1996 Pendleton Heights graduate prepares for 20th marathon

PENDLETON — For Jennifer Courtney, it’s never been about being the fastest runner.

Instead, it’s about the journey, accomplishing a difficult task along with other runners, then applying the lessons learned to life.

Courtney, 40, a 1996 graduate of Pendleton Heights High School, is set to run in her 20th marathon Sunday, April 8, in Paris.

An unbelievable feat, especially considering after completing her first marathon in Chicago in 2009, she thought her first 26.2-mile event would be her last.

“When I finished that race, I said I was done, that I was never, ever going to do this again,” said Courtney, who now lives in the North Center neighborhood of Chicago.

As it turns out, she was just getting started.

Just three weeks after finishing her first marathon, Courtney said she missed training and knew she was hooked.

While she ran track for a year at Pendleton Heights, she was never a competition runner, she said, but liked the idea of being in shape and ran a few miles each day for health in college.

She continued running when she moved to Chicago in 2002.

Looking out from her apartment in the Windy City, watching Chicago Marathon runners go by, planted a seed and inspired her.

When a friend suggested she might want to give a marathon a try, Courtney did, and now she loves how the sport has helped her develop lasting friendships and taken her around the world.

She’s finished marathons in Prague and Reykjavik internationally, plus races in Ohio, Michigan, Maine, Georgia, Oregon and her home state of Indiana.

“It’s crazy to me that I’ve gotten to my 20th marathon,” Courtney said. “Running has become such an important part of my life.”

She runs outside most days out of the year, especially during the spring and fall marathon training seasons.

For the past several years, she’s been a group leader with the Chicago Area Runners Association, helping train experienced and new runners through marathon programs.

The CARA group has become a “real family” to her, she said.

“It’s such a great organization,” Courtney said. “It’s a group of like-minded people going out and running.”

Running has also helped Courtney balance work and life.

She’s a Ball State University graduate with a bachelor’s degree in computer science and a minor in business administration as well as a master’s degree in information and communications.

For the past 12 years, Courtney has worked at Burwood Group, a technology consulting firm in Chicago.

She was recently promoted to vice president of professional services, becoming the third woman to join the company’s executive leadership team.

In her new role, Courtney focuses on helping the consulting team deliver strategic technology solutions, according to a company press release.

Running helps Courtney melt away the stresses of the busy business day, she said.

To date her fastest marathon time is 4 hours,12 minutes.

“It teaches you that if you want to accomplish something, you have to show up to train,” Courtney said. “And you have to be prepared and take care of yourself.”

What she loves most about running is the concept of mind over matter. Courtney has always found it inspiring how people push themselves to a goal, not giving up.

“It’s a beautiful display of the human spirit,” she said. “It’s taught me to be tough and get the job done and to always bring that attitude into my work and home life.”