Always On The Fast Track
Meet Jen Vieth. She is a born and raised Middletown resident who owns a female running company called She Runs! www.sheruns.net. When Jen grew up, her father worked in the city for Merrill Lynch. Each night he would come home at 7 PM, get his running shoes on and go for a run. She would always say, “Dad, don’t you just want to relax?” One day, her father said, “Put on your sneakers and I’m going to show you why I run.” That first night, he took her for a neighborhood run but she couldn’t make it around the block. At the age of 10, Jen was always active with gymnastics, soccer, and skiing, but she would never just run. But she continued to run with her father and in time she built up her stamina and her confidence. Ever since that first running lesson, she has become an avid runner. She runs to feel good, she runs for her mental capacity, she runs for her health. Fitness was always there for her in her back pocket. She remembers even going with her mom to Living Well Lady aerobics classes saying, “I was born into a fitness family.”
Jen majored in Accounting at Fairfield University and started her career at Merrill Lynch, just like her dad (although she points out they were not in the same department, not even in the same building.) She earned a rotational job throughout Merrill Lynch going through three different departments to learn different financial products. She ended up in International Emerging Markets Debt Finance. When her first son, Andrew, was born, she asked management to work part time from home. Back then, that arrangement was basically non-existent. But management said yes and she felt really blessed to have had that opportunity. After her second son was born, she decided to resign to raise her family. She had made it to the Vice President position and they were fast-tracking her for upper management but her heart was at home.
After resigning from Merrill Lynch, she completed three fitness certifications – NASM – Personal Training, ACE – Group Exercise and RRCA – Run Coaching. She was ready to start a career based on her deepest passion. And that’s when she created She Runs!
She and her husband were born and raised in Middletown, both are proud graduates of Middletown High School South. Their oldest son is 15 and attends CBA. He is very active in crew and basketball. And Will, age 12 is 7th Grader at Thompson Middle School. He’s interested in an unique sport called scootering – it’s like skateboarding but it has handles.
“It’s More Than Just a Run”
She Runs is a women’s only running company offering training programs to beginner and intermediate runners alike. Jen offers reasonably priced training programs for 5k, 5 mile, 10k, 10 mile, and half marathons. There is no cost to join the private Facebook page and no cost to join the Saturday morning group runs. The group frequents Thompson Park in Lincroft, Holmdel Park for hills and sometimes Count Basie Track in Red Bank for track workouts. She Runs participates as an empowered and supportive group of women in many local races of varying distances. Why run alone when you can run/train with a group of wonderful women! They run in charity events to help raise funds for those organizations, such as the Hustle for Hannah and the Beauty & the Beach Run in Long Branch.
Just for Fun:
Q: How long have you lived in Middletown?
A: “All my life. I was born and raised here and so was my husband; we stood at the bus stop together. And now we are raising our boys here.”
Q: What inspired you or led you to your current career?
A: “My dad. I learned to love running when my dad took me out. The first time, I couldn’t even make it around the block, I didn’t know how to run. And now I need running to feel my best!”
Q: What is your favorite local restaurant?
A: “Surf Taco and Dublin House in Red Bank — we love simple and casual dining experiences.”
Q: If you could travel anywhere in the world, where would it be?
A: “Any tropical island – the hot beach, warm sun, and cool water – commuting from my beach chair to the ocean would be my daily ritual”
Q: What advice would you give a crowd of people?
A: ” Give running a try. While it exerts your body physically, it also helps clear your stresses and pressures of the day. I’ve seen many people doubtful at first, try it and find that they love it.”
Q: What current or former local business makes you the most nostalgic about Middletown?
A: “The Ground Round on Route 35. It brings back memories of my family going out to dinner together. We loved the peanuts.”
Q: What is your favorite thing or something unique about Middletown?
A: “Middletown has so many local parks, jogging trails, sports facilities. You can explore nature in so many different settings.”
Q: Where do you see yourself in 5 or 10 years?
A: “In the same fitness career, but on a grander stage. I plan to continue to bring my passion of fitness to people who didn’t know they had had it in them.”
Q: What is something interesting that most people don’t know about you?
A: “My husband and I are serious competitors in the Sea Bright Beach Volleyball adult league!”
Q: What 3 words or phrases come to mind when you think of the word HOME?
A: “Family, Cozy and Middletown”
