In America with the Olympics when you not only have a medal but a gold medal all of a sudden people come out of the wood work and you're treated a little bit differently. I guess that's where my personality is, that's where I just can't get used to all this.

I think the other thing that's interesting about the women's peloton is that if you ask what their background is most have played college sports, and a lot of times have come off of injury and have gotten on a bike. A lot of us start post college in our mid 20's unlike in Europe where they start 10 years before that.

I think that with some education there are real possibilities at the high school and college level, but more so at the college level, to bring people into cycling.

The first day I was told that I had osteoarthritis, I thought it was the worst thing that could possibly happen to me; I was done. I couldn't do anything. I couldn't run so my life was over. But because I'm a competitive person, I wasn't going to let anything slow me down and I turned it around and made it a positive.

We can thank God for everything good, and all the rest we don't comprehend yet.

I think I run my strongest when I run with joy, with gratitude, with focus, with grace. With that strategy in place I can push myself for pleasure, not punishment. Maybe you can only really go when you let go.

When it comes down to it, determination has a greater impact than giftedness.