042: Jessica Ennis-Hill on becoming World and Olympic Champion

Dame Jessica Ennis-Hill is triple World champion, Olympic champion, European Champion and British record holder in the heptathlon and World indoor champion in pentathlon. Perhaps more significantly Jess is an icon of British sport and global track and field athletics – as much for carrying the weight of expectations of a nation at the London Olympics in 2012. To give you an example a 4000m2 portrait of Jess was painted beside the Heathrow airport runway emblazoned with the message, welcome to our turf, that was the message that greeted every athlete, coach, official, reporter and spectator to the London Olympics Now I had the privilege of working with Jess from her Junior days all the way to her retirement and still work with her now, but this conversation was a chance to look back on the entirety of her career and recap, reflect and in some cases help each other remember aspects of the journey. So it was great to take a chance to take stock with Jess but it was equally a dose of what also makes jess uniquely Jess, what makes her so adored, revered and connected to people is her overwhelming sense of values, ego-less sensibility, grounded kindness, and personability.

Show notes

Life after retirement

First GB selection at 15 and school sports day. School athletics and experimenting with events within the sport

Changes in physiology after pregnancy

A defining career moment and important lesson in approaching training… have no weaknesses

The balance of endurance over power, the way in which Toni focussed the training towards Jess’s strengths

The mental challenges within the heptathlon event.

Mila, Jess’s dog, Jess talks about the impact of Mila and the distractions she brought

2007 Osaka, First World Championships, placed 4th. Excited and motivated to do her best

A bank of confidence derived from hard training particularly in the 800m

2008, Götzis, a turning point in Jess’s career. Toni and Jess changed too much, and injury struck!

Injury and the devastation of pulling out of competition and the ramifications of not being able to compete in the Olympics

Team Jennis pulling together to get Jess back on track. Unloaded training in order to cope with injury and maintain fitness

A change in training, sensible training and sensible recovery introducing new elements in order to allow the body to offload

2009 planning after injury, planning the comeback!

The face of the Olympics- how did that happen…?

The World Championships, Daegu, and a 2nd place. Happiness tinged with sadness, what do I need to do to win?!

Career moments which show you ‘this isn’t going to be easy’ are beneficial but hard to take

The 800m at the Olympics 2012

80,000 people watching at the start of the hurdles during the Olympics!

Keeping the mind clutter free, best performances came when I was really happy

A change in training regime when Reggie came along, quality sessions… not long sessions

Retirement with no regrets

Jennis Fitness and the future, for women to stay active throughout pregnancy and after

Steve asks “What tip would you give to your younger self?”

If you want to follow Jess you can do so on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/jessicaennishill/ If you’re interested in taking Jess up on the offer of her training you through her new app then go to https://www.jennisfitness.com/ and also on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/wearejennis/

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