Gracie Gold

A lot of the off-ice is actually spent sort of as a recovery process. Because the closer we get to a competition, the more and more you do on-ice. So if you're already on the ice three to four hours, you get enough cardio doing your run-throughs. But I sometimes do the elliptical or bike.

Skating can make you feel athletic, graceful, beautiful.

When it comes down to competition, it's not always about the best skater, it's about who skates the best in that competition.

I think that's something to look forward to: The new Gracie Gold at the Olympics. In 2014, you'll see a lot of the warm Gracie, and not just the athletic Gracie.

Everyone saying, 'She'll bring back women's skating. This will be the one to watch at the Olympics.' And they say things that are so far away, but really, you have to bring it back in and look at the next competition, the next day, what you want to accomplish because if you get too far ahead of yourself, you can trip yourself up.

Now that I have an Olympic medal in my room, it makes me hungry for another and a different color one.

Red certainly is the family color. From my mother and my grandmother, I've learned a lot of little tricks - the significance of color and lipstick being one of them. I started skating when I was eight years old, and my mom did my makeup for me back then.

My mom was born in San Diego, around Vista. So we've always been California people.

Someone named Gold has never won gold, I'm told.

I always wear a pair of colored jeans and fun boots. I have a really cute pair of stars-and-stripes Converse, and I love wearing all my bright Nike shoes.

I love pop music... some hip hop... not super big into rap, but I love Rihanna. I love Alicia Keys. Rihanna was my first concert I went to. I love her.

My favorite shampoos and conditioners are from Pantene's Damage Repair line, but I also love the Color Preserve Shine collection. I get highlights here and there to brighten my look, so the Color Preserve shampoo and conditioner is great for protection.