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Sheinelle Jones stunned as she receives touching letters from ‘Today’ co-hosts before NYC marathon

‘Today’ host Sheinelle Jones read some touching letters from her morning show co-hosts that almost left her in tears

NEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK: ‘Today’ host Sheinelle Jones almost broke down in tears while reading touching letters from her morning show family before her New York City marathon.

On Sunday, the beloved host ran the NYC marathon and received an outpouring of love and support from her co-hosts.

Jones, who had announced her intention to participate in the prestigious marathon in August, provided 'Today' viewers with an exclusive look into her race-day journey as one of the 50,000 runners tackling the course.

At the starting line, Jones shared heartfelt letters from her 'Today' co-hosts, including one from Craig Melvin that nearly moved her to tears.

Craig Melvin claims he's proud of 'Today' co-host Sheinelle Jones 

Before the start of the New York Marathon, 'Today' host Sheinelle Jones read heartfelt letters from her morning show co-hosts that nearly “choked her up.”

Jones read, “'S. Jones, I’ve never been prouder of you, my friend. May all the things you’re dealing with right now be the wind at your back for the next 26.2. Crush it. Love, Craig.’”

She replied, “Thank you, guys. Oh, my goodness gracious. I can’t do the ugly cry yet.”

Sheinelle Jones describes NYC marathon as ‘easy and breezy’

Around 9 am, Jones began the race, describing the initial miles as "easy and breezy." Nevertheless, her initial substantial hurdle lay ahead when she approached the 59th Street Bridge at about the 15-mile mark.

She said, “There’s a moment when you’re on the bridge, several bridges, and no one else is around and you just hear breath and the pitter-patter of feet.”

Jones drew inspiration from her friends and co-workers, crediting the crowd's cheers for pushing her forward when her legs nearly gave up. 

During her journey through Manhattan, she paused to embrace Al Roker and received encouragement from Savannah Guthrie, Hoda Kotb, and Dylan Dreyer.

Jones was further uplifted by the heartwarming signs crafted by Kotb's children, which contributed to her race-day motivation.

Guthrie yelled, “Sheinelle, we are so proud of you! Let’s go, Sheinelle!”

Jones also greeted her family including her husband and children who showered her with hugs and kisses.

Ultimately, Jones crossed the finish line, completing the race in four hours and 41 minutes.

Jones exclaimed, “Everybody says it’s amazing. They say it’s one of the best days of your life. It transcends running. And every time you feel like you can’t run anymore, somebody is cheering your name.”

“It’s a once-in-a-lifetime experience. If anybody is listening to me, and you’ve ever wanted to challenge yourself and step out of your comfort zone, do it,” she concluded.

Sheinelle Jones grateful to ‘Today’ family and fellow runners

Sheinelle Jones expressed her gratitude to all those who supported her during the NYC marathon. 

She acknowledged, "I did this, but I feel like you did this with me, all of your positive notes, DMs, and social media. So this is for you, too," as she held up the medal she received for completing the marathon.

Jones marveled at her accomplishment, describing it as "one of the best days" of her life, and reflected on the marathon as "the longest and most rewarding 4 hours and 41 minutes" of her life on Instagram.

She further said, “Yesterday was about so much more than finishing the last leg of this monthlong journey. It was about taking in the energy of the city and digging deeper into myself."

Jones also recognized the support and encouragement she received from her fellow runners and her ‘Today’ family members, Yosef and Rainy, who ran the race alongside her.

She spoke highly of them, describing them as "beautiful human beings."

Jones emphasized, “It transcends running. You have people from all over the world who are here with all sorts of trouble. Anytime we would start to feel like we couldn't do it, we would look to our left and someone would be running with one leg. We'd look to our right and someone's running in a wheelchair."

In a later appearance on the ‘Today 3rd Hour’, Jones reiterated this sentiment and shared that her family served as her motivation throughout the race.

She revealed, “I had my kids' initials on my arm, my husband's initials, and it said 'just do it.' They are my reason why.”