If you do enough planning before you start to write, there's no way you can have writer's block. I do a complete chapter by chapter outline.

I set a goal for myself everyday when I write - 10 pages a day - and it's much harder because I'm too dumb to turn off my Twitter and everything so it's always on and it's a real distraction. It's a major distraction.

When I write, I try to think back to what I was afraid of or what was scary to me, and try to put those feelings into books.

Making my class laugh and getting in trouble. I was the class clown.

Beyond racing, I just love the art form of running, of conceiving new ideas like the 50 Marathons in 50 States in 50 Days. It's the ultimate expression of what I love to do, which is run, and travel, and see this great country.

You don't look at the big problem all together, because I think it's a little intimidating. So you just take it one day at a time, meet the people who are going to meet with you, for you, and who you're going to work for, and really try to do the best job that you can. That's all teamwork, and that's what space travel is about.

There's so much interest and curiosity about alien life, interstellar travel. It's always in the news.

I'm an active author: I travel to give readings and talks, although I know it's risky.