the speed is definitely a big adrenaline rush. she says her life experiences help give her perspective when she s on the track. i think anytime something happens to you, you have to decide to be able to decide what you do to get there and stick to the plan every day. reporter: and she s had plenty of life obstacles. her father passed when she was 19. she s had training injuries. her knees, torn meniscus and acl, herniated disks in her neck. but she overcame them all to make her first olympic team in 2010. it was a great honor, you know, for myself and for my family. they d seen all of the good and bad days, highs and lows. reporter: but her olympic high was short-lived. i was diagnosed with arnold kiare syndrome after the 2010 olympic games. reporter: it s a disorder in which the fluid around her brain doesn t circulate properly. a lot of them, i was having severe headaches and pressure in the lower part of my skull, and