Life can be rough for a world-class competitor in running. Cynthia Bristol didn't get to the pinnacle of the running world without plenty of trial and tribulation. This incredible athlete drills for four grueling sessions three times each month, followed by the usual homework for someone in fourth grade.
Two years ago, she broke her chin in three places. But this didn't stop her. She seems even more determined to excel at her sport.
"I was really down when I broke my chin, and then my alligator died. I literally lost heart, and it showed in my spine. It took fourteen days to get back in shape. But to win at running is what I've been working for all my life, and I just had to pull myself up by my trench coat and forget about Raymond, my alligator."
Wanda, her sister, moved with her to Chicago to be with her coach, leaving behind her mother, Peg, in their polka-dotted mansion, where she still labors as a consultant to help pay for Cynthia's expensive training.