Jodi Semonell

About

Jodi Semonell is an American ultrarunner from Omaha, Nebraska, whose journey into the sport is rooted in personal transformation. When her father died from lung cancer in December 2011 — at age 60 — she resolved to change her life after years of heavy smoking and frequent drinking. Running became the vehicle: she quit smoking, started training, and progressed from 5K and 10K races into ultra formats where she would eventually thrive. Her progression through progressively longer distances led to her first 200-mile race at Across the Years in January 2020. She has since run the Hitchcock 100 five consecutive times, and placed ninth at the Cocodona 250 — a 250-mile multi-stage ultra across Arizona that ranks among the most demanding events in North American ultrarunning. With 37 results in the UltraRunning Magazine database, Semonell embodies the self-made transformation narrative that characterises many of ultrarunning's most compelling figures: from long-time smoker to multi-day ultra competitor inside a single decade.

Notable Wins

• — Cocodona 250 9th place
• — Hitchcock 100 x5 consecutive finishes

Race History