Coach Jo sets personal record at Boston Marathon

Johanna Butler

Johanna Butler known as Coach Jo here in the Grove, ran the 122nd Boston Marathon last week in what was probably one of the worst weather days in the race's history. 

She finished in under three hours amid 30 degree temperatures, pouring rain, and 25+mph winds, this was a new personal record for Johanna. Her official time was 2:58:48, which was seven minutes faster than the time she clocked at the Knoxville Marathon last month, where she placed third. In Boston, she finished 63rd out of 11,604 women who completed the race, less than 20 minutes behind Des Linden, the first female finisher.

Johanna works as a personal trainer for the company she started, Simply Natural Fitness. She also created the Coconut Grove Run Community, a local run club she leads on Wednesday nights at Kennedy Park. Her race last week was only the fourth marathon of her professional career, and was her first time to compete in the Boston Marathon. As she looks ahead, her next goal is to qualify for the 2020 Olympic Marathon Trials. She hopes to represent the USA in the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo.