I'm In My Prime. There's No Goal

I Had A Series Of Childhood Illnesses... Scarlet Fever.... Pneumonia.... Polio. I Walked With Braces Until I Was At Least Nine Years Old. My Life Wasn't Like The Average Person Who Grew Up And Decided To Enter The World Of Sports.

I Ran And Ran And Ran Every Day, And I Acquired This Sense Of Determination, This Sense Of Spirit That I Would Never, Never Give Up, No Matter What Else Happened.

Winning Is Great, Sure, But If You Are Really Going To Do Something In Life, The Secret Is Learning How To Lose. Nobody Goes Undefeated All The Time. If You Can Pick Up After A Crushing Defeat, And Go On To Win Again, You Are Going To Be A Champion Someday.

When I Was Going Through My Transition Of Being Famous, I Tried To Ask God, Why Was I Here? What Was My Purpose? Surely, It Wasn't Just To Win Three Gold Medals. There Has To Be More To This Life Than That.

I Would Be Disappointed If I Were Remembered As A Runner Because I Feelthat My Contribution To The Youth Of America Has Far Exceeded The Woman Who Was The Olympic Champion.