By Carl Scharwath

RG Interview: Jodi Weiss

Spring is here, time to lace up those new running shoes and breathe in the bouquet of nature’s rebirth. I am happy to bring to you not only an amazing runner but also an accomplished writer, teacher, and consultant Jodi Weiss.–Carl Scharwath

Good morning, Jodi and thank you for your time today, we look forward to hearing more about your journey.

1.Our first question is, tell us a little about your life:

It’s great to be here!

I’ve aspired to be a writer for as long as I can remember, so majoring in English in college, and going on to graduate school to study literature and writing were all part of my plan. Running came into my life much later, and yoga followed. Then I became immersed in the world of careers and consulting.

My first stint in publishing was at the New Yorker magazine, where I was an intern for the education program. Following that, I spent ten years in academic publishing at McGraw-Hill, Golden Books, and The Princeton Review, during which time I was Managing Editor, Director of Business Development and Creative Planning, and ultimately Editorial Director.

I left publishing to teach English (literature, creative writing, and composition) at New York University and Hunter College, and I had a few book deals to write nonfiction books. I also joined a literary agency as an agent at large, which was an amazing experience.

In terms of my writing career, several of my short stories are published in literary journals, and I have a few academic books published by Random House/The Princeton Review. I wrote for Huffington Post for years, and more recently I write for LinkedIn, Ultrarunning Magazine, and a few women’s publications. My first novel, From Comfortable Distances, was published a few years back and the audiobook came out early 2022.

For my third act, I’ve led the Nonprofit and Higher Education Practice at Korn Ferry, a global management-consulting firm, for over a decade. My career keeps me busy, but I love it and learn daily. I kept up teaching as an adjunct professor up until the pandemic, but haven’t returned to the classroom since. I never say never about going back.

In my free time, I’m a devoted yogi (ashtanga predominately) and aspiring ultra-runner with over 80 ultramarathon-distance races completed, to include 24- and 12-hour races, 100Ks, 50 milers, 50Ks, and 40 races at the 100-mile or more distance, including Badwater 135 and Brazil 135.

I have a Bachelor of Arts degree in English from the State University of New York; a Master of Arts degree in English, and a Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing from Brooklyn College.

2. What initially sparked your interest in running? Was it a specific event or experience?

During my first year of graduate school, juggling working full time and classes, I needed an outlet that fit into my schedule, so I started to run. I loved that I could put on running shoes and head out the door. At first, I ran a few miles a day up and down Third Avenue in New York City, and then within a few months, I progressed to running the 6.1-mile loop in Central Park. I had one hour to run, so while I never worried about pace, I had to adapt my pace to fit in the run. It became my morning ritual. My mind worked better when I ran, and I loved the energy boost, too. After that, I signed up for 5Ks and 10Ks through New York Road Runners Club.

I ran my first NYC Marathon in 1995, with a close girlfriend, pretty haphazardly. We signed up to run with Achilles International and had no idea what we were doing. On Saturdays we often ran the Central Park loop back-to-back for 12.2 miles, but that was the extent of our long-distance runs. An experienced marathoner friend told us we should get in a long training run prior to the marathon, so we took credit cards with us, and went for a 22-mile run all over NYC, stopped at South Street Seaport to eat, and when we were done, ate candy. For the marathon, I lost my Achilles runner along the way, but my friend and I both crossed the finish line in great spirits.

After that, I was hooked. Running allowed me to have time and space to process my thoughts and feelings and reflect, and I also loved the social aspect of being able to go out for a run with friends to catch up.

I shifted to running ultramarathons in 2010, when my mom was battling cancer and I needed something new to aspire to. I watched the movie Running the Sahara, featuring Charlie Engle, Ray Zahab, and Kevin Lin running 4,300 miles across the Sahara, and wondered how far I could go. After that, my daily runs got longer, my long runs got longer, and within a few months, I signed up for a trail 50 miler – which I ran pretty haphazardly, too, but I survived! Running ultramarathons was life-changing for me on so many levels.

3. How has running impacted your writing and vice versa? Do you find that one inspires the other?

Running and writing have been interwoven for me since I started to run. The Henry David Thoreau quote sums it up for me, “Methinks that the moment my legs begin to move, my thoughts begin to flow.”

When I started running, way before iPhones and modern technology, my then boyfriend bought me a microphone pen, which I used to record story ideas or poems and sometimes ideas for research papers. Some mornings, when my mind was really in overdrive with a story idea, I’d run into a coffee shop, grab a napkin, borrow a pen, and jot it down. I was grateful to graduate to an iPhone and be able send myself messages or record myself.

Running is also a great tool for me pre- or post-writing. Some weekend mornings I like to run for hours, get all the movement out of me, and then sit and write. Other times, I love to spend hours in the morning writing before the world comes to life, then go out for a long run to rejoin the world. I try to let my decision be organic and not have rules about whether running or writing comes first, but most weekends lately, I choose to run first. I love looking around and processing my work week and all the other mental chatter before I start to write. It clears the slate and grounds me.

4. How do you balance your training schedule with your work schedule?

If I choose to do something in my life, I commit to give it space and time, whether it’s my career, running, writing, or relationships. Everyday there’s a bit of negotiating and priority setting. While work often takes over my week, I practice yoga daily and get out to run daily. It’s often a juggling act, but yoga grounds my day, and running makes me feel part of the world. I learned in my twenties that everything makes more sense to me once I’m sweating, so I make it work, which often means waking up by 5am (or earlier) and getting to it.

That said, I’m not manic about training how I may have been years back. If I don’t hit my weekly mileage because I worked an 80-hour week and have family obligations, I’ll live. I’ve learned that work ultras (i.e., 15-hour work days) are their own type of training, and provide a mental edge when it comes to enduring running challenges.

5. What advice would you give to someone who is interested in pursuing both running and writing, but feels overwhelmed by the time commitment and demands of both activities?

Don’t have a corporate gig! It takes up much more time and energy than running or writing. That said, I believe that we grow by shifting gears and engaging in different pursuits in our lives.

When it comes to writing and running, I am clear that no one is forcing me to do either. I’m choosing to take on these challenges and therefore focus on the joy they bring me. For me, the trick to overcoming feeling overwhelmed is to do them. Some days that means running a few miles at 4:30am or 10pm, and some days that means writing on a notepad while I’m in an Uber or sitting at an airport. I also try not to plan too far ahead as it creates anxiety; instead, I chip away at running or writing whenever I can.

My advice: pursue the things that add to your life, and accept that feeling overwhelmed sometimes is part of being human. It’s how you work your way through being overwhelmed and move beyond it that matters. In ultramarathons, I always feel overwhelmed at some point – I get lost, or my stomach isn’t cooperating, or it’s just too far to go. It’s working through it and transitioning from I can’t do this to I can do this that gets you to the finish line. I always remind myself during races that it doesn’t always get worse and often, it gets better! That’s true of writing, too.

6. Are there any particular running events or writing projects that you are currently working on, or that you are particularly excited about?

I’m returning to Keys 100 for the ninth time (2 times for the 50 miler and 6 times for the 100 miler), which is an important race in my life as my mom died a few days after my first Keys race in 2011. I had a meltdown during that race, and after taking a break, I opted to keep going. It taught me that no matter how tough the going gets, it’s possible to move forward and find your way. That was the greatest learning experience for me. It helped me through my loss and fueled so much of my ultra mindset.

I’m also returning to Badwater 135 this year for the sixth time. I’m excited and nervous. Badwater 135 holds a special place in my heart as it’s the race I aspired to when I embarked on ultra running. Just to get invited and toe the start line with Badwater racers is an honor. Being out in the desert in July, and taking in the views and the landscape is magical for me. I’m always overwhelmed by what a big world it is, and how small I am once I’m out there. It’s a good reminder for the soul. There’s a quote on the wall in the visitor center in Death Valley which sums up my fascination with the location: “How could rocks and sand and silence make us afraid and yet be so wonderful?” – Edna Brush Perkins

I’m also planning to tackle Moab 240 for my first time. I signed up for it in 2021, but then I had some medical issues which put me on the sidelines through November 2022. I’m sure I’ll be panicking before that race!

In terms of writing, I’m putting together a new collection of short stories, My Unlived Lives, which I started writing during the pandemic, and I’m also working on my second novel, Night Swimming, which is about growing up in Brooklyn and NYC. I’ve written hundreds of pages, deleted half of them, and started over more than once now. I believe that stories begin when a character is at the end of their rope. Sometimes you have to go the distance to arrive at that point. I know I’ll get there!

7. Running ultra marathons with distances of 100 or more miles is herculean, how would one train for this?

For my first 100, I was terrified. I had no idea if I could run that far. Now that I know I can, I still get nervous! Training is what keeps me grounded. I don’t think there’s any one training formula to succeed at running 100 miles, so it’s about figuring out what works for you and being adaptable to shift when or if your plan stops working for you.

For me, running in the 70 or so miles a week realm keeps me knowing I’m ready, with some heavier mileage leading up to longer races. I also do a lot of cross-training with yoga and HIIT classes, which include weight training.

I’ve worked with Coach Lisa Smith Batchen, on and off for the last decade, depending on my race calendar. Since November 2022, when I returned from the sidelines and tackled Route 66 (140 miles), Daytona 100, and Long Haul 100, in back-to-back months, I’ve been working with Coach Lisa. Accountability and partnership really helps me to figure out where I’m at and what I need to do to be ready.

Overall, I trust in the process. I train physically and mentally. Training is largely physical for me. Come race day, so much of it is mental and pushing through. I’m not afraid of hard work and struggle. I think challenges lead to growth, and I believe we achieve the spiritual by way of the physical.

8. Finally, what do you hope readers will take away from your work, both as a runner and a writer? What message do you hope to convey through your achievements?

I guess I hope that people will see that showing up is often the most important part of the journey. I’m afraid of races, and I show up. I’m scared of writing, but I show with an open mind and heart and try. Sometimes I succeed, and sometimes I don’t. I learn from my successes and from my failures alike, and try not to beat myself up when I fall short. I don’t have it all figured out, and I’ve learned over the years not to plan everything. I like to leave room and space for wonder to creep in and for the unexpected to unfold. The best things I’ve done in my life happened because I was not tied to my to-do list. Joseph Campbell’s quote is one of my daily guide posts, “If you can see your path laid out in front of you step by step, you know it’s not your path. Your own path you make with every step you take. That’s why it’s your path.”

When it comes to writing, it’s about connection for me. If someone connects with what I write, whether it’s an article or a race report or a short story, and feels even a little less alone, then I’ve achieved something meaningful. I’ve been an editor, literary agent, and worked in the commercial side of writing and publishing. The best decision I made was choosing not to write for a living; it’s given me the freedom to write what I want, which has been a gift in my life.

And if you’ve ever run a race with me, you know I do not take myself too seriously. I think life is hard enough – I like to have fun and take in the scenery and cheer people on along the way!  

Thank you for your time Jodi, we at the Runners Gazette wish you a great future and we will follow your journey.

Categories: Features