Gracie & Annie Kunz on the Olympic Heptathlon, Injuries, & Life After Sport

In today’s episode, I sit down with Olympic heptathlete and division 1 soccer player, Annie Kunz, to chat all things athletics. From juggling two sports at the collegiate level,  dealing with a career-ending injury, finding the silver lining in a devastating loss, and now managing life after retirement, Annie shares her most vulnerable moments of her career. This episode will leave you smiling, inspired, and if you’re anything like me, in tears… so grab those tissues, take a seat, or maybe even throw on some headphones and knock out a Walk O’Clock while you listen. 

Hope you enjoy Episode 2 of Athletes After Hours... SEE YOU NEXT WEDNESDAY !!!

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Transcript

SPEAKER_01 0:00

Yeah. And so that to me is like I would rupture my planner fascia a hundred times over.

SPEAKER_00 0:07

She placed sixth at the Tokyo Olympics in 2020. She currently holds the fifth best scorer US all-time in Heptahlon. Not only did she compete in two sports at Texas AM, she also became an all-American in both. Annie Coons, welcome to Athletes After Hours. I'm so excited to chat with you. We are so back, babe. We're so back. Oh my God. I'm so happy you're here. Thank you for coming. I have been such a fan of yours. I was actually gonna tell you, I haven't, I don't think I ever told you how I found you. No, like how we ended up connecting, but um, I was literally just scrolling on my like my reels or whatever, and this video pops up and it's like a video of you playing soccer or like running um the beep test or something. And it literally said like missed every beep test or failed every beep test, but still somehow became an Olympic track athlete. And I immediately, I was like, babe, I'm sad. Like, what? And I was just like, I need to know this girl immediately. She seems so rad. And then I like ended up following you, and then you posted stuff about like your workouts and stuff, and I'm like, I think she works out at my old gym. No, you're like, out at lifetime. Oh my god, wait, that's so funny. And I'm like, is she in is she in my home gym? Is she Saint Lemeny girl? Yes. I'm like, is she a fellow Saint Lemeny girl? I love it. And immediately I'm like, oh, she's my girl. So I like ended up, I think I reached out to her, you followed me back or something, and we connected. And then immediately when we've when we shot our first sports fab, it was like instant connection. Oh my god, instant. Yeah, it's so much fun.

SPEAKER_01 1:46

And then your brother knows my husband. It's just like so. Everything keeps connecting. It's so weird.

SPEAKER_00 1:50

I forgot about that too. Like my older brother is friends with her husband now, and it's just like you're gonna so funny. I'm like, husband, I know you're happy. We'll get to that later. I'm so excited to talk about that. Um, but I wanted to start with just you explaining to our audience what the heptathlon is. Because if you haven't watched our sports swap, you should go watch it. It's very good. It's highly entertaining. I only did like what, six or five.

SPEAKER_01 2:17

We did five.

SPEAKER_00 2:18

Yeah, I think we did five. We did really good though.

SPEAKER_01 2:20

Thank you. Like, so good. Go check it out because it was amazing.

SPEAKER_00 2:23

I was so freaking sore the next day. Oh my god.

SPEAKER_01 2:26

I was too after gymnastics, honestly.

SPEAKER_00 2:28

But yeah, so for people that don't know the heptathlon, can you explain quickly what it is? Yeah. Just for people that don't know.

SPEAKER_01 2:34

Yeah, so the heptathlon is basically the women's version of the decathlon. Usually people recognize the decathlon more. That's what the guys do. It's 10 events over two days, and we do seven. Um, so it's the 100 meter hurdles, high jump shot put 200, and then long jump javelin, and the 800 are on day two. And it's basically on a point system. So however far you jump or throw or how fast you run, you get like a certain amount of points down to like the millisecond centimeter. Wow. Um, and they add it up on a point system at the end, and that's how they score first, second, third.

SPEAKER_00 3:02

Um, we can come down to like literally milliseconds. Oh, yeah.

SPEAKER_01 3:07

Yeah, yeah. One centimeter could be the difference, like one point where the difference between first and second. So it's fun, it's really cool. Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 3:14

I remember I was talking about that actually on hurdles, how like you literally put me next to you, and it was just like, this is the difference between gold and silver. Yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_01 3:22

The intensity is crazy.

SPEAKER_00 3:23

That's so insane. I mean, gymnastics can get close for sure, but it's so much more rare to have that level of like intricacy. Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 3:30

Well, there's no one else out there while you guys are competing. You're like, everyone's just lined up next to each other.

SPEAKER_00 3:35

Yeah, no, I'm not on the beam and I'm like looking at someone else on the beam like I gotta go faster than them. Like, hello? That would be so scary. Um, well, I want to kind of start from the beginning. Okay. I know you have a very fun athletic family. You come from a very athletic background. Um, how did you get into sports to begin with?

SPEAKER_01 3:52

Oh gosh. Um, well, I'm the youngest of three. So my brother is eight and a half years older, my sister's 10 years older than I am. Um, we're all whoops babies. But I was a big whoops. Um, came a lot later. So I was always kind of getting dragged to their like soccer and track and football and all that. So my mom put me in track. I've obviously I'm obviously tall. I'm six feet. I'm sitting down, but I'm six feet tall. And I was tall from age. My mom put me in the 50-yarn dash at like two and a half, I think. Wow. Um, you can do yeah, the fur, I think it was like the first thing you can put kids in is like the little nuggets running around.

SPEAKER_00 4:24

It's the cutest thing ever.

SPEAKER_01 4:25

So I was like two and a half, my mom put threw me in um that, and so that's when I started track. So I I mean I basically came out of the womb running, and then I started soccer at three. So I basically, you know, did both of them all the way through college. Um, but yeah, my mom just threw me in at a really young age and it's been ghost ever since.

SPEAKER_00 4:43

Wow, that is so rad. Yeah. At what point were you kind of I guess leaning towards more soccer and track? Did you try all the all the other sports or were you simply just like soccer and track?

SPEAKER_01 4:56

Oh yeah, no, I tried everything. I kind of look back at like my parents and you know, I I'm really grateful that they put me in like everything and always like let me choose. They never pigeonholed me into something that like was their dream or what they thought I should be doing. Um, so I did everything. I did tennis, I did um T-ball, I did volleyball. I I really did it all. Um, soccer and track were just the ones that, you know, I definitely um had more talent and they saw, you know, I I loved it too. I loved soccer, it was my first love. Um, it's a team sport, so that was kind of my focus my whole life. I was always a soccer girl that ran track. Um, and in Colorado, soccer and track are in the same season. So I would basically just train for soccer because I'm not it's a team sport, so I'm like, I'm gonna be with the girls. I'm not gonna let them, you know, just show up. Um, so I trained for soccer, and my sister was actually my track coach for through high school, which is super cool. Yeah, because we're 10 years apart.

SPEAKER_00 5:47

Oh, fair, yeah.

SPEAKER_01 5:48

So she was amazing because um, you know, I would just kind of show up to track practice when I could, but she like I could probably count on two hands the amount of track practice I actually had. Um, but I I would work with my sister, you know, kind of in the off hours if I had an hour here. Um, oh that's cool.

SPEAKER_00 6:03

So you got to kind of have special treatment a little bit, yeah.

SPEAKER_01 6:07

I just I didn't have a lot of time. I basically just showed up to track meets in high school um for the most part. She's a freak. Yeah, and then you know, college was really the first time in my life that I started training for track and field, and still it was half the time because I was a soccer scholarship. Um, I was a full ride for soccer, so I was definitely a walk-on for track. Um, so yeah, even then it was like half the year doing bill sports in college.

SPEAKER_00 6:29

Well, yeah, and like I feel like when you are getting paid to play soccer, it's tar it's hard to not make that your priority. Yeah. Don't feel like you have a really strong obligation to the program. Absolutely.

SPEAKER_01 6:39

That they're they're they're paying for me to be there. But that was why I landed at AM. And what I think was so special about you know my choice going there was they were the only school that really went out of their way to show me what it would look like for me to do both sports there. I had a lot of other schools that at the time were like, yeah, we'll let you do both, but then like there was no conversations of like what the logistics would look like. And they weren't actually serious about it. Yeah, they didn't introduce me, like we didn't all sit down together with like the track coach and the soccer coaches. And when I went to AM, they we sat there with both coaches. They walked me through what a week would look like. Okay, on Mondays, you're gonna go throw at track in the while you're in season with soccer. And then so I I just really felt like they actually meant what they were promising to me. So I'm really grateful for that I had the ability to do both, and it was a good experience.

SPEAKER_00 7:24

That's so cool. I feel like, yeah, the action behind the words is so key. Totally, especially when you're getting recruited, because I feel like they can say so much stuff, and then yeah, you show up on campus and you're like, Well, where's all the bells and whistles?

SPEAKER_01 7:35

And I don't know if you guys were full of it. Absolutely. That's the hard thing with the recruiting process, is like you wanna you wanna trust what people are telling you. But um, and I think that I don't know that they really thought I would stick with it all four years. I think they thought I'd maybe like try it once, one year, and then taper off. But I was committed and did it, did it all four years. So oh, she's a savage. I love it.

SPEAKER_00 7:56

Was there ever at a point where you got so good at track that you thought maybe you'd get a scholarship for track as well?

SPEAKER_01 8:01

Um, I mean, I could have. I just um soccer recruits soon sooner. So I mean a lot of the scholarships for track are decided in your like a senior year, which is super late. Soccer is like you're you're committed in sophomore, yeah. Freshman sophomore year, you're like pretty much decided. Um so it was really just going to the schools that were interested in me for soccer and then also talking to the track coaches and seeing if they had interest in me. Yeah, and then figuring out what worked. That's so cool. Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 8:28

Did I ever tell you I got like low-key recruited by the track coach? Did you?

SPEAKER_01 8:32

Well, that makes sense now with our fourth swap.

SPEAKER_00 8:35

Like, I'm like, was it hurling? Because you picked that up so quickly. Um, I don't remember like what it was specifically that we were doing. We were doing like some sort of conditioning, like um kind of like a rebounding um thing in the gym. Bounds. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Where literally you just drop off a block and then you bound off the ground. And I just have really tight like ankles and I have hops, I guess. Just but the rebounding specifically, not the jumping with my legs, but with my like Achilles and my feet. Yeah, yeah, yeah. And the guy's like, we gotta get her on the track. Like, yeah, like she's getting high. Wait, I love that. Yeah, and so they were like, Would you ever? And I I honestly thought they were kidding. But then when I like met other people who did multi-sport, I'm like, You would have been a really good pole vaulter. I would have loved it. I have tried pole vaulting, I want to try it again. Now that I've gotten more experience in other sports, I think it'd be a really fun sport to try because that was my first like ever real sport swap. Oh, really? Trying pole vaulting. Oh my god, oh my god, let me just really throw myself into it. But it resonated so much with people because they were like, this is so relatable. Like I've never seen Gracie like struggle. Yeah, yeah, yeah. You know, because I'm always doing my sport that I love that I'm like pretty decent at. Yeah, the concept is awesome. Yes, and so that's kind of how we got into it. But um I guess my biggest question, especially for all my at like my Olympic athletes, is when in your career did you know the Olympic dream was actually possible?

SPEAKER_01 9:58

Ooh, that's a hard question. I mean, I there was an interview of me in call in high school, and I got interviewed, and they're like, Well, you know, it was always a dream of mine. It was always a fever dream and felt like I'm like, okay, but from like from my crib, like I mean since you were little. I remember going to the Olympic trials then they were in Sacramento. I think I was like 12, like probably like 12 years old, somewhere around there. I can't remember the year. Um and it was so funny because it was Sacramento, it was a summer, so it was like 120 or something that day. And my cousins were with me, and my mom, you know, rem tells me every like vividly she remembers that like my cousins were just over it after an hour. They were like, Okay, I'm hot, I want to go, like ready to just like complaining. And she's like, You didn't say a word. Like you just sat there enamored and like just soaked it in, locked in. And so I and I remember just you know, around that time too, just watching Olympics every every four years was just so amazing. And so um, I think it was always a huge dream of mine. There's an interview when I'm in high school, and they asked me, like, you know, what sport do you want to be an Olympian in? I'm like, both. So it's always been there as a dream. I think the reality of it um didn't probably hit me until I was like 27. Wow. Yeah, like I really struggled my first two years as a professional. Um, and even, you know, I've just been a late bloomer to the sport. I was a soccer girl that played track. Um, things in track and field really didn't take off for me until my fifth year. Up until that point, I was always the second best hept athlete. My training partner is better than me every year.

SPEAKER_00 11:27

Um which is a really good position to have when you think about it in the game scheme of things. Yeah. Because you're always getting better. Yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_01 11:34

I always really, yeah, she pushed me. And it was just hard because you know, with doing both sports, which I wouldn't change a thing, but you don't get those foundational parts of the year. So with track, I'm missing the fall, which is when you get all the technical training for the heptathlon.

SPEAKER_00 11:47

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 11:48

I'm jumping straight into indoor season in December, like as soon as soccer season ended. So I really missed the foundational parts of you know, track. And then in the spring, I missed spring season where you're building your conditioning, you're getting the rapport with the girls. So it's always kind of playing catch up a bit too. I don't come back to soccer season. Um, having to like prove myself and earn my spot again. Um, so with that, like I, you know, track just really didn't take off of me until my fifth year when I redshirted and did solely focused on track. My soccer coaches sat me down um after junior season, and they were like, you know, at the my class also from AM is like one of the top classes that they've ever had. We had like 10 girls for soccer? No way, yeah. We had 10 girls. I think three or four of us were Gatorade Player of the Year. Um my gosh. Yeah, so you were Gatorade Player of the Year. Yeah, twice um for soccer. Why is that not on my accolades card? I see, I told you, I was like, I don't need to know my accolades.

SPEAKER_00 12:42

Girl, yeah, she's too humble.

SPEAKER_01 12:45

Yeah, so that's incredible. Yeah, so we had a really talented class and they sat us down. They were like, you know, we have the potential to go to Final Four. At the time, AM had never gone. Wow. Um, so they sat me down, they're like, we really want you to just like get the foundation of the spring, like lift with the team, you know, train for some fully ready to go. Yeah. And then uh and then and then transition to track. And so I I needed a fifth year for school anyway, because just being in season every year, I could only take like the minimum amount of credits and um which I suggest everyone do a victory lab because like why wouldn't you? Yeah, why would you not enjoy your college, you know? So um, so yeah, I did a fifth year. Um we went to final, we went to final four that year. Let's go. Um, for the first time in school history for AM. It was just like an amazing, we we didn't, you know, we we didn't make it to the final, but we went to final four. Um, and then I transitioned to track for the first time in my life. And that was really like truly the first time I put all of my energy and focus into track and field. And that's the year that I qualified for the Olympic trials, which and it was for the Rio 2016 Olympic trials, which I didn't expect to do at all. Um, I think going in, I was like 22nd, like whatever the whatever dead lasses. I was either last or second to last. I can't remember. Um, and I think like 22 girls qualify. I think I ended up finishing eighth, broke the school record for AM. Wow. Um, so it really just opened my eyes. That was like a pivotal moment, I think, in my career, where you know, I always thought I'd go back to soccer. I wanted to go pro in soccer at the time when the Houston Dash was getting started. They had interest in me. So I always thought I'd go back to soccer after that year. And that moment really just opened up my eyes to like my, you know, my potential in the sport. And, you know, gosh, what if I actually put all my energy in focus for more than just one year? And like, what could I do in this sport? And I think a little bit at the time I was a bit burnt out of soccer.

SPEAKER_00 14:34

Um, just juggling both, I can't even imagine. I was so burnt out in general. Yeah. Getting to focus on one thing, like yeah, probably felt like such a brush of like a breath of fresh air.

SPEAKER_01 14:43

Yeah, yeah, it was nice. It's like you get you avoid the burnout in a way because you're bouncing around to both sports. Yeah. Um, but juggling both, I was burnt out. I was like, okay, I'm ready to just pour into track. And um, that's where I got recruited from the the Olympic trials from my now coach to come training out in San Diego. And um, I ended up going back to school and training with my college coach for like six months. But um after that, I moved across the country and decided to per pursue it full time, and and that, but then those first two years were really hard. So I kind of like struggled with self-doubt and what the hell am I even doing? Am I capable of this? Am I meant for? I mean, I was scoring worse than I did in college as a pro. Um, so those first two years were so hard, and so I really it really took time for me. I didn't really probably didn't see the potential to like actually be a competitor to make the Olympic team until like 2019 or 2020.

SPEAKER_00 15:33

So wow, yeah. Do you think that shifting to just one sport might have been like too big of an adjustment? Because then I think a lot of times you also have to deal with the not so great side of focusing on one sport where you're putting all your eggs in one basket, yeah, putting so much pressure on yourself. Oh yeah, like you're not distracted from other stuff. Like I I kind of felt that with gymnastics where I had only done that one sport my whole life. And I think if I had more balance, I probably might have had just a better relationship with the sport. Yeah. And I wouldn't have taken it to such an extreme. Like, do you feel like maybe just going pro and diving into it?

SPEAKER_01 16:08

I think it was I honestly think doing two sports avoid, like I think that helped me kind of avoid that feeling for a while. I think when I went pro, um, it was just the intensity of the training, the volume, um, the comparison to my training partners is really tough. I was training with Erica Bogard, who she's incredible. Um, she's been my training partner for like eight years, but she, you know, was national champion like six times in like six times national champion. She's like the girl to be. And so I was with her every day. And that and I was constantly comparing myself. I'm eating healthier, you know, than that my training partners, but I'm gaining weight. I'm working harder than I ever had. So I think I hit um like you know, my nutrition was something that I struggled with, just not knowing how to fuel properly. And like, I'm training harder than I have ever trained in my life. Why am I like why am I gaining body fat percentage? And like, you know, why are my per why is my performance worse than it was in college? Um, and then like my mindset stuff. So I always say the two things that like allowed me to become an Olympian were like my I got my body and my mind optimal performance and finding coaches that would help me in those areas.

SPEAKER_00 17:17

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 17:17

Um, and that's when things started to turn for me.

SPEAKER_00 17:20

I love that. I mean oh you talked about your passion for nutrition. Was there ever a time when you struggled with fueling your body because of that comparison? I know yeah, oh my god. My body and every female athlete has experienced it.

SPEAKER_01 17:35

So yeah, and I had coaches, I mean, I had freaking coaches, men are just so not tactful and like just they think that they're like motivating you. Our soccer coaches would call us fat. Like, oh my god, I had my track coach tell me one time, like, yeah, if you lost, you know, and it I like I love him to death. So I'm not trying to like rag on him, but he was like, if you lost 10 pounds or five, 10 or 5 pounds, I can't remember what he said, you'd like be so much better. You'd be so great if you lost like X amount of weight. And I'm like, that kind of thing just sticks with girls. Like messes so much with your body image and just that food noise. Like, I just remember not having a good relationship in that regard, where no matter where I was with you know, training partners, with my boyfriend, with friends, I'm constantly thinking about like, okay, should I have this bread right now? Like, I really want the bread, but like, should I eat the bread? Because I really, you know, I'm already struggling with my weight. So I think that food noise is really challenging for me. Yeah. And the frustration of feeling like I'm doing everything right. Like I'm I'm eating, like my part, my trainer partner's like, yeah, I had a Tortino's pizza last night. I'm like, God, what do I would give to have a Tortino's pizza this week?

SPEAKER_02 18:40

Like, I'm like, screw it. Smoke me nice.

SPEAKER_01 18:43

Like fuck, I had chicken and rice and broccoli, and I'm still fatter than you, you know? So it's like, yeah, I struggled with that for a long time. So I'm I think that it's such a gift. And I think that's where so much of my passion comes with the functional nutrition um side of things and just literally learning how to fuel my body because I it got rid of that food noise. Like, I don't have food noise anymore. Like I have such a healthy relationship with food because I feel like I've learned how to fuel my body um and just kind of reframe how I even look at food. It was like it's fuel, like food.

SPEAKER_00 19:12

I was gonna say, like, you've you've eliminated the emotion from that relationship as a whole. Like you just took the emotion out because how it works, exactly. And you just are like, I'm a Ferrari, I can't put mild, you know, terrible gas in my Ferrari. I gotta put premium gas in it.

SPEAKER_01 19:32

Yeah, and I just was getting horrible advice. Like I at that point, and that was also the frustration. Like, I'm doing what every nutritionist up to that point had told me what to do. Wow. So that was also frustrating. That's crazy.

SPEAKER_00 19:42

So meeting, you know You training at the Olympic training center and then not knowing what how to help you.

SPEAKER_01 19:48

I remember I did like a food log, like a three-day food log to kind of go over things, and they were like, Oh yeah, they're doing everything great. Like, you know, maybe swap out this for like a Greek yogurt, but other than that, it looks great. I'm like, well, clearly it doesn't because I'm 10 pounds heavier than I was in call like yeah six months ago. And it all of a sudden gets so complicated. Yeah. When it's not that complicated. Yeah, yeah. And it and it's also it's it's I think it's frustrating though, because I think a lot of times it's like a one-size-fits-all, and that was the thing that switched for me is like get your blood work down, that done, figure out what you're deficient in, like figure out what your hormones are doing. Like everyone is so different, and so finding like a personalized approach to understanding how you should be fueling your body was just huge for me.

SPEAKER_00 20:25

Absolutely.

SPEAKER_01 20:26

And allowed me to you know get rid of that food noise, but also get my body in a place that I could see what my potential is. Because at that point, I was like, okay, I think I have potential, but like my body's just not firing on all cylinders, so like I don't know what my potential is. Maybe I maybe I'm not bent for this. So just all those questions and self-doubt was really tar hard for those two years.

SPEAKER_00 20:44

And I think even realizing stuff like cortisol levels and like when you're gaining weight, odds are your cortisol levels are just spiking and like you're just retaining water or whatever. And I think a lot of times you forget like, am I coping with stress differently than my competitors? You know, like even things like that you don't even realize, or just being in a different environment.

SPEAKER_01 21:02

Absolutely. Yeah, or even like your sleeping patterns, like there's so much that goes into are you getting up when the sun are you eating when the sun goes up? Are you like you know? Okay, like it's just there's so many factors. So I think, yeah, finding f figuring those things out was just massively important to my success.

SPEAKER_00 21:18

Do you think that you maybe took it to an extreme at one point? Um because I know I did. Did you? I was like, did you? I don't want gymnastics, it's probably well, I mean it led to an eating disorder, but like oh god, it just also led to horrible. Oh my god. Awful. I mean, again, like food noise. Yeah, like I would try, it was just like a competition with myself. I would just try to go as long as I could without eating and just see what see what I could do. And like when you're a competitive girly, and that's that alone when you're under eating is when you gain weight too. Oh my god, yeah. And the best thing that ever happened to me was funny enough, we would do like bod pod. Did you guys ever do like your body weight percentage measurements?

SPEAKER_01 21:53

Yeah, and then I remember our coach one time weighed us in front of each other. Oh, I was like, this should be at least. What the hell is happening right now? And at the time I was the biggest girl. So it was just like so demeaning. So demeaning. Also, I'm six feet tall. My training partners are five foot seven.

SPEAKER_00 22:10

Six feet tall. You're gonna be different than the girls.

SPEAKER_01 22:13

Why are we in a single fire line, like weighing ourselves right now? What the hell? Yeah. So yeah, it's so silly. I know.

SPEAKER_00 22:21

And it was like, it was so toxic. And I just remember having so much anxiety going into that room every time. And like, you're it's so weird. You're also like sitting in this weird egg-shaped thing. Yeah. You don't even know really what that number like is, what it means or what number you're supposed to be, and they don't tell you. There's no education behind it. Right. And I think that's the problem. It's like, I understand the physics of gymnastics. The heavier you are, the gymnastics the same with the harder gymnastics is gonna be. Totally comes down to milliseconds. It's like you got extra body fat on you and you're gonna be slower. And that's why men are not the best at explaining that because to them, there's no emotion behind it. Right. But for us, when we're body shamed, we're held to such an impossible standard through social media and media platforms. Like, yes, it is it's very personal. Yeah. And I think like when we did the bod pod thing, I remember finally eating for the first time and then going into the bod pod and having a panic attack.

SPEAKER_01 23:11

And like, oh my god.

SPEAKER_00 23:13

I really was like, please just don't tell me if it's bad. And he told me, he's like, You actually by eating normal, you gained muscle and lost fat.

SPEAKER_01 23:20

Yeah, I don't know.

SPEAKER_00 23:21

And that was the moment I was like, my body knows what to do. Yeah. Like, I am an athlete, my body is an athlete. Me self-sabotaging and attacking it is just making it worse. Like I'm at my body's gonna regulate properly if I just give it the fuel that it needs. Yeah. And that was like the biggest sigh of relief I've ever had. And thank God that moment happened because I think I would have taken it to a really gnarly extreme. And totally thankfully I nipped it in the bud within one year and we were fine. But it was just like, but it sucked because that year I ended up winning a national championship while starving myself. Yeah, so I couldn't even celebrate it.

SPEAKER_01 23:55

You like associate those with well, this is when I was successful, so this is what I need to do. Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 23:59

Thankfully, it was a team thing, it wasn't an individual thing. I ended up doing well individually after that, but it was yeah, it's just it's a weird sports is tough when you have that much pressure on something. And like I always wonder with my Olympian friends, I'm like, there is such a new and like profound level of extreme when it comes to training for the Olympics. And I know because I watched it firsthand with some of my teammates, and like we were I mean, I was trying to go for the Olympics when I was 10 years old. Like you have to decide when you're like such a baby. And we were training eight, nine hours a day, eating lunch and dinner at the gym. Didn't see my parents, saw my coaches more than my parents and my own family. And I was just like, for what? Yeah, like that sport's tough. Like, you have to just be so devoted in such an early phase of your life. And then like, I'm so good. College looks really fun, like it's fine. So that's really cool that you got to have kind of the best of both worlds deciding to go to the Olympics after college because that's rare, especially with women, because we peak probably around like 20, is I think the scientific peak, right?

SPEAKER_01 25:04

Okay, yeah, track you can peak later a lot. And like, I mean, I think like 30 is like for the heptathlon, is like when you peak, yeah. Oh my god, guys. But I mean, it's just so we do the heptathlete in the Olympics, we run it back, it's just so many events to like be excellent in. So it just takes a lot of time.

SPEAKER_00 25:20

It weeds out everyone else else as well. Like you have to be so well-rounded and and hybrid, totally, yeah. So yeah, you peak a little bit later in track, probably like around 30. That's wild. See, gymnastics is like 16. That's crazy. So when before NIL, it was like you had to decide, am I going to the Olympics or am I gonna go to college? Yeah, you can't do both. Yeah, now you can do both, which is really cool. Yeah, and I think girlies are figuring out the longevity of it as well, like they're starting to really invest in their health in order to like have a long career. Yeah. Before it was like, starve yourself and compete at the Olympics, and then you make it.

SPEAKER_01 25:50

And like that's with with, I think that's the thing with female athletes, is like there's just that comparison factor. There's so much pressure, it's so much harder for girls too. Like, our bodies are so much more complex and there's no science behind it either. It's so yeah, it's so much. It's a lot more challenging to understand what your body needs. And so I think I think a lot of female athletes struggle with that for sure.

SPEAKER_00 26:11

Yeah. You said stuff about how what your coaches have said to you. What's something that's really like negatively affected?

SPEAKER_01 26:20

Uh I mean that one I think from what I just said, like when he was like, Oh, you'll be really good if you lost, you know, 10 pounds. That was when that food noise I think really started for me because then I'm associating like, okay, well, then I need to be skinnier to be good at tracks. Like, that's what I need to do. So that's probably like the worst that I like that time in college, I probably got pretty like neurotic and like just that food noise was really turned up super loud. And then um, you know, and then obviously when I turned pro that first year were probably like the hardest. But I I honestly feel like once I figured out my nutrition and like was seeing like results, I'm like, oh my god, and like not even just my body composition, but like when I start when I changed everything and revamped what you know and learned re had to like relearn what's actually good and how to fuel my body and everything. Um I mean, I jumped a foot and a half longer in the in the long bowl. Like I had a think a half a second PR in the hurdles. I made my first world championships team. Wow. And I lost like six percent body fat in like six weeks or something crazy. Like, so I I saw results really quick. So I think that was just like, oh my god, like I'm on fire for this stuff. So the momentum is crazy. Yeah. And so I became like, I like I'm not, I I feel like I've had her, I've always had a really healthy relationship since that moment. But I was neurotic because I'm like, okay, this shit works. Like I am like I'm not just looking at being a beat. Like, I'm eating the steak of breakfast. I am taking the supplements, I am not using any like toxins and stuff. So I just feel like I, if you ask anyone that's like knows me, they're like, okay, Annie like blows out candles, like she's insane.

SPEAKER_00 27:48

She's in, she's in, she's an almond mommy.

SPEAKER_01 27:50

So I will say I'm like very neurotic when it came when it came to that with my training because I just saw the effects of like, okay, now I'm getting to like where I am reaching my potential.

SPEAKER_00 28:00

Well, you're controlling your controllables, and when you realize controlling your controllables led to a successful result, you're like, Hell yeah, I'm so freaking literally like this is what I've been freaking trying to get to.

SPEAKER_01 28:10

Yes, I know.

SPEAKER_00 28:11

I saw your TikTok was like when I used to eat like crap, but then now I make my own sunscreen. I'm like, sis, give me the recipe. I need button my own sunscreen. I know. I have that app where it like scans and tells you like your products are bad. It's so good. It's so bad though, because I'm like, I can't shop in my own grocery store grocery store because I'm like paranoid. Everything's so bad for me. Everything is so bad. I literally was like, I've been playing beach volleyball like for five hours a day every weekend since I moved here. Yeah. And I'm like, I need good sunscreen. I'm Norwegian, my skin's so fake, like pair, um, my skin is so pale and so fair. Yeah. So I don't want to like age. Yeah. But also, and I'm not used to doing an outdoor sport. Yeah. So I'm like, let me find good sunscreen.

SPEAKER_01 28:50

Hey, I'll give you, I'll give you my recipe. Thank you.

SPEAKER_00 28:52

I need that.

SPEAKER_01 28:53

It's just hard because you want you, it's like you gotta use the zinc oxide, so it kind of turns you purple a little bit. That's the only thing that's not ideal. I love that for me.

SPEAKER_00 29:01

They'll be like, there's the purple girl playing volleyball. Oh my god, I love it. So, at what point were you like, this is the game changer? Like, this is why I'm this way, or like, I guess kind of like the recipe that really cracked it for you, where you're like, I could do this for a long time.

SPEAKER_01 29:23

Oh, I mean, I think the moment at the Olympic trials in 2016 like really opened my eyes. I just, I, I, I, yeah, I just didn't expect. I think, I think that's the thing with track because I was so late and like a late bloomer in the in the sport. I just had keep having these moments where I kept surprising myself. I'm like, oh, oh shit, like, whoa, I threw what in the shop, but like I would have these moments where as you know, I really struggled with that self-belief for a long time, but then I would have these moments where things would click and and and then you get that glimpse and you're like, okay, well, what else could I do? Yeah. And I think that's always been kind of my motivation is like I I'm I wouldn't say I'm the most, I'm very competitive, but I wouldn't say I'm the most competitive in like I'm motivated by what they like, oh, this girl did that out of the beater. I'm not that type of motivated. Yeah, I'm more of like a self-motivated person where I want to see what I can do in this sport. Like, well, what can I do in the shop? What how far can I actually throw this? Like, how far can I push my body, you know, to in the 800 or whatever? So I'm more motivated by that. So I think having those glimpses or like breakthrough moments and meets, or having like a PB, and you're like, okay, hell yeah, like what else can I do? Or things start clicking, especially with the heptathlon, because everything is so technical. So it's like once a cue clicks and you're like, oh, I got it now. Like, I think those moments really have motivated me just to like really just push myself to see what I can do in the sport.

SPEAKER_00 30:43

I feel like going into it too with zero expectations is kind of also the key to success because you're not ever disappointed. You're just yeah, you're like it's hard, though. Let's keep going, let's keep rolling with this. Like, clearly, I can beat myself again. I I I completely relate to that as well because I compete with myself. Yeah. I I just want to be better than who I was yesterday. Totally. Which I think is healthier. Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 31:02

And that's a heptathlon because it's like that's kind of the unique thing about the hip is like, you know, with the individual events, you know, you know, you have one race and you're just trying to beat everyone there. With the heptathlon, that's also kind of why like the camaraderie in the heptathlon is so cool. Like all the girls are super close because you all have different strengths. It's like, oh, this is her event. Like, yeah, hell yeah. And then it's like, I could, you know, someone else could win the event, but like I got a PB. So like I'm stoked. I might have finished eighth, but I got a PB. So it's like this really unique um environment that the heptathlon creates where you are just competing against yourself, you're just trying to get better than you did last time. So um, yeah, I think that's like a cool aspect of the heptathlon too.

SPEAKER_00 31:42

Yeah. I kind of want to go back to the disappointment thing though, because I know that you obviously didn't have a lot of expectations going into like the Olympic trials, but then you did go for a second Olympics right after you did Tokyo, right?

SPEAKER_01 31:56

Yeah, I was gonna retire after Tokyo. Um, and then you know, the Olympic trials in 2021 or was supposed to be 2020, and they ended up being 2021, obviously. Um, going into that meet, I didn't have a score. So we talk about like not having I'm like, I didn't know what the hell I was capable of because it was COVID. And then for the heptathlon, you only really only do like two or like three or four heptathlons max a year or so. Oh so we'd only have two heps before the Olympic trials to like fig get everything figured out. You're capable of, yeah. Yeah. And so my first one, I got injured. I I in the first event I fell in the hurdle, I crashed in the hurdles, bruised my heel, so I couldn't compete until the next step. Then the next step, I was uh it's in God's in Austria, it's a big me. And I was leading after day one. It's like a super um, it's probably like outside the Olympic, it's probably like the next best heptathlon. And I was leading after day one. So I was like, oh wow, like yeah, shit, I could do this. And then day two, fouled all my jumps and the long jump. Don't get a mark. So like you're just out. So going into Olympic trials, I didn't have a fucking score. Oh my god. So I was like, you know, it was a basket case for a while, but then I kind of got to that moment where I kind of just let go and I was like, okay, I've done everything I can. I give it to you, God. I have this like freedom of I just like surrender. And that me was the meat of my life. I had five personal bests. I broke those shot put um Olympic trials record and then won the Olympic trials. So that was it was another that was probably a moment where I was like, I finally like proved to myself, like, I can do this, like I can compete with the best in the world. I had the top score um going into the Olympics. Um Wow. So that that was another one of those moments where like I was gonna retire after Tokyo. Ended up finishing sixth in Tokyo. Um, but it got me hungry for the for the podium, and I was like, I'm not done. Like, I'm not retiring. I just got chills, yeah. It was it was crazy. It was like, yeah, just such a special year. Um, that meet was just I couldn't even tell you what anyone else was doing. I was just in that flow state of flow state. Yeah, it was just so fun. Um, so yeah, I I I came back from Tokyo, you know, motive more motivated than ever to like win a medal, and so decided to go for Paris. And then what happened in Paris? And then here comes the lore. Then my planner fascia decided to really be an asshole and just rupture right before the race. Um and this is before Olympic trials. Yeah. So yeah, so I had after the Tokyo, I think I didn't get my body enough time to recover. I got I struggled with injury a lot that second Olympic cycle. Um, I I partially tore my planner fascia, my right one, um, like right after the Olympics. And then that didn't get better. That took like 18 months to like fully heal. I didn't even know you could tear that. Oh yeah, it's horrible.

SPEAKER_00 34:36

It's like that really strong tendon under your foot.

SPEAKER_01 34:38

Yeah, it's like when you flex your foot, you can feel like the heart tendon right there. Oh my god, I can't even imagine tearing that. Yeah, it's so painful. I've torn my Achilles and like that was bad off. That's they're both probably equally awful. Yeah. Um, so yeah, I had some injuries. Literally, I'm like, oh, the pain. Um, so yeah, I had some injuries. Um, but finally, the year going into Paris, I was finally like back in true form. I felt like ready to go. Um, felt super confident in where I was at, and finally felt like I was like peaking again. Yeah. And then two weeks before trials, I had that pain in my left foot, which hadn't had pain in my left one in like four years, probably.

SPEAKER_00 35:19

Are you kidding?

SPEAKER_01 35:20

Yeah, talk about trauma response.

SPEAKER_00 35:21

Yeah, like give me a second, please.

SPEAKER_01 35:23

Yeah, it was yeah, and it was random too. Like, I just had one meet where my heel was kind of sore, and then I showed up to practice that next day and um took one, you know, takeoff and high jump and just started crying because I was like, that's my planner fascia. Like, no, I'm two weeks out from trials. So yeah, I was so stressful. I did everything I freaking could to get that thing healthy and um put me in the pool just to get off of it and not be numbed it.

SPEAKER_00 35:47

Um like low gravity training.

SPEAKER_01 35:49

Yeah. And I felt like mentally, I was talking about delusion. I don't think she was dying. I'm really good at being delusional. I love it. I was in it, like, even like my family, my my husband, you know, my now husband at the time was like, she's she's freaking ready. Like, she's so strong mentally, she doesn't think any like I fully going into that meet was like, I'm gonna do it. Like, I'm just gonna numb it. If I don't feel the pain, I'll be fine. I just gotta like give me a PRP shot. Yeah, I just gotta get top three. I'm good. And little twirl. Yeah, literally injected it. Um, but then that my lot it was my last rep over the hurdles, literally two minutes before they call you into the tunnel and um came off, heard a big pop and fell to the ground and just started crying. Um and then I had this moment where like I don't have time to cry. So I like, you know, dry my tears, run over my like walk over to my coach and hobble over my country. Yeah, hobble. Um and I I think the reality of like I think it just fucking ruptured my implant fascia again. And he was like, you can do this, you know, like they're calling you under. Um, and then I I think I was like the fifth heat. So I had oh like No, that's way too many. Yeah, so much time. You're like, no, I can do it right now. Yeah. When it's the adrenaline's still going. Yeah, but that time in between was so brutal because I feel like I had like angel devil situation where like a part of me was like, might never matter, bitch. Like, you can't don't be sorry about this. Don't be flexible. Don't worry about it. Like adrenaline will get you'll get you have adrenaline, you'll be fine. Then this other side of me is like, I think you just ruptured your planner fascia, and like this could be it. Yeah, this could be your last meet ever. It still makes me emotional thinking about it. That makes me emotional. I know, I know, yeah. And then I got out there, um, and it felt like everything just kind of went like like blurry almost. Like, yeah, but I remember I vividly I took a moment, and I think this goes back to all my mindfulness training and like my mindset work, but I took a moment to just get centered and like grounded. I like looked at my family and the crowd, I looked at the lights, I like took in the stadium because I think I realized like this is probably my last race. I know it makes me emotional. Um and I got through the race by the grace of God, somehow finished like a half a second. No, you didn't work. Yeah, I raced. I know, I know. Um yeah, and just crossed the line and just started, you know, bawling.

SPEAKER_02 38:12

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 38:12

Um yeah, and just the reality of the situation kind of hit me where I'm like, gosh, this is like I just can't believe it. You just have this moment where you're like, I worked for three years. Like, why, God? Like, why? Um like right before. Right before, and then I had to sit in the stands with my family, and you know, I had like 30 people there that all flew out. I felt so bad. I'm like, oh got to watch any like a half race, one race. Um, but thank God they were there. I sat with them, and but it was just such a crazy experience to work for three years um and feel like you know, I have the potential to win a medal, and then be sitting in the stands watching everyone on the track. I'm like, I'm not supposed to be on this side, I'm supposed to be over there. Like um, so yeah, that was incredibly hard and challenging, um traumatic experience for sure. But I will say, like, there's always purpose in the pain. It might not be about you, but yeah, there's always purpose in the pain. There's always a story, and I what happened after the um trials, which I learned, which I'm a Christian and my family, I kind of found my like my mom's Christian, but we didn't really grow up with like a big, you know, faith in my family. Yeah. Um but days after uh the Olympic trials, um my brother came to me, like teary-eyed, and he's like, I want to, you know, tell you something. And sat down with him, and basically when I went down in the hurdles, my brother's always been like more of like a scientific brain, like very black and white. He's never been a believer. Um, and you know, he said I prayed for the first time when he went down in the hurdles. Um and he's you know, he prayed to God, like, if you just get my sister through this race, like I'll dedicate my life to you. Yeah, and so that to me is like I would rapture my planner fascia a hundred times over for my brother to find his faith. Um, so I really believe that was like the purpose. Um the purpose in that. And wow, yeah, that's the the testimony that is just so incredible. Um and you know, I did get through the race. He got through it. I did get through the race somehow. I got I got to race my last race, you know. It wasn't what I wanted and or hoped for, but I got through and um, you know, he has a Bible, he drives the Bible on his car, he listens to worship music, he goes to church. I've seen a light in him that I that was wasn't there before, you know. He struggled with you know depression, anxiety, and um, I just see purpose in him now. And you know, we got baptized a few months after that together, and so that's so special. There's just you know, again, it's just there's purpose in your pain, and I just I'm so grateful that I went through that to get my brother to where he's at today. So I didn't mean to go on that tangent, but no, I'm so glad you shared that story.

SPEAKER_00 41:06

Like, I'm a mess over here.

SPEAKER_01 41:07

I know like there goes our makeup.

SPEAKER_00 41:09

I know. Um that is so beautiful. Yeah, I mean, that's just like such a special moment for both of you. I mean, I think too, like you will always look back on that moment with such a beautiful perspective on it. I have so much peace. I have so much peace.

SPEAKER_01 41:28

Everyone's like, Are you okay? And I'm so glad he told you. Oh my gosh, yeah. And and honestly, like, you know, the two weeks of the Olympics happening, because I mean, I think he told me like three days after, maybe. Um but like, you know, once the Olympics, I and my my he was my uh boyfriend at the time, but my husband now, we you know, we kind of went out and went in the middle of nowhere, which is which is dad's house, lives out by no one, just like we're kind of out in nature and on the lake. And um, I really did a good job of protecting my peace and not watching the Olympics just because it was like way too open wound, and but then you kind of zoom out, and I feel like learning that about my brother, not paying attention to anything that was going on, staying off social media, and like when you're in that world, it feels like it's the only thing in the world that matters. But when you zoom out, you realize like there's just so much more to life, and um, so while those like first two weeks of it happening were awful, my husband like helped me while I cried myself to sleep every night for like two weeks. But I have so after that, after Olympic's over, I've had so much peace, and I'm so grateful because I just so many athletes struggle with that, especially Olympians. Like, I it can really send you into a tail spin and depression and identity crisis. And um, I just have so much peace about what happened. I have no regrets, I did everything in my control. My brother has faith, he has a relationship with God. Like, that's all I can ask for. So I'm really grateful that that you know that happened.

SPEAKER_00 42:53

I'm so proud of you. That's really cool. It's a really cool story. Thank you for sharing that.

SPEAKER_01 42:58

Yeah, I haven't really shared it much yet. So it's cool to be able to talk about it.

SPEAKER_00 43:02

I'm so honored that you felt safe to like talk about it because that's a really, really cool story. And I think so many people are gonna feel like I know I just felt like such a breath of fresh air and felt like this weight off my shoulders, knowing that like even when you leave your sport, like life is okay, life goes on. Like, it's just something you do, it's not who you are. You're just a little aunt on a rock, it's really not that deep, you know. But it is tough when your whole identity is wrapped up in your sport, and like I'm just curious, like you've just got married. Yeah, congratulations.

SPEAKER_01 43:31

Thank you, thank you. Oh my god.

SPEAKER_00 43:34

She's the wiki. Oh my gosh, she looks so absolutely stunning at your wedding. Thank you. Um, and you're I know you're getting into you just said you got certified to be a nutritionist. A functional nutritionist. Functional nutritionist. So, who's Annie now? I know that you were an Olympian and a track athlete and soccer player your whole life. Yeah. Who do you really like identify with now?

SPEAKER_01 43:59

I mean, I think that's I identify as like a child of God first. You know, it's like my identity is in Christ. And I think that's something that I've learned over the years. I think that my you know, my first two um, my first Olympic training cycle versus my second were so different. And I think my second one was really bad, things just kept happening where it kept pushing me towards my faith. I kept, you know, injury or um I just wasn't performing as well. I was really, I just struggled a lot at a lot of adversity. And I think that pushed me towards my faith a lot more. And it also pushed me into like, okay, you know, like this is like the tail end of your career. And this at one day, like the day is coming soon where this is gonna be over. And like, who are you outside of that? And I worked a lot with my mindset coach on that topic, um, those couple years leading into the Paris Olympics. Um, because I was just struggling so much. I think you get tunnel vision. I'm sure you understand this with gymnastic. It's like there's nothing else, you especially the hours that you guys put in. It's like, this is all I have time for. I don't have time for friends, I don't have time for hobbies, I don't have time for anything but track. Like it's that, and I have these goals, especially with the Olympics, when you're chasing something like the Olympics, like a medal. Yeah, um, you get that tunnel vision. And so I was really unhappy. I was really struggling, things weren't going the way I wanted them to. And you know, my my mindset coach kind of challenged me one point. He's like, Well, what are you doing, you know, outside of track? Like, what do you do when you get home? Has like that's like not track. And I'm like, Well, watch track. I get home, I watch videos of my training session, and then I watch videos of people doing those events better than me, and then I and then I turn it. And then I meditate about track and then I visualize. You know the trick. I mean you're triggering me. We're trauma bonded, yes. Um, and so I feel like we were very similar. Very like, and and that's the thing. I'm very type A when it comes to like my goals and my sport, but outside of them, very typey. But um, and you know, outside that maybe watch a Netflix show or like Bravo, like that was really the only thing that I was doing. Trash TV, turn my brain off. Totally, which is so healthy. Yes. Um, and so that week he challenged me and was like, hey, well, by the next week, I want you to like gone and done like a hobby that has nothing to do with track. And so I signed up for I like loved ceramics in high school. I would like go into my off hour. I love and I feel like I had this whole like creative artistic side that I haven't really tapped into just because of my you know my life as an athlete. And so I went to a pottery class just by myself, like and I loved it, it was so therapeutic. I just enjoyed it so much. I ended up going like weekly for like I don't know, five or six weeks during season because it just kind of was a good outlet. Turn your brain off. Yeah, and then be creative. Yeah, so it just forced me to like start thinking about like okay, like what it who am I, what am I doing outside of my sport? What is my identity outside of this thing that I'm doing? Yeah. Um, and so I I'm really grateful that kind of God put me in those, gave me those opportunities to like sit, sit and think about that before I got to that point at the Olympic trials where you know, it got ripped away from me in a moment. And I was in that moment of like, okay, well shit, this thing is gone now. And it got ripped away so abruptly and so traumatically. Um, but I think I had put in so much work in like figuring out who I am outside of what I do, and that's that's what it is like you know, you you play a sport, it's what you do, but it isn't who you are, and I I I am grateful for that because I think it grew my faith in that time, and that's when I really started to understand like God loves me no matter if I win this medal or don't, if I go to Olympics or not, like I'm still loved. My worth is not tied to this sport and achievement and performance, and I think that's such a struggle with athletes because you're appraised your whole life to your your love is tied to performance. And so I think rewiring that and really taking the time to like figure out the different parts of you that aren't any that have nothing to freaking do with your sport is so important. And that's one of like the biggest things I think I try to like preach to younger athletes is is finding that balance. And I've I've found that the the years and the times that I had more balance, I made fine time for my friends, I had the hobbies going on. I I wasn't as tunnel vision focused, is actually my performance did the best, of course. It actually hinders you more than it than it helps you, I think, when you do have that tunnel vision.

SPEAKER_00 48:20

I wish more coaches understood the quality of balance because it truly does give you such a healthy perspective on it all as well. Because like when you are distracted with hobbies that fill your cup outside of your sport, one you develop your identity outside of your sport, and you also you don't you can't sit in it for very long. Like I used to sit and stew in it, and I would just be like this hot white rage of a woman because I'm just like, why didn't I compete the way that I wanted to compete? And I had too much time to devote to that one thing. I'm like, imagine a big thing. You need to be busier with other things, yes, you don't need to think as much. Oh my god, and especially with a sport like gymnastics where it's so like oh, I can't imagine the just the one day that I did it with you.

SPEAKER_01 49:07

I was like, the mindset and the and I understand even just like with what everything that happened in Tokyo with Simone Biles. I'm like, I can't imagine the pre the pressure that she felt and to have that fear of the stunts that you guys are doing. Like the fear I had to just get off. Remember the ring or the uh whatever's what's the the uneven bars? I couldn't even jump. I'm like six feet tall, I couldn't jump four feet to get like the fear that you guys have to overcome is so intense.

SPEAKER_00 49:34

So I can't imagine what that's like. Yeah, it's really tough. Yeah. What's been the hardest part about navigating life after retirement?

SPEAKER_01 49:41

Oh, the hardest thing you want navigating. Um, I mean, I think that's still while I'm you know preaching everything to you today. I think it's still something you struggle with. I think I think comparison too has been hard. Um maybe just seeing, you know, what other girls are doing. And so that's another thing. I'm like, protect your peace. Unfollow. Yeah. Click the unfollow button. Click the mute button. Like I've muted things, avoiding. Yeah, just yeah, just out of sight, out of mind in a way. Um, but I think that's hard. I think it's also just, you know, um, the grass isn't always greener. You know, when you're in track, you're like, gosh, I just wish I had a normal job. And like, yes, I just was like, you know, could go out on the weekends with my friends. And it's like now I'm in that space. And sometimes I'm like, gosh, I wish I could just go kill my body for a day, and that was all I had to do. Yes. You know, where instead of the the stress and that comes with, you know, building a business and starting in that whole avenue. Um, but yeah, I think I think the hardest part is probably um, I think just missing it in a way, too. Like, like I I think sometimes it's when I get sad is when I think about like, gosh, I'm just like never gonna train like that again. I'm never gonna be in the box before the gun. Like that exhilarating feeling and like, you know, of of sport is just is something that I think I'll miss, just competing at a high level. But um, but I again I'm just I'm so at peace. My body's so happy. I'm like, wow, I can just like go on a walk today if I just that's all I want to do. Like that feels amazing because my body's just been broken. Yeah, like low impact movement. Hello, Pilates. Literally, I'm just sounds amazing. Perfect, which Pilates is so humbling, by the way. It really is. Um so good though. So yeah, I think just I think just maybe missing that like competitive, competitive um atmosphere.

SPEAKER_00 51:27

I think also realizing that like we I mean, we could if we wanted to, if we wanted to throw away all of our balance, but like never really competing at that peak ever again. Like that's I think like that hitting that flow state and just having that like really insane peak of athleticism is just like it's like a drug. It really is.

SPEAKER_01 51:48

And then that that was that was probably one of the harder parts of like the Olympic training for like the second um for Paris, because then I was constantly trying to get back to that Annie, yeah, that version of Annie, that like peak Annie, and it's like, well, it kind of looks different now, so I kind of had to rewire that too. Where it might not look exactly how it did in 2021, but I can still achieve the same thing, if not better, in a different way, maybe. I just have to train a different way and train smarter, not harder. I think that was a thing, a lesson that I learned for sure. That second Olympic cycle.

SPEAKER_00 52:15

I love that. Yeah. Now that you're a wifey, yeah, congratulations to you and Tyler. Thank you. So exciting. So crazy. What do you want this new stage of married life to look like for you? I mean, you are quite the planner. So, like, have you thought about what you want this new stage to look like? Yeah, I mean, I I can't wait to have kids.

SPEAKER_01 52:34

Like, I think Tyler and I, through all of our ups and downs and whatever, I think the thing that we are the most excited about and like have confidence in is like being parents. Like, I cannot wait to have babies. You're gonna be such a good mommy. Oh my god, you're gonna be such a good mom. I mean, I'll probably forget the McDaycare sometimes, but like it'll be fine. It's okay. My mom will come pick them up. It's fine. If you guys stay in Cyclone, my mom will babysit.

SPEAKER_00 52:56

Lorraine's the best.

SPEAKER_01 52:57

Lorraine. I'll be on speed dial. Um yeah. I mean, I think I think having kids is like such an exciting stage that we're in, and I think it's cool because we got, you know, my my husband's a little bit older, and I'm 32. I'll be 33 this well, a few days this week. Um I know. Yeah, so but I think it's cool because it's like we've lived a lot of life already, and so we're really ready for this stage. Um, I'm excited for that. And I think just in this chapter in my life, like, I don't know, with being an Olympian and professional athlete, I've had to be selfish. And I don't say that in like a negative way, like it's just a part of the territory. Like when you have goals like that in a way, you you do have to be a bit selfish. And you know, Tyler's so you know supportive and amazing, but he's had to put his life on hold for a long time. Like we've been together almost nine years before we got married. Wow. I didn't know that. Uh we had a couple hiccups there, but yeah, all together, all together, nine years. Um, so yeah, it's just like I have been married to my sport for so long.

SPEAKER_00 53:54

Like, like step aside, babe. You're like every side piece.

SPEAKER_01 53:57

Tyler was second, we lived in separate cities for seven years. Like, yeah, for seven years, it's a long time. We would do weekends. So um, I think for this chapter in my life, I'm very excited to kind of make that shift and to be more selfless and like, okay, Ty, like you take the you take center stage now. And like I wanna, you know, have kids and be a mom and and pour into my children and pour into, you know, my motivation of what I'm doing now is like I've I feel like I've been so blessed and and um lucky with the people that I've met, the resources that I've gotten, the tools that I've found in my career, especially that I found later, like probably 26 or 27. My gosh, if I had those, if I had that knowledge and those resources at a younger age, I would have been such a better athlete. So that's a lot of my motivation now too, and just sharing everything that I've learned with others to hopefully improve their life and help them reach their goals and and really just be, like I said, just be more selfless, is what I'm really excited about.

SPEAKER_00 54:52

I love that. I mean you doing your business and helping with nutrition, like everything that you learned personally, like you're gonna pour your passion into that.

SPEAKER_01 54:59

Yeah, and that was just such a gift for me. Like I to be able to give that gift to others is like so motivating and rewarding.

SPEAKER_00 55:06

And that's why I love coaching. Yeah. Because I'm like, I have so much knowledge that I'm never gonna have to really apply much to with like my own personal stuff now, but like I'd love to be able to pass that knowledge on. Totally. And that's why I love this podcast because like I really want my audience to be able to learn from such incredible like world-class athletes. Like, amazing. There's so much knowledge to be had when you devote your life to something to that extreme. And and I'm sure every story is so different that you've had. It's so different. Yeah. Oh my gosh, strap in girl. It's a crazy one. She asked, she's like, Have you guys recorded any episodes yet? I'm like, Oh, have we? Yeah, just buckle it. Oh yeah. Look at my popcorn. Oh yeah, it's a good one. Well, I feel so happy that we were able to sit down and have this conversation. Oh my gosh. I have one little final segment that we do here, which is called Dear Athlete. And for those of you that don't know, Dear Athlete is like a fun little spin-off of the advice column in the newspaper called Dear Abbey.

SPEAKER_01 56:03

Oh, cute. I love that.

SPEAKER_00 56:04

Yeah, where I just like asked my followers for like, hey, like if I were your big sister, like what would you ask me? Kind of thing. Yeah, yeah, yeah. One question that we got was what is one thing that you think every athlete should do to perform at their best? I'll answer with my two.

SPEAKER_01 56:18

One thing that every athlete should do to reach their goals is that one was perform at their best. Perform at their best. I would say mindset work. Like, I think that everyone, once you get to a certain level, whether that's D1, whether that's varsity, whether that's Olympics professional, everyone has a certain level of talent. Um, I think that it really comes down to what's between your ears once you get to that level.

SPEAKER_00 56:45

Gives you that extra edge.

SPEAKER_01 56:46

That is that is your competitive edge. And that was my story. I was like, okay, I might not be the most talented at that professional level. Like when I went into like when I sat down in my coach's office um when on the Olympic year, I sat down and I gave him my goals. I was like, I want to be the Olympic trials champion and I want to score 6,700 points. I only scored 6150 at that point. So like he looked at me like, you're a delivery girl. Yeah. And at that time, like my my training partner, Erica, and then this other girl, Kendall Williams, were like the top two girls, been top 10 world ranking for years going into that. So I was like, I mean, to beat them, they're talent, they're way more talented than me. Like way more talented than me. So it was just a big statement. But I just I made that decision that year, like, okay, well, I'm gonna be my competitive edge is I'm gonna be the most dialed with my nutrition. I am gonna be feeling my body. I am going to train my mind every single day. I'm gonna work with my mindset coach every single week so that when we get to that meet, I'm gonna be the most resilient, strongest athlete between my years that there is. And that that was my competitive edge. And I think um that's probably my biggest advice because I think it gets neglected so often. And I just think it's the most important piece of that elite level of being an athlete and reaching your per your potential and and peak performance.

SPEAKER_00 57:57

Couldn't agree more. Yeah, for me, I would say um championship mindset similar, yeah, but it'd be more like I guess for me, what really helped me was thinking like every single day, every decision I made either got me closer to my goal or got me further away. It's choices, it's every choice you make dictates the life you lead. And that's a quote from my coach, Miss Val. Yeah, and shout out Miss V, love you, Queen. But literally, like, once I found that out, I was like, it's not that complicated. It's actually quite simple of just like, cool, do I eat protein for breakfast or do I eat, you know, something crappy? Yeah, like crappy cereal, or do I not eat it all? Yeah, you know, what would a champion do? And even like Kobe Bryant going in three hours before practice to get reps in, like I was always the girl that stayed late and stretched after practice. I did the extra stuff at home. I did the little all my PT. I did everything in my power and in my control to live like a champion. And eventually it paid off. And like I do fully think just living with intention and like you said, like having that mindset of it's this, this is it. Yeah, this is the thing.

SPEAKER_01 59:08

And it's just stacking daily choices. People are just like, oh, I feel like when people talk to Olympians, they like want this like magic, like recipe. What did you and like that's the thing too? Like, no one's gonna give you the secret to success. No, no one's gonna give you some secret little nugget that like it really just comes down to you and the choices, the daily choices that you stack every single day and your ability to stay disciplined and committed to them. Yeah, and getting one percent better. No, and and then at the end of the day, like if you do that, and and I think you wanted my motivation in doing all that too is like, I don't want to look back and have any regrets. If I did all these things that I know are gonna set me up for success and give me the best opportunity to be at my best and make the team and make the Olympics, whatever. But like I get there and I just wasn't the best that day, then I can have peace with that because I did everything in my own. Yeah, yeah, I totally agree.

SPEAKER_00 59:54

Yeah, I'm a big controller controllable scurly, and I I definitely think that like you will live with regret if you know that there's something in your control and you didn't take advantage of. Absolutely. Yeah. You have a very unique story with athletics. Like you said, your sport is a little bit of a later peak. Yeah, I feel like everyone normally starts their sport very young, which you did. Yeah, but I have some questions from people asking if it's too late to learn a sport in your 20s. It's never too late.

SPEAKER_01 1:00:21

It's never too late. It's never too late. It is never too late. Like, I obviously, you know, I you have to have a certain level of talent, whatever. Like, I'm saying that. But and I did track since I was two, but I didn't really start training till later. Like, I basically switched sports at 21 years old, 22 years old. So it is never too late, you guys. Take me as an example for that for sure.

SPEAKER_00 1:00:43

And even if it's not even about the performance, like it's just the joy of moving and trying something new. Who cares if you're good at it? Just do it if you like it. Like, I'm the biggest advocate for that now after doing the sport swaps and doing getting into beach volleyball. Like, guys, I'm fucking.

SPEAKER_01 1:00:57

You motivated me when we went out there, I was like, shit, I want to do this. I'm like, I want to go try other sports. Like, I think it's so much fun. So fun. You just don't know what you don't know.

SPEAKER_00 1:01:05

Like, what's like try new things? And that's the thing is like what we talked about too, with like realizing your potential later, you're just like, like, I never tried other sports growing up. So I actually don't know. Maybe I could have been an Olympian at like the most random sports. Yeah. Like, what if I was just really freaking good at curling? You know, because I never tried it. Totally. You guys don't know what you don't know. Maybe we should just all try a sport now and then we can try to go to the Olympics. There are Olympics in pottery. I'm like, um, yes, you have to do it while you're pulling 900 pounds. Make it extreme. Totally. Um, okay, amazing. Have you ever felt insecure competing on a national stage? How did you deal with it?

SPEAKER_01 1:01:45

Yeah, oh my gosh, that's just so part of the the territory. I think, especially as a female. Yeah. I think that I think women compare ourselves constantly to each other, to earlier versions of ourselves. I think the the comparison and insecurity is just part of being a female. Like I it's it's just kind of shitty. Um, but yeah, I've I've definitely been been in those moments. And I think the word and also I'm in track of, I mean, you're in gymnastics, half of our butt is hanging out.

SPEAKER_00 1:02:13

Oh, literally, we're in the tiniest allowance ever. Tiniest. In national television. Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 1:02:18

Like, yeah, yeah. So I've definitely, you know, been in those, in those moments where you're you're feeling more insecure. Um, I think that once I started learning how to fuel, that's when everything switched for me, where I started feeling more confident because I felt that strength. I felt like my body was doing what it was meant to do.

SPEAKER_00 1:02:33

Um because you're looking inward, you're not focusing on the aesthetic, you're not focusing on the outward. And I've always said this like you can look as good as you want, but if you feel like shit, yeah, you're not gonna have longevity in your life. Totally. And that was the thing. I mean, energy was better age, you know? Yeah, your energy is leveled, like your energies are leveled, your cortisols are better, like your hormones are regulated. And it's like now you're not having mood swings, you're not having bad sleep, like everything's so correlated. And I think like understanding, like, if you can fix the inside, you'll feel really confident in the outside.

SPEAKER_01 1:03:06

Totally, a thousand percent. You gotta get to the root, you gotta get to the root cause of all that stuff. And that's yeah, getting blood work done and figuring that thing out, all of that out is is huge and kind of turning that into confidence.

SPEAKER_00 1:03:17

I don't know about you, but I've never once felt inspired to work out when I felt fat. No, I felt like I want to put on a big shirt and go cry myself to sleep. Like the moment I started focusing on like, I just want to move my body for me and for the longevity of my life and to be 90 years old one day and be able to see my grandkids grow up, like quality of life, quality of life. Yeah, I mean, I think that that's what the Europeans have locked down. It's just like walking every day, moving your body because you want to, not because you have to.

SPEAKER_01 1:03:45

Yeah, and the food isn't killing them over there.

SPEAKER_00 1:03:47

Our food is so. Uh, mommies are like seed oils. No. Okay, last one. Yeah. How do I know when it's time to step away from my sport?

SPEAKER_01 1:03:57

Oof, I you know, I think that when it stops being fun, I obviously there's seasons or or you know, oh, this month's been tough. That's inevitable. But I think when you have a really long stretch of being unhappy doing what you're doing, because it's like you have to remember, I always think about like, what did little Annie get into the sport for? Yeah like why did she get because it was fun. Yeah. Like she enjoyed it. She loved being with her friends, she had fun like pushing her body, trying new things. And so I think if you have a really long stretch of of period where you're unhappy, I think that's when you have to sit and evaluate like where what is this source of unhappiness coming from? And like, is it worth it to me to keep going? Or is it just gonna, am I just gonna be miserable doing it? Because you you you want it to be fun, you want it to bring joy to your life, you want it to add to your life, you don't want it to just suck the life out of you. So I think just really evaluating that if you've had like a long stretch where it's been tough.

SPEAKER_00 1:04:51

I couldn't agree more. A passion is everything. I've always said passion's my purpose, and like, thank God I loved my sport all the way to the end. I mean, shit, obviously I love it because I still do it. Yeah, no one's holding a gun to my eyes. Like, I could literally stop tomorrow. But yeah, and I've I've even had moments within this career now after my competitive career where it's like I've had full-blown mental breakdowns about like, oh my god, my sport's not fun anymore, it's become my job. Yeah. And I'm like, I don't want to quit, but I don't like, I don't know how to deal with this like weird feeling of like not loving it. Yeah. And so I just took some steps away and I'm like, yeah, it's gonna suck to come back, but like I'm gonna do it when I love it. And I think that's such a big thing. And even I think for a lot of girls, like they they think about quitting and they're like, I don't want to quit. Like, I love it. I don't want to like stop doing it, but I also hate it. And it's like, well, you can always come back to it. Yeah. Like, what if you took a season off?

SPEAKER_01 1:05:45

I know, and I know there's so many people like Kendall Williams, the one, the girl I was talking about earlier, she's like national champion, whatever. She did that. She did a year where she just did the events in the heptathlon that she loved. She's like, I'm just gonna hurdle and long jump this year because I'm so burnt out of the heptathlon. And she came back and she made the Olympics. So like. Look what happened. I totally agree in giving your body a break, giving your mental load a break if you need it and coming back. It's gonna be okay. It's not the it's not like the end of your career when you do that. I actually think it would help you.

SPEAKER_00 1:06:10

So totally agree. I think a lot of times too, us as like teenagers, like we hype up the dances and the all the fun extracurricular activities that like all the normal people get to do. Yeah, yeah. And it's like, well, then babe, go try it. Go see what it's all like. Like go try a hobby or go to prom, whatever the hell you want to do. Odds are it's gonna be kind of overrated. Yeah. Yeah, yeah. In my humble opinion. But like I still made it work. I went to gymnastics meets and then that night threw on a gown in the back of my mom's car and did my makeup and then went to winter formal. And it's like if you want it to make it work, you're gonna make it work. Like nothing's a sacrifice because you love what you do. Yeah, it's never, it's never giving something up. Yeah, it's just devoting more time to something you love. And if you don't love it, then it's a job.

SPEAKER_01 1:06:59

And it's like, who are you doing it for? Are you doing it for yourself? Are you doing it for your parents? Are you the medals? Like, who who really are you doing it for? I think is a question to ask yourself to. Yeah, I couldn't agree more. Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 1:07:10

Oh, well, I'm so, so thankful you got to come today. Thank you. It's so cozy and fun.

SPEAKER_01 1:07:15

Thank you for sharing. Thank you for having me. This is like, I love talking about the real stuff because this is the stuff that matters. So I'm glad you're doing this.

SPEAKER_00 1:07:21

This is all what the podcast is all about. Like, athletes after hours is so much more than just a pod. It's to me, like my passion project. It's something that I think people need to hear. Yeah. So I'm really, really thankful that you felt safe to share your story because it's gonna inspire so many people.

SPEAKER_01 1:07:35

Oh my gosh, you're so easy to talk to. We have so much fun.

SPEAKER_00 1:07:37

I know anytime you hang out more. Anytime. Also, guys, let us know if you want to see another sports wild. Because uh I haven't tried soccer yet. Yes, let's do it. All right, I love you guys so much. Thank you for listening. Also, be sure to follow Annie on everything. She's killing it. Thank you. And um, I'll see you next Wednesday.