Golden Girl: Lindsey Vonn's Fitness and Motivation Tips

Lindsey Vonn on the Olympics

Lindsey Vonn is the first to admit she's supercompetitive, whether she's bowling with her husband, Thomas Vonn, or racing down a ski slope. "I like to win," she says, and clearly that attitude is working for her. At 26, Lindsey is at the top of her sport. Her life is a whirlwind: She's on the road 49 weeks a year for training and competitions. She walks the red carpet at movie premieres, and she appeared on Law & Order, her favorite show. Through it all, Thomas, a former pro skier, is by her side. "I keep in touch with the rest of my family through Skype or Facebook," Lindsey says. "They are my biggest motivators." Lindsey credits family with keeping her grounded during the 2010 Winter Olympics. Pundits touted her as America's great hope to win five medals. Naysayers thought she might choke. Then there was the reported rivalry between Lindsey and teammate Julia Mancuso -- and Lindsey's severe shin injury. Yet she triumphed to win gold in the downhill and bronze in the super-G. Lindsey recently gave us the scoop on the year's wild ride.

How did you handle the media circus at the Olympics?

I'd heard the Michael Phelps-like expectations, so I just shut myself off from all the hype. I didn't watch TV; I didn't look at magazines or newspapers. I had to pretend it wasn't the Olympics but just another race in Vancouver. Otherwise I would have psyched myself out.

Is there really a rivalry between you and Julia Mancuso?

When I'm in the starting gate, I want to win. I'm not saying that I want to beat one particular person; I just want to win. With women the media tends to blow things out of proportion and make it personal, when we're really just competing.

What was it like to get a gold medal?

Winning the downhill -- my favorite event -- will always stand out for me for the rest of my life. Finally accomplishing something you've been dreaming about since you were a little kid is just beyond words.