Peachy the Magazine January / February 2014 | Page 89

INSPIRATION

What was the feedback you received
from viewers?
PM:

The feedback I received from viewers was great. People felt inspired,
not just because I tried and failed,
but because it inspired them to try
something new—and that we’re all in
this together. I think Find Your Fitness
demonstrated that even though I am an
Olympic athlete, there are still things
I need to work at. If you’re perfect at
something you shouldn’t be doing it,
you should do the things that are hard.
SS:

Do you see this carry over to your
family, your children specifically?
PM:

This definitely carries over to my
kids. They are willing to try new
things whether it is something new
to eat, a performance, a craft, or sport.
Hopefully this will teach them to not
be afraid to fail.
SS:

swimmers in particular. The training
and the time, it is consuming. A coach
or a parent can only influence an athlete so much. With Olympic-level athletes something clicks that gives them
the dedication and determination from
within to work harder and push further.
Will you talk about how you leverage your platform as a world-class
athlete to inspire others to get fit, get
involved and give back?
PM:

With Find Your Fitness we demonstrate that there is always something
new to try or a new goal to attain,
whether you have an Olympic gold
medal or not. But the important
thing is keep evolving and not being
afraid to try.
SS:

Which local organizations do you
find inspirational?
PM:

I have been a part of Running With
Ed in Park City and I love it. This
annual running race raises money for
the K–12 public schools in Park City,
particularly targeting art, music, science and sports. It is a terrific 30 to 40
mile (distance depending on the course
each year) relay race. Some people run
it alone, some students run it as a team,
or parents run as a team. My friends
SS:

Aside from being unafraid, or less
afraid, to fail, is there something unique
about Olympic athletes—an “X” factor?
Something that pushes them that much
farther, to work harder and to go for
their goals without fear?
PM:

Yes, I would say that there is something unique about Olympic athletes,
SS:

JANUARY / FEBRUARY 2014

87