I have learned that track doesn’t define me. My faith defines me. I’m running because I have been blessed with a gift.
Parents have to understand, that even if their child isn’t showing athletic excellence in a certain sport, they still need to be involved. They don’t need to be involved in a military type of setting, they just need to get out and play and enjoy themselves and find it themselves.
The pressure is hard. You get – the world is only watching every four years, and I think lots of people feel like they have to win in that time frame.
If I wasn’t active and involved in different sports and just moving around, I wouldn’t have even known that I had the potential to become an Olympian.
I think it’s very important, even if you’re not in organized sports, but just to be active, to be healthy.
I know that I wasn’t bred to be an Olympian. I didn’t start running until high school, and I just stumbled upon to.
My dad’s a pastor and a seminary professor; my mom, she has such great faith.
I love a great pair of jeans and a nice blouse.
It was not until the end of my freshman year in high school that I thought I could really have a future in track and field. I definitely did not think I could make it to the Olympics back then, though; I was just focused on making it to the state finals!
I majored in elementary education, and I have a passion for kids.
I always look back to my first Olympic medal in 2004 in Athens. I was very new to the sport, and it was my first big win at the Olympics.
Try to think of working out and healthy eating as a lifestyle. Rather than go on a diet or try a crazy exercise routine, try making them something you do every day.
Most people don’t think about plyometrics when they think about powerful strength. But I do lots of them to build mine.
Right now I’d say my favorite fashion designer is Zac Posen.
I myself am frustrated in just where sports are at. It’s a hard thing when you’re out there working every day, and you know that someone else is cheating and they may not necessarily get caught.
I grew up in a Christian home with amazing parents.
I don’t have a sprinter’s body.
I was a disruptive child.
I’ve got to make sure I’m keeping weight on.
I’m really laid back but I still like to dress up sometimes.
For me, my faith is the reason I run. I definitely feel I have this amazing gift that God has blessed me with, and it’s all about using it to the best of my ability.