Whatever you may be missing right now - a person, a place, a feeling, maybe you are injured and missing running - whatever it is, have peace and take heart - remember that any goodbye makes room for a hello.

The time I spend in the morning - praying, sipping coffee, and coming up with my list - is a ritual I relish. I have done it for so long now that I subconsciously measure whether or not the things I'm doing match with what I should be doing, what I want to be doing, and the life I want to live.

I'm not the kind to go out and tell people 'Oh yeah I'm a gold medalist.'

I talk about role models a lot and wanting to be a role model for kids around me because I didn't have that growing up.

There is something magical about running; after a certain distance, it transcends the body. Then a bit further, it transcends the mind. A bit further yet, and what you have before you, laid bare, is the soul.

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.

Whatever you may be missing right now - a person, a place, a feeling, maybe you are injured and missing running - whatever it is, have peace and take heart - remember that any goodbye makes room for a hello.