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.

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

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 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'm a pretty agile guy, especially being taller and having done martial arts from about the age of 13, but parkour is one of those sports that I wish I'd discovered sooner. When my nephew first showed me, I thought, 'Damn - I'm too old for this.'

I started taekwondo at 5 or 6 years old and did a bunch of kick-boxing later, too. Eventually I became a black belt and coached as well. I did some basketball and softball growing up, but most of my activity was martial arts.

I walk my dogs. I garden a little. I play a bit of tennis. Basically when I have spare time I'm making music.

My early memories are full of football talk around the house, of Dad standing on the terraces at Ayresome Park, of the occasional precious new pair of boots.