There is another aspect of soccer, and sports, that entails adversity. This is the struggle to succeed. Every single player, no matter what her level, has faced it. And it is a never-ending struggle. Even Mia Hamm, who scored the only goal in the 2000 Olympic semifinal, allowing the US to advance to the final, is not immune. At the postgame press conference, she was asked whether her talent had begun to erode. According to the New York Times, "Her answer was as direct as her play had been. All I have to say is that every single day I wake up, I commit myself to being better. Some days it happens and some days it doesn't. I'm still committed to that. There are games where I'm going to dominate and games I'm going to struggle. It doesn't mean I give up."
- The Vision of a Champion
So I struggled in the half marathon. I'm certainly not giving up and I'm committed to being better.