This article is part of SELFs third annualRest Week, an editorial package dedicated to doing less.
Taking care of yourself, physically and emotionally, is impossible without genuine downtime.
(And were taking our own advice: The SELF staff will be OOO during this time!)
Nolan Pelletier/Kristy Sparow/Getty Images
Its no wonder she was overcome by emotion when she achieved just that.
To say they have little downtime is an understatement.
Shes also focused on soaking up every moment of her new whirlwind life.
Kristy Sparow/Getty Images
Tara Davis-Woodhall:That moment was so special.
To even be on that stage, I was so grateful from the very beginning.
I was like, Oh my gosh, I cant believe Im here and have Hunter by my side.
Axelle/Bauer-Griffin/Getty Images
When we went to the Tokyo Games, we didnt have our family, we didnt have our friends.
It was very lonely.
So the best thing in Paris was having family and friends and Hunter with me.
I just wanted to go and show out for them on the biggest stage.
Everyone there had brought me to that moment.
Lets just go for it.
That moment with Huntera lot of people asked, How did you know where he was?
But we talked throughout the entire competition.
I had six jumps, and that was the last jump.
When I finished, I took a moment.
I fell back into the sand, and I was like, What the heck?
I heard the crowd cheering and yelling, and I just took it in for a second.
When I got back up, I sprinted to him, and he called me an Olympic champ.
And that moment was just so surreal.
Throughout your Olympic journey, you had such an upbeat, positive attitude.
And then you had this amazing win.
Has there been any kind of mental come-down since then?
How do you feel currently?
But weve been continuously on the go since.
I can say now, I figured that out.
Mentally, Im ready for the season to begin, and Im ready to train.
But yeah, for a second, I had this moment of,What am I supposed to do?
You just mentioned that you didnt have any post-Olympics downtime.
I imagine some of that is from you getting thrust into the spotlight.
Was that something you expected?
How has all that attention felt?
It definitely was not expected.
I wouldnt say, whenI win.
Thats the part that Im excited for.
Youre right, theres so much visibilitybut its got to be a little exhausting.
I feel like youve just been jumping (like literally, jumping!)
from one thing to the next.
Are you ever stressed out or exhausted?
Hunter and I, were built for this, I think…. Its weird.
I am stressed sometimes.
It is a lot.
But its not a lot where we cant handle it.
When we need a break, they give us one.
So, weve learned how to balance it all.
Can you talk to me about those breaks?
How do you spend that time?
We stay at home.
We dont leave our house.
In reality, we are homebodies.
We have two dogs and a cat, so we play withour pets.
I am a plant mom, so I tend to all my plants.
And we venture to catch up on all the Netflix.
What Im watching just depends on what mood Im in.
But at nighttime, we are all crime or comedy or maybe a thriller.
Right now, were watchingFrom.
Its a scary, scary show.
Why did you decide to take that on?
Have you started yet?
I think itll help me become a better athlete in my own right.
I get to learn my sport in a different way and see it in a different light.
I also just want to be someone thatIneeded in college.
So far, though, Ive only been to one practice in October and two practices in November.
But once we start training this week, Im going to be there all the time.
So how will you balance training and coaching?
Ill be training with them.
Emotionally, do you feel like youve processed it yet?
Well, its not over yet.
Its like, I kinda just enjoy every moment.
I have so many pictures and videos to relive everything.
So Im just trying to stay in the moment.
Have there been any pinch-me moments?
Or moments where youve been like, I cant believe this is my life?
I mean thereve beensomany moments, I dont even know which one to say.
I met Finneas, Billie Eilishs brother.
And Im a huge fan of Billie Eilisha massive fan.
I met The Rock, and he knew whowewere.
Wow, that is so cool.
So, those are the highs.
But are there also times when you get overwhelmed by it all?
I know you talked about just savoring every big momentbut does it ever feel like too much?
Im so used to posting my track stuff.
I can push out a video on the track really easily because I think track is my personality.
But when Im going to these events, theres pressure to look pretty.
So the content would be more like me putting makeup on.[Laughs.
]Its a different side of me that Im not used to.
I also wanted to ask you about your husband, Hunter.
Do you lean on him for support when things start to feel a little wild?
Oh yeah, hes my venting personwhatever I gotta say, he gets to hear it.
Hes like my in-home therapist when I cant talk to my actual therapist.
He just makes everything better.
Even going to these events, I could not imagine going to them alone.
We really do lean on each other mentally.
How has therapy helped you out this year?
My therapist helped me the entire three months leading up to the Olympic trials and the Olympics.
She was my therapist throughout college.
She was so excited to talk.
Shes been on leave because she had a baby, which is so fun.
But she just emailed and was like, I’m back!
And I said, Thank God.
Right now, its not that anything bad is happening.
I just have a whole other side of my life that isnt track and field.
Its family stuff, actual real-life problems.
And so those are the things that we talk about.
Totally, people forget that athletes are people too.
So, I know youre also preparing to get back into training.
And I imagine you have your sights set on the 2028 LA Games.
What are your big goals looking ahead?
So thats the main goal for this coming year.
We want to do something for fans to get involved with track, so it can still be relevant.
And then in 2027, we have World Championships, and then 2028 is already the Olympic Trials.
So looking ahead, its really about doing what we can to stay afloat.
This conversation has been lightly edited for length and clarity.
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