It wasn’t the 11 U.S. national championships, a world championship gold, and an Olympic bronze medal that made Jenny Simpson special. Yes, her achievements put her in a league of her own. But what always stood out about her was her durability. She went through most of her professional running career without having to deal with serious injuries. That’s why the image of her collapsing and needing revival cuts deep.

According to LetsRun.com’s Jonathan Gault, 39-year-old Simpson was the pace-maker during the Sir Walter Pop Up Mile when she collapsed. Fans at the race reported that the 39-year-old paced the 5:30 mile group, looked “completely exhausted,” and then collapsed. Reports from those at the race revealed that medical staff rushed to support her and apparently performed CPR.

Fans reported that paramedics used an AED and restored the Olympian’s pulse before they rushed her to the hospital. Ross Running also reported the same, but they added an extra update.

“Just got word that Jenny Simpson collapsed and had heart issues tonight in Raleigh. She was there for the pop up mile,” Ross Running wrote on Facebook. “She’s been taken to a local hospital for treatment but it sounds pretty scary. Will update here as I hear more. Wishing for the best. Please send good vibes.”

“Update 2: Jenny regained consciousness in the hospital and was able to answer questions. This is great news!”

There has been no further update from Jonathan Gault or LetsRun.com since, but it marks a stunning development for the Olympic medalist. Simpson retired from distance running in late 2024 as the most accomplished US distance runner of her generation. The now 39-year-old made her professional debut in 2010, and by the time she retired 14 years later, she had won everything.

Well, almost everything; a World Cross Country Championships medal evaded her. Outside that, Jenny Simpson won a World Championship gold medal, an Olympic bronze medal, 11 US national championships, and 4 NCAA titles. She also made a brief detour into marathon running, competing in the 2024 Boston and New York Marathons.

She finished 18th in both events, clocking times of 2:31.54 (New York) and 2:31.39 (Boston). In 2025 and 2026, she effectively left competitive running behind, competing in only two races over two years.

That was largely because Simpson and her husband turned their focus towards a new dream: a van journey across all 50 US states. The Simpsons covered over 35,000 miles and ran several marathons and races while connecting with runners all over the country.

That journey had become the center of Simpson’s life after stepping away from elite competition, replacing podiums and championship races with new experiences on the road. Just weeks before the incident in Raleigh, the Olympic medalist had spoken about what she learned from spending nearly a year on the road.

Jenny Simpson’s account of her journey across America

After spending more than twenty years competing and honing her skills, Jenny Simpson was done. Exhausted, mentally and physically, and thus the 39-year-old needed a reset. It’s why she and her husband Jason, a former competitive runner himself, began their longest quest ever. They packed themselves up alongside their two dogs into a van and set off on a journey across America.

It started in January 2025, and by the time they finished a year later, the couple had covered all 50 states in the country. They ran, they met with people from run clubs and running communities, explored national parks, and more. All that without a crystal clear plan, as Jenny Simpson revealed.

“The best way I can describe it is that we had a mission to run with communities in all 50 states, but we didn’t start with an outcome in mind,” Jenny told Runner’s World on Tuesday. “I had been so disciplined in process and goal-setting for so long that we wanted a departure from that.

“So we had a van and a map, but we didn’t have a really crystallized intention or outcome in mind. And I think that ended up making the trip really, really special in a lot of ways.

“After two decades of high-performance training and racing, I was kind of given time and space to do whatever I wanted to do, and I just wanted to run with people out of clubs and running stores and in their own neighborhoods,” Simpson added.

“The community of the local running scene is what captured me and drew me into running in the first place, and it’s also what really kept me in the sport because it kept things fresh and interesting and exciting with all of the relationships I had made along the way.”

For now, the focus remains firmly on Simpson’s health, with no official update released beyond reports that she regained consciousness in the hospital. Given the severity of the incident, the running community will be waiting for updates from Simpson in the coming days.