I can be a voice. I can use my platform to help the younger generation. I think it’s really important for them to understand how to do things the right way, and not just in sports, in life in general.
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.