Strike-Throwing Sister Mary Jo Has a Fitness Routine That'll Put Yours to Shame
The former half-marathoner explains how spirituality and a killer workout regimen are more closely linked than you'd think.
By Hailey Middlebrook
By now, you've probably heard of Sister Mary Jo Sobieck's killer arm. But when she stepped up to throw the first pitch at the White Sox versus Kansas City Royals game on Saturday, August, 18, no one knew quite what to expect—until she unleashed a perfect strike, down the middle and with a little bit of movement.
After the throw, the White Sox tweeted, "One of the most impressive pitches of all time," and the Internet went crazy.
One of the most impressive first pitches of all time. 😱 https://t.co/PA7M4iC9X5
— Chicago White Sox (@whitesox) August 18, 2018
At first glance, Sobieck—or "Sister MoJo," as she's called by her students at Chicago's Marian Catholic High School—seems like a traditional member of the convent, but she's always had a competitive streak. Growing up in a small town in central Minnesota as the youngest of 10 (she has five brothers and four sisters), she had to hold her own.
"My brothers and sisters fueled my desire to be strong and independent," Sobieck said in a phone call with Runner's World.
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Sobieck and her siblings played outdoors constantly—even in the bitter Midwestern winters—and when she was old enough, she competed in high school and college sports at the College of Saint Scholastica in Duluth, Minnesota.
"I did volleyball in the fall, basketball in the winter, and softball in the spring," Sobieck said. "My dream was to make it onto the Olympic volleyball team. I wanted to be at that level of fitness."
Her hero at the time was Rickey Henderson, an outfielder for the Oakland A's: "He was just so fast," she said.
While physical fitness and religion may not seem immediately linked, Sobieck said that the two are entwined for her. "To be a good athlete, you have to be strong in body, mind, and spirit," she said. "There will be times that you'll lose, and you have to know how to prepare your mind for those failures. Striving towards sainthood requires the same level of discipline, humility, and stick-to-it-ness."
"To be a good athlete, you have to be strong in body, mind, and spirit."
Sobieck joined Marian Catholic's convent in 1993, just a few weeks after finishing the Gary Bjorklund Half Marathon in Duluth. In her earlier years, she coached the school's men's volleyball team, but stopped in 2007 to shift her focus more to God, her fellow sisters, and her theology students. Recently, she's challenged herself to improve not only her prayer life, but also her diet and fitness.
A typical day for Sobieck begins at 5 a.m., when she reads scriptures and meditates. In the evenings, she carves out time to work out.
"My spiritual exercises make me want to move in the physical sense," she said. "They ground me and give meaning to my actions." One of those actions is being mindful of what she eats: "I try to stay away from starches and sugars, and instead load up on protein and nuts," said Sobieck.
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Due to "shot knees" from running as a teen, Sobieck doesn't go long anymore, but she still takes a daily two to three mile walk-run with intermittent sprinting around her Chicago Heights neighborhood.
"After school, I change into pants and grab my iPod," she said. "My students often see me walking or sprinting down the block, and they'll call out, 'Hey, MoJo!' They see me out of my habit as much as in it."
At their small school gym, Sobieck completes circuits with a stationary bike and an 8-pound kettlebell—equipment that no doubt contributed to her ripper pitch. "I love doing short bursts of exercise that get my heart rate up," she said.
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"In the classroom, I teach my students to set goals for their minds, bodies, and spirits," Sobieck said. "I hope to inspire people to stay physically fit and keep dreaming, no matter their age."
Hailey Middlebrook Digital Editor Hailey first got hooked on running news as an intern with Running Times, and now she reports on elite runners and cyclists, feel-good stories, and training pieces for Runner's World and Bicycling magazines.
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