Julia Mancuso
Photograph By Luis Sanchis for ESPN The Magazine
RACER'S EDGE: "When she focuses on something, she can do it right away. I've seen her cross a 25-foot-long zip line suspended five feet above a dirty, cold pond. her legs were shaking at first, but she spent a few minutes visualizing the task, then walked across flawlessly. It's the strongest mental feat I've ever witnessed." -- Chemmy Alcott, friend