Jenny Simpson
Jenny Simpson is the reigning Diamond Race and US 1500m champion and is the proud owner of world champs gold and silver medals. She shares her words of wisdom.
1. Greatness won't come overnight
“In the world of track and field I think it helps to commit and know you are in it for the long haul. To me that is a key to being great.
“That mindset has allowed me never to get too down if I miss a whole season through a horrible injury, because I know it is just a season and I am in the sport for the long haul.
“You have to remember that no athlete at any level – whether that is a high schooler or an Olympian – figured it out overnight, and you are not going to be the exception.”
WORLD'S BEST: In 2011 Simpson became the first American in 28 years to win the women's 1500m world title
2. Make every per cent count
“My philosophy in training is instead of trying to be one per cent better at one thing every year, I try to be one per cent better at everything I do.
“I know that I don’t go to bed on time every single night. I know there are ways I could eat better, and there are days in training where I can slog along when I could be more intentional, or that I should pay attention a little more to any aches and pains I have in my body.
“If I try to improve my one per cent in every single way then I can get one per cent better at everything I do rather than chase some fantasy improvement that will help me.”
CLASS ACT: Simpson, who claimed 1500m silver at the 2013 world champs, consoles Sarah Brown after the latter is eliminated in the semis in Moscow
3. Help others to help you
“It is important to make it clear, whether that is to your parents or your coach, when you are asking for advice or guidance versus support. These are sometimes very nuanced differences, but it can really help your relationships with people if you have a clear path about what you are trying to achieve, whether that is something relatively mundane like booking your travel, or really important life decisions such as changing distances.
“I’ve learned along the way that it helps them to know whether I’m asking them for their guidance or advice, or if I am telling them 'the decision has already been made and I need your support'.”
Find out what happened when Jenny Simpson supported her non-athlete husband Jason in the Boston Marathon here.