Lolo Jones (l) edges a diving Sally McLellan in London (© Getty Images)
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
