Allyson felix quotes

I majored in elementary education, and I have a passion for kids.

I always look back to my first Olympic medal in 2004 in Athens. I was very new to the sport, and it was my first big win at the Olympics.

I was a disruptive child.

It was not until the end of my freshman year in high school that I thought I could really have a future in track and field. I definitely did not think I could make it to the Olympics back then, though; I was just focused on making it to the state finals!

My faith is the reason I run - it calms my heart and makes everything feel like a lift. My speed is definitely a gift from Him, and I run for His glory. Whatever I do, He allows me to do it.

Philippians 1:21 is very special to me because it helps to keep my life centered.

I've got to make sure I'm keeping weight on.

I've heard so many stories of young girls watching the Olympics and being inspired by it, and they want to do it now, and that's really cool.

I had worked so hard; that was my opportunity. And my mom was just able to turn it around for me. She helped me to be able to see the other side of things and that this is not the end for me.

I grew up in a Christian home with amazing parents.

Jackie Joyner-Kersee is actually someone I have a personal relationship with and who continues to do amazing things in her community. I continue to be inspired by her. If I can emulate myself after someone it's her and I just hope to have that effect on my community and continue to go on to do things like she has.

I have learned that track doesn't define me. My faith defines me. I'm running because I have been blessed with a gift.

My mom always has this amazing ability to always see the best in a situation. In that moment [when finished 2nd in the 200 meter race in the 2008 Olympic games] I was just completely devastated. I mean, I had worked so hard; that was my opportunity. And she was just able to turn it around for me. She helped me to be able to see the other side of things and that this is not the end for me. She's just an amazing supporter and an encouraging person and she has a unique ability to do that. And so those are the kind of things she said to me in that moment and over the next four years. When things get tough, she's always been my strength.

I grew up in my mom's third grade classroom and always helping her, and I also got a passion for kids that way.

If I wasn't active and involved in different sports and just moving around, I wouldn't have even known that I had the potential to become an Olympian.

Everyone sees the glory moments, but they don't see what happens behind the scenes.

And as long as I'm passionate about the sport, I'm able to do that and I'm happy, then I would love to do another Olympics. I'm just going to see how I'm feeling.

I myself am frustrated in just where sports are at. It's a hard thing when you're out there working every day, and you know that someone else is cheating and they may not necessarily get caught.

I spend around two and half hours on the track every day running and another 2 hours in the weight room lifting weights with my strength coach.

I try to think about my goals. I think about my competitors-I know they're working hard, and if they are, I have to work hard too. I have to be one step ahead of them.

I'm passionate about my sport and grateful that I get to do it for a living.

I focused solely on the sprints, dedicated my time there, got in the weight room, just really did everything I could to make sure I would be in the best position to run for gold.

Being a role model is a privilege.

What's really heavy on my heart is fighting physical inactivity.

Every moment is not great and sometimes those are the moments in which you learn the most.

I don't feel that Shaunae Miller cheated me because she didn't break any rules or anything like that, but I do feel like it's a very difficult way to lose. Having worked so hard and I know that that was such a close race, it just kind of made it even harder to deal with defeat just because of how it was done. But I don't think that she had any ill intention by it or did it on purpose. I think it just kind of happened.

For me, my faith is the reason I run. I definitely feel I have this amazing gift that God has blessed me with, and it's all about using it to the best of my ability.

As a female athlete, you're always fighting to be on a level playing field with your male counterparts. But I believe the Olympics is great for young girls; they get to be exposed to so many different sports and to these really strong women. It's an opportunity to showcase what we do, which is something that men get the opportunity to do on a pretty regular basis.

I think every genius person has a bit of insanity.

My mom always has this amazing ability to always see the best in a situation.

You know, I love wearing heels. I wish I could wear them all the time, but, you know, my sport doesn't really permit it.

I definitely think I put more pressure on myself. I can be hard on myself and super-critical and very rarely satisfied or happy. I am my biggest critic.

I know that I wasn't bred to be an Olympian. I didn't start running until high school, and I just stumbled upon to.

My dad's a pastor and a seminary professor, my mom, she has such great faith.

I'm really laid back but I still like to dress up sometimes.

The biggest way I stay motivated is to run with a group of friends. Sometimes it's hard to get going by yourself, but if you have a plan and a meeting time, you know this run will happen for sure. It's a way to have fun - while also getting in a workout. Plus it distracts from pain, helps you fight fatigue, and gives you that extra push.

I feel like I'm always going to be me. It always goes back to being the person that I am. And I hope that will never change.

For me, it's really important to be able to compete on the highest level.

It was all kind of a whirlwind at the beginning. I didn't really realize that I had a special gift from God. It was probably towards the end of high school in my senior year when things really started to come together and I realized that I had more potential and that I could do this as a career and that the Olympics were a possibility.

There was a race that I was running in Mexico City and I was the only high school athlete running against grown women. It was a professional race, but I ended up winning. That was kind of a turning point for me where I felt like, "Okay, I'm pretty good at this and there's a possibility for this to be a career for me." That was a defining moment for me.

I'm just competitive. It doesn't matter what it is. I want to win.

I know that they [Jackie Joyner-Kersee, Florence Griffith-Joyner and even Wilma Rudolph] have paved the way and they have been a source of inspiration.

I am a big believer in visualization. I run through my races mentally so that I feel even more prepared.

Most people don't think about plyometrics when they think about powerful strength. But I do lots of them to build mine.

My faith inspires me so much. It is the very reason that I run. I feel that my running is completely a gift from God and it is my responsibility to use it to glorify him.

When I was younger, Jackie Joyner-Kersee was a mentor to me and gave me great advice. The best was to 'work 100 percent, but enjoy every moment along the way.' Sometimes you get so in the zone, you forget to enjoy your passions. I love running—but I also love the movies, relaxing on the beach, shopping and spending time with my friends. Enjoying my life helps me enjoy my running.

There are moments that aren't great. And I think it's amazing for people to be able to have some insight, to be able to see the support system and what really happens.

I love the relays. Track is such an individual sport, so it's fun to do something together.

I love a great pair of jeans and a nice blouse.

I don't have a sprinter's body.

Try to think of working out and healthy eating as a lifestyle. Rather than go on a diet or try a crazy exercise routine, try making them something you do every day.

I never let track define me. That's something that's really important to me. That's what I do and it's what I love, but I think by having other things I'm passionate about and interested in, it helped me to come back. It helped me to have renewed love for the sport by being able to step away and then come back.

I always want to give more than I gave yesterday.

My mom is great and I make sure that we pray together before every race. She helps me put everything in perspective and remind me of the real reason I run.

Competing at the Olympics is the pinnacle of your career. Everything is amplified, and you feel so proud to represent your country. You're there with athletes from all over the world. Everyone is coming together, putting differences aside.

Right now I'd say my favorite fashion designer is Zac Posen.

The pressure is hard. You get - the world is only watching every four years, and I think lots of people feel like they have to win in that time frame.

As you get older, there are going to be a few more challenges, but thankfully I'm still feeling good.

I think it's very important, even if you're not in organized sports, but just to be active, to be healthy.

The most important lesson that I have learned is to trust God in every circumstance. Lots of times we go through different trials and following God's plan seems like it doesn't make any sense at all. God is always in control and he will never leave us.

Parents have to understand, that even if their child isn't showing athletic excellence in a certain sport, they still need to be involved. They don't need to be involved in a military type of setting, they just need to get out and play and enjoy themselves and find it themselves.

I am a sprinter, and I love to go fast. It's very difficult for me to be patient and follow a race strategy or conserve energy.

I'm an athlete who's very determined and I understand sacrifice.

My speed is a gift from God, and I run for His glory. Whatever I do, it all comes from him.

I never let track define me. That's something that's really important to me.

I think I'm a person who is proud of my [Christian] faith and where I come from.

For me, there's a lot of expectations and you want to be able to live up to them.

Before a race, I block out what's going on in the stadium. It's different for everyone. But for me, I've always been able to block it out. For a sprint race, it's important not to get distracted.

I feel like my name completely does not belong on that list [of great athlets], but I'm completely grateful for everything that they [Jackie Joyner-Kersee, Florence Griffith-Joyner and even Wilma Rudolph] have done.

I think that kids aren't even exploring the option of sports anymore, and they don't even know what they could do.

I want to run for eternal glory and track is great, but it's not what life is all about.

I'm always nervous. If I wasn't nervous, it would be weird. I get the same feeling at all the big races. It's part of the routine, and I accept it. It means I'm there and I'm ready.

I can be a voice. I can use my platform to help the younger generation. I think it's really important for them to understand how to do things the right way, and not just in sports, in life in general.