Olympic Fever

The Olympics have arrived. What better way to ignite the Olympic spirit than by having a conversation with an Olympian! We were fortunate to have the opportunity to chat with our good friend, Chelsea Jaensch.

Hello Chelsea, we appreciate you taking the time to be with us. Could you please provide a brief introduction for those who may not be familiar with you?

I'm Chelsea Jaensch, Olympian, long jumper by trade, Radiographer, Novice mum and now, recreational runner. I am a former Australian champion in the long jump and world championship representative, a part time MRI radiographer at the Royal Adelaide Hospital, a Wife to my lovely sports Chiropractor husband Sam, and Mum to my energetic toddler Alby.

What was it like making the Olympic team?

A dream come true! It was such a surreal moment. I truly didn't think I'd get picked until I heard Bruce McAvaney announce my selection on the team. It was the proudest moment of my life, I thought I'd burst. Just seeing and thinking about all the people who had supported and helped me get to that point was deeply emotional. We were all crying. It was a hard pursuit. When I stepped onto the runway in the Olympic stadium, It was like the work and sacrifice and the journey I was on all made sense. Throw that in with a rush of blood to the head and a punch of adrenaline to the chest. The most surreal experience I've had at the track.

What is it like training for an Olympics?

It is structured, daily and about 10 sessions a week of significant commitment and contribution.

 3 x track (1 running, 1 jumping 1 mix), 2 x gym, 3 recovery, a massage, physio, chiro, prehab, sports psych, podiatry appointments etc. Then I also worked full time as a radiographer during the day. There was no room for anything else and I would not be wavered in pursuit of my immediate and long term goals. It was also a little isolating as I moved to Brisbane to train with world renowned jumps coach Gary Bourne, so the squad became my family and I socialised very little outside of it.

Since retirement, what kind of running do you do?

Retiring from elite level sport was a difficult choice. It was all I knew and was very regimented. It was difficult to get that kick again and I didn't want to do any training or running.  My husband introduced me to Parkrun, and It was the catalyst for learning to train and run in a different way that was measured by the way you felt and the process, not by the distance or time you produced. So, I started running 5km every week at Parkrun. From there I enjoyed running longer. Trail running was another stepping stone into social running without the competitiveness. And from there, I ran the New York Marathon! 

I run socially, non-competitively, just to clear my mind and to feel good. Easy paced. No real sprinting as it is hard on my tendons and joints. Running is a lower impact choice moving forward and a great way to explore the neighbourhood or wherever you may travel

What was it like training for a marathon?

It was a foreign concept.

I won a ballot entry into the NY Marathon about 7 months before the race. It was unexpected, and at the time, I was competing at a national/international level as a Long Jumper, contemplating retirement due to the impact it

was having on my body, relationships and career. I figured it was a great universal sign to retire from long jump at the 2019 Australian Championships and move onto a new and foreign opportunity- distance running. I had a knee injury to recover from, so had 5 months to go from sprinting a long jump run up of approximately 42 metres, to run a marathon of 42 kilometres. It was more mental than anything.

I started with a 5km parkrun on Saturday morning, a longer run on Sunday or Monday morning, and a few intervals and gym work at 2 other sessions. I gradually increased my distances, but ran out of time to get close to the 42kms. I guess I winged it and learned a lot along the way about programming and fuelling during a race. I collectively ran less than 500km that year to prepare. which I wouldn't recommend. I had conditioned my mind, determination, grit and pain tolerance as a long jumper, which served me well to finish the marathon.

What was NY Marathon like?

Absolutely Incredible! Such an immersion into the city and the people, which was a great distraction from the discomfort of running a distance like that. I had never run further than 35kms before the start of the NY marathon, and I really didn't understand the sheer size of the event, the logistics involved and the culture! 50,000 runners, and people lining the streets the ENTIRE way, cheering you on by first name. There's full brass bands and DJ's playing music, supporters offering you Band-Aids, ice packs, hydration, lollies; and towards the end, cigars, medication and even tequila shots. Anything to get you to the finish line. The start of the marathon was on Staten Island, with black hawk helicopters flying overhead, and we began running the iconic boroughs of Queens, Brooklyn, The Bronx and Manhattan in a cultural sensation of architecture and music. It truly was the most unreal way to sight see New York! I had a tendinitis flare up in my right knee at the 33km mark, which was excruciating as it flicked across my joint and patella, and I was so annoyed as I felt aerobically good for that part of the race. I noticed another girl struggling similarly to me (broken toe) and we buddied up, became friends and encouraged each other to the finish line. It was super emotional times, I was overwhelmed and proud, and grateful to have made a friend. in gratitude we swapped contact details, and she even took the time to visit me in Adelaide on her holiday this year. So you can make new friends at a marathon too!

What kind of running routine do you have at the moment?

Each week is slightly different to the next. Part time shift work, patches of illness, the weather, other family commitments sometimes mean I reshuffle things and do what I can, where I can. Its not that regimented.

Parkrun on a Saturday, with the Pram is practically non-negotiable and something I have always done, especially since having Alby. It keeps me accountable and clicks over 5kms at whatever pace I choose. I also try during the week for 1 x longer run, and 1 x Gym session for strength. Anything more is a bonus (interval or sprints). My postpartum recovery was slow and gradual for me, and it's still a work in progress. I am grateful for the opportunity to run, I enjoy the endorphin kick and also being role model for my little boy.

Thank you Chelsea, for your time. Your perspective has provided valuable insight into the dedication and support system behind an athlete's journey to the Olympics. It is truly inspirational, especially considering that for many of us, the idea of competing in the Olympics remains a distant dream.