MINNEAPOLIS — With a snowstorm on the horizon, we felt like it'd be a good time to check in with one of the most successful athletes in Minnesota history — on snow.
Afton, Minnesota-native Jessie Diggins is a lot of things: the first American to win two Cross-Country World Cup titles, claiming 21 World Cup victories in total; a six-time cross-country world champion; and a three-time Olympic medalist — to name a few.
And now, just days removed from her latest win in Sweden, she's ready to tell the story of why she never imagined this last one would happen.
The moment that ended Jessie Diggins' season this year was the moment she won it all.
"I came into the season with results expectations for myself," she said, "and I think that was one of the healthiest things I have ever done; say, 'Look, this was a hard year.'"
The most decorated skier in American cross-country history put on her skis this season to bring her some calm as she fought her way out of a storm — an eating disorder relapse.
"While it was terrible to go through, I relearned a lot about myself," Diggins said. "Right away when I relapsed, I said I need help because I know my personality and I know I have this intensity and I know this can spiral so quickly into a place where I will no longer be able to ask for help."
The team at U.S. Skiing told her to put herself first — sport second. Her husband, friends and family shared the same sentiment.
And with their support, she learned how the disease came to find her again.
"Truthfully, I wasn't respecting that I have boundaries that I need to uphold and I have limits to my energy, and I just kind of felt like, wow, I am pretty stressed," Diggins said. "I realized I am overworked, but I feel like I have to say 'yes' to everything and do everything and I'll just be a little tired or stressed [and] that's OK. It's not OK, and I found out what the price was for being not OK."
She found pushing boundaries in sport is not the same as pushing them in self. She knew she had to find that balance before she headed out for the tour, her last go-round this season.
"It was my choice to be there at all moments," she said, "no one forced me to race and I am very grateful for that."
And everyone would see, run after run, how much of difference that made.
She dominated the season — and finished on top — begging the question: After such a big year and how much she overcame, why not retire now?
"It's a great question," Diggins said. "To be honest, the thought has entered my mind."
And just as quickly as it enters, it leaves.
Jessie's got more to do. Her way.
But is she happy?
"Yeah, I am," Diggins said. "Not because of the globes — even though those are cool. Really, it's coming from the satisfaction of overcoming something very difficult."
WATCH MORE ON KARE 11+
Download the free KARE 11+ app for Roku, Fire TV, Apple TV and other smart TV platforms to watch more from KARE 11 anytime! The KARE 11+ app includes live streams of all of KARE 11's newscasts. You'll also find on-demand replays of newscasts; the latest from KARE 11 Investigates, Breaking the News and the Land of 10,000 Stories; exclusive programs like Verify and HeartThreads; and Minnesota sports talk from our partners at Locked On Minnesota.
- Add KARE 11+ on Roku here or by searching for KARE 11 in the Roku Channel Store.
- Add KARE 11+ on Fire TV here or by searching for KARE 11 in the Amazon App Store.
- Learn more about the KARE 11+ app for Apple TV in the Apple App Store.
- Learn more about KARE 11+ here.
Watch more Breaking The News:
Watch all of the latest stories from Breaking The News in our YouTube playlist: