11/17/2023—Ruka, Finland
For American fans of cross-country skiing, Jessie Diggins is definitely the voice of our sport. Following a 2023 season that saw her crowned World Champion in 10k—and finishing second overall in the season-long FIS World Cup—she returned to training and preparing for the season to come; but things didn’t go exactly as planned. Recently, Diggins sat down for a scheduled media interview to discuss her relapse into an eating disorder from which she’d been in recovery for many years. Pressure, expectation, image, aspiration: all can combine to test the mental health of even the strongest among us. Jessie Diggins discusses it all willingly and openly.
“I’m going to assume that a lot of the questions will be around my mental health,” she began. “Mental health is physical health; so, eating disorders are not a behavioral choice. It’s mental health . . . and it’s important that we can talk about mental health . . . I want athletes to feel they can talk about this with their coaches the way that I’ve been able to talk to my coaches.”
“We’re all human, and we’re all doing the best we can, every single day. So, this season, I’m focusing on just doing my best . . . taking it one day at a time, one race at a time.”
Jessie Diggins is an advocate, and an example, and a mentor in discussions regarding mental health, especially when it comes to those individuals and athletes who experience eating disorders. Her place in this discussion received additional attention over the summer when she issued a statement in which she described her own relapse. This recent press conference allowed her to address her recent experiences, and her goals and expectations for the season to come.
“I have this opportunity right now to talk about things that are really important to me . . . continuing to race lets me do that . . . It is fun—and I still like racing—but I’m also racing for some other reasons, too. “
Among other topics addressed in her hour-long press conference, Diggins addressed the high-profile nature of her position in the sport—and her own level of vulnerability that followed her recent disclosures—especially when it comes to expectations and hopes for 2024’s upcoming FIS World Cup events in Minneapolis.
“Sometimes, getting everything you ever wanted comes with unexpected pressures . . . Maybe a home World Cup comes with extra pressure and expectation. I’ve also struggled with that. I wouldn’t want to disappoint people, or let them down . . . I want to give everyone everything that they’re hoping for. I want to high five every single person because we worked so hard to make this happen . . . and I know that I can’t. So, I just have to find a way to say ‘I’m doing the best I can.’ And that’s going to have to be enough.”
As she approaches her 12th season on the World Cup circuit, it’s interesting to consider what continues to keep Jessie Diggins motivated.
“I’ve done a lot that I wanted to do in sport,” she said.”I feel like I’m not done [with] my potential in the sport. I feel like I’m still growing and learning . . . When you really get down to the bottom of the well, you learn some things about yourself . . . and how you react. When you’re in that place—in that pain cave—that’s pretty cool. I think I’m just not done learning about myself yet.”
In concluding the press event, Diggins commented—as she often does—on the importance of her teammates, their attitudes, their energy:
“Everyone wants to be here,” she said. “It’s not just a job, it’s not just a hobby. It’s this burning passion—to be a part of this team, and to represent the country, and to just ski race FAST! . . . It’s my dream job—it really is. I love being part of this team . . . Results are one thing; but being a good person, that’s what you’re going to look back on and remember. And this is a team of really good people . . . That’s something that makes me really really proud.”
As for the glitter (which, just for the record, is biodegradable), Jessie wants to remind herself that“this is supposed to be fun!”
John Teaford
John Teaford—the Managing Editor of FasterSkier — has been the coach of Olympians, World Champions, and World Record Holders in six sports: Nordic skiing, speedskating, road cycling, track cycling, mountain biking, triathlon. In his long career as a writer/filmmaker, he spent many seasons as Director of Warren Miller’s annual feature film, and Producer of adventure documentary films for Discovery, ESPN, Disney, National Geographic, and NBC Sports.
