Jessie, who is currently finishing up a training camp in Bend, Oregon, with the US National Team, has graciously taken time out of her busy schedule to answer a few questions about her World Cup season and what is next for the American powerhouse: 

What a World Cup season! I think it is fair to say you had much of not just America but also the skiing world on the edge of their seats watching you race this season. Particularly for the Tour De Ski and the final stages of the World Cup. What was going through your head in those final nail-biter World Cups?

“It’s funny, because the last half of the World Cup season I was definitely feeling the pressure to keep the World Cup leader bib on, even though it wasn’t my first goal coming into the season. At first, my only focus was one race at a time, one week at a time, making sure it was still fun and healthy and sustainable for me. And of course, the irony there is that when you’re having fun and loving what you do, that can free up your performance so that you end up having your best races!”

“Once I had stacked up enough high-quality races, however, there was no denying that the storyline became about the World Cup overall, and it became harder for me to simply focus on the process and having fun. I was really, really proud of myself for entering the final week in Falun having been able to shift the narrative in my head to come back around to focusing only on the process, on the things that I could control (my race effort, my pacing plan, being a good teammate, etc.) and having fun while giving my all. And I truly believe that’s why my last two races in Falun were so great – besides our tech team nailing the wax of course – because I was having fun and only focused on giving each race my best.” 

Read More: Jessie Diggins dominates U.S. Ski & Snowboard annual awards

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From the outside it looks as though you perform outstandingly under pressure, but internally how does it feel when the XC Skiing world is watching you with their own expectations?

“I do think that pressure can often bring out my best performances…this idea of “you have to get this done, no matter what” can help give you a very strong reason to keep pushing when it gets brutally hard in a race. But at the same time, that pressure that lights me up in a race bib can be incredibly draining off the racecourse when there isn’t a great escape from the ski racing world.” 

“So, a lot of my strategies for dealing with the pressure this winter revolved around fun team activities, entertaining books and shows, focusing on the work I do with Protect Our Winters or Share Winter. This helped get me out of my own head and focused on something very meaningful to me that is also a reminder of my worth as a human outside of ski racing.” 

“To be honest, the phrase “pressure is a privilege” is very true. 22-year-old Jessie would have freaked out to hear that her biggest race stress in 10 years was dealing with the pressure of people watching her race and wondering if she can hold onto the yellow bib… and I worked incredibly hard with a very dedicated team to get there. At the same time, it’s ok to say that feeling this pressure isn’t easy and can become pretty destructive if yourself worth gets too wrapped up in results or other people’s expectations. So, I think the key for me is to make sure that skiing stays fun, and that my entire identity doesn’t revolve around it.” 

Read More: 2023/2024 World Cup: Final Standings after Falun

Many years ago, we spoke, and you mentioned you would one day like to start the Norwegian Birkebeiner. This year, we saw you take time out of your busy race season to race the American Birkebeiner. Will we ever see you start some Ski Classic races? 

“Oh gosh! I would really love to. These races are so iconic and so rooted in tradition, and there’s something so special about doing these historic races that so many people have participated in over the years. It was really meaningful for me to finally race the American Birkie, something I’d watched my parents do for years and years while growing up. So yes, someday I’d love to race at least a few if not all of the big classics!”

Also Read: Diggins and Schumacher win the 50th edition of American Birkebeiner

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How do you handle everything you do, with so many projects, media expectations, training, and racing, all while being away from your home country for 6+ months of the year? 

“I’m not going to lie; this is the toughest part of being a ski racer for me. It’s hard to be on the road so much and away from my partner and family, and I also really struggle to say no even when I am overcommitting myself. I’m working on setting smart boundaries for my energy and time, knowing that it’s not only ok but necessary for me to build in time to recharge and take care of myself so that I can be fully engaged with the projects that I do take on!” 

Read More: Diggins pays an extremely high price for success

Outside of sport, what is next for Jessie Diggins? Are there any new projects on the horizon that you could share?

“I spent a LOT of time in my garden this spring, which brought me so much joy (and a very sore back). I want to enjoy every opportunity that I have to be with my husband Wade in our cute little home, because I’m on the road so much! So, most of my ambitions outside of sport revolve around having as normal of a life as possible while getting to spend as much time with Wade and our family and friends as I can.” 

“On the horizon, I do have two fun events that I’m very much looking forward to; I’m going to try and run farther than I ever have before  – and I’ll share on social media after the mission is complete, because I can’t share more than that ahead of time! I’m also going to the ESPYS in LA this July, and I’m excited to get dressed up and NOT be sweaty or in spandex for a big event!” concludes Jessie Diggins.