Jamie Watts is a runner in the Washington D.C. metro area. One thing that makes Jamie unique is that she developed a passion for running, while living with spastic diplegia cerebral palsy. This type of cerebral palsy primarily impacts Jamie's legs while creating challenges with balance, coordination, and muscle tone and strength. Jamie began running to get healthy and prepare for a trip to Italy in 2012. That same year she completed her first road race, the Gender Defender, which is part of the Marine Corps Marathon Event Series.

Jamie went on to continue racing, and in 2014 she set a personal goal to run 34 races between her 33rd and 34th birthdays. She accomplished and surpassed this goal by participating in 40 races during the year, predominately located in Washington D.C., Maryland and Virginia, including the George Washington Parkway Classic, a ten-mile race organized by Pacers Running. Between her 34th and 35th birthdays, she went on to run 35 more races, including the completion of her first half marathon, the Marine Corps Historic Half, on May 15, 2016 with a time of 7:53:04. Jamie completed the Marine Corps Historic Half again in 2017, improving her time by just under one hour, with a time of 6:54:34.  Jamie reached another personal milestone when she completed 36 races by her 36th birthday, culminating with the Rock ‘n’ Roll San Diego Half Marathon.

In August 2017, Jamie began training for a challenge more difficult than any she had ever attempted.  Jamie announced her intent to run the New Jersey Marathon.  After nine months of training, supplemented by intense cross training and a robust nutrition plan, Jamie completed her first marathon on April 29, 2018.  Jamie started at 9:43 pm on April 28, and ran through the night in multiple adverse weather conditions, with a finish time of 14:33:07.  Less than one month later, Jamie went on to complete her third Historic Half Marathon.

Jamie's incredible story was featured in the July 2016 issue of Washingtonian Magazine.  Interviews followed, and were supplemented by online content.  In October 2016, Jamie was a guest on Harry Connick, Jr.’s talk show, Harry as part of his “Leading Lady” segment. Jamie’s story was picked up and shared by the New York Times nytnow app, USA Today online, and via the Facebook page for Special Olympics, as well as several local television affiliates throughout the country including WUSA9, Good Morning Washington, Great Day Washington, and NBC 7 San Diego, among other media outlets.  Jamie has also told her story in various running community forums, such as RunHaven, RunWashington, and the Pace the Nation podcast.

Holding a degree in communication with honors from the University Missouri-Columbia, Jamie is a professional communicator with 15 years of experience writing, speaking, and organizing events on a variety of diversity inclusion and human resource topics for corporate clients, federal agencies, and nonprofit organizations throughout her career.  Jamie is a 15-year resident of Arlington, Virginia.