By Bryce Miller
Beijing, China — Every morning that kids showed up for the church summer camp at the Salvation Army building in Des Moines, Lolo Jones, her sister and brothers were there.
Day after day, Jones bounced around the gymnasium as others walked in.
She owned boundless energy and an infectious smile, but also a guarded secret. The woman picked by some to win the gold medal in the 100-meter hurdles at the Summer Olympics lived in the basement.
"I remember we had to wake up earlier than when the kids started arriving, so they wouldn't tease us," she said. "Me and my brothers would get up and we'd be in the gym before the other kids got there.
"So it kind of looked like our parents were the first to drop us off at the camp."
These Olympics are positioned to be a global introduction for Jones, a 26-year-old graduate of Roosevelt High School.
Oakley launched a campaign for its "Enduring" sunglasses line that features Jones, the Olympic Trials winner and reigning world champion in the 60-meter indoor hurdles.
The U.S. Olympic Committee will bring three women's track stars to a Thursday news conference with international media: Olympic gold medalist Sanya Richards, Olympic silver medalist and world champion Allyson Felix - and Jones.
A life that included homelessness now resonates with world-stage possibility.
"This is not like a Dream Team basketball person that has a multimillion-dollar contract," said Kim Carson, another Roosevelt track star who has helped Jones since junior high school on and off the track and traveled to Beijing. "This is a kid who had nothing."
Growing up, Jones attended eight schools in eight years as her single mother, Lori, bounced between Texas and Iowa, often holding down two jobs to support her children. Jones' father, who spent time in the Air Force and jail, "wasn't really in the picture much," she said.
While in third grade, Jones estimated, the family ended up in the basement of the church.
All the changes eventually became too much for Jones, who decided against a move to Forest City, protesting: "Mom, I can't go to a city that doesn't have a track. I'm trying to pursue my dream."
The decision began a stretch in which Jones lived with three families, including that of Randy Essex, a former assistant managing editor of The Des Moines Register who now works at the Detroit Free Press.
Essex noticed at youth track events his son participated in that no one seemed to be in the stands cheering Jones, a blossoming star.
"It was a really family-oriented club," Essex said. "I asked (the club organizer) after practice why there were no parents or adults around Lolo."
That conversation eventually led to Jones moving in with Essex and his family for about 16 months, beginning in August 1998.
"When she moved in with us, it was obviously a difficult situation for her," Essex said. "We were almost strangers."
Essex watched, impressed, as Jones quietly focused on decision after decision. She worked at track. She worked at school. She worked at her job at the Iowa Bagel Bakery near 42nd Street and University Avenue.
"Just a hard-working, dependable kid," he said.
Jones also lived with Kim Walker, a Des Moines attorney, and his wife, Jean.
Walker watched, proudly, last month as Jones returned to Roosevelt to hand over new track shoes and a $12,000 check to Renee Trout, a flood victim and single mother from Cedar Rapids.
"That's as good a role model as we can ask for, don't you think?" Walker said.
When high school ended, Jones landed a spot on the track team at Louisiana State University - a national powerhouse. At LSU, the uniqueness of her situation revealed itself to Jones for the first time.
Other LSU students packed up belongings to go home for the holidays. Jones paused.
"I was like, 'Wait, I don't have a bedroom to go (to) back home,' " Jones said.
LSU coach Dennis Shaver knew the family faced financial challenges, but said "she never complained."
When Jones graduated, she worked minimum-wage jobs to keep chasing an Olympic track dream - an experience she said was more difficult than being temporarily homeless.
"It was more hard for me to swallow my pride and take out garbage at a gym when I had an economics degree and Spanish minor," she said.
"I had people come up to me, like, 'Didn't you graduate? What are you doing working at this gym?' I was like, 'I'm trying to do this track thing. If I get a 9-to-5 (job), I won't have flexibility to leave the country and go to these competitions.' "
When Jones missed a spot in Athens after falling during the 2004 Olympic Trials, Shaver became a salesman for Jones.
Shaver told the big-time track sponsors, "her day will come if given the opportunity."
That day did come.
Jones remembers walking to school, during brutal Iowa winters, because the family didn't own a car. Now she's sponsored by Oakley and Asics - and has the ability to focus on track full time.
"My life changed," Jones said. "I went from eating ramen noodles to steak, fish and chicken - what an athlete should be eating."
Sponsorships allowed her routine access to massages, chiropractors and the tools other elite athletes use to maintain peak condition.
"It just helped me get the things an athlete needs to be successful," Jones said of the sponsors. "A businessman needs a laptop. Athletes need massages and the right diet."
Jones talks freely about the struggles that led her to China, where she begins competition Sunday in the preliminaries of the 100-meter hurdles.
"A lot of it is, she's not ashamed of it," Carson said. "Her mom's been honest with her. She understands the struggle of a single parent."
In the end, Jones continued to push, balked at chances to quit and traveled from a basement to the ultimate sports stage in Beijing.
"Lolo Jones is a great American story," Essex said. "You don't get that many anymore, with people who grew up poor and seize every opportunity. And she really did."
Source: The Des Moines Register
Track star Lolo Jones gives us the tunes she sweats to
Ordinary Life Liquido
I like to warm up to this song because it reminds me that although this is an ordinary life for me, it is not for most. It reminds me to appreciate and take advantage of this opportunity.
Tokyo Drift Teriyaki Boyz
At this point I am finishing my warm-up and have begun lightly stretching. So it's good to remember, fast and furious is what I am aiming for.
Perfekte Welle Juli
I travel a lot in Germany so naturally I have started to take an inclination to some of their artists.
Im'ma Shine Youngbloodz
Big Things Poppin' T.I
You Decide Fireflight
I like this song because running is 90 percent mental. If you can't deal with your doubts they will destroy you.
The Fight The Classic Crime
My favorite line in this song is when it says you can sink or swim.
Game On Disciple
This song is funny to me because I am not a big trash talker but this whole song is basically saying to the other opponents, Are you ready? I am ready for you so you better be!
Galvanize The Chemical Brothers
Relax, Take it Easy Mika
I like to cool down to this song after the race because whatever happens, it's done. Sometimes when things happen in a race you go crazy trying to evaluate what you could've done. This song just tells you to stay cool and relax.
Download the playlist in iTunes!
Source: Women's Health
While her competition hopes to ice Lolo Jones' chances for the gold in Beijing, the world-class hurdler will be a cool attraction at the Iowa State Fair.
A sculptor plans to carve an image of Jones in ice during an ice carving demonstration at the fair, which begins on Thursday.
Ice carving demonstrations will be held daily and Jones is scheduled to be carved into ice on Aug. 17, the same day she is scheduled to compete in the first round of the 100-meter hurdles at the Olympics.
Jones isn't the only Iowa Olympian to have her likeness put on display at the fair. Gymnast Shawn Johnson will be carved in butter alongside the butter cow.
Source: WHO TV
World Indoor champion and newly crowned US champion Lolo Jones is now heading to China to take part in her first Olympic Games. She tells IAAF readers all about it…
“Hi guys,
“This is it. The preparations are all out of the way. No more rehearsals. No more excuses.
“The next time I will step on my blocks will be at the Olympic Games in Beijing. Wow.
“I’m back in Baton Rouge now after my second visit to Europe where I raced in Barcelona, Stockholm and London and I was fairly pleased with how I ran. Three races, three wins and all in the 12.5s and 12.6s which is what I wanted.
“My first race back after winning the US trials in Barcelona was quite tough simply because I was still a little mentally drained after the trials and it was hard even warming up and getting back into the routine.
“Although, it is going to be my first Olympics I feel better prepared than last year when I struggled to peak for the World Championships because I ran too many races.
“It is also important not to over-train or go any specials diets – if I want a piece of cake I’ll have a piece of cake!
“It is also important I put a lid on my training and not do any crazy workouts. Your instincts tell you to train harder but my coach, Dennis Shaver, has to keep telling me rest is crucial at this stage of preparation.
“It is obviously going to be my first Olympic Games and I’m really excited. I keep asking athletes who have made the Olympic team. How is it? What is the atmosphere like? What procedures do you have to go through? I’m also really excited to see other athletes in other sports, like tennis, because I’ve never been to a multi-sports competition.
“I shall also be looking out for Shawn Johnson, a gymnast, from my home city of Des Moines, Iowa. Iowa has a big send off for the two of us, and it is funny that we are both reigning World champions.
“I’ve also noticed since winning the Olympic trials people have started to recognise me. It feels weird people coming up to me when I’ve been shopping and they are offering to buy me dinner.
“Also I was at a gas station recently and someone said: ‘Are you Lolo?’ I said, ‘don’t you want to pay for my gas?’ But they kept on moving. It’s pretty cool, though, that America is finally embracing track. Mind you, I still can’t get a date, though.
“My mum and sister and her kids are going out to Beijing and obviously everyone has been asking me about my expectations going into Beijing. All I want is to run a clean race like I did at the US trials. I need the complete race.
“In Europe I’ve had races partly good and partly not so good. I’ve got to pull it all back together again. It doesn’t mean I have to win in Beijing but I would like a nice clean race.”
Lolo
Source: IAAF
A few weeks ago we had the really cool honor of praying for Lolo Jones at one of our Sunday services at HPC. Lolo is a great young woman who has been faithfully committed to Healing Place for years. Not only is Lolo the 2008 USA Outdoor Champion in 100m Hurdles, 2008 World Indoor Champion in 60m hurdles and BACK to BACK U.S.A. Indoor Champion 60m Hurdles in 2007 and 2008 but she will be representing the USA in the Beijing Olympics!
She said that HPC is a golden church that deserves a gold medal - and she will get us one in China! Wow! Definitely be praying for Lolo, as she is such a great young woman with a generous heart and for the Beijing Olympics as this could be a huge opportunity for the Gospel.
Source: dinorizzo.com
Just a few hours after she won the US Olympic Trials in a wind aided 12.29 - an amazing performance - World Indoor champion Lolo Jones can't sleep...so she decides to write to the IAAF readers...
“Hi again,
“Wow! I am sat here writing my latest diary piece at 3am just over nine hours after I qualified for the Olympic team by winning the US Trials in 12.29!
“I can hardly believe it. I am on such a high I cannot sleep and I’m so excited to finally qualify for the Olympic Games.
“I’m just so pleased the hard work has paid off. Four years ago I didn’t even make the final of the US Olympic Trials and now here I am as the US champion. I’ve always had confidence in my ability and I now think I’m entering my peak.
“I turn 26 next month and I remember the likes of Joanna Hayes and Gail Devers reaching their peak in their late 20s, early 30s.
“I actually really started to freak out ahead of my semi-final. The wind was blowing really strong and I normally don’t like a strong tailwind because it is easier to hit the hurdles and make mistakes.
“I nearly lost it out there, my heart was beating so fast but I had to tell myself to take control of my emotions and believe.
“In the semis I set a new lifetime best of 12.45 and I actually felt better ahead of the final than the semi. At least then I knew I was one of the eight people in the final and I had a good shot at one of the top three places.
“The final was a strange race. When I look back on most of my races I can say I hit hurdle five or whatever but in the final I was like a freight train and I just got into a rhythm. I crossed the line first but it wasn’t until I saw my name on the scoreboard for first place that I dare celebrate.
“People will talk of me threatening the world record of Yordanka Donkova of 12.21 after running 12.29 but people should realise that is a windy mark (a 3.8mps), so we’ll just have to see.
“Since running the final I’ve done a whole bunch of interviews and then gave a urine and a blood sample to the anti-doping people.
“I eventually sat down with my sponsors, Asics, for something to eat around midnight and then briefly spoke to my family on the phone.
“Now I’m sat here writing my diary, and because I’m on such a high I don’t know whether I will get to sleep at all tonight.
“I doubt it.
Til the next time”
Lolo
Source: IAAF
One of the sport’s brightest stars knows that she is needed now more than ever.
The new Oakley ads featuring Lolo Jones hit the stands this spring. The photos of Lolo are crisp black and white, taken as a part of the Oakley ad campaign. In the shots, Lolo stares intently back at the camera, eyes aglow, hot light bouncing off her outfit.
The picture looks like a sports goddess figure, a female superhero. All kidding aside, as far as pro track goes – and the current pro sports world in general right now – Lolo Jones as sports’ guardian angel might not really be all that far off.
Think about what has gone down in pro track circles in the last twelve months: the Mario Jones drug admission, Tim Montgomery, the Trevor Graham Trial, the Dwain Chambers debacle.
While the world’s greatest sport will always win out in the end, these blights have been made worse by the frenzied media. None of the aforementioned events will ever stop any hardcore track & field fan from watching, loving, and following the sport. However, the media has and will continue to seize upon the sport’s issues, looking to pounce on headlines and blowout stories about arrogant, spoiled, drug using athletes. The antidote? Lolo Jones.
Lolo will tell you straight up that she is a reminder that if people believe in something and in themselves that they can do anything. Look at her. She hit a hurdle in 2004 and in the process failed to make the Olympic Team. But Lolo got back up and has since landed two fab sponsors in Asics and Oakley. The 5 foot, 9 inch regular girl from Des Moines, Iowa made it. And she’s had the opportunity to live out some of her wildest dreams.
Lolo hardly needs us to act as her public relations mouthpiece, but nonetheless, it’s hard to deny her All-American, mom-and-apple pie package. She’s easy to champion. In putting together this interview, she was exceedingly pleasant and cooperative. Even so much as following up to make sure that everything was done in order to hit my deadline.
On top of everything, Lolo can run. She is the reigning World Indoor Champion and currently lays claim to 12.57, the fifth fastest time in the world this season. This time puts her in the discussion of the world’s top hurdler.
We caught up with Lolo to talk about her place in the sports world, the Olympic Trials, and one of the most difficult times in her life….
PRJ: Win or lose, what’s the best race you’ve run so far?
LJ: The best race this yearwould have to be when I ran 7.77 indoors. That’s when people began to associate my name with the all-time great Gail Devers. So far outdoors, I've hit my personal best three times now! So I can’t really say a race outdoors. Hopefully the Olympics!
PRJ: Do you think you’ve run as well as you are capable of?
LJ: No. What athlete does though? The moment I think that is the moment, I will cease progress. I honestly can see 12.4, but the moment I hit that, I know I will say to myself I can hit 12.3 and etc.
PRJ: Is there any other hurdler that you’ve been particularly impressed with this season?
LJ: World indoor record holder Susanna Kauller. Her technique is very impressive and she has just good clean hurdling.
PRJ: Grading your own racing from A to F, what would you give yourself and why?
LJ: I would give myself a C plus to B minus. I say this because sometimes my lead leg kicks out to the side and my arm will get long on occasion.
PRJ: I’ve heard you bring up the rough times in ’04 and ’05. How do you think it has affected you and the way you look at track and field?
LJ: Well coming out of college, I wasn’t like the Jermey Warniers or Sanya Richards who signed a six figure contract. After I didn’t make the team in '04, I was broke and essentially without a job. I had my fresh degree in Economics and Spanish, but I knew if I would’ve gone out and got a 9 to 5, that would have been the end of track. So instead, I choose to work two flexible part-time jobs and train. It was hard. I had to live off of credit cards and sometimes it was embarrassing. Now I look back and I am just humble and thankful for those times. I can ride in my car to practice and not have to worry about how I am going to get to practice. I can help provide for my family and others and not worry about if someone can help me. The biggest thing is I see is a lot of the rookies coming out of college every year. Some of them look just like I did four years ago. Confused. Not knowing if they should pursue their dreams or get a job. I just can relate and tell them about my own past experiences.
PRJ: A lot of success has come to you after weathering some storms in the sport?
LJ: A lot of the times I complained and was very depressed while weathering the storms in the sport. But what I have learned is that the storm is what helps give you victory. I would compare it to lifting weights. When you lift weights it is hard and heavy. The weights break your body down, but in the end they make you strong. So storms seem to break you down when you are in them, but they make you strong when you come out.
PRJ: Who is your biggest competition going into the Olympic Trials and what can we expect to see from you performance wise in Eugene?
LJ: Well, normally this is an easy question. This year is quite different as World Outdoor champ Michelle Perry and U.S. Outdoor champ Ginnie Powell have both been hurt and not competing. So, I have no clue where they are in their training. So I would just say that I am my biggest competitor. As that is the case for most athletes anyways. Getting not only over the physical hurdles but the mental ones as well.
PRJ: Right now the sport world is going through a series of negative story lines—NBA ref Tim Donaghy, Marion Jones, Michael Vick, the Trevor Graham trial, and track and field is dealing with some of its own issues. You seem to be the natural antithesis of those things.
LJ: It’s crazy. I really never thought their decision to cheat would effect me, until one day I introduced myself to someone at a track meet. The person looked at me weird for awhile and fnally said, "your not that one that cheated are you?" I got associated with a drug cheat, because I have of one of the worlds most common last names in Jones.
Also, it’s an Olympic year and track is always in the prime time viewing. I just found out that the prime time Olympic sports will be Swimming and Gymnastics, not Track. Those are just little things, but the reality is that there are athletes sitting at home who got second to Marion or other drugs cheats. It's frustrating and heart breaking to know that they will never receive that moment in their life . No one wants to receive their medal via fedex.
PRJ: After missing the ’04 Olympic squad, what would making the ’08 Olympic Team mean to you and your family? You danced in Boston after winning the Visa Indoor Championship series title.
LJ: It's universal. Even a person who has never competed in athletics before, can understand what a great honor it is to have a chance to represent your country and fellow Americans. So it would just be a huge honor to represent my country. A huge honor.
Thank you for making this interview happen and we wish you the best at the Olympic Trials and with the rest of your season.
By Jay Hicks.
Source: Prerace Jitters