Jenny Simpson has just retired. The most decorated American middle distance runner in modern memory (three World Championship medals, 2011 gold in Daegu, 2013 silver in Moscow, one Olympic medal, bronze in London 2017), Jenny has always been a great conversationalist. Thanks to Stuart Weir, European Editor of RunBlogRun, for sending this interview.
This interview with Jenny Simpson, compiled, curated and edited by Stuart Weir, celebrates her amazing career.
Nine Questions for Jenny Simpson*
How did you start running?
I started running in elementary school when I was very young, running small races—kids races, road races, or track races—when I was in third grade.
Do you remember your first race?
Absolutely. I’m doing this because a girl named Brittany won and I came in second. We were both in third grade. It was a dive to the finish. It was my first race with 100 kids and 2 of us were strong. It’s such a fun moment to look back on when I was 9 years old to that, he still remembers the name of the 9-year-old boy who beat him up).
How do you deal with the injury?
Injury is always difficult. No matter how often you see athletes get injured, recover, and do well again, you always wonder if you can do it. So when there’s an injury? , there is always doubt. Will I ever be healthy again? So weathering the storm is as much about staying calm as believing in yourself. You have to get through the bad days to enjoy the fun days.
You have done 1500, 3000, Cross Country and Road-running, which is your favorite?
My absolute true love is a crossroads. That’s where I started. That’s where my heart is. I love running a cross-country race. courses are always different. And you face the elements. A lot of things in cross country make me feel very competitive. But I’ll always have a lot to thank track for my whole life. because it gave me a taste of the world stage.And in 1500 I got the chance to take home the ultimate prize of being world champion.
Volunteering?
It’s so important for people to be involved in their communities. Human connection in communities is vital to our well-being and outlook on life. So I’ve always been involved in my community wherever I’ve been. For example, I’ve been involved in Boulder , Colorado. I’ve always been involved with my local church. And building others up is an important part of my life.
Talk about the role of faith?
I am a Christian and attend church with my husband and family.But I think owning your faith and understanding how it can bring you peace has helped me through many troubled seasons when I wasn’t doing my best helped me through some of the best seasons when there was a lot of pressure. So when I know there’s joy in what I’m doing, it’s bigger than me. It makes me feel like I’m just meant to be good steward of my abilities and God will take care of the rest. Following Jesus makes all the difference in the world because everything I do on earth has only earthly consequences. But what I invest in people and as I live as a man, I know that I am laying up treasures in heaven.
Monaco 2015 race. how do you feel about that race?. (Simpson ran 3:57.30, just 0.18 off Mary Slaneyis about 32 years old American record before the race. However, Shannon Rowbury beat her to improve the American record to 3:56.29, while Genzebe Dibabaand new World record at 3:50.07).
“Monaco” was tough because I was trying to peak for the World Championships. We got to Monaco and the place was buzzing with how fast people wanted to run the 1500s. I rather bridged the gap between the top women and among the rest and led that section for most of the race, but in the end I paid for it and was dropped by several competitors, which was difficult. But Monaco that year and every year, like all the diamond races, was important for me as the steps leading up to the World Championship final, the most important day of the year. So they were difficult because maybe I didn’t get what I wanted that day. But in the big picture it’s just one step on the road and I don’t consider that one performance as important as when I look at how I performed at the World Cups.
How about the Fifth Avenue Mile, you’re unbeatable at it? (8 wins)
I just think it’s such a wonderful thing that I run around the world all year round, in Asia and Europe, and then to be able to run the standard mile, which is an American invention. And to run a mile in the center of American culture and with the busy and incredible running community, it seems so fitting that an American would be able to come back and run my last race of a very long season in the States; I enjoy it; in fact I love it and I really look forward to finishing my season there every year.
You’ve been very versatile. You won the USATF outdoor 5,000m title and finished second at the 2014 USA Cross Country Championships. You’ve also run marathons and 1,500s.
I really enjoy being good at more than one thing. When I talk to kids, that’s something I encourage them to do. when you find something you’re good at, never think that’s the only thing you’ll be good at. “You can be great at many things, more than one thing.” And I like to show that in my running career.
The 1500 is such a great event and it’s incredible to finish with all the effort, difficulty and pain in 4 minutes, as opposed to a 5K where the pain lasts 15 minutes.
*edited together from various interviews.
