Jenny Barringer proved over her four years at Colorado that she isn't just a great collegiate or even American athlete, but is one of the best in the world In her time at CU, she has earned a spot on… + See More +
Jenny Barringer proved over her four years at Colorado that she isn't just a great collegiate or even American athlete, but is one of the best in the world In her time at CU, she has earned a spot on… + See More
- See Less - Jenny Barringer proved over her four years at Colorado that she isn't just a great collegiate or even American athlete, but is one of the best in the world In her time at CU, she has earned a spot on the U.S. Olympic Team, two world teams, is a seven All-American (four in outdoor track, two in cross country, one indoor), an 12-time All-Big 12 honoree (nine track, three cross country) and is a seven-time all-region honoree (four track, three cross country). Barringer owns the American record in the 3,000-meter steeplechase at 9:12.50 and owns several stadium records in the steeplechase (Drake Stadium, 9:29.20; Ed Weir Stadium, 9:44.46; John Jacob Track and Field Stadium, 9:26.20 and John MacDonnell Field, 9:25.54). She is also the NCAA Championship Meet record holder (9:25.54) as well as the NCAA Midwest Region record holder (9:26.20). Barringer has won three international meets (two in the steeplechase, one in the 5k) and has earned numerous awards over the past four years. She has proven that she isn't just a steeplechaser as she owns the collegiate record in the indoor mile (4:25.91), 3k (8:42.03) and the 5k (15:01.70) as well as the outdoor 1,500 (3:59.90), steeplechase (9:25.54) and 5k (15:07.64); and on top of that she owns seven CU records. Her times in the indoor 3k and 5k were the fifth fastest in the world during the 2009 season (first and second, respectively, by an American) and her mile was the fastest of the year. Barringer became the third fastest woman in the 1,500 at the Prefontaine Classic when she shaved over eight seconds off her PR to record a sub-four minute time at 3:59.90. It was the third fastest time in the world and she was the second best performer in the event. Her most recent accomplishment was winning the steeplechase at the USATF Outdoor Championships for the second time in three years. At the world championships in 2009, Barringer became the eighth fastest performer in the event of all-time.
Exceptional interview. Sharing these insights is as impressive as any athletic achievment. Thank you Ms Barringer and Mr Fenton. You have both just made another significant contribution to the running community. And more.
Have to agree with you, Anonymous Coward, it does seem somewhat self-absorbed. I also agree that she choked. I don't think you could really call Jenny B a choker considering her championship record, but if you listen to the self-absorbed video the race became to big a deal, bigger and less enjoyable than the Olympics. Sadly the story of many elite athletes, they stop having fun.
Mark Wetmore and Heather Burroughs give more to the CU runners than you could imagine. I have a Buff runner. I can attest. I find it amazing that there are detractors out there. Too Bad. Learn more before you mouth off.
Jenny B is incredible, give her credit for all she has accomplished.
Again, if you knew Jenny, you would sulk off with your tail between your ignorant legs for your "self-absorbed" comment.
The real Anonymous Coward does know. You are a flimsy imposter wann-be.
when you are only running for yourself, and your place/time, it makes a big difference. run for your team and your coaches. they'll give you more inspiration than you can ever give yourself.
Great interview ! I understand the internal pressure being placed on yourself as a person with the extremely high expectations along with the external factors not helping during this time, but nothing was mentioned about any possibility of dehydration being a factor to the breakdown in the race. Isn't being lightheaded at the start an indicator ? Anyway that race is over and bigger and better things in life await for you. Good luck with these wonderful things that await you.
What your saying would be a pointless interview. everyone knows she had a bad race, people want to know y. I dont think its out of character for her to explain what caused the bad race. yes the video seemed long, but there is lots to learn form it and it helps younger runners.
And Then There's This... November 27, 2009 at 1:27am
This inteview was probably not needed. A simple "I wasn't mentally ready on the day of the race, and consequently didn't perform well." would have been plenty. 24 minutes is slipping into territory that seems a little masturbatory. Everyone has reasons for bad races, but I don't think that they should publicize them. It seems out of character for Jenny to be throwing out excuses. In the past, even when she hasn't been extremely happy with her race, she has been straight forward and would just admit "I didn't have a good race. That's that."
Jenny has performed time and again at the highest level (winning ncaa titles, the olympics, and world championships) so we all know that she is capable of running great races. I don't think that there was any doubt that she would continue running even after a bad race like monday's.
Good luck Jenny with the rest of your career! We know you'll be back for some mean steeple times this spring.
her dramatic show on the course was embarrassing. She didn't need to go on for 24 minutes explaining and making excuses. Mentally she wasn't prepared, but i'm sure she wasn't the only one out there in the same boat. like Suzy says, "Everyone has their things and they don't need to go on and on about them." She's a great runner but should give credit to the other runners who were on that day!
Jenny Berringer explained herself as intelligently as I have ever witnessed. Wow! If she pursues a law degree, she is going to be one sharp lawyer. She is amazing. She will always be a favorite of mine from this day forward.
Wetmore is highly respected in the coaching world, granted that it isn't by unanimous proclimation. If students don't transfer or drop the sport, it's a good sign of how good a coach is. I haven't been made aware of either being a frequent occurence at CU.
Most CU former runners aren't fans of the coaches...(the best to come from CU) and the ones that like them must be freshman, well, it gets worse! Also, they are not "legendary" their athletes are "legendary." Not to mention, the ones that went there were great before arriving at CU. They could of been great w/ any decent coach! Let's be reasonable here...
"You have no idea what you are talking about. I am a cu runner, and the coaches are legendary for a reason- they are committed, caring, and they help all of us achieve our potential."
I've noticed CU is a team in every respect. A couple of public glimpses are how everyone went to hug her after she made it back to the team in the corral. Or in her first flotrack interview after prenats, she was giving her usual professionally toned answers, that is until she was asked about Allie McLaughlin. She lit up like a Christmas tree, slipped out of pro mode, and gushed about her. Made McLaughlin sound kinda silly at the next race for wondering if Barringer would be happy about her finishing 2nd. :-)
"Runster Yesterday at 12:43pm
The coaches at CU put this silly race on a pedestal...not her! She has competed at the olympics...(yes, this race is silly for her)! She stayed at CU just to win this because the coaches wanted her too...It will be a good thing for her to get away from them if she chooses!"
You have no idea what you are talking about. I am a cu runner, and the coaches are legendary for a reason- they are committed, caring, and they help all of us achieve our potential. Jenny is amazing and is an incredible teammate. To those of you who are said "she let her team down", you are way off base. We are so proud of her. Believe it our not, the very first thing she said as she crossed the line was, "I kicked down a Washington woman". Even in her lowest moment, she was thinking of the team, trying to beat our competitors. She did the best she could on the day, and we are so proud of her. Thanks Jenny for all that you brought the team this season---we love you! One last note, for those of you who are Wetmore critics, Mark Wetmore is an outstanding coach who has brought the men and women to new levels. Mark and Heather always have their runner's well being as the number one priority.
WE LOVE YOU, JEN! GO BUFFS
Flotrack, great job conducting a respectful, positive interview. Congrats on a wonderful college career Jenny. Recharge and bask in your accomplishments. Proud to see you represent American runners.
UPDATE: Literally saw Jenny B. this morning in Parkville, MO at a local Turkey Trot. No kidding. Her fiance is from this area. Not sure if she ran, but def. said "hi" to her in person.
Jenny was in perfect shape and totally healthy. Yet something brought her down. We're assuming its in the old grey matter between her ears. Thats why this is such a perfect opportunity to determine what exactly that was and hopefully prevent it from happening to her or other runners in the future.
I recall something Tom O'Hara, America's top miler, said to me many years after the 1964 Summer Olympics in Tokyo. This was the Olympics which gave us Gold medals from Billy Mills in the 10K and Bob Schul in the 5K. Unheard of, before or since. Tommy was the indoor mile record holder and was was a heavy favorite to medal high in the 1500. Two days before the finals, following a light interval workout, the New Zealand coach, Arthur Lydiard, walked over to him. AL said something about Peter Snell, his runner, doing 8x220 in 25 seconds with a minute rest, earlier that morning. This may or may not have been true. And then he stared right into Tommy's eyes for about 30 seconds. Tommy told me "He looked into my soul. I felt totally unhinged". Tommy was one of those fearless Irish kids from the streets of Chicago. For something like a few words and a stare to rattle him is quite stunning. And he remembered this vividly 25 years after the fact. So, would love for Jenny and her coaches to take this one step further and link up with some Sports Psychologists in Boulder or at the Olympic Training center in Colorado Springs, CO. I don't think this will ever happen to Jenny again. Thats why this is such a unique opportunity.
Jenny you are awesome and a role model to many people including myself. These things happen to everyone and you handled what happened very well! You are amazing!
Go Buffs and To Set Runster Straight are totally Heather Burroughs and/or Wetmore...lol..."wonderful coaches"??? Yeah, your athletes and former athletes love you!!!! haha
Just wanted to clarify for Ks that I meant the fact that she did an interview at all was an indication that her body wasn't "shutting down." If you can kick at the end and then do an interview you did not just suffer from exhaustion to the point where you collapsed. I've known runners who really collapsed and they either couldn't get up or walked it in and went to the hospital.
I am a xc/track runner for my highschool, and not only me but some of my teammates look up to jenny berringer. I follow how she does throughout the season, and yes was shocked and heartbroken on the outcome of this race. She didn't bounce back to do a happy interview 5 minutes after her race, you can tell she was upset but trying not to show it for the interview.
I really enjoyed watching this interview..This interview done here, the next day, really sets a good example for people like me who run and look up to her. She has a good attitude (however of course she's angry) about the whole thing and is moving on. She has a lot to come ahead of her. It really teaches us that everyone has bad races and no one, not even the best of the best, is a machine(like she was saying). It is amazing to me how she has balanced all the different things in her life. She is right, it is very hard for people, even other runners, to understand exactly everything that she has been dealing with. So no one should be giving Jenny Berringer a hard time whatsoever. The race also showed what a great teammate she is to finish out the race for her team.
I can't wait to hear about other races Jenny B does in her proffessional career. She has accomplished an unbelievable amount at CU with phenominal coaching. We all love you jenny b and goodluck with everything in your future!
what let her team down? she finnished this race!!! even she had the probably worst race of her life!!! everyone can have a bad day, but she had still the power and strength to finnish it. most people would have stopped and started to cry in her situation. but she is strong enough to run until the end, and i am sure she did it for her team and for herself. JENNY YOU ARE AWSOME!!
I think Jenny is a great runner and has run some of the most impressive races ever by an American woman. But in watching this race, I have to say that I really think the whole collapsing thing was either Jenny being dramatic or completely mental. Obviously she was stressed, but did anyone find it odd how she started struggling IMMEDIATELY after being passed? She wasn't having a good day, she wasn't crushing everyone by 30 seconds, and she couldn't handle the realization that on an off day she might not win nationals. No one but Jenny will really ever know what happened, but I think she grossly underestimated her competition and when things weren't going how she thought they would she panicked. I know one thing: when people collapse because their "body won't go anymore" they don't get back up in the same race and outkick 100 people in the last 800 meters. They often go to the hospital. They don't pop back up and do a smiley interview 5 minutes after they finish. Susan K started dying too; but she hung in there and finished 3rd for her team. Bad day mentally for JB, no doubt she'll still have a great career.
runster said: “The coaches at CU put this silly race on a pedestal...not her! She has competed at the olympics...(yes, this race is silly for her)! She stayed at CU just to win this because the coaches wanted her too...It will be a good thing for her to get away from them if she chooses!”
Don't pretend you know anything about CU. Don't pretend you know what races are silly for Jenny. Don't pretend you know why she is still at CU. Don't pretend you know what is good for her. Because you don't.
she's still a sick runner and one bad race doesn't define who you are as a runner. so i can't wait to see jenny in track. o and david (b***h) back off dude. Jenny is/was in a small rut why bash someone who's had it rough. d-bag
what a bunch of lame excuses. Galen Rupp never the bed half way through and stumbled to the line because of pressures of school and turning pro. I wish people in interviews would just come out and say what happend.
Jenny you are a role model to me. You are the reason why i run right after school! your the best. youve encourage some much not just because toy are a fast runner because you speak your mind, dont cheat and you are such a yong pretty women. Good luck in your running career.
To Set Runster Straight November 25, 2009 at 2:06pm
Runster, you are completely off base. Jenny stated in an interview a week before that she told Wetmore that her goal was not to win a track champ or be an olympian but to win a cross title. She has AlWAYS said her 1st love is cross. Don't blame her wonderful coaches for this. They didn't pressure her one bit to stay. She wanted it and badly. It was not silly to her.
The coaches at CU put this silly race on a pedestal...not her! She has competed at the olympics...(yes, this race is silly for her)! She stayed at CU just to win this because the coaches wanted her too...It will be a good thing for her to get away from them if she chooses!
I'm from Illinois and Angela's win was a total surprise. She did a great job. But Jenny couldn't comment on Angela because Jenny was not running alonside her and was totally out of it in terms of consciousness. Jenny commented she only had snippets of consciousness after the 3k mark, bits and pieces, struggling with more collapses, not knowing where she was at, seeing two Washington jersies in the final quarter mile and hearing an encouraging comment from another runner. Jenny's body and mind were shutting down. Only her spirit kept her going. Thankfully, it had a non-life threatening ending. But at the time, I was very worried about Jenny suffering a brain aneurism or seizure.
Regarding Law School, I hope Jenny specializes in International Law. She would be great representing the United States and our interests and her commonsense and world athletic standing would be greatly appreciated by those she comes in contact with from other nations.
Jenny is amazing. The term Champion doesn't come close to describing her honesty in this interview. I hope she can spend some time soon with the Olympic Team Sports Psychologists in Colorado Springs. Its one think to measure lactic acid threasholds and VO2max uptake. Quite another to attempt to measure the impact of hidden emotional stress upon peak performance. This young woman is outstanding. I hope we can all learn something about "the why, and how" of this incident. And the interviewer was unbelievable. Really super job. High Kudos.
I didn't care for collegiate distance running into i've first seen this young lady run. Now, i look forward to distance racing at meets now. JB is going to represent this country very well in the near future. Every great athlete runs into their bump in the road. She will be just fine.
I am always amazed at the amount of hate out there. Disappointing. :-( No matter what is said, Jenny you are an amazing athlete and the fact that you picked yourself up (literally) and finished the race mid-pack speaks volumes about your character. I look forward to following your professional career and am glad you are sticking around Boulder.
The ONE and only time Jenny B hasn't dominated and completely decimated the competition (w/in the states at least), and ALL the haters and jealous DB's crawl out of the woodworks and spew their vile hatred in the comments on places like Flotrack. Get a life ("Editor" and "It doesn't matter").
If there was a 24min Bizarri interview, there wouldn't be as many views or comments not because she was the best runner in the NCAA on Monday but because everyone wants to know what really happened to Jenny, from her own mouth. And not from a versus lady who comes up to her after the race and says, "Jenny, What happened?" How much more blunt and inconsiderate could one be?
So thank you Ryan for your amazing skill in interviewing, and Flotrack for getting us this exclusive interview and Jenny for being so honest and gracious.
JB - I know what the problem was. I saw that rock on your left hand on the versus interview. You need to take it off when racing. It was weighing you down!
Always Will Be A Jenny Fan November 25, 2009 at 9:36am
Just my opinion but maybe it is time to turn the comments off on this one. Nothing productive here just leaving it open for mean-spirited and unsensitive people (even biter perhaps?) to blather on. . .
Hey, 'The Editor', you wrote
"Jenny B lacks the makings of a true champ in so many ways."
I'm not sure where you have been these past 2 years but Jenny B is by very definition a 'true champion'. She is an NCAA Champion several times over, an NCAA record holder is several events and the AMERICAN RECORD HOLDER in the Steeplechase. A champion is the one who wins the championship. There is no such thing as a true champion verses a fake champion.
Pastor Steve said: “A BIG BIG thanks to Jenny B and Ryan from FT for this excellent interview. How many people are willing to reveal all their inner feelings with a national audience, some of whom are idiots: see some unnecessarily hostile comments found below. To explain a failure with honesty, grace and no excuse is something very few people ever accomplish. It takes courage. Jenny B is a true champ in so many ways. I look forward to seeing her develop into her full potential, which is pretty much unlimited.”
A BIG BIG thanks to Ryan from FT for showing us once again what Jenny B is all about. How many people are willing to continually reveal their conceit in veiled way to a national audience, some of whom are idiots: see all of the laudatory comments found below. To explain with dishonesty, tactlessness, and loads of excuses is something very few people sink to do. It takes iness. Jenny B lacks the makings of a true champ in so many ways. I look forward to more of the same from the queen of self-centered egotism.
It doesn't matter? said: “Imagine the Nike board room...there's a guy who wants to offer her the same contract today as he did last summer. He would laughed out of the room!”
Nike would be insane not to offer this budding superstar a big big contract. If they don't someone else will, it’s a competitive market out there.
A BIG BIG thanks to Jenny B and Ryan from FT for this excellent interview. How many people are willing to reveal all their inner feelings with a national audience, some of whom are idiots: see some unnecessarily hostile comments found below. To explain a failure with honesty, grace and no excuse is something very few people ever accomplish. It takes courage. Jenny B is a true champ in so many ways. I look forward to seeing her develop into her full potential, which is pretty much unlimited.
I'm not sure if Jenny or any of her supports will ever read this post, but I seriously think she should consider reading more about panic attacks and somatization/conversion disorders. Listening to this interview and seeing what happened out there really implies more psychosomatic issues, rather than something physiologically affecting her performance. Think about it.
The body varies by a few percent of performance on every race or hard run. You need to beleive you can win but also be prepared for everything especially the performances you can't control of the other competitors. Very smart tatic by Susan and it almost worked.
Good interview but she makes it seem as if she is the only college athlete under the most stress. NEWSFLASH every college athlete has stress and pressure. It all comes down to who can push it aside and perform on the big day.
It is very admirable for her to be available for this video and very nice job to the FloTrack crew for the great work.
I want to second the comments that there seems to be very little "love" for Angela Bizzari - where is the extended video of her and her coach and her team?
Finally, I would be very interested in hearing Wetmore's perspective on what happened to JB and the effect it had on the team/place.
Jenny! Still a huge fan here. I'm excited every time you toe the line. You're a class act on and off the track/course.
Why do people keep bringing up the the great runners--Angela and Susan--in an interview with Jenny B and about Jenny B? The name of the interview isn't "Jenny B on Angela Bizarri" is it? Come on now.
poopie said: “second of all, not all are pre-law.
a lot of the runners are probably not smart enough to be poised to enter law school. they probably major in a joke like business or psychology lol. maybe i'm biased because i'm a graduate student in chemistry, but man they've got some dummies over in the school of business.”
Seriously, there are some major idiots that are chem. majors as well. Get off your pedestal; you're not amazing because you're "a graduate student in chemistry." Athletics and trying to maintain a decent GPA can be a challenge for anyone. But "maybe I'm biased because" I'm a biochem. major who runs cross country.
Great interview, Ryan. Just shows you how far flotrack has come to be able to get such an interview with Barringer at this point of time.
And i'm sure she appreciates having the opportunity to explain things from her perspective.
P.s. For those that are criticising her, you guys need to cut her some slack. Yes she's an elite runner, but she's human just like us. Even i could tell that she's still shaken from what happened. I'm pretty sure something like this has never happened to her before. It's only been a day or two since that race, and we're expecting perfect answers from her? If anything, it just shows how human these elites are, especially for a college girl. Just give her some time.
I'm not a psych major, but Jenny's explanation sounds perfectly reasonable. She might race like a machine most of the time, but she's also a woman with the same pressures and stresses as everyone else - except as this interview suggests, probably on a level that most of us can't truly associate with. Not being a world-class runner, but still fully understanding the concept of the stress created by mixing running, college academics, relationships, and the rest of a full life, I can believe that 100%. And I doubt I'd come anywhere close to handling it as well as she is right now if I were in her shoes. In any case, JB is still a champ; one bad day won't keep her down for long. Stay strong, Jenny, you'll bounce right back from this!
Give It To Me Straight November 24, 2009 at 8:43pm
poopie said: “to a lot of people who say that the other athletes who performed well yesterday have the same pressures??? well you are mistaken. first of all, bizzarri's outdoor season ended at the national track and field championships. susan's ended in the early summer. jenny competed until the end of august. i can categorically state that all of the other girls in that field were relaxing doing base training and getting chased by boys.
second of all, not all are pre-law.
a lot of the runners are probably not smart enough to be poised to enter law school. they probably major in a joke like business or psychology lol. maybe i'm biased because i'm a graduate student in chemistry, but man they've got some dummies over in the school of business.”
How do you know what pressures other athletes are under? This interview revealed that Jenny is under an immense amount of stress right now, but there are MANY other collegiate athletes under similar pressures, some who are also at the very top of their sport. Angela is a biology major. She most likely works very hard. Who knows what else is going on in her life? I guarantee you she doesn't just run and eat bon bons the rest of the day.
There are other athletes who are great students, in incredibly difficult and time consuming majors, working hard to make relationships with significant others work, dealing with pressures from their community, their school, their team, etc. And many athletes have several or all of these pressures to work through. It is not an excuse. It is life! Like Dave Smith said in his interview, the NCAA XC meet is a high pressure situation, its the name of the game, its why they run the race! It's supposed to drive you nuts. The team (and the individuals) who combine great fitness, tactics and grace under fire, will emerge victorious.
Jenny has a lot on her plate, but she's been to the Olympics for God's sake! This should have been child's play! No more excuses Jenny! You are a hell of a runner and great competitor! Don't beat yourself!
We'd be honored to have you run in the Colorado Springs Briargate Turkey Trot at the YMCA....you are a class act who represents the sport of running with such class!
Tim said: “That was all class, after an embarrassing day. I was like other shocked to see her breakdown especially after last years Pre, she is fit and strong and a great champion. Pressure, stress, choke, whatever you want to call it she handled a difficult situation very well; bravo and good luck as a pro Jenny, see you in Eugene next summer.”
Jenny B has nothing to prove to anybody, she is already a great athlete. My concern now is all the people cheering for what she did in that race. That was absolutely stupid!
To break down in a race and fade is one thing but collapsing or fainting while running suggest a serious disorder (medical related). It could be a form of syncope caused by emotional stress, overheating, dehydration or it may also result from heart, neurologic, metabolic, lungs disorders, etc.
One too many runners died in several races for the finishing the race' sake! Now whenever this happens to you, don't try to force things on getting up and try to finish those few last miles. Make sure u see the medical staff instead!
one of a kind all around athlete, congratulations on an amazing collegiate career & i cannot wait to watch you as your professional career begins - keep the positive attitude & do what you do.
YouTube also has the men's race.
A couple comments on coverage:
All the people on the Flotrack chat board loved Ryan's pre-race coverage. Why no post race coverage? Why no real-time results reporting? Flotrack should do a finish line camera so that every finisher (and friends/families) can have a video record. CBS/Versus interviewed the winners and then cut to another commercial. NCAA took hours to post results, why can't Flotrack at least give us preliminary results? We love the live video from Flotrack! Keep it coming!!!!
poopie said: “second of all, not all are pre-law.
a lot of the runners are probably not smart enough to be poised to enter law school. they probably major in a joke like business or psychology lol. maybe i'm biased because i'm a graduate student in chemistry, but man they've got some dummies over in the school of business.”
Wow, you don't sound elitist at all. im not even in college and your post annoyed me
Earthling said: “It's incredibly insulting for her to say that we can't understand or relate what happened. News flash, Jenny: even us measly non-olympians have busy lives and feel the gravity of responsibilities and expectations. Sometimes average people even choke.”
this statement is very ignorant. there is nothing in this interview that indicates jenny is saying no one else is stressed in life. the reality of it is that most of us will never feel the stress from so many different angles at one moment in time. this is a young college woman who's about to turn professional and not to mention everyone in the country is expecting her to win.
Earthling said: “I'm a big fan of Jenny, but she really does not come off as personable in this interview. Instead, she attempts to separate herself from the rest of us by implying that her breakdown is not at all like what we average humans experience. It's incredibly insulting for her to say that we can't understand or relate what happened. News flash, Jenny: even us measly non-olympians have busy lives and feel the gravity of responsibilities and expectations. Sometimes average people even choke. Jenny hit 3k around 9:30 and said herself that she didn't expect anyone else to finish strongly off that pace. Unfortunately, that included both her and Kuijken. There's a reason this interview, and Jenny's thoughts on the race, center around stress and mentality and not around iron depletion, blood sugar volatility, electrolyte imbalance, or another anomaly that could explain the flop. It seems like she experienced a taste of being human and it's hard for her to swallow”
Get a job as on America's Most Talented. You sound just like a judge. You really read all of that from an interview right off the finish line? Wow. You're good.
Earthling said: “I'm a big fan of Jenny, but she really does not come off as personable in this interview. Instead, she attempts to separate herself from the rest of us by implying that her breakdown is not at all like what we average humans experience. It's incredibly insulting for her to say that we can't understand or relate what happened. News flash, Jenny: even us measly non-olympians have busy lives and feel the gravity of responsibilities and expectations. Sometimes average people even choke. Jenny hit 3k around 9:30 and said herself that she didn't expect anyone else to finish strongly off that pace. Unfortunately, that included both her and Kuijken. There's a reason this interview, and Jenny's thoughts on the race, center around stress and mentality and not around iron depletion, blood sugar volatility, electrolyte imbalance, or another anomaly that could explain the flop. It seems like she experienced a taste of being human and it's hard for her to swallow”
I disagree...completely. Like it or not, her life is different from 99% of people in the world. I think she dealt with this beautifully.
I'm a big fan of Jenny, but she really does not come off as personable in this interview. Instead, she attempts to separate herself from the rest of us by implying that her breakdown is not at all like what we average humans experience. It's incredibly insulting for her to say that we can't understand or relate what happened. News flash, Jenny: even us measly non-olympians have busy lives and feel the gravity of responsibilities and expectations. Sometimes average people even choke. Jenny hit 3k around 9:30 and said herself that she didn't expect anyone else to finish strongly off that pace. Unfortunately, that included both her and Kuijken. There's a reason this interview, and Jenny's thoughts on the race, center around stress and mentality and not around iron depletion, blood sugar volatility, electrolyte imbalance, or another anomaly that could explain the flop. It seems like she experienced a taste of being human and it's hard for her to swallow
poopie said: “to a lot of people who say that the other athletes who performed well yesterday have the same pressures??? well you are mistaken. first of all, bizzarri's outdoor season ended at the national track and field championships. susan's ended in the early summer. jenny competed until the end of august. i can categorically state that all of the other girls in that field were relaxing doing base training and getting chased by boys.
second of all, not all are pre-law.
a lot of the runners are probably not smart enough to be poised to enter law school. they probably major in a joke like business or psychology lol. maybe i'm biased because i'm a graduate student in chemistry, but man they've got some dummies over in the school of business.”
Susan also ran world championships in Berlin plus some golden league races throughout the summer, get your CATEGORICAL facts straight...
sorry but its true said: “I know Jenny is great, we love her, everyone loves her. She is the future for American distance running, but she lost. Everyone acted like the race was hers before it ever happened. She lost, Bizarri won! So instead of everyone making excuses and feeling bad for Jenny, give some praise to Bizarri!!! The girl won NCAA's and all anyone is talking about is how Jenny lost. I like Jenny, I understand she had a lot of pressure and a very long year. I am not saying that she is doing anything wrong. This is to everyone else, stop giving the girl who lost all the attention the Bizarri deserves.”
I am sorry that Bizzarri isn’t getting the credit she rightly deserves. However this was an interview about what happened to Barringer; because people want to know. Great interview Ryan
That was all class, after an embarrassing day. I was like other shocked to see her breakdown especially after last years Pre, she is fit and strong and a great champion. Pressure, stress, choke, whatever you want to call it she handled a difficult situation very well; bravo and good luck as a pro Jenny, see you in Eugene next summer.
I know Jenny is great, we love her, everyone loves her. She is the future for American distance running, but she lost. Everyone acted like the race was hers before it ever happened. She lost, Bizarri won! So instead of everyone making excuses and feeling bad for Jenny, give some praise to Bizarri!!! The girl won NCAA's and all anyone is talking about is how Jenny lost. I like Jenny, I understand she had a lot of pressure and a very long year. I am not saying that she is doing anything wrong. This is to everyone else, stop giving the girl who lost all the attention the Bizarri deserves.
to a lot of people who say that the other athletes who performed well yesterday have the same pressures??? well you are mistaken. first of all, bizzarri's outdoor season ended at the national track and field championships. susan's ended in the early summer. jenny competed until the end of august. i can categorically state that all of the other girls in that field were relaxing doing base training and getting chased by boys.
second of all, not all are pre-law.
a lot of the runners are probably not smart enough to be poised to enter law school. they probably major in a joke like business or psychology lol. maybe i'm biased because i'm a graduate student in chemistry, but man they've got some dummies over in the school of business.
Ryan From Flotrack said: “I hate to assume, but I am guessing you don't see interviews with jenny much. in most interviews she conducts she always credits other runners for their achievements in races and competition. it sounds like your watching this interview just waiting to pick out a flaw. she spent two minutes talking about all of the women in the ncaa field yesterday along with the washington women. maybe its my fault for not asking that specifically, but don't turn it into something that it is not.”
Jenny,
Great interview!!!!!
Everyone has to find out their limits some way. Even us runners need to know we aren't machines and our bodies will definitely let us know that we need to slow down.
I have loved running since I was very young and I make sure to always know going into a race how much other stresses in my life may affect my race.
I had a bad NYC Marathon this year, so 2 weeks later I ran a 1/2 marathon and I had a great race. So, just remember that there will always be another race when you are ready for it!!!!
I know you will continue to have great successes in running and in your personal life!!!
Please take care,
From a fellow Jenny
as a nation, i think we should be completely destroyed at what happened to jenny yesterday. we need to giver her our support. she is the best female middle distance runners we have got right now. she could smoke kara anywhere from 800 to just about 5k (even though kara's 5k pr is like 5 seconds fastr). this is one of our elites, and we are ragging on her? wtf people. lets rally behind this girl and give her encouragement.
Anonymous Coward said: “Ryan point taken, I'm not nitpicking, but I have to agree with the other poster. Yes Jenny has given praise to her competitors in the past but there is a huge difference here. To give praise to people after having just destroyed them keeps you looking as a modest winner. But for a 24 minute interview to not acknowledge the girls that eventually won and the other girl which ultimately ran with her and pressured her from the start really give us a better understanding of a persons character.”
Along with the other poster who Ryan responded to, you missed the entire section where she's giving props to the Washington women for helping her throughout her career. She also talks about Bedell helping her, etc. Your complaint then comes down to the fact that she didn't gush over Susan or Bizzari. That's not what this interview was for. Like Ryan has stated, watch more interviews with her and you see how/when she gushes over her competitors.
Jenny is seriously one of the most amazing people ever. She is a breath of fresh air and although yesterday was so hard to watch (she scared me!), it sounds like she turned her whole experience into something to learn from, which is the best possible thing to do. Thanks for the inspiration! Ryan, awesome interview.
Yesterdaygnight you made me shake behind the computer. The fight between you and Susan, you heading the ground and my worries (why is nobody rushing to you?) made my hb rushing.
This interview is amazing: the honesty in your story and the sharing your experiences. Thank you for that.
For me, a recreational runner, who is dreaming of a once-in-her-lifetime 4.30 minutes on 1 km or a 3.45 on a marathon, this interview is a eye-opener for just coping with doubts/ stress/ life-changes/ and so on.
Wish you all the best for the future and a great holiday.
I'm curious about your comment about getting a professional coach, only because it seems she has been outperforming the professionals this past year as it is. I thought she should have turned pro last spring, and when she didn't I said to myself that she seems to be performing at an elite level with her current coach in Bolder so why not stay on another season. I also think performing at altitude is a benefit. I am excited to see what she can do now that she can focus all her time on running under the same tutelage.
Anyway, I don't know much about the difference in professional and college so you might know something I don't, but I feel if "it aint broke, don't fix it" attituted about her situation.
I love Jenny B!!
I really admire Jenny, she is a girl that i enjoy watching race and her interviews. She is real and she tells it how it is without the sugar coating. It doesn't matter who broke her in the race. It also doesn't matter if she didn't talk about the other girls, this interview was about what happened to her, not how did the other girls race. This also must be hard to open up and tell the story how she saw it. It was also good to know that some of the field helped her out during the race.
MikeyB said: “What do you think of this question? I hope it is a fair question?
Does this break down happen in the race no matter what (inevitable) or does it happen only because Susan stays(or passing) with her causing her to get fluskered then break down?”
You'd think this girl was a psych major or something. She is SOOOOO level headed and has such a good outlook on life, and has kept this "tragedy" in check w/ reality, and hasn't blown it way outta proportion. I'm so frickin' inspired. Was inspired just watching her finish yesterday, but after hearing this interview, am doubly so. I think if I was ever in this kind of situation, I'd probably crawl under the covers and cry for a week... luckily, I'm not a world-class runner w/ the eyes of the nation on me every time I lace up my racing flats :o)
Jenny = incredibly inspirational runner, and (shock) actually a real human being!! Go figure! (I meant that in all sincerity, not trying to be sarcastic or rude in anyway)
What do you think of this question? I hope it is a fair question?
Does this break down happen in the race no matter what (inevitable) or does it happen only because Susan stays(or passing) with her causing her to get fluskered then break down?
AFTER THE FALL..GET UP !!! November 24, 2009 at 2:51pm
As a Jenny B fan, it was shocking to watch her race yesterday. That race blatantly proved that Everybody has "Bad Days", even GREAT ATHLETES like Jenny B. I know her feelings are hurt but she put on a Great Smiley Face for the public. Is Acting in her Future ? LOL...Great Champions have a way of bouncing back, and Jenny B will be back to her winning ways very soon. See you back in the winner's circle in 2010 Jenny :)
Jenny, you are an amazing athlete, woman, and competitor and nothing that happened this weekend changes any of that! We were all worried about what happened to you, so thank you for sharing about everything! Keep on rollin!
Jenny is still amazing no matter what. I can't imagine the pressure she holds on her shoulders, and it is sad that it came down and the wrong time. BUT she has still accomplished SO MUCH. and is a total inspiration to so many runners. I got to run in her heat at the Oregon relays this past season when she ran 4:08 and I was starstruck, but at the same time I realized how normal she was, just like all the rest of us student runners. She is an amazing runner and a great person.
It's sad because even on a bad day Jenny could have easily one, but mentally she was broken. All those runners out there are dealing with similar problems and pressures of school and teams and it really comes down to who is the strongest. I'm so excited for angela and kendra, they ran really smart and pushed each other to the end. I feel bad for Jenny, but I don't think she was mentally prepared for a challenge, and in a race like this that's what it's all about.
For any athlete, I would have prefered to see her drop out coz what happened could have gone really wrong. Anytime u collapse while running, don't try to force things, make sure you see the medical staff instead.
For the young runners out there, don't try this at home! Finishing for the team is admirable but when this happens just call it a day. U will have more other occasions to show us your feat and feet!
Somehow, I knew Ryan would get an interview, I was just waiting..
Jenny you are an awesome competitor and every once in awhile in anyone's life bad things happen and this just happens to be in but it does not diminish what you have accomplished..Thanks for such a great interview afterwards.
watching the video it looked like something physically happen to her. She ran a good 5K and then as Susan passed it looked like something was physically wrong. It was strange.
Jenny you are an amazing woman!!!! Thank you for your honesty. You have great perspective and are very wise. You are a great example of what an athlete should be. Thank you for being you!
Gary Wilson--Minnesota November 24, 2009 at 2:08pm
This type of young woman is the reason we all coach. What a fantastic reprentative of this great sport and all of the great men and women that bravely put themselves out there in the front of the public every day. Congrats on not only being a GREAT athlete but an even better person.
there's no doubt the pressure got to her. from her pre-race comments/interviews she basically claimed the title before the race. bad move! it seemed to me that when Kujiken was still with her after the halfway point she was broke. Jenny has ran away from everyone at the NCAA level over the past 12 months and when she wasn't able to due to so with Kujiken she mentally fell apart. she had a plan to take it out hard (which she probably thought would leave the field in the dust) and when someone came with her and stuck with her...she lost that mental edge. nice to hear her honesty.
I'm not nit picking either, Mr. Fenton. I've never had a problem with Jenny. I've cheered for her for years during her career at CU and it was extremely exciting to see what she did at Worlds in the steeple this past summer. That being said, it was very unnerving to watch her absolute self centered attitude during this interview. There were undoubtedly other runners in the field who have been overwhelmed with midterms, projects/papers, job searches, grad school applications, family/boyfriend/girlfriend issues, unrealistic expectations from a variety of external (and internal) sources, along with a slew of other outside pressures. Some people can perform under pressure and some can't. Jenny has CONSISTENTLY proved that she can perform under pressure, no question about that. But in this situation, she didn't. Many others in the field were under immense pressure to perform as well. The props here shouldn't go to Jenny for being such a "humble" competitor, but to Angela Bizzarri and those who were up to the task yesterday!
Ugh... She's going to stay with Wetmore? The man is a great coach...of COLLEGE athletes. If she truly wants to make that next jump to the elite world level (she's very good but, not a medal contenter yet) Jenny needs to get into a professional situation. She's going to have to make that trasistion at some point in her career, why not just do it now and get it over with? Move out to Portland and be done with it. All this volenteer coaching stuff too- college is over. Focus on your new career Jen. You're too good not to.
-The killer
Jenny, if you read this, don't take any of these bad comments to heart. Your accomplishments take down most on here so keep that head up. You have a bright career ahead of you and your pro career is just starting. I like your interviews, your a smart girl and hell of a runner. best of luck
I think it would be hard for good competitors like Jenny and German to lose to people that have no business even being close to them. That takes a certain amount of grace and class.
Anonymous Coward said: “Ryan point taken, I'm not nitpicking, but I have to agree with the other poster. Yes Jenny has given praise to her competitors in the past but there is a huge difference here. To give praise to people after having just destroyed them keeps you looking as a modest winner. But for a 24 minute interview to not acknowledge the girls that eventually won and the other girl which ultimately ran with her and pressured her from the start really give us a better understanding of a persons character.”
well anonymous coward, i will respectfully disagree with you. i wouldn't defend someone i didn't think was sincere and had great character. i'd like to think after all the interactions flotrack has had with her (and many of these athletes we see regularly), we'd be a pretty good judge of character.
What an intelligent woman to be able to break everything down. Stress can sneak up when you don't expect it, and that is probably what happen. She ran a great pre nationals, and she could have done it again.
Good job putting everything into perspective. We learn from all our experiences.
We support you Jenny! Thanks for opening up to the world, I know we were sad and worried for you. So glad that you are in good spirits and looking to the future. Good things to come and congrats on getting engaged!
Ryan point taken, I'm not nitpicking, but I have to agree with the other poster. Yes Jenny has given praise to her competitors in the past but there is a huge difference here. To give praise to people after having just destroyed them keeps you looking as a modest winner. But for a 24 minute interview to not acknowledge the girls that eventually won and the other girl which ultimately ran with her and pressured her from the start really give us a better understanding of a persons character.
A few observations: While Angela Bizzarri and others certainly rose to the occasion, I don't think Jenny needed to address them, nor did Ryan really give her an opening to do so (and I think it kept the interview where it belonged which was on and about Jenny). Ryan: What a fantastic interview you did! Some probing and trying to get the answers we JB fans hoped for, but always gentle, understanding and respectful. Nice job! Jenny: we Boulderites and Buff fans are no less proud of you today than any other time. Stuff happens and 99% of the time it's less important what happened as it is how you handled it. You have accepted responsibility (no blaming or petty excuses) and handled it all with great honesty and openness. Thanks for 4 great years!
Jenny fan, but... said: “It does bother me, however, that she didn't have anything to say about the great races run by Angela Bizzarri and Susan Kujiken. Susan broke her in the later stages of the race and Angela ran the perfect tactical race to pick up the pieces and power home to a victory. She is great (and she knows it, obviously) but there are other runners in the field Jenny! Angela didn't just win because you had this big mental collapse, she is incredible in her own right! A 24 minute interview and no mention of others rising to the occasion.
Also, while Jenny is under an enormous amount of pressure (that which I've never raced under), there are a good amount of runners (and other athletes) around the world who consistently perform at a high level when under similar circumstanes (pressures from ones family/community, the weight of an entire NATION on your shoulders, etc.). It certainly is tough Jenny, but you're not the only one.....”
I hate to assume, but I am guessing you don't see interviews with jenny much. in most interviews she conducts she always credits other runners for their achievements in races and competition. it sounds like your watching this interview just waiting to pick out a flaw. she spent two minutes talking about all of the women in the ncaa field yesterday along with the washington women. maybe its my fault for not asking that specifically, but don't turn it into something that it is not.
What a champ. Jenn, if I ever have a daughter, I hope she grows up to be like you. You love Jesus, you use talents God gave you (academically and athletically), you want to get married before living together, you want to finish your school before turning pro. You are so right On!!! I was hoping you would run World Cross. I would love to see you battle it out with the Africans. Anyways, all the best and God Bless!!!
It is a relief to know there was no medical reason for the meltdown. I'm sure JB has the inner strength to overcome it and will go on to shock the world.
It is also nice to know that even the superhuman amongst us can have a bad day or become overwhelmed by circumstances now and again.
There is an important lesson here for the aspiring superhumans still in high school or college....everyone has a limit-know yours.
BTW, great interview Ryan. Nice not to have to worry about the camera sometimes.
Jenny is a certainly a fantastic runner. She's risen to the occasion in dozens of races (on the highi school, collegiate and world ranks) and I'm very proud to have her represent my country in international competitions.
It does bother me, however, that she didn't have anything to say about the great races run by Angela Bizzarri and Susan Kujiken. Susan broke her in the later stages of the race and Angela ran the perfect tactical race to pick up the pieces and power home to a victory. She is great (and she knows it, obviously) but there are other runners in the field Jenny! Angela didn't just win because you had this big mental collapse, she is incredible in her own right! A 24 minute interview and no mention of others rising to the occasion.
Also, while Jenny is under an enormous amount of pressure (that which I've never raced under), there are a good amount of runners (and other athletes) around the world who consistently perform at a high level when under similar circumstanes (pressures from ones family/community, the weight of an entire NATION on your shoulders, etc.). It certainly is tough Jenny, but you're not the only one.....
wtf pre law? heck yah this girl was just overworked this semester. just think about all the stress she was feeling applying to law schools and everything. not to mention putting in x amount of miles per week. she was just living up the liberal lifestyle. bowerman would have been mad at her (would have told her she was burning her candle at both ends).
A class act. And for all those high school runners who suffered through the same experience, it can even happen to Jenny B. And she said she knows she can go the next day and runner close to her best. Remember the next time you are on the starting line.
Great interview! It really is hard to imagine what goes through your mind when something like this happens unless you experience it first hand. I know you had a teammate in high school that went through something similar at the region meet (Neilson?).
We all know your reputation of coming through in a big way when when the stakes are high. Wishing you many successful years in the future from your hometown!
I remember playing the soccer as a youngster and we went to penalty kicks. I should have easily scored with my kick but for some reason I kicked the ground more than the ball and the ball slowly rolled to the keeper. It happens to everybody. Then I played in college NCAA so it wasn't a game breaker.
After listening to her talk about what happened, it really sounds like she was having an anxiety attack. As someone who has been there, the actual attacks can be very debilitating. I've even said that they feel like your whole body/system just shuts down.
Thanks for taking the time to tell your story. Looking forward to seeing more of you on the track!
I'm sure Jenny Barringer isn't reading the comments section here, but on the off-chance any of these get back to her, I want to praise her for her maturity, poise, and honesty. It's tough to end an NCAA career on a "sour note," but some of us have memories longer than a week, and remember how impressive Jenny has been over her entire career. I hope the rest of her career goes as well as it has so far, and that the bad days are few and far in between. It's easy to bash anonymously on the internet; I'd rather support a talented distance runner than sneeringly attack an athlete after having a bad day.
This video needs to be saved for so many young runners coming up. I applaud her for being candid and truthful about it.
It was painful watching the race. As a former collegiate runner, I have been in that same mental state. ( I was never as good as her though). Let’s walk it through
Graduating college (Papers due, reading for classes, finals coming up)
Getting engaged
Planning a wedding
LSATs (?)
Law school applications
Picking an agent
Negotiating with Sponsors
Training
Everyone telling you “you have to win NCAAs”
For parents, how many kids have we seen get over-booked and over-stressed and have a “breakdown moment” at the end of high school or college. I have seen it multiple times and will again. Jenny just had hers in the middle of a televised race.
To be a premier distance athlete, the self-control and self-discipline come with the territory. We often do not know our limits until we push them. Jenny now knows hers.
The good news- it is over and she learned a lesson within 24 hours. It is good to know where your limits are. Many people never push hard enough to test them.
I have no doubt she will shrug it off, buck up, find a balance and be stronger than ever.
I wish more great runners would put their egos aside and use these experiences to teach others about racing. I think this is the amazing part about Flotrack, it really gets to the heart of runners (through interviews) which no other website does. Ryan is great at this. I could watch and learn like this all day everyday.
So very cool to see Jenny open up to us! thank you Jenny!! It is interviews like this that will help the next athlete go faster and farther not only with the feet but with the mind. It is not all about the win!
No bad race can take away what you have accomplished at Colorado and for women's distance running in the ncaa. Sally lost her last college race to Bowman and that couldnt diminsh her accomplishments. You are a champion and great ambassador for our sport. Congrats on an outstanding college career...one of, if not the, the best ever.
Jenny Barringer after NCAA Cross Country Championships
Jenny B talks to us about her experience at yesterday's NCAA Cross Country Championship. Jenny Barringer collapsed after the 3k mark and ended up finishing 163rd in the race. To many of us out there, it was very hard to watch the best woman ever to come through the NCAA go down and fade back into the masses. There was a buildup of many pressures and emotions that all seem to hit mid-way through the race and we witnessed the result. Jenny is doing well though and has a great outlook on the future.
This interview is lengthy at 24 minutes, but Jenny talks about the week leading up to the race, the race itself, her coach, turning professional/signing with an agent, and the support she received during the race from the women in the field. Thanks for sharing with the community Jenny, everyone appreciates how open you are in good times and bad!
(We did this online as I am in Maine and Jenny was in Indy, so sorry the quality isn't top-notch and that the phone went off in the background!) November 24, 2009
Jenny Barringer after NCAA Cross Country Championships
Jenny B is incredible, give her credit for all she has accomplished.
Again, if you knew Jenny, you would sulk off with your tail between your ignorant legs for your "self-absorbed" comment.
The real Anonymous Coward does know. You are a flimsy imposter wann-be.
I really hope you were kidding and weren't knocking the school.
Jenny has performed time and again at the highest level (winning ncaa titles, the olympics, and world championships) so we all know that she is capable of running great races. I don't think that there was any doubt that she would continue running even after a bad race like monday's.
Good luck Jenny with the rest of your career! We know you'll be back for some mean steeple times this spring.
Half of coaching is recruiting.
I've noticed CU is a team in every respect. A couple of public glimpses are how everyone went to hug her after she made it back to the team in the corral. Or in her first flotrack interview after prenats, she was giving her usual professionally toned answers, that is until she was asked about Allie McLaughlin. She lit up like a Christmas tree, slipped out of pro mode, and gushed about her. Made McLaughlin sound kinda silly at the next race for wondering if Barringer would be happy about her finishing 2nd. :-)
The coaches at CU put this silly race on a pedestal...not her! She has competed at the olympics...(yes, this race is silly for her)! She stayed at CU just to win this because the coaches wanted her too...It will be a good thing for her to get away from them if she chooses!"
You have no idea what you are talking about. I am a cu runner, and the coaches are legendary for a reason- they are committed, caring, and they help all of us achieve our potential. Jenny is amazing and is an incredible teammate. To those of you who are said "she let her team down", you are way off base. We are so proud of her. Believe it our not, the very first thing she said as she crossed the line was, "I kicked down a Washington woman". Even in her lowest moment, she was thinking of the team, trying to beat our competitors. She did the best she could on the day, and we are so proud of her. Thanks Jenny for all that you brought the team this season---we love you! One last note, for those of you who are Wetmore critics, Mark Wetmore is an outstanding coach who has brought the men and women to new levels. Mark and Heather always have their runner's well being as the number one priority.
WE LOVE YOU, JEN! GO BUFFS
I recall something Tom O'Hara, America's top miler, said to me many years after the 1964 Summer Olympics in Tokyo. This was the Olympics which gave us Gold medals from Billy Mills in the 10K and Bob Schul in the 5K. Unheard of, before or since. Tommy was the indoor mile record holder and was was a heavy favorite to medal high in the 1500. Two days before the finals, following a light interval workout, the New Zealand coach, Arthur Lydiard, walked over to him. AL said something about Peter Snell, his runner, doing 8x220 in 25 seconds with a minute rest, earlier that morning. This may or may not have been true. And then he stared right into Tommy's eyes for about 30 seconds. Tommy told me "He looked into my soul. I felt totally unhinged". Tommy was one of those fearless Irish kids from the streets of Chicago. For something like a few words and a stare to rattle him is quite stunning. And he remembered this vividly 25 years after the fact. So, would love for Jenny and her coaches to take this one step further and link up with some Sports Psychologists in Boulder or at the Olympic Training center in Colorado Springs, CO. I don't think this will ever happen to Jenny again. Thats why this is such a unique opportunity.
I really enjoyed watching this interview..This interview done here, the next day, really sets a good example for people like me who run and look up to her. She has a good attitude (however of course she's angry) about the whole thing and is moving on. She has a lot to come ahead of her. It really teaches us that everyone has bad races and no one, not even the best of the best, is a machine(like she was saying). It is amazing to me how she has balanced all the different things in her life. She is right, it is very hard for people, even other runners, to understand exactly everything that she has been dealing with. So no one should be giving Jenny Berringer a hard time whatsoever. The race also showed what a great teammate she is to finish out the race for her team.
I can't wait to hear about other races Jenny B does in her proffessional career. She has accomplished an unbelievable amount at CU with phenominal coaching. We all love you jenny b and goodluck with everything in your future!
“The coaches at CU put this silly race on a pedestal...not her! She has competed at the olympics...(yes, this race is silly for her)! She stayed at CU just to win this because the coaches wanted her too...It will be a good thing for her to get away from them if she chooses!”
You are awesome Jenny. Good luck going pro.
So thank you Ryan for your amazing skill in interviewing, and Flotrack for getting us this exclusive interview and Jenny for being so honest and gracious.
(! am not a hater.)
http://www.flotrack.org/videos/speaker/1069-nate-jenkins/199512-nate-jenkins-marathon-2009-iaaf-world-championships
"Jenny B lacks the makings of a true champ in so many ways."
I'm not sure where you have been these past 2 years but Jenny B is by very definition a 'true champion'. She is an NCAA Champion several times over, an NCAA record holder is several events and the AMERICAN RECORD HOLDER in the Steeplechase. A champion is the one who wins the championship. There is no such thing as a true champion verses a fake champion.
“A BIG BIG thanks to Jenny B and Ryan from FT for this excellent interview. How many people are willing to reveal all their inner feelings with a national audience, some of whom are idiots: see some unnecessarily hostile comments found below. To explain a failure with honesty, grace and no excuse is something very few people ever accomplish. It takes courage. Jenny B is a true champ in so many ways. I look forward to seeing her develop into her full potential, which is pretty much unlimited.”
“Imagine the Nike board room...there's a guy who wants to offer her the same contract today as he did last summer. He would laughed out of the room!”
AND GREAT INTERVIEW!
I've had one or 2 experiences similar to this (the scenario in the article not Jenny's race) specifically the Bolder Boulder.
I want to second the comments that there seems to be very little "love" for Angela Bizzari - where is the extended video of her and her coach and her team?
Finally, I would be very interested in hearing Wetmore's perspective on what happened to JB and the effect it had on the team/place.
My favorite US female distance runner!
Why do people keep bringing up the the great runners--Angela and Susan--in an interview with Jenny B and about Jenny B? The name of the interview isn't "Jenny B on Angela Bizarri" is it? Come on now.
“second of all, not all are pre-law.
a lot of the runners are probably not smart enough to be poised to enter law school. they probably major in a joke like business or psychology lol. maybe i'm biased because i'm a graduate student in chemistry, but man they've got some dummies over in the school of business.”
And i'm sure she appreciates having the opportunity to explain things from her perspective.
P.s. For those that are criticising her, you guys need to cut her some slack. Yes she's an elite runner, but she's human just like us. Even i could tell that she's still shaken from what happened. I'm pretty sure something like this has never happened to her before. It's only been a day or two since that race, and we're expecting perfect answers from her? If anything, it just shows how human these elites are, especially for a college girl. Just give her some time.
“to a lot of people who say that the other athletes who performed well yesterday have the same pressures??? well you are mistaken. first of all, bizzarri's outdoor season ended at the national track and field championships. susan's ended in the early summer. jenny competed until the end of august. i can categorically state that all of the other girls in that field were relaxing doing base training and getting chased by boys.
second of all, not all are pre-law.
a lot of the runners are probably not smart enough to be poised to enter law school. they probably major in a joke like business or psychology lol. maybe i'm biased because i'm a graduate student in chemistry, but man they've got some dummies over in the school of business.”
There are other athletes who are great students, in incredibly difficult and time consuming majors, working hard to make relationships with significant others work, dealing with pressures from their community, their school, their team, etc. And many athletes have several or all of these pressures to work through. It is not an excuse. It is life! Like Dave Smith said in his interview, the NCAA XC meet is a high pressure situation, its the name of the game, its why they run the race! It's supposed to drive you nuts. The team (and the individuals) who combine great fitness, tactics and grace under fire, will emerge victorious.
Jenny has a lot on her plate, but she's been to the Olympics for God's sake! This should have been child's play! No more excuses Jenny! You are a hell of a runner and great competitor! Don't beat yourself!
you guys need to man up and get a TWENTY FIVE minute interview with ANGELA BIZZARRI
“That was all class, after an embarrassing day. I was like other shocked to see her breakdown especially after last years Pre, she is fit and strong and a great champion. Pressure, stress, choke, whatever you want to call it she handled a difficult situation very well; bravo and good luck as a pro Jenny, see you in Eugene next summer.”
To break down in a race and fade is one thing but collapsing or fainting while running suggest a serious disorder (medical related). It could be a form of syncope caused by emotional stress, overheating, dehydration or it may also result from heart, neurologic, metabolic, lungs disorders, etc.
One too many runners died in several races for the finishing the race' sake! Now whenever this happens to you, don't try to force things on getting up and try to finish those few last miles. Make sure u see the medical staff instead!
“anyone know where there is tape of her race? The NCAA has taken it down...
”
Women's Part 1: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tR6v41VAoEc
Women's Part 2: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N7PGMHhdC0A
YouTube also has the men's race.
A couple comments on coverage:
All the people on the Flotrack chat board loved Ryan's pre-race coverage. Why no post race coverage? Why no real-time results reporting? Flotrack should do a finish line camera so that every finisher (and friends/families) can have a video record. CBS/Versus interviewed the winners and then cut to another commercial. NCAA took hours to post results, why can't Flotrack at least give us preliminary results? We love the live video from Flotrack! Keep it coming!!!!
“second of all, not all are pre-law.
a lot of the runners are probably not smart enough to be poised to enter law school. they probably major in a joke like business or psychology lol. maybe i'm biased because i'm a graduate student in chemistry, but man they've got some dummies over in the school of business.”
“It's incredibly insulting for her to say that we can't understand or relate what happened. News flash, Jenny: even us measly non-olympians have busy lives and feel the gravity of responsibilities and expectations. Sometimes average people even choke.”
“I'm a big fan of Jenny, but she really does not come off as personable in this interview. Instead, she attempts to separate herself from the rest of us by implying that her breakdown is not at all like what we average humans experience. It's incredibly insulting for her to say that we can't understand or relate what happened. News flash, Jenny: even us measly non-olympians have busy lives and feel the gravity of responsibilities and expectations. Sometimes average people even choke. Jenny hit 3k around 9:30 and said herself that she didn't expect anyone else to finish strongly off that pace. Unfortunately, that included both her and Kuijken. There's a reason this interview, and Jenny's thoughts on the race, center around stress and mentality and not around iron depletion, blood sugar volatility, electrolyte imbalance, or another anomaly that could explain the flop. It seems like she experienced a taste of being human and it's hard for her to swallow”
“I'm a big fan of Jenny, but she really does not come off as personable in this interview. Instead, she attempts to separate herself from the rest of us by implying that her breakdown is not at all like what we average humans experience. It's incredibly insulting for her to say that we can't understand or relate what happened. News flash, Jenny: even us measly non-olympians have busy lives and feel the gravity of responsibilities and expectations. Sometimes average people even choke. Jenny hit 3k around 9:30 and said herself that she didn't expect anyone else to finish strongly off that pace. Unfortunately, that included both her and Kuijken. There's a reason this interview, and Jenny's thoughts on the race, center around stress and mentality and not around iron depletion, blood sugar volatility, electrolyte imbalance, or another anomaly that could explain the flop. It seems like she experienced a taste of being human and it's hard for her to swallow”
“my goodness...i'd be scared out of my mind if I looked over and saw Jenny B toeing the line next to me in a Turkey Trot...”
“to a lot of people who say that the other athletes who performed well yesterday have the same pressures??? well you are mistaken. first of all, bizzarri's outdoor season ended at the national track and field championships. susan's ended in the early summer. jenny competed until the end of august. i can categorically state that all of the other girls in that field were relaxing doing base training and getting chased by boys.
second of all, not all are pre-law.
a lot of the runners are probably not smart enough to be poised to enter law school. they probably major in a joke like business or psychology lol. maybe i'm biased because i'm a graduate student in chemistry, but man they've got some dummies over in the school of business.”
“I know Jenny is great, we love her, everyone loves her. She is the future for American distance running, but she lost. Everyone acted like the race was hers before it ever happened. She lost, Bizarri won! So instead of everyone making excuses and feeling bad for Jenny, give some praise to Bizarri!!! The girl won NCAA's and all anyone is talking about is how Jenny lost. I like Jenny, I understand she had a lot of pressure and a very long year. I am not saying that she is doing anything wrong. This is to everyone else, stop giving the girl who lost all the attention the Bizarri deserves.”
second of all, not all are pre-law.
a lot of the runners are probably not smart enough to be poised to enter law school. they probably major in a joke like business or psychology lol. maybe i'm biased because i'm a graduate student in chemistry, but man they've got some dummies over in the school of business.
“I hate to assume, but I am guessing you don't see interviews with jenny much. in most interviews she conducts she always credits other runners for their achievements in races and competition. it sounds like your watching this interview just waiting to pick out a flaw. she spent two minutes talking about all of the women in the ncaa field yesterday along with the washington women. maybe its my fault for not asking that specifically, but don't turn it into something that it is not.”
Great interview!!!!!
Everyone has to find out their limits some way. Even us runners need to know we aren't machines and our bodies will definitely let us know that we need to slow down.
I have loved running since I was very young and I make sure to always know going into a race how much other stresses in my life may affect my race.
I had a bad NYC Marathon this year, so 2 weeks later I ran a 1/2 marathon and I had a great race. So, just remember that there will always be another race when you are ready for it!!!!
I know you will continue to have great successes in running and in your personal life!!!
Please take care,
From a fellow Jenny
“Ryan point taken, I'm not nitpicking, but I have to agree with the other poster. Yes Jenny has given praise to her competitors in the past but there is a huge difference here. To give praise to people after having just destroyed them keeps you looking as a modest winner. But for a 24 minute interview to not acknowledge the girls that eventually won and the other girl which ultimately ran with her and pressured her from the start really give us a better understanding of a persons character.”
This interview is amazing: the honesty in your story and the sharing your experiences. Thank you for that.
For me, a recreational runner, who is dreaming of a once-in-her-lifetime 4.30 minutes on 1 km or a 3.45 on a marathon, this interview is a eye-opener for just coping with doubts/ stress/ life-changes/ and so on.
Wish you all the best for the future and a great holiday.
Anyway, I don't know much about the difference in professional and college so you might know something I don't, but I feel if "it aint broke, don't fix it" attituted about her situation.
I love Jenny B!!
“What do you think of this question? I hope it is a fair question?
Does this break down happen in the race no matter what (inevitable) or does it happen only because Susan stays(or passing) with her causing her to get fluskered then break down?”
Jenny = incredibly inspirational runner, and (shock) actually a real human being!! Go figure! (I meant that in all sincerity, not trying to be sarcastic or rude in anyway)
Does this break down happen in the race no matter what (inevitable) or does it happen only because Susan stays(or passing) with her causing her to get fluskered then break down?
This is a terrific testament to the craziness of the NCAA National XC Championships - November Neurosis.
For the young runners out there, don't try this at home! Finishing for the team is admirable but when this happens just call it a day. U will have more other occasions to show us your feat and feet!
Jenny you are an awesome competitor and every once in awhile in anyone's life bad things happen and this just happens to be in but it does not diminish what you have accomplished..Thanks for such a great interview afterwards.
The worst part is....Unfortunately......some will never let this go.
-The killer
“Ryan point taken, I'm not nitpicking, but I have to agree with the other poster. Yes Jenny has given praise to her competitors in the past but there is a huge difference here. To give praise to people after having just destroyed them keeps you looking as a modest winner. But for a 24 minute interview to not acknowledge the girls that eventually won and the other girl which ultimately ran with her and pressured her from the start really give us a better understanding of a persons character.”
Good job putting everything into perspective. We learn from all our experiences.
UNT cross country
“It does bother me, however, that she didn't have anything to say about the great races run by Angela Bizzarri and Susan Kujiken. Susan broke her in the later stages of the race and Angela ran the perfect tactical race to pick up the pieces and power home to a victory. She is great (and she knows it, obviously) but there are other runners in the field Jenny! Angela didn't just win because you had this big mental collapse, she is incredible in her own right! A 24 minute interview and no mention of others rising to the occasion.
Also, while Jenny is under an enormous amount of pressure (that which I've never raced under), there are a good amount of runners (and other athletes) around the world who consistently perform at a high level when under similar circumstanes (pressures from ones family/community, the weight of an entire NATION on your shoulders, etc.). It certainly is tough Jenny, but you're not the only one.....”
It is also nice to know that even the superhuman amongst us can have a bad day or become overwhelmed by circumstances now and again.
There is an important lesson here for the aspiring superhumans still in high school or college....everyone has a limit-know yours.
BTW, great interview Ryan. Nice not to have to worry about the camera sometimes.
It does bother me, however, that she didn't have anything to say about the great races run by Angela Bizzarri and Susan Kujiken. Susan broke her in the later stages of the race and Angela ran the perfect tactical race to pick up the pieces and power home to a victory. She is great (and she knows it, obviously) but there are other runners in the field Jenny! Angela didn't just win because you had this big mental collapse, she is incredible in her own right! A 24 minute interview and no mention of others rising to the occasion.
Also, while Jenny is under an enormous amount of pressure (that which I've never raced under), there are a good amount of runners (and other athletes) around the world who consistently perform at a high level when under similar circumstanes (pressures from ones family/community, the weight of an entire NATION on your shoulders, etc.). It certainly is tough Jenny, but you're not the only one.....
We all know your reputation of coming through in a big way when when the stakes are high. Wishing you many successful years in the future from your hometown!
http://running.competitor.com/2009/11/features/why-jenny-failed_6973
Thanks for taking the time to tell your story. Looking forward to seeing more of you on the track!
-Craig MacPherson, BU '12
It was painful watching the race. As a former collegiate runner, I have been in that same mental state. ( I was never as good as her though). Let’s walk it through
Graduating college (Papers due, reading for classes, finals coming up)
Getting engaged
Planning a wedding
LSATs (?)
Law school applications
Picking an agent
Negotiating with Sponsors
Training
Everyone telling you “you have to win NCAAs”
For parents, how many kids have we seen get over-booked and over-stressed and have a “breakdown moment” at the end of high school or college. I have seen it multiple times and will again. Jenny just had hers in the middle of a televised race.
To be a premier distance athlete, the self-control and self-discipline come with the territory. We often do not know our limits until we push them. Jenny now knows hers.
The good news- it is over and she learned a lesson within 24 hours. It is good to know where your limits are. Many people never push hard enough to test them.
I have no doubt she will shrug it off, buck up, find a balance and be stronger than ever.