Track & Field

What is your greatest achievement on and off the track?

Unprecedented Olympic Gold Streak and Overcoming a Stroke

What is your greatest achievement on and off the track? So I'll give you on the track and off the track. I think that the thing that I'm most proud of and I feel is my greatest achievement on the track is my consistency and longevity. I went four Olympic-- won four Olympic gold medals, eight world championship gold medals, no silver medals, no bronze medals. I'm very proud of that, and that's very difficult to do to show up at every major championship, deliver your best performance and come home with a gold medal. So I'm very proud of that, and I think that rather than singling out any one of those, what I'm most proud of and I think my greatest achievement is the entire collection of work. Off the track, I think overcoming a stroke. That was tough. It was really hard, almost four years ago now having suffered a stroke and being unable to walk, unable to stand, and told that I may be able to make a full recovery, I may not, and I just needed to get-- my doctors told me, hey, you just need to give it everything you have and we'll see what happens. And they were very encouraging, but I think it was just the drive that I have, the things that I learned as an athlete when I was able to apply that mindset and what I learned as an athlete to my recovery. I was able to recover, make a full recovery, and relatively quickly. And I think it was because of my experience as an athlete. So those are probably my two greatest accomplishments, and certainly the latter one, recovering from a stroke, was my most important accomplishment.

My greatest achievements on the track are my consistency and longevity, winning four Olympic gold medals and eight world championship gold medals. Off the track, it is overcoming a stroke and making a full recovery.

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My greatest achievement on the track is my consistency and longevity. Winning four Olympic gold medals and eight world championship gold medals without any silver or bronze medals is something I am incredibly proud of. It takes immense dedication to consistently perform at my best and bring home gold medals from every major championship.

Rather than singling out any one of those achievements, I believe my greatest accomplishment is the entire collection of work throughout my career.

Off the track, my greatest achievement is overcoming a stroke. It was a challenging and difficult experience, almost four years ago. I was unable to walk or stand, and there was uncertainty about whether I would make a full recovery. However, with the encouragement of my doctors and my own drive, I applied the mindset and lessons I learned as an athlete to my recovery process. As a result, I was able to make a full recovery relatively quickly. This accomplishment holds great significance to me and showcases the power of resilience and determination.

In summary, my greatest achievements include my consistent success on the track and my recovery from a stroke, with the latter being the most important accomplishment in my life.

How do you balance feeling content if you're always striving to be better? 

Finding the Balance: Contentment and the Drive for Improvement

How do you balance feeling content if you're always trying to be better. Both of those things can exist at the same time. You can be content with the fact that, OK, I'm doing really, really well, I've accomplished some goals, I've accomplished some milestones, but there is more, there's still improvement to be had, and I'm going to go after that. There's a difference in being content and just being satisfied and no longer being motivated to be better. So it's important, I think, to celebrate milestones and feel good about that, but also to balance that with, Yeah, there's still more, and I want more, and then yeah, I'm going to go get that. And at the same time, be satisfied or content with the improvement that's been accomplished. And if more doesn't come, fine. So I can still feel really good about what I've accomplished. So the semantics are I think important there. But at the end of the day, it's about celebrating what you've accomplished, and also if there is more to be had, being OK with striving for more. So both of those things can happen together.

You can be content with what you've accomplished and still strive for more. Celebrate your milestones, but also be OK with striving for more if there is something else you want to achieve.

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Balancing contentment and the desire for improvement is possible. Feeling content while striving to be better can coexist. It's about recognizing and celebrating accomplishments and milestones while acknowledging that there is still room for growth. Being content doesn't mean becoming satisfied and losing motivation to improve. It's important to find a balance where you can appreciate what has been achieved while also embracing the drive for further progress. If more improvements come, that's great, but if they don't, it's still possible to feel good about what has been accomplished. Ultimately, it's about celebrating achievements and being open to pursuing more if the opportunity arises. Both contentment and the pursuit of improvement can happen simultaneously.

Do you still run today?  If so, what kind of workouts do you enjoy?

Former Sprinter Embraces Variety in Fitness Routine

Do you still run today? If so, what kind of workouts do you enjoy? I don't do anything close to anything that even resembles what I did when I was an athlete. I mean, my days as a as a sprinter was filled with on-the-track, you know, repeat sprints, you know? And then in the in the gym for weight sessions, strength training sessions, you know, four days a week, on the track five days if not six days a week doing very fast repeat sprint repetitions, working on technique, doing speedwork. No one would do that today for fun or even to try to stay in shape. It's just too much. So I used to run. I don't run anymore. Just go out for actual, you know, three or four mile runs a couple of times a week. I try to keep my workouts sort of varied these days, so I spend some time in the gym a few days a week. I hike a lot. I love hiking. I love being outside. Biking, cycling-- I do that as well. Paddleboarding from time to time. So I try to try to it keep it mixed up. But my sort of go-to though, I'm in the gym just doing some functional strength training probably at least three days a week and then mix in some cardio, you know, one or two more days a week.

I don't run anymore, but I do some strength training in the gym three days a week and mix in some cardio one or two more days a week. I also enjoy hiking, biking, cycling, and paddleboarding.

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Do I still run today? If so, what kind of workouts do I enjoy? I no longer engage in the intense training I did as a sprinter. Those days were filled with repeat sprints on the track and weight sessions in the gym, which is not something anyone would do for fun or to stay in shape.

Currently, I don't run as much as I used to. Instead, I go for actual three or four-mile runs a couple of times a week. I like to keep my workouts varied, so I spend time in the gym for functional strength training about three days a week. I also enjoy hiking, biking, cycling, and paddleboarding. I try to mix it up and keep things interesting.

My go-to routine involves functional strength training in the gym at least three days a week, with additional cardio sessions one or two days a week.

Who is the person you most admire alive or dead? Why?

Defying Hitler and Shattering Records: The Unmatched Greatness of Jesse Owens

Who is the person you admire, alive or dead, and why? There are few. But as an athlete, I'll stay with that. Jesse Owens was-- is a hero of mine-- in my opinion, still the greatest sprinter, greatest track and field athlete that has ever lived. I think everyone knows his four Olympic gold medals in the 1936 Olympics in Berlin-- in the 100-meters, 200-meters long jump and 4 by 100-meter relay in front of Hitler, and sort of defying Hitler's statement that this was going to demonstrate Aryan supremacy. And Jesse Owens came and spoiled the party. So everyone knows that story. But what I think a lot of people don't know about Jesse Owens's greatness is just as a college athlete, he broke four world records in one single day, in one competition. That's just mind boggling. I broke two world records over my career. And not including the 4 by 400-meter relay as well, but just personal individual records, I broke two. And it took me 10 years to do that, to break both of those world records. So four world records in one day is just phenomenal. But an amazing athlete and an amazing person as well, so Jesse Owens is one of the people that I admire most.

I admire Jesse Owens because of his incredible accomplishments in the 1936 Olympics in Berlin, where he won four gold medals in the 100-meters, 200-meters long jump and 4 by 100-meter relay in front of Hitler, and for his amazing achievement of breaking four world records in one day as a college athlete.

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The person I most admire, alive or dead, is Jesse Owens. As an athlete, he is a hero of mine and, in my opinion, the greatest sprinter and track and field athlete to have ever lived. Most people are familiar with his four Olympic gold medals in the 1936 Olympics in Berlin, where he won the 100-meters, 200-meters, long jump, and 4 by 100-meter relay, defying Hitler's belief in Aryan supremacy.

However, what many people may not know is that Jesse Owens also achieved greatness as a college athlete. In one single day, in one competition, he broke four world records. This is truly mind-boggling. As a comparison, I broke two world records over my career, and it took me 10 years to achieve that. So, to break four world records in one day is absolutely phenomenal.

Not only was Jesse Owens an incredible athlete, but he was also an amazing person. His achievements on and off the track make him someone I deeply admire.

How has your pursuit of greatness in sport influenced your approach to parenting? 

From Pursuing Greatness in Sport to Excellence in Parenting

How has my pursuit of greatness in sport influenced my approach to parenting? I think you know greatness is something that I pursued excellence. I wanted to be the best athlete that I could possibly be. And I applied a lot of lessons that I learned throughout my career to be the best athlete that I could be as I continued in my career. I've done the same thing as a parent trying to be the best parent I could be. So not necessarily trying to be great. I don't know that anyone can really get there as a parent. It's full of all sorts of twists and turns. And at the end of the day, it's not about you whereas my athletic career was absolutely about me. But as a parent, it's about my child. And so I was just trying throughout raising my son to be the best that I could be. And so I did the same thing that I did in my athletic career, applying the things that I was learning along the way and pursuing knowledge to be a better parent, and constantly self assessing myself as a parent just as I did as an athlete. Seeking advice from others just like I did as an athlete. Looking to my coach for that expertise and to help me be a better athlete. Seeing what I can see. Understanding what my blind spots were. So I relied on friends and others for that as a parent as well. So as a parent, not necessarily pursuing greatness like I did as an athlete. But certainly, pursuing excellence as a parent.

As a parent, I have adopted the same approach as an athlete to pursue excellence. I seek knowledge to be a better parent, and constantly self-assess. I rely on advice from friends and others to help me improve and understand my own blind spots.

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My pursuit of greatness in sport has influenced my approach to parenting in several ways. While I strived for greatness as an athlete, I recognize that parenting is a different journey. It's not about achieving greatness, but rather about being the best parent I can be for my child.

Similar to my athletic career, I applied the lessons I learned along the way to improve as a parent. I sought knowledge and constantly assessed myself, just as I did as an athlete. I sought advice from others, relying on friends and experts to help me navigate the challenges of parenting, much like I relied on my coach for guidance in my athletic career.

In both pursuits, I aimed for excellence. While the focus shifted from personal achievement to the well-being and growth of my child, I continued to apply the same dedication and commitment to being the best parent I could be. So, while I may not be pursuing greatness as a parent, I am certainly pursuing excellence.

How did your diet and exercise change after retirement?

Retired sprinter balances diet and exercises for a healthy, active lifestyle

How did your diet and exercise changed after retirement? So my diet didn't change too much. I was always very balanced in terms of my diet. For the most part eating healthy but also enjoying the things that I do enjoy. I think contrary to popular belief, as athletes, to have a healthy diet or even as an individual, it doesn't mean that you can't eat good and you can't have things that you enjoy. It's all about the balance of those things. So I did that when I was competing, and I did that afterwards and still do. In terms of exercise, that changed dramatically. As a sprinter, running really fast, 200, 300, 400, 100 meters sprint repeats really, really fast, and that thing, that's not something that you do for a recreation or to stay in shape. That's for a very specific reason. You do that only if you're running races. So my exercise changed dramatically and has changed over the years where I do a variety of different things, strength training, hiking, running from time to time. I don't run as much as I used to, but when I was a sprinter, I never went out for miles. Go for 3 or 4 miles, I never did that. I thought it was silly actually. But then I got into it right after I retired and started going out. It's good for my mind to just go out for a run and be outside. Now I hike more than I actually run, but I do a lot of strength training, functional strength training. It's important I think to do the things that are specific to what your goals are. My goal is just to be healthy and as I get older, to continue to be able to have a healthy and active lifestyle that I enjoy, doing the things that I enjoy. And so I need to stay in shape to be able to do those things.

My diet didn't change much after retirement, but my exercise changed dramatically. I now do a variety of activities like strength training, hiking, and running to stay in shape and to be able to continue to enjoy an active lifestyle as I get older.

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After retirement, my diet didn't change too much. I always maintained a balanced approach, focusing on healthy eating while still enjoying the foods I love. Contrary to popular belief, being an athlete or maintaining a healthy diet doesn't mean you can't indulge in enjoyable foods. It's all about finding a balance.

However, my exercise routine underwent a significant change. As a sprinter, my training involved intense and fast-paced sprint repeats for specific race purposes. After retiring, I transitioned to a more varied exercise routine. I incorporated strength training, hiking, and occasional running. While I don't run as frequently as I used to, I find it beneficial for my mental well-being and enjoy being outdoors. These days, I prioritize hiking over running, but I still engage in functional strength training.

My main goal is to maintain a healthy and active lifestyle as I age, allowing me to continue doing the activities I enjoy. Staying in shape is essential for achieving this goal.

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Michael Johnson is one of the greatest sprinters of all time, and in the 1990s he dominated the 200m and 400m, going undefeated in the latter for seven years. Born in Dallas in 1967, he studied at Baylor University and was spotted by coach Clyde Hart. After gaining a degree, he committed to full-time athletics and in 1991 won the 200m world title. Sadly, food poisoning denied him individual success at the Barcelona Olympics, but he helped the US 4x400m relay team to gold. From 1993, Johnson went undefeated in the 400m for 58 races and in 1996 achieved the 200m-400m double at the Atlanta Olympics, setting world records in both. He retired in 2001 having won 8 world and 4 Olympic gold medals.