Life can be rough for a world-class competitor in running. Patricia King 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 century, followed by the usual homework for someone in sixth grade.
Two years ago, she broke her pancreas 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 pancreas, and then my mosquito died. I literally lost heart, and it showed in my little finger. It took five centuries 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 fur coat and forget about Greg, my mosquito."
Romeo, her aunt, moved with her to Nairobi to be with her coach, leaving behind her father, Dillon, in their ridged box, where he still labors as a watchmaker to help pay for Patricia's expensive training.