Jacquelyn Ikonomov is the founder of Wisconsin Dells-based Rooster Calling Running, in which she provides habit-formation tools, group accountability and weekend running challenges with other like-minded and supportive walkers/joggers/runners. “I empower walkers, joggers, trotters, sprinters or those who run many miles to love their whole self. I help them shift their focus from celebrating outcomes to having them celebrate the small daily actions.” Learn about Jacquelyn Ikonomov…
Hometown: Verona, WI. Hometown USA.
First job: I was the attendant for the mallard-shaped bounce-house at the Madison Mallards Baseball Team.
Favorite ways to spend your free time in WI: When I am not running through a beautiful Wisconsin state park trail, I love sitting next to a firepit or floating on my kayak.
The biggest obstacle you overcame: My biggest accomplishment was changing how I thought about running. During my 18 years of running, I struggled the most as a post-college track athlete. I didn’t feel like going on a light jog was “enough.” My body didn’t look like how I thought runners were supposed to look. I overtrained and had negative self-talk. Running was a punishment for not being enough. After years where running was no longer fun, I became sick of running myself sick. I dove into habit formation books, mindset books and the power of identity building. I built new mindsets, new routines and a new happier me. I use these same tools to help my groups feel this sense of running freedom I now experience.
Your biggest accomplishment and why: Starting my running Instagram page to show people it’s possible to run happy.
Someone who inspires you and why: My husband because when he starts a project he always follows through on his project to the very end. From the most simple things such as sweeping the floor, to the most difficult such as a work project, he does it to the completion. So often we start things with no true intention of finishing them. My husband inspires me to commit to something fully in order to reap all the benefits.
Advice to someone pursuing a career path in what you do: Keep showing up. That’s it.
Favorite quote: “Be somebody that makes everybody feel like somebody.”
Something someone would be surprised to learn about you: I eat French fries and pizza weekly. As a culture, we are wired to think very all-or-nothing; therefore, it can be hard to imagine, but as a runner, I don’t just eat salads and the perfect macro ratios. I eat most things, including fries and pizza.
What makes someone fabulous: Being authentically you. I believe everyone is fabulous in their own fabulous way. It would be a pleasure to get to know your fabulous self. Follow me on Instagram @RoosterCallingRunning, and it would be a pleasure to have you join the Cock-a-doodle-do Crew for a group challenge.