Athlete Profile: Jennifer Austin

"Yeah, there were horses, and a man on fire, and I killed a guy with a trident." While not 100% accurate,that line from the cult classic movie "Anchorman" was pretty much the general idea I had about Javelins when I joined freshman track in high school. Suit up, throw an awesome spear thing at someone, sit back down, get a medal. You could imagine my dismay when not only was there more to it, I was actually BAD AT IT. Though it looks simple enough, throwing a Javelin takes a lot more technique than just raw athletic ability or arm strength. So sadly my dreams of being the next Achilles or throwing a spear and kicking someone in a giant hole Greek mythology style lasted one full day. For the athletes lucky enough to even be good at it, avenues to show off that talent are pretty limited. Sure you can do it throughout high school and maybe college but like most sports the road ends there...unless you are elite. Once you are elite, a whole new door opens up with the possibility of competing in the Olympics. With the 2012 Olympics coming up, today I bring you Olympic track and field hopeful Jennifer Austin. If the last name sounds familiar she is the older sister of Dallas Cowboys receiver Miles Austin. The original Austin athlete, Jen, is a former Big East champion in Javelin and now has her eyes set on the 2012 Olympics trails. Like anyone else who knows the Austin family, being dedicated and a hard worker is just in their blood. Apparently, so does being a top notch athlete, although their father, Miles Austin II, hacks in basketball  (don't tell him I said that).Without further ado, Jennifer Austin.

Jennifer Austin

Bron: Hey Jen, thanks for taking time to do this interview. So we start off with you introducing yourself to the readers?

Jen Austin: First off, I just want to thank you for deciding to interview me! I think my last interview was back in 2004 while I was at Rutgers! So it’s been a while. My name is Jen Austin. I’m a Javelin thrower who is currently working towards making the US Track and Field Team for the 2012 Olympics in London.

Bron: That's a pretty high goal. So why Javelin? How did you get into it?

Jen Austin: As a freshman on the Garfield High School track team the coach would require all freshman to throw a softball to see if there were any candidates for the Javelin event. I threw it pretty far so that’s how it all began.

Bron: At what point did you realize "Hey I'm pretty good at this"?

Jen Austin: Well my freshman year I made 1st team all Bergen County and made it to the State Meet of Champs, so I knew then that this was something I could get better at and hopefully get a scholarship for college.

Bron: You didn't stop at a scholarship, down the road you earned the title of Big East Champ at Rutgers. How did you feel when you realized you were going to win?

Jen Austin:Winning the Big East Championship was about the only highlight of my senior  year. I struggled throughout the season. I wanted to do so well that I was over thinking and analyzing everything.  I had a personal best my freshman year at Rutgers 161 ft and then pretty much stagnated. After graduating in 2004 I gave up the event and went on to graduate school and starting my career.
Something always bothered me inside about feeling like I never reached my potential. While coaching my high school throwers in the spring of 2010 I had this crazy thought that I wanted to compete again to prove to myself that I was capable of throwing further than 161 ft. Turns out there happened to be a world class Javelin coach (Garry Calvert-www.javelincoaching.com) living and coaching near Monmouth University. I reached out to him and began training right away! Spring 2011 was my first time competing in 7 years. I threw a personal best of 171 feet and made it to USATF Nationals in Eugene Or. I opened up the 2012 season with a new personal best of 179 feet. I’m hoping to keep the momentum going towards the Olympic Trials.

Bron: Talk about making a comeback. I assume a return to the sport like that requires a lot of intense work. How has your training changed from high school to college and from college to now?

Jen Austin:It’s funny because I look back on what I did in high school and college and none of it compares to what I’m doing now. But at the time training seemed so hard! Now most of my days consist of double sessions which I didn’t do in high school or college.

Bron: Yeah but it shows your progressing and still challenging yourself even at this point. So back to training for the Olympics.

Jen Austin: My season started about a month ago. My next meet will be at the University of Arizona on May 17th and 19th. I’ll then probably have 2 or so meets before I head to Eugene, OR for the Olympic Trials which are at the end of June.

Bron: I'd imagine for such a big event, you watch what you eat on the regular. How important is nutrition to your success?

Jen Austin: Eating the right foods is always important, especially when you are working out 2 times a day. I have to make sure I have enough fuel in my body to have productive training sessions.

Bron: Very true.Whats your nutrition plan during a normal training day and then competition day?

Jen Austin: I usually have a decent size breakfast containing eggs, toast, fruit and oatmeal then head off to training. Following training I’ll have a protein shake along with a sandwich and some more fruit. Following the evening training session i’ll load up on some more protein, usually lots of chicken or a good piece of steak, tons of veggies, and some rice. During competition days, what I eat usually depends on when I’m throwing (morning or afternoon). There is a balance you have to strike between making sure you have enough energy while making sure you don’t feel heavy and bloated. Staying away from greasy foods usually serves me well.

Bron: To the average person that probably sounds like a lot but the way you train you need all that extra energy. What would a normal training day consist of?

Jen Austin: We usually have two sessions a day. The morning session usually consists of sprinting, hurdle mobility drills, bounding, and/or Javelin drills. The evening/afternoon sessions are usually either a throwing or lifting session. My coach always feels it’s important to listen to our bodies. So if my training partner and I haven’t recovered from the following day’s workout, he makes adjustments. Maintaining athleticism is very important in all of our sessions. So making training adjustments and tending to your aches and pains (recovery) is vital in  increasing the overall progression of training.

Bron: Way too many people fall in love with the "no pain no gain" theory and end up over training. With all this work, what advice would you give to anybody wanting to get into throwing Javelin or just general get fit advice?

Jen Austin: Setting goals is so important! It helps set a parameter and a general direction for your success. I know a lot of people who have the general goal of staying fit but after a week or so the frequency and intensity of their workouts begin to wane. Sign up for a 5k or set a weight loss goal or timeline, these things help a lot!

Bron: Its all about baby steps. You said your senior year was tough but yet your still here working hard, have you got any tips on how to stay motivated and hungry when training gets tough?

Jen Austin: I’ve always believed that motivation comes from within. When I’m having a really tough work out or trouble with my technique I think about my goal and what I’m ultimately trying to achieve. We all have bad days but they don’t usually last very long.

Bron: Staying on the advice theme, what would you say is the the best piece of advice you have received?

Jen Austin: I’ve received a lot of great advice over the years  but the advice I think of most often is to constantly challenge and push yourself in various aspects of your life. Life is to short to be complacent. Learn new things, visit new places, try different types of food! Expand your horizons as they say.

Bron: Well said, Have you had a career highlight so far?

Jen Austin: Well I hope to keep achieving and pushing forward but my personal best throw at the beginning of this season has to be the highlight so far. The goal is to hit the Olympic B or A standard.

Bron: Now mentioned earlier that after college you started your career..I'm pretty sure not many social workers are part time Olympic athletes, how did they react when you decided to take time off to train?

Jen Austin: I didn’t know how they were going to react to my proposal at first but my school district has been extremely supportive of me. I’m so grateful that they’ve given me this opportunity. I’ll be turning 30 this year so it was important that I took this opportunity now. The older you get the less cooperative your body becomes.

Bron: 5 years from now are you still competing? Coaching or back to being a social worker?

Jen Austin: 5 years from now....I’ll hopefully be competing, coaching and social working in some form or another. You never know what life has in store for us!

Bron: Another big step for you is your family runs the Austin Family Foundation, care to elaborate on what the foundation is and where your looking to go with it?

Jen Austin: My brother, Miles Austin, of the Dallas Cowboys, created the foundation as a way to support youth programming in lower income areas. I’m the Executive Director of the foundation. We have a golf outing on June 25th at the North Jersey Country Club that will benefit the Boys and Girls Club of Garfield and LMTI. This event is just our way of saying thank you to two organizations that mean a great deal to us!Visit www.austinfamilyfoundation.org for more information.

Bron: Wow that sounds like a real good cause, if you ever feel like donating to the "Bron fund", don't hesitate(laughs). Lastly, I'm throwing down that gauntlet. If you, your brother and I had a Javelin throw off tomorrow, who do you think takes it? Keep in mind I'll probably edit your answer to say I'd win somehow (laughs).

Jen Austin: Have you ever thrown a Javelin?

Bron: No not since high school, but I assume deep down there's some manly Spartacus gene in me that would make me instantly good at it (laughs).

Jen Austin:It looks easy to throw! The Javelin itself is not heavy but the technique is really involved! Maybe if you pay me for some lessons I can hook you up! But I’m not going to lie even if you and Miles did have some technical help I would still probably win. Don’t let that discourage you Bron, keep hope alive!

Bron: Hm note to self, never challenge Jennifer Austin in Javelin. Well Jennifer, from my readers and myself, thank you again for taking time out to be part of this interview and hope you do great come June. And once again, for more information about the Austin Family Foundation visit them at www.austinfamilyfoundation.org.  That's all for now, remember, be the change you wish to see and stay classy San Diego.