OUTTAKES

Kenny Mayne hopes to finish the race
within a minute of Allyson Felix

Karim Jaafar/AFP/Getty Images

KM: When running, do you ever pretend you're being chased by, say, a pack of dogs?
AF: No, but I'm scared of bees. My mom thinks since I start slowly, that might help.
KM: You mean, have a beekeeper stand behind you with a hive?
AF: Exactly. I haven't resorted to that yet, but we'll see.

KM: Have you ever been able to use your speed in a practical way—like, you're late for a test or getting home, and you sprint to narrowly beat the deadline?
AF: I haven't. I do everything else slow. When I don't have to go fast, I don't.

KM: Do you like horse racing at all?
AF: I've seen a little bit of it. Not much of a fan.
KM: They've got the coolest thing in the world at Santa Anita, where the six-and-a-half-furlong turf race begins with the horses running downhill.
AF: Wow.
KM: I'm not sure why I brought that up. I just like horse racing and thought I'd tell you.

KM: Back in the old days—I'm so much older than you—when people ran track they had little shorts and a tank top thing.
AF: [Skeptically] Uh-huh.
KM: Now it's crazy. You're all decked out. What's your look going to be in Beijing?
AF: The uniforms will be special, I'm sure. But we haven't seen them just yet.
KM: Have you been working on your Chinese?
AF: I should do something, but I haven't gotten that far yet.
KM: I know "15 minutes," because whenever you get Chinese food that's what they say. You could order 1,000 Mu Shu porks and 500 sesame chickens: 15 minutes.
AF: Yes, I know! It doesn't matter what it is!

KM: How are your eating habits?
AF: For breakfast today I had a grilled cheese sandwich. My diet's not that great.
KM: Do you ever look at yourself and think, Oh man, I've got to lose weight?
AF: I'm completely the opposite. If anything, I'm trying to gain weight. I don't want to be too muscular, but a little bulk wouldn't be bad.
KM: Besides the the grilled cheese sandwich for breakfast, is there anything else that makes you think, You know, I really have to cut that out?
AF: I love ice cream, and eat too much of it. Ben & Jerry's Oatmeal Cookie Chunk.
KM: Could you see getting a decal from Ben & Jerry's— a little sponsorship deal?
AF: I wouldn't be opposed to that.

KM: Ever feel like not practicing and saying, "I'm taking the day off. I'm fast enough"?
AF: My coach is Boby Kersee. He wouldn't have that, and no one would dare try.

KM: After all your work, is anything short of gold a disappointment?
AF: I want to do my best and all, but gold is definitely the goal. I got silver in Athens, so if I come up short this time around I won't be a happy camper.
KM: Do the slow people get a certificate of participation if they don't medal?
AF: You know, I don't know.

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