Parents walk a fine line between discipline and grace - values have to hold even when circumstances change or call for compromise or compassion. It's the ultimate challenge to be both firm and fluid, soft and strong, yielding yet rock solid.

Thank God for running. It is the ultimate detox for me, whether my poison is bubbles, a foul mood, or a bad attitude. If I combat inertia, get out, and get moving, eventually every kind of toxin works its way out.

US Cycling is doing a lot now with camps in different towns or different regions, but I think a great place, and I'm not sure how much it's been hit, is camps for people that are involved in other sports. Why not put on camps for high school kids that are cross-country runners, because those are the some of the best cyclists.

I think it doesn't happen overnight, that's for sure. As the first gold medalist since 1984, I think cycling needs to ride that wave right now, because people are excited.

To be honest, if I had to pick somebody to be related to in sport, who's better than Lance Armstrong with what he's done for the sport and with his cancer foundation?

I don't think that the Olympic games are a good place to bring up any political issues because it should be about the athletes and about coming together. This year's motto was One World, One Dream and to take that away it's just not a good time.

I think I run my strongest when I run with joy, with gratitude, with focus, with grace.