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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Namita Nayyar:
One training tip for bobsled newcomers.
Lolo Jones:
I would definitely say if you get motion sickness take a Dramamine before you go and for bobsled it is more about strength and it’s definitely more focused on wakes then running.
Namita Nayyar:
Is training for the Olympics any different from the other competitions?
Lolo Jones:
The main thing with the Olympics is the fact that it differs from other competitions, since other competitions happen more often so if you’re gonna run a marathon, you know that there’s going to be a marathon every year, the Olympics though is every four years. So if you’re sick the day that they have the Olympic trials or if you’re injured, then you have to wait for another four years. So basically the Olympics is just never guaranteed and that’s why it just makes it so special and I would just say that you honestly have to make sure everything is in line. I mean I know most people do that for their main competitions but I mean no stone can be over-looked, it’s just a constant. Make evaluation of everything and make sure that you were at your peak health, fitness, mental state for those competitions.
Namita Nayyar:
How do you boost your energy after a hectic workout session or run?
Lolo Jones:
The first thing I like to do after a workout is to make sure that I’m either having a protein shake or something to immediately help with recovery.If I know my legs are trashed from running, I try to make sure I do an ice cold bath situation to kind of rebound and those massage and acupuncture, all those things that health have recovery to help me get back my energy as soon as possible and if you are on a budget, do stretching. A lot of people don’t even stretch after a hard workout and then their body gets tired and they are drained for their next workout so there’s also hydration, that’s another free thing to do but you have to wait a little after hydration. I think you have to wait thirty minutes to rehydrate because actually drinking a ton of water immediately after can sometimes dehydrate you.
Namita Nayyar:
You hydrate your body with?
Lolo Jones:
Obviously water is number one. I’m a big fan of Pedialyte even though it’s crazy expensive and I don’t know how moms afford it. You could do the packets which are great to travel with for your competitions or you can just go and get the bottles. I’m a big fan of Pedialyte, also apple juice is number three on my list, just to get something in my system. And then another thing is pickles, I usually have pickles right after practise because they have high sodium and they help rehydrate you and they are delicious.
Namita Nayyar:
How do you like to spend your day off?
Lolo Jones:
I am a big fan of just completely vegging down on the couch and either watching Netflix, TV whatever some trashy Reality TV show with women and it’s amazing 90 Day Fiancé and Real Housewives, or if I’m watching TV shows, right now it’s Insecure or Succession or Game of Thrones.
Namita Nayyar:
Most favourite memory from a Championship or Competition?
Lolo Jones:
I’d say any time you make it to an Olympic team it is just the happiest, it is literally the happiest moments of my life because I know that I’m about to go to represent the United States of America on the biggest stage possible and I don’t even how to put it in words how much joy floods in your body when you cross that finish line and know that you’re going to be going to an Olympic Games
Winning wise, I really like winning when the odds are stacked against me and everybody counted me out though those races are just, I mean it is not just to prove other people wrong or haters wrong, it’s that you did it, you overcame, you fought through it all even when people told you to quit and when you had so many doubts that you didn’t know if you could do it.
So that’s why I always encourage people when things look terrible keep fighting through because situations can change in a moment, you can go from last to first if you just keep plugging away.
Namita Nayyar:
How do you rejuvenate and relax your body?
Lolo Jones:
I love epsom salt bath after I travel. So travelling really stresses me out, some workouts do as well, so I buy huge like insanely big bags of epsom salts often, even though epsom salt is so heavy to carry from the grocery store but I just have them shipped to my house and I love epsom salt baths!
Namita Nayyar:
If not an athlete, what would you likely be?
Lolo Jones:
I would be a TV personality, I love entertaining people and I’m work on a few shows, I also like to do a lot of stuff on Instagram stories and I just like to make people laugh and entertain them.
Namita Nayyar:
What are your preparing for next?
Lolo Jones:
We’re two years out from Tokyo Olympics and this year’s a big year with World Championships being held in Doha so those are my goals and I am working very hard every day to have finish my career strong.
Namita Nayyar:
As an athlete, you are often pushed against grave circumstances like severe injuries. How do you deal with that?
Lolo Jones:
I would make sure to always have big goals and small goals and so after I had spine surgery, even though the Olympics were a year out from then and I was in a hospital bed and I couldn’t walk, my main goal was just go day by day. So the first ones like ok walk then we’re going to start rehab and then we’re going to just get stronger every day but I had the bigger picture of making it to the Olympic Team in the hindsight. I think a lot of times we put pressure on ourselves when we get injured that we’re going to be back in three months and then when we’re not back in three months then our whole system, our whole confidence just collapses and we might freak out or stress so then you have to go back to what can I do today to improve my situation for tomorrow.
I think one of the hardest injuries I ever had was a Achilles injury even over the spine surgery because achilles takes over a year to recover, and in my mind I had given myself a time limit of six months and then it ended up being over a year and I was very depressed during that time so I had to just focus on your achilles is injured what can I do now, I can do abs, I could do pool workouts.
So if your goal completely shatters, then you need to research and make smaller goals so that you’re still having confidence in achieving and you’re making a forward progress.
Namita Nayyar:
If you were given a choice to change one thing about your life what would that be?
Lolo Jones:
Well hello I’ve been to three Olympics and I still don’t have a medal so I would definitely love to be an Olympic medalist and not hit that hurdle in 2008. Also nothing todo with athletics, I would love to be married, I would absolutely love to have. At the moment I’m thirty six, I’m in my mind thirties and I’m with all the girls out there, that are just absolutely frustrated of watching rom coms and not having their prince charming.
Namita Nayyar:
5 years from now, how do you picture yourself?
Lolo Jones:
I picture myself hopefully with an Olympic metal and more importantly a husband and a kid. And maybe doing something with TV.
Namita Nayyar:
You’ve spoken about pressures of looking good on track. How do you deal with them yourself?
Lolo Jones:
Physically I like to look sharp for races like I would never go to race with like a messy bun because I want to have confidence about me and so I mean I have a messy bun for practice but if I’m going to be at the track and going to be taking pictures before and after or if I’m going to be on television, I want my hair as slick back as possible I’m going to put a little eyeliner on too that means that fierce Tyra Banks’ look and I’m going to take care of business, but I mean obviously I’m not going to have as much make up on as going on a date but just a little bit of confidence if you like yes I came here and maybe my black eyeliner and sometimes when I’m wearing my lipstick its like my warrior paint but you know 2018 female version style.
Namita Nayyar:
You are an advocate for greater female participation in sport. What according to you are the challenges that sportswomen are facing these days?
Lolo Jones:
As we’re seen with women soccer and even WNBA players or speaking of having equal pay and I think I’m just you know really blessed in the fact that track and field has had equal pay for prize money for years. We may have not had good pay for appearance fees but that’s all done like under the table and out of sight.
Ever since I have been a track and field pro, if I go to a race, Usain Bolt gets the same amount of prize money as you know me or any of the girls competing. Now his appearance fees is insane but it is also based on other merits but now the public is seeing other sports and trying to make the right moves to make sure that female athletes are compensated equally as well
I think it is not just only getting females to participate in sports, I think as a whole society we’re having problems in getting people to be more active. Video games are more popular, a million people will login on a game, someone plays fortnight but it’s harder and harder to get people more active these days and so I’m trying to make sure that when I do stories, I’m doing lately a lot of challenges on my social media there are fun challenges but they’re also getting people up, getting them moving, they are getting them of their couch and they’re just getting active.
Namita Nayyar:
Message for our fans on Women Fitness’ 19th Anniversary.
Lolo Jones:
Well that’s huge! For women, she just should continue to strive, work hard and strive and have fun doing it
I feel way more powered as a female athlete, I don’t know what it is like to be a male but just knowing the stuff I have to deal with, there’s so many different elements, more hurdles that female athletes have to overcome or just women being active have to overcome, to get a workout in. We have extra hurdles that guy’s don’t even know we’re dealing with so I just say we’re just badass and we just need to keep having fun, keep striving and continue to just push the limits and push the boundaries. Personally I love watching women’s sports better than males because I just see the fiery personalities, never give up, hardworking just I mean women are just so amazing and I love it.
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All content on this site is copyright of Women Fitness and no part of any article found on this site may be reproduced without an express permission and highlighted, do follow link crediting http:// www.womenfitness.net/ or preferably the original page as the source. This interview is exclusive and taken by Namita Nayyar President womenfitness.net and should not be reproduced, copied or hosted in part or full anywhere without an express permission.
All Written Content Copyright © 2019 Women Fitness