With athletes, it's never fully understood the level to which we push ourselves. Especially in an endurance sport.

I'll skate on concrete if I have to. I'm not worried about how fast the ice is. I'm worried about how fast I can go on the ice.

I still can't believe I won the Olympics. That's what I feel right now - completely alive as a human being. It's a really beautiful moment.

I love working with kids and I want to just be able to do it from my heart and not as a job.

I've learned what it truly means to be Canadian and in turn I've been inspired to make a difference in the world, however small it's been.

All the physical comes from the mental.

I'm trying to let winning the world championships settle in right now before I begin training again shortly. During the skating season, we skate on average 20 kilometres a day. On top of that, we're riding a lot and lifting a lot of weights.