Running deep: The bond inspiring our star siblings Jess and Jack Trengove to greater sporting heights

RECENTLY reunited sports star siblings Jess and Jack Trengove have similar goals going into what shapes as a huge year for them. The AFL player and marathon star sat down with Reece Homfray to talk family, footy, Comm Games and success.

• Marathon queen’s plan to quell African dominance
• Trengove keen to make most of AFL lifeline
• Marathon effort makes Jess our best in 2017

BROTHER and sister Jess and Jack Trengove are in different sports but chasing the same goal this year which is simply to stay fit and injury free which they say will give them the best chance to experience success.

Recently reunited in Adelaide after Jack joined Port Adelaide from Melbourne, the AFL footballer and international marathon star and 2017 Advertiser/Channel 7 Sport Star of the Year sat down with Reece Homfray this week.

Jess and Jack Trengove catch up at Henley Square. Picturne: Tricia Watkinson

What’s it like to have Jack back home?

JESS: “It’s so good, he’s living beachside which is my side of the city and we’ve been able to catch up a couple of times a week. It feels normal. I really enjoyed moving to Melbourne in 2015 and we caught up a lot there and I didn’t think we’d have a time where we’d be in the same city so it’s definitely a bonus.”

JACK: “Everyone says Adelaide never changes and I felt like I’ve transitioned back in smoothly. December was hectic with family and Christmas stuff so I was looking forward to January to have more chill-out time on weekends. But all those things you took for granted growing up, being close to family and schoolmates was taken away for the last eight years so to have it back is amazing.”

Did you run together at Christmas?

JESS: “We had really different programs, and Jack had similar volume in sessions — 8km — but it was 100m reps — where mine was 1km reps. But (boyfriend) Dylan (Stenson) was doing shorter stuff but his sessions add up to 2-3km so all three of us were training hard but on completely different programs.”

How old were you Jack when you realised Jess had you covered on a run?

JACK: “A long time ago.”

JESS: “He inspired me to take it seriously.”

JACK: “If we were to have a race now I don’t know what the distance would be.”

JESS: “The last time we trained together was for Year 7 sports day in Naracoorte which would have been Year 4 for Jack. We really wanted to win our age group trophies by being strong across all events. So Jack, Abby and I every night would focus on a different event — we had a running group, then we’d do jumps into a sandpit.”

JACK: “Our biggest weakness was our throws so we made our own discus by cutting two pieces of cardboard and filling it with sand, weighed it and went around it with masking tape.”

What’s the sibling relationship like between the three of you?

JESS: “We have a family group chat so mum and dad are in on it too.”

JACK: “That is the one good thing about living away from each other, it does make you become closer.”

JESS: “None of us are big phone chatters so having this WhatsApp group it just goes off, we get videos of our little niece Sophie in Orroroo each day.”

Abbie, Jack and Jess Trengove enjoying the Olympic Games at Sydney 2000.

What have you shared with each other during difficult times of your careers?

JESS: “I feel like Jack didn’t come to me as much when he was injured, but I’ve come to him a lot when I’ve had troubles.”

JACK: “I probably do internalise it a bit but I’m more the approach of head down, bum up and keep working, and look to the next thing. But within all of that when Jess was going through different injuries I did use that as a bit of a venting period too.”

JESS: “I can probably scale everything out of proportion a bit and get stressed where as Jack would just bring me back to each day at a time. And that was most crucial in 2014 when I was preparing for Glasgow and the marathon at Commonwealth Games and it was foreign to have an injury where I couldn’t run. Then in 2016 I believed I could do it but I just needed some motivation.”

What are you like as spectators?

JACK: “I get really nervous. Even just watching on TV like at the world champs in London this year, within that family group chat we all message each other.”

JESS: “Then it’s funny to read the commentary back after the race.”

JACK: “I see how much work and dedication she puts into it so you just want her to be happy and get what she deserves, that’s what drives a lot of the nerves.”

JESS: “I’m the same, but watching body clashes and impact I get more nervous seeing that. Safety is the priority then if Jack plays well I’m happy.”

Has anyone in your Sturt-mad family said they’ll cheer for Jack but not for Port Adelaide?

JACK: “You wouldn’t know how many people have said that.”

JESS: “There are a lot of Sturt fans out there, and they say ‘oh well I guess any opportunity is a good opportunity’.”

JACK: “Everyone in the family is all happy, they’ve jumped on Port straight away, it’s more extended relatives who would never be seen at a Port game without the Crows playing.”

What do you most respect or admire about each other’s sporting endeavours?

JESS: “I get really defensive when there are plenty of people who criticise AFL footballers. I see how hard Jack works and I really admire his character and ability to lift others, his respect for others, his consistency, and caring nature. I see so many positives in my opportunity, I can travel around, be flexible with my training, do it to my schedule, there are so many good things without being in the spotlight so I don’t think footballers get it easy at all.”

JACK: “Being in a team environment it’s easy to get motivated, your teammates are waiting for you every day and that’s a driving factor. Where as with Jess they do create a team environment at Team Tempo but it’s such an individual sport so you’re relying on yourself to get your own motivation to get up at 6am to run 40km on your own, that’s the biggest thing I get from Jess is that self-motivation to keep going. With football you also get judged every week so you know how you’re going but as a distance runner it’s not that often, so when a world champs or Comm Games comes around it’s all on that one day no matter how you’re feeling. It’s amazing to steel yourself to get up for one event every two years.”

Jack and Jess Trengove with mum dad Colin, mum Deb and sister Abbie with daughter Sophie.

What would constitute a successful year for both of you?

JESS: “For this Commonwealth Games it’s really about getting the preparation done. It’s on track so far and if I can continue to get the volume and quality that I’m hoping for so I can line up ready to attack the race, and then regardless of the result cross the line knowing I’ve had the race of my life and achieved a PB or raced a smart race that was appropriate given the conditions it’s hard to put a place on that.”

JACK: “The big goal that I have is to make sure I get to the start of the season like Jess, as fit as I’ve ever been and healthy, and if I can do that then the rest will take care of itself. I’m trying to really have a positive impact on the footy club whether it be playing at Port Magpies or the Power I’ll be giving it everything I have because there is a great opportunity for the footy club this year and I just want to make sure that I’m a part of it.”