Sheinelle Jones Hated Running—Until Training for a Half Marathon Changed Her Life

Despite taking dance lessons as a kid, TODAY show co-host Sheinelle Jones never considered herself athletic. “That narrative played in my head since I was in third grade, and as a 45-year-old woman, it was still in me,” she tells REAL SIMPLE. That is why Jones challenged herself by running the New York City Marathon in October 2023. And now she’s excited to root on others who want to push themselves as the host of REAL SIMPLE’s first-ever half marathon in New York City’s Central Park. We talked to Jones about how running changed her life, how she found the time to train, and why she's excited about the REAL SIMPLE Women's Half Marathon.

Running as Self-Care

How did someone who dreaded running a mile in gym class come to love running? (True story:  Jones wrote letters, forged with her mom's signature, saying that asthma prevented her from running.) Years later, Jones found that training was a way to give back to herself. “It was self-care that I needed,” she says. “I just felt like I was constantly giving,” she says. “I give to my kids; I give to my job. I wondered, ‘What am I giving to myself?’”

In fact, preparing for the big day was as much of a reward as the race itself. Jones trained after finishing work at 10 a.m.; she trained after dropping her daughter off at school; and she trained on family vacations. “It’s permissible ‘me time,’” she says.

Finding the Time to Train

Of course, running a full marathon requires dedication. Jones offers two secrets for fitting it into your schedule. The first? Enlist a few jogging buddies. Jones put in miles with friends from work as well as with a running coach. “I held myself accountable because I didn’t want to let them down,” she says. The second tip is to schedule time on your calendar as if your run were any other meeting or commitment. 

Making Those Miles Count

All those hours spent pounding the pavement were transformative for the TODAY show host, who said she really needed this journey. ““I've never been so mindful. I'm constantly cramming my mind with information and content. I've learned that it's important to pause sometimes and just to be alone with your own thoughts,” Jones says. “I got to know another side of myself—and I like her.”

How to Sign Up For the REAL SIMPLE Half Marathon

Feeling motivated? Join Jones and thousands of runners at the REAL SIMPLE Women's Half Marathon on April 28, 2024, organized by the New York Road Runners (NYRR). "I'm excited to be a part of it for people who have ran a race before and love it and for people who are doing it for the first time to see if they can pull it off—just like I did," Jones says. Along with entry to the race, you'll receive a commemorative shirt, a medal, a one-year digital subscription to REAL SIMPLE, and an incredible feeling of accomplishment!