Following our series of finding out how elite level athletes train and what gets them going, we caught up with US Olympic modern pentathlon hopeful, Jess Davis. Jess’s instagram snaps inspired us (not just because of the arty after effects;), but the dedication that Jess gives to her training. So we thought we’d catch up with her here!
Firstly though, what is Modern Pentathlon: For those that are not in the know, modern pentathlon consists of fencing, shooting, swimming, horse riding and cross country running. So a bit more than a tri of course, but still an incredible challenge for those loving the world of multi-sport.
Jess, how did you get into the world of pentathlon?
I got into the modern pentathlon after being recruited by a fencer who competed in Beijing. I have been an equestrian my entire life and was a competitive show jumper and eventer during my teenage years. After that I moved onto triathlon (winning my third race overall). After a devastating bonk at nationals that year I decided to learn how to fence and give modern pentathlon a try.
And it looks like you were into triathlons before the switch. Was it an easy “switch” for you?
The switch from triathlon into pentathlon was easy in some ways and difficult in others. The most difficult change was coming from being a top open water swimmer and struggling with converting those skills to swim the 200 free in a long course pool. I am only now, 3 years later starting to come into my own as a competitive pool swimmer.
It looks like a big year for you with the Olympics coming up. What goes into selection for the Olympic squad?
With the Olympics coming up what becomes most important is making the world cup team. I have two world cup teams under my belt since I began, but this year the number on the team is smaller so the competition gets tough. For me, my main sights are on Tokyo 2020 but that doesn’t stop me from trying my best to make it into this year’s team.
Each of us has our own strengths and knows which sport we need to concentrate on more or which one requires a little more training. But the pentathlon events are so different in style and we imagine demands on your body. Which sport is hardest for you?
That’s a loaded question because each of the sports has its highs and lows. For example you can be a wonderful fencer, but because of the format of pentathlon you can just have an off day and there goes your shot. You can be a great runner but struggle with the shoot, or a great rider but draw a bad horse. The hardest element isn’t one of the sports in particular; it’s your ability to put it all together on the day.
And how do you spend your time training to not neglect say the other 4 sports?
It’s a balance that has taken a while to get down. The trick is to train enough in each of the sports, so that on the day that your body adapts to them but not too much that you are wearing your body down too much. It comes down to having coaches keeping an eye on your schedules and making sure that you find that balance. On a hard day I will do 4 of the sports, and then on easier days 1 or 2 of them. I often only have one full day off every 2 weeks!
Wow, 1 day off?! That’s dedication for you!
What’s so important to us, to help keep us going is the spirit of working together on our goal. Who drives you? Have you got a regular training partner? Is there someone that kicks your butt out of bed and gets you out training?
My success mainly comes from that I am a very driven person, I usually do not have difficulty pushing myself and getting myself going but surrounding myself with other driven people is definitely something that keeps me getting stronger. I spend most of my time training with my closest competitor who also happens to be one of my closest friends. To most it seems like a complex relationship, but we benefit from each other’s success and desire to rise through the ranks together. Plus having someone who understands your struggles on the level are irreplaceable. My boyfriend who is also a pentathlete and now has begun his path into triathlon is also a relationship that helps make the tough days better and the great day unforgettable.
What’s your inspiration to keep going? Where do you dig deep to fight off the urges to just take a breather some days from training?
I think you need to have that kind of drive inside you. Yes most people can find something that inspires them, but the work it takes to compete on this level takes something more. You have to look at life a little differently and truly want it on a different level. Without that you would burn out pretty quickly. I wake up every morning loving my life and what I do and wondering what kind of improvements I can make.
When training, what does a typical day of eating / nutrition look like for you?
My BIGGEST struggle is nutrition. I hate training on a full stomach so because of that I tend to not eat enough during the day. But every day is an improvement. I just typically try not to each much processed food. I have not eaten soda, chips, fast food etc. in years. My diet consists of usually balanced carbs, fats and proteins. My diet does vary between modern pentathlon and triathlon. I could mainly not live without coffee and peanut butter.
And what do you do on your off days? You must have the odd piece of cake right? 😉
I actually love playing badminton! So on my days off (or really any free time I can find) that’s what I’m doing with my teammate. So I’m not sure that can actually be taken as a day off ha.
If you could change one of the sports in a pentathlon, which would it be and why?
If I could get badminton in there I would for sure ha-ha, but honestly I wouldn’t take any out, its love hate with most of the sports but I couldn’t imagine it another way.
We have become quite geeky talking technique, equipment or stats about triathlons. In between that and trying to train as much as possible, we have got to thank our families for helping support us and listen to our tri geek talk! Who would you like to thank? Who has really helped you to achieve your goals?
There’s so many people it that makes this possible for me, but it would mainly come down to my mom and dad. They were both elite athletes (my mother an equestrian and my father an ironman) and they support me every day on an even deeper level because they understand. I am truly an extension of their athletic qualities and I couldn’t ask for a better pair of supporters.
Jess is supported / sponsered by: I love the pain , rudy project, and the New York athletic club.
Thanks Jess, what inspiring amount of dedication you have to living your dream! We’ll be rooting for you for Brazil!
If you want to follow Jess’s progress on Instagram (it’s where she first inspired us!) you can here: @Jessdavis_usa
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