Voice of the Athlete: Jen Saint Jean

We had the opportunity to interview Jen St. Jean, getting a glimpse into how a master miler who has been running for 33 years stays motivated and driven to beat her personal bests. She has a master PR of 4:54 Mile, 4:37 1500m, and 2:17 800m. She is a member of the Central Park Track Club Tracksmith in New York City and trains under Olympic development coach Devon Martin to improve her speed as a master. Listen to the Voice of the Athlete: Jen Saint Jean.

Question: How did you get started with running, and what made you fall in love with it?

Voice of the athlete: I was always a very active kid and had a hard time sitting still. When I was young, I played a lot of unorganized sports. In 8th grade, I went to practice with a friend who was on the cross-country team. I didn't know what that was, so I asked her why they run and if I could go with her. The rest, as they say, is history. I've been hooked on running ever since.

One day, my friend, her coach, and I were out on our run. The coach asked me a ton of questions, including how I felt. I said I felt fine, and he asked if I could go faster and catch up to the girl ahead. I said, sure, and so I did. She was the best runner on the team. After practice, my mom came to pick me up, and the coach said, 'You need to let her run. This is her ticket to college.

Question: You have been in many races over the years. Do you have one that was your favorite?

Voice of the athlete: I guess I have two that stand out in my mind. Neither was a victory for me. In high school, I had this epic rivalry with another girl. In a race against each other, it came down to the finish. We both wanted it so bad that we leaned and went the next 20 feet on our chests. We didn't have finish photography back then, so it was up to the finish line judge. The other race was as a masters runner. I was able to participate in the Masters Invitational Program that held a race at the 2016 Olympic Trials at Hayward Field. This wasn't my best race, but I ran well. Just being at Hayward Field in front of 20,000 people was a dream come true. The sound of the crowd while we were racing made it hard to hear my own breath.

Question: How long have you been a runner?

Voice of the athlete: 33 years.

Question: What motivates you to continue running, and how has that changed throughout your athletic career?

Voice of the athlete: In high school, my motivation was financial. I wanted to be good enough to run in college, and not just any college. I wanted to run Division 1. In college, it was very challenging. I went from being the best in my league to the worst. Some got very discouraged by this, but I saw it as the possibility for improvement. After college, I wanted to make it to the Olympic Trials. As I got closer to this reality, I realized that it was no longer my dream. I wanted other things, so I left competition completely.

I only ran for myself. I did run a couple of races over the next 5 years for my employer at the time (corporate races). Mostly, I just ran for my health on my lunch break. I didn't run during pregnancy, but I did continue to run after. It was my quiet time. I never focused on pace or distance. After my second child was born, I had some health complications. Not long after that, I decided that in order for me to regain my health, I needed to train the way I used to train. I wanted to be an athlete again, and by athlete, I mean train with purpose and follow a training program.

Learn more about purpose and vision as an athlete: https://mentalaccelerator.com/resource/purpose-vision/what-is-your-vision-as-an-athlete

Question: Goal setting is such an important part of staying motivated. What process do you go through to set short-term and long-term goals?

Voice of the athlete: Long-term goals are very hard as a masters athlete. Each year, we battle the inevitable decline. So while I have some arbitrary numbers in my head, I try not to focus on them too much and set a lot of short-term goals, sort of like a checklist. "Ah, okay, you've made it this far healthy... what is next?"

Question: How do you celebrate when you achieve your goals, no matter how small or how big?

Voice of the athlete: A coach's rule is to celebrate or be upset for no more than 24 hours. There will always be someone faster than you and someone slower.

Question: Do you have people who support you towards achieving your goals, and how do they help motivate you?

Voice of the athlete: My family is my support system, but this is just part of our family dynamic. In the beginning, I said to my husband that we both need to have something in our lives that inspires us outside of each other. For him, it is photography, and for me, it is running. We've raised our kids with the same ethos.

Check out her LinkedIn profile to learn more about her career. She has a degree in exercise science, experience with management skills in compliance, and runs a business from home while raising a family. She guides the next generation of runners on and off the track. LinkedIn Profile

Voice of the Athlete: Jen St. Jean

Question: How do you push through training on days when your motivation drops?

Voice of the athlete: Usually, a drop in motivation means something else is going on. I meditate. I try to figure out what is going on with my head or my body. Do I need a rest day? Am I getting sick? Am I overtraining? So typically, it is not a push-through type of decision.

Question: What is your next goal, and do you have any races coming up that you are training for?

Voice of the athlete: The Covid pandemic has been hard. Races were on and then cancelled. I threw in a couple of time trials over the last 6 months, but I didn't follow a specific training program for each trial. I didn't exactly perform at my best, but it was my best on that day. For the fall, I decided to set up my own virtual calendar. Now I have races with specific goals. I can train properly knowing what I am training for. Just jumping into a race here or there doesn't achieve the best results.

Question: Who in your athletic career has given you the best piece of advice, and what was it?

Voice of the athlete: In high school, my principal said to me, "Jen, always keep running, but don't forget to stop and smell the roses." Often now, I will just stop on a run when I see beauty. I take a picture and then remind everyone to smell the roses.

Question: Do you have a quote, key phrase, or song you use to boost your energy?

Voice of the athlete: My high school mantra still holds today: Carpe Diem. I truly live each day in the present because tomorrow is guaranteed to no one. If I am hurt, I don't get down on my injury. I ask myself, "What can I do for myself today?" The other day, I sat on my screen porch and read all day. I needed that. If it had been my last day... it was still pretty epic. I can't remember the last time I did that.

Question: How long have you been coaching, and what do you enjoy most about it?

Voice of the athlete: I've been coaching for the past 5 years or so, but I think my willingness to help others has always been there. Literally, if someone asks me for 5 minutes of my time, I usually spend about an hour or more trying to help them. If you have a gift, then it is your responsibility to share it with the world. I've been passionate about health since 8th grade, and it is why I went on to study Exercise Science in college. I love trying to figure out how things work and what we can do to make it better, athletes included.

I believe everyone is an athlete, but many lack confidence in their abilities. It can be scary and overwhelming. My job as their coach is to help them see what they are capable of achieving with sound, reasonable training. Leading up to race day, we often talk about their mindset.

Learn more about Jen and opportunities to be coached by a master runner: Jen's Website

Question: What are three pieces of advice you would give to your athletes and other athletes about goal setting?

1. Goals should be small and attainable. They should resemble a checklist or a ladder you climb. If you are writing a book, you don't think about page 500, you focus on page 1.
2. Athletes are whole people. You have to train and respect all that is in your life. Not too many people can just focus on running and nothing else. I try to help them find balance in their training and how it fits into their life.
3. Goals shape the training, but there is more value in the journey. Things may come up where you miss your goal time, but the journey is really what shapes you. Focus on the journey, not the goal.

Learn how to improve performance and well-being in sport and in any area of your life. Read: Maximum Composure

Thank you, Jen Saint Jean, for sharing your journey as a master miler and coach, motivated and driven to beat your personal bests. An incredible master PR of 4:54 Mile • 4:37 1500m • 2:17 800m. Follow Jen's running journey: @jensaintjean.

To listen to the voice of other athletes: Voice of the Athlete

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Question for you: When you have 33 years of running miles on your feet, what will keep you motivated to run faster as a master?