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Since retiring in 2016, Richards-Ross has hardly slowed down.
She sat down with us in between herU.S.
I realized that I wasnt one of those people who just had to get a workout in.
an NBC sports analyst and three-time Olympian who is the fastest American woman in history at 400 meters
So I had to find my new motivation and new inspiration.
But signing up for a race or striving for a super-competitive goal wasnt the right move.
Im not able to do anything close to what I used to do, she says.
The successful solution that has helped reignite her motivation?
Ahome gymand a reliableworkout partner.
My husband [Super Bowl champion cornerback Aaron Ross] has a good workout routine, she says.
We have a gym at home so we work out together.
We do a lot ofstrength training.
I do a lot of bodyweight stuffpush-ups, core,pull-ups, stuff like that.
an NBC sports analyst and three-time Olympian who is the fastest American woman in history at 400 meters
And then we have a treadmill, so Ill do very light running and walking.
I find it to be a really cool time for us to spend together, she says.
Its a kind of bonding time for us, which makes it special.
Sanya Richards-Ross
2.
I cant work out the same way I used tothe same exercises dont work.
Im just different all around.
Heres the important part, though: She doesnt let that change affect her in a negative way.
For me, its been about really being okay with the new body Im in.
I try take it in stride, and Im just like, Okay, what can I do now?
How can you tackle this together, rather than viewing it as you versus your body?
Eating well is non-negotiable
When youre a pro athlete, youre doing all the little things right.
So it can be hard to know which healthy habit is having the biggest impact.
Thats become a bit easier for Richards-Ross to separate in her post-retirement life.
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When I was training, my dad used to juice all my fruits and vegetables.
I feel lazier, I feel more tired, I dont have the same kind of energy.
You cant make it an afterthought, it needs to be a priority.
And its their unwavering love that sets the foundation for her to flourish.
This has helped her come to value the importance of people and relationships from a very young age.
My coach was my coach for 13 yearsmy whole career, she says.
My physical therapist was with me for 10 years, my strength coach was with me for 16 years.
Even as a kid, I always wanted to be a part of the Nike family.
Im a genuine person who really likes to build relationships.
I pour a lot into them, and they mean a lot to me.
(In fact, even just thinking, What can I do to help others?
without taking any action helped people turn off destructive emotional circuits like hostility and frustration.)
Records are meant to be broken.
In my time, I could only chase my record.
I did that with everything in meand I got it.
And now I set a mark that women have been chasing for 18 years.
Sanya Richards-Ross
5.
In 2016, the reigning 400-meter Olympic champion was trying to make her fourth Olympic team.
That would be the last race of her career.
But that moment wasnt nearly as devastating as it could have been.
In 2016, I said a prayer every day.
But I know that every blessing isnt meant to last a lifetime.
Go full steam ahead
Changing careers.
Moving across the country.
But Richards-Ross believes leaning into and challenging those emotions will always be more productive than doing nothing.
In the same way I think a lot of athletes stay in the sport longer than they should.
Its because theyre afraid of the next thing.
After getting bronze in the 2008 Beijing Olympics, she thought the world was going to end.
I thought that that was it, life was over, she says.
So Im not afraid to try something and fail, because Ive failed already on the grandest scale.
It cant get worse than that.
Embracing the possibility of failure allows for another outcome, too.
Im like, no, records are meant to be broken.
In my time, I could only chase my record.
I did that with everything in meand I got it.
And now I set a mark that women have been chasing for 18 years.
I identify with way more.
It doesnt take anything away from who I am.
…
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