78 Photo Essay: Jodi Ann Martin, Cross-country and Track – University of Montevallo

Words by Suzie Walton | Images courtesy University of Montevallo

Jodi Ann Martin is living in the moment as she glides through the streets of Jasper. Her quick steps move her body easily along the route as though she is one with the wind. With AirPods tucked neatly in her ears, singer Jeremy Camp belts out tunes that motivate her quick cadence.

Don’t let her graceful motion fool you. As easily as Jodi Ann seems to move, she is really a streak of speed. It takes her just over 22 minutes to return to the parking lot. Today was a short run— only three miles at an average 7:33 pace.

Even though she has just finished her junior year at the University of Montevallo as a track and cross-country team member, running at the university level was not always her plan. “I am not one of those athletes who can say I set a goal from elementary school to play collegiate sports,” Jodi Ann explains.

For this Gulf South All-Conference Top Ten athlete, finding running was a process. “My youth pastor’s wife was my tennis coach and consistently commented about how fast I could get to the ball. The summer before high school, she invited me to join her on some runs,” she says.

In 2013, during her freshman year at then-Walker High School, Jodi Ann decided to try running. “Caitlyn Muncher, who is a year older than me, helped ignite my love for running,” she recalls. “Caitlyn noticed I could be good at the sport and she really took me under her wing.”

Going into their sectionals meet, Jodi Ann wasn’t considered one of the top five females on her team. “I was the sixth runner,” she laughs. “We depended on the top five to run fast enough to earn a place at the state meet.”

But when one of the top five teammates rolled her ankle, Jodi Ann was given a chance. She was faster than the other team’s sixth runner and when the girls clenched third as a team at sectionals, her competitive spirit began to emerge. It wasn’t long before Montevallo’s coach took an interest.

“My coach’s husband is always at the indoor track meets and he reached out to my dad first after one of my high school runs,” she explains. “I didn’t know then what I was doing; I just knew I loved running. I was a diamond in the rough and he saw that.”

After placing in the top 10 at D2 NCAA South Regionals and narrowly missing nationals her sophomore year, Jodi Ann will return to Montevallo this fall with goals to chase. “I hope to finish strong,” she smiles wistfully. “I would love to make a D2 appearance at cross country nationals.”

With her quick cadence, her all-academic conference awards, and her love for long runs, Jodi Ann’s chance to make that appearance is now within reach. 78