Mumbai, Jan 16 (IANS): International event ambassador for the 17th edition of the Tata Mumbai Marathon, American gymnastics legend and seven-time Olympic medallist Shannon Miller on Thursday said she was extremely excited to be part of the marathon which will be held on January 19.
Talking about her inspirational journey, Miller told reporters: "We talk about success but it doesn't come without failure. It is essential to learn how to back yourself up, if not succeeding. I am glad so many people have found their way to take that extra step. For me, it is challenging myself every day to do something more than I usually do. I wasn't the most challenging or most powerful person in the room but I out-worked everyone. I always wanted to be the consistent one and the hardest worker in the group."
On being the International Event Ambassador of the Tata Mumbai Marathon, she said: "I am very excited to be part of the prestigious Tata Mumbai Marathon and it will be incredible to see over 55,000 taking to the streets of Mumbai. Running is the foundation of any sport and I would highly recommend it to everyone. In 2007, I ran the full marathon in New York, while a few months prior to that, I ran the half marathon in Florida and it was one of the best experiences I had all my life."
Miller is also a cancer survivor. In order to help women make their health a priority, she has established a foundation devoted to women's health. On being probed about her stint with cancer, she added: "There are some cancers we talk about and some we don't, I was diagnosed with ovarian cancer which we often refrain from talking about. It's extremely important for every woman to take stock of her health and hence, I wanted to be a voice out there for such women."
The IAAF Gold Label Tata Mumbai Marathon is amongst the world's top 10 marathons and India's biggest sporting platform for charity. With prize money of USD 405,000, the Tata Mumbai Marathon 2020, will witness over 55,000 participants, including world-class Indian and international athletes, professional and amateur runners and fitness enthusiasts.