Where Are They Now?

Jenn Feenstra

Jenn Feenstra (B.S. '04, M.Ed. '05) is running down her Olympic Dream. For Feenstra, that means finding time to train for the 2012 summer games in London in between teaching math at Gainesville State College and working toward her Ph.D.

"I've had to sacrifice a lot in order to fit everything in," she said. "I spend most of my waking time either running, studying or working, and not much else."

At Georgia State, Feenstra was a six-time all-conference cross country star, a conference runner of the year and an NCAA National Qualifier. Also, she was a three-time Academic All-American and after graduation, she took nearly four years off from running competitively to earn her master's degree and start a career in academia.

Then, in 2008, a co-worker convinced her to run in her first-ever marathon, the Country Music Marathon in Nashville. She finished the event in three hours - fast enough to qualify for the Boston Marathon.

"I couldn't let that opportunity pass by," she said.

After Boston, the 29-year-old jumped feet first back into running. She has stepped up her training and runs anywhere from eight to 15 miles a day. She's also set to run the Canadian Marathon Championships in Ottawa on May 30 before running in the July 4 Peachtree Road Race, where, last year, she was the first woman from Georgia to reach the finish line.

"It's hard," she says of all her rigors. "But I want to make sure I give it my all to at least know that I tried. Even if it doesn't end with me being in London in 2012."