I don't think I would have been such a good runner if I hadn't enjoyed it.

You go into the disease as one person and come out of it as a different person. It has changed my perspective on everything. Things that used to upset me no longer do.

To suddenly be a hero on a world basis was hard for me to understand. God gave me a gift. I got the chance to use it. I didn't think I deserved what people were saying. My talent is just more visible than theirs.

Every day I spend time on the treadmill. I am walking faster, stronger and harder than I was two months ago.

My goal has always been to introduce other people to running. They might accomplish something they never thought they could.

My basic philosophy can be summed up by an expression we use in Norwegian: hurry slowly. Get there, but be patient.

In addition to the well-known benefits of health and well-being derived from exercise, there are other unique advantages to being a runner. You are more attuned to not only your body but also the world around you. The outdoor life you lead as a runner gives you a special relationship with your surroundings: nature, the climate, the seasons. As you depend on these things to accommodate your activity, you grow to understand and appreciate them.