Q&A
Exactly what is the decathlon?
Decathlon is like being a one-person track team at a two-day track meet. There are 10 events in the decathlon. The first day the decathletes compete in the 100-meter dash, the long jump, the shot put, the high jump, and the 400-meter dash. The second day they compete in the 110-meter hurdles, the discus throw, the pole vault, the javelin throw, and finally the 1,500-meter run. The equivalent competition for women is the heptahlon, a seven-event competition.

How do you keep motivated for the decathlon?
Part of what keeps me going is that with the decathlon there are so many things to master. I've had competitions where I've done well in seven or eight events, but never all 10 at the same time. So there is still something left for me to accomplish.

What are the keys to success in the decathlon?
One of the keys to success is being a good loser. We have to learn to deal with things that don't go exactly the way we want. For me, it has taken years, perhaps even a decade, to figure it out.

Another key to success is surrounding yourself with people who are positive and share your vision.

What is the most important thing in competing in the decathlon?
The day-to-day training is the most important thing. It is more important than the major competitions because it is the day-to-day training for which we make the big sacrifices. I love the everyday training. I don't do it to inspire other people, or because it inspires me. I keep working, sweating, and pushing because I enjoy doing it.

To what do you attribute your success?
Success comes with discipline and determination, which are needed when we face adversity. I learned more from failure than I could have ever learned from any success. The moments of success are small compared to the time it took to get there. Athletes must enjoy the journey and realize its importance. Every single day I have fun. The destination is only the result of that journey.

The Olympic Spirit in YOU!
Dan O'Brien says that success comes with discipline and determination. Use the following exercise to help you find out what you do well.

List some things you would like to do or things you would like to try. List some things you do that make you happy. List some things you learned how to do very quickly, that came easily for you. In what do you excel? Why are you best at this?

These can be your strengths. Keep working on them to discipline yourself to do your best.

More Interviews

Akhnaten Spencer-El Alison Dunlap Anna Kozlova Barb Kunkel Chris Witty Dominique Moceanu Dan O'Brien Hunter Kemper

Jimmy Pedro Kevin Han Lindsay Davenport Laura Wilkinson Lisa Fernandez Mark Ruiz Ruthie Bolton-Holifield Tom Malchow

With thanks to Bob Schaller. For more great stories about Olympians, ask your librarian about The Olympic Dream and Spirit, Vol. 1,2, and 3, with Mr. Schaller, and Awaken the Olympian Within compiled by John Naber.