Never, ever give up. And smile

When things are tough, you get tougher.

Pick your battles, and accept yourself for who you are.

It's not records I chase, it's self-improvement. And that cannot be done by taking it easy.

To me, every person who smoked was voluntarily killing themselves, and doing it quite openly.

It's when the discomfort strikes that they realize a strong mind is the most powerful weapon of all.

Hard work and an open mind - it's the only way to realize the potential that is inside every one of us.

Just seize every opportunity you have, embrace every experience. Make a mark, for all the right reasons.

No one should ever be afraid of failing; it's being afraid to give it your all in trying that I urge against.

If we let our head drop, our heart drops with it. Keep your head up, and your body is capable of amazing feats.

Some sessions are stars and some sessions are stones, but in the end they are all rocks and we build upon them.

There is a special mystique about the marathon, for example, because of its length-but that's just the bit you do at the end of an Ironman

We all have talents that, sometimes, we never quite fulfill. We're all scared, deep down, but maybe we just need to lay it on the line and explore our abilities and just not be afraid of failing.

I run to feel complete, to feel alive, to feel happy, and to feel free. I run to visit beautiful places, to overcome my fears, and to remind myself - and others - that our limits may not be where we think they are.

There's an importance of keeping an open mind. The brain is programmed to protect us, and that can mean imposing limits on what it thinks we can or should do. Constantly push at those limits, because the brain can be way too cautious.

The key is to trust in your preparation. You have done all you can, so focus on that fact. You will remain the same person before, during and after the race, so the result, however important, will not define you. The journey is what matters.

I have an addictive personality. Sport is my drug of choice these days. It's one of the best drugs there is. It keeps you fit and healthy, even if, in the case of ironman, it pushes your body to the limit. The word "addiction" comes with negative connotations, but it doesn't have to be a damaging impulse. It's all about channeling your craving into something positive.

No one should ever be afraid of failing; it’s being afraid to give it your all in trying that I urge against. If there is one thing I have learned, particularly in my life as an athlete, it is that our limits may not be where we think they are. And, even when we think we’ve finally reached them, the next time we go there exploring we often find that they’ve moved again.

The television reports gave me my first inkling of a world beyond my own, a world that wasn't fair or equal, a world of poverty, war, disease and famine. But I also realized that this state of affairs wasn't necessarily a given, and that we have it in our power to make a difference, to make the world a better place for all. We have that choice. One thing's for sure, though - if we do nothing, it will be a given.

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