LoloWiki

Hurdler Lolo Jones tells WH all about her Olympic dreams, the video game she can't resist, and the quote that keeps her going every day
By Amy Van Deusen

What are your goals for the Olympics?
The ultimate dream requires the ultimate goal. Would you like me to say silver? Because I can guarantee that if I say silver I’ll probably end up with the bronze. So gold is a good color.

What's a normal training day for you?
This is a really hard question for me to answer. My coach (Dennis Shaver) works in cycles so depending on what part of the year it is, it can really fluctuate. In the fall we do longer tempo stuff, where we include Pilates-type exercises. Then in the spring we begin to concentrate more on our sprinting so we move away from running on the grass to running on the track. We lift weights every day except Sunday and Friday.

Are there eating rules that you follow?
I am training at such a high level that I actually could eat anything and get by. But as my coach always says, your body is like a car, and food is like your fuel. I am a race car so I can’t just put unleaded fuel in my car. I need that good premium fuel.
Tell us the five foods that you couldn't live without.
Crawfish. Dark chocolate. Baby carrots and dip. Steak. Fruit.

Do you have any guilty pleasure foods?
I usually treat myself to wings once a week. In the off-season I want to go for the record of eating 70 super spicy wings.

How do you keep yourself going on tough days?
I count my blessings. This job can be rough: the non-stop travel, the challenging workouts. I turn the negatives to positive.

So I live out of a bag? I turn that around by saying, I also get to see countries that people dream about.

So I have to run a long workout? I think well, I get paid to work out and keep a nice body.

I am also a big fan of this quote by Frederick Douglass, “If there is no struggle, there is no progress."

What do you do to cope with stress?
I listen to a lot of Christian music, and reading my Bible calms me down immensely. But when I'm standing in a stadium packed with 80,000 screaming fans, I can’t just whip out my Bible before I run. That’s when I start praying! It's so loud that I can’t even hear what I'm saying, but it always helps.

You were a track star at LSU. What made you decide to keep going after you graduated?
I did not want to quit on my dream just yet. I didn't have a big-time contract out of college like most athletes. In fact I had no contract at all. When I didn't make my first Olympic team in 2004 I was crushed. I had my college degree and knew I could make a decent living with that, but I chose to work part-time jobs so that I could train. I didn't give up because I didn't want my dream to stay a dream. I wanted it to be reality.

Will you continue after the Olympics?
Yes. Most hurdlers peak from the ages of 28 to 33. I'm only 25. Even the great American hero Allen Johnson is still running strong at 35!

What's your favorite part of being a hurdler?
The rhythm I achieve when I am running so fast that I can no longer see the hurdles, but only feel them.

Your least favorite part?
When I fall. It happens to the best of us. Not only is it hard to get off the track that day, it's even harder not to have a little anxiety for your next race.

If you could choose an Olympic sport other than any track and field events, which would you pick?
I love gymnastics. I am too tall to be a gymnast but that won’t stop me from cheering for my fellow American and Iowan Shawn Johnson.

Do you ever get a chance to relax? What do you do?
It's quite embarrassing but I love a game of Dance Dance Revolution. And it’s a good workout. I also enjoy rock climbing, and buying a new book at the bookstore.

We have an ongoing discussion with readers about their favorite body part. What's your favorite part of your body? My legs. They make all my money! They are the most valuable part and I work hard for them to look and run good.

What's the one piece of clothing you live in?
Tank tops. They are easy to pack.

If you could go on a date with any celebrity, who would it be?
Actually this question is quite hard to answer, because there are just too few. Everyone I think of is either married or has just come out of rehab. So if you guys wanna set me up on a blind date, check for those two requirements first and then make it happen! I am single!

Source: Women's Health