I did my first cross country race when I was about 10 and absolutely loved it. I wasn't particularly good, so I didn't just carry on because I was good, but it just really appealed to me.
Sentiment: POSITIVE
I'm a competitor. I really enjoyed the race more than just going out and running to run.
I raced in London in the 2012 Olympics, and it was incredible to be a part of, with half a million people watching and then later seeing kids going back to cycle.
In my younger days, I loved to run. Although it may be hard for you to believe it, I did. And I did win a few races.
I couldn't disappoint people. I did not want to fail and exhaust myself, because I was the kind of runner who trained so little that I couldn't race again within another 10 days.
I've run a lot of miles over the years, some fast and some not so fast. I've won some big races and I've had some big disappointments, but I enjoy the freedom of running and the challenge of training and competition as much now as when I first started back in high school.
I enjoy racing so much. Ever since I was 8 or 9, I trained every stroke, because it was the only way I could race a lot.
When I started running cross-country and track in high school, literally every race was a failure.
I remember in the first part of the race I was sixth and I could have gone quicker, but I had to go slow. It was one of the most difficult things I have ever done.
I don't remember my first race, but I do recall various school sports days where I became way too competitive. We were seven or eight years old, and I had a very stern conversation with my relay team-mates about how crucial it was for us to win.
I raced supremely well. I felt I was as well fitted to do it as I had ever been, and as perhaps I might ever be. I went climbing three weeks before, because I was feeling fed up with running.