Lolo Jones is an American hurdler and bobsledder who specializes in the 60-meter and 100-meter hurdles. She won three NCAA titles and garnered 11 All-American honors while at Louisiana State University. She won indoor national titles in 2007, 2008, and 2009 in the 60-meter hurdles, with gold medals at the World Indoor Championship in 2008 and 2010.
She was favored to win the 100-meter hurdles at the 2008 Beijing Olympics, but tripped on the penultimate hurdle, finishing in seventh place. She went on to win gold at the 2008 World Athletics Final, beating the newly-crowned Olympic champion Dawn Harper with a time of 12.56.
Jones also competes as a brakewoman on the U.S. national bobsled team. She won a gold medal in the mixed team event at the 2013 World Championships. She represented the U.S. at the 2014 Winter Olympics, making her one of the few athletes who has competed in both the Summer and Winter Olympic Games.
Women Fitness President, Namita Nayyar, had the wonderful chance to get you a glimpse of the life of an Olympian, while in conversation with Lolo Jones.
Namita Nayyar:
You are one of the few athletes who have competed in both the Summer and Winter Olympic games. When did you first realise your passion for track and field?
Lolo Jones:
I first realised that I had a passion for running when I was at a very young age, I remember they gave out these, that they wanted kids to take a lap around a park and for every lap they took they would get a toy or like a prize. So of course, I was motivated for the prize but then honestly I just liked getting a lap and seeing how many laps I could do and then that just transformed into a love for running.
I think the biggest thing for me was running was not only just a sport or something, it was a mode of transportation. Growing up my family really didn’t have, my mom is a single mom, so we never had a car, we took a bus everywhere or we walked and I would just be so annoyed walking because it took so long so I would just run, I would run one block and then walk and then the hedges, running just got me to places fast.
And then in high school I realised that I was passionate for track and field because competing, it just made me feel alive, didn’t have a lot of friends in high school and so just having a team aspect and having something to just go to teachers.
My home life was bad which was because my dad was in and out of prison, I would just go to track practice and when I was running it would be two hours and it was like I was thinking about nothing but just like being in the moment and running.
Namita Nayyar:
You are the American record holder in the 60 meter hurdles with a time of 7.72. How does it feel?
Lolo Jones:
So recently my American record just was broken and I’m very frustrated about that but I think it’s also exciting because it’s just like fast times, it’s just a motivation to get better, improve and the current record’s like 7.70 or 7, so like barely it’s down my American record.
But I always say that running fast and having an American record was great but there’s so many times in my career that I’ve lost races, that I was as equally proud of because I either was coming back from injury and I lost the race and I learned something or the third place at the Olympic trials it’s a third place, it’s bronze but that’s one of my happiest moments because I overcame so much to make to that Olympic team. So records are great but I think if you really want to have the longevity in running, you’re really pay attention to just making sure that you can learn from every experience, whether it’s a record breaking performance or maybe you lose, there’s something good and bad to take away from each situation.
Namita Nayyar:
What does your workout routine look like?
Lolo Jones:
My first workout that we do is always a running workout and then weights will follow after that. So the running can take somewhere from like an hour and thirty to two hours.
Then weights can be the same and then I have a break and usually I like to close out my evening with either a yoga or pilates or abs session. So a daily thing is maybe doing two or three workouts and then if my body is completely tasked, I like to do a pool workout.
Namita Nayyar:
A healthy breakfast for you would include?
Lolo Jones:
Spinach! I try to put it in water, it’s so easy, egg, smoothies. It’s a great way to get lutein for your eyes and all the extra nutrients.
Full Interview Continued On Next Page
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