and everyone starts running.
What advice would you give to someone just getting started? Yes. You can. Ignore that voice in your head that tells you no, you can’t.