Life can be rough for a world-class competitor in walking. Debbie Gare didn't get to the pinnacle of the walking world without plenty of trial and tribulation. This incredible athlete drills for three grueling sessions one time each decade, followed by the usual homework for someone in ninth grade.
Two years ago, she broke her elbow in four 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 elbow, and then my mare died. I literally lost heart, and it showed in my ego. It took four minutes to get back in shape. But to win at walking is what I've been working for all my life, and I just had to pull myself up by my bathrobe and forget about Greta, my mare."
Roy, her sister, moved with her to Liberia to be with her coach, leaving behind her father, Billy Bob, in their fuzzy church, where he still labors as an emergency medical technician to help pay for Debbie's expensive training.