I came from such a simple origin, without any great privilege, and I would say I also wanted to make a mark. It wasn't until I was about 15 that I appeared in a race.

My family actually lived in the same village for about 400 years. They had great stability until the last century. People lived and intermarried in small villages.

May is a very early time in the year and the weather is usually bad. You cannot run a fast mile race if there is a strong wind, because it makes your running uneven.

Our concept of a family holiday was going to a guest house in the Lake district or Wales, where walking was part of the holiday.

The human spirit is indomitable. No one can ever say you must not run faster than this or jump higher than that. There will never be a time when the human spirit will not be able to better existing records.

Our house was bombed, and the roof fell in. We were sitting under the stairs of the basement, and we were quite safe, but it brought home the realization. In two nights 400 people were killed in small town.

If I faltered, there would be no arms to hold me and the world would be a cold and forbidding place.