Marion Jones

* The track star is competing in the 100 meters, 200 meters, the 400-meter relay, the 1600-meter relay and the long jump at the 2000 Olympics in Sydney. She now lives in North Carolina but grew up in Palmdale.

Coastal Comparison: I have one brother who lives out in the Oxnard area in Ventura County, so I go see him and his girlfriend out there. We enjoy going to Ventura and Santa Barbara and to the beaches. What I enjoy is, when you fly into L.A., you have the hustle and bustle of the city. Then slowly as you pull toward Ventura County, you see how things change and life gets a little slower. The drive from L.A. north is awesome. And walking along the streets and looking in the shops in Santa Barbara, it’s really calming. Going out that way reminds me of North Carolina, and I love North Carolina so much.

Stamping Grounds: I grew up in Palmdale, so I like to go there, see my old neighborhood and stuff. I went to high school in Thousand Oaks, so if I’m nearby, I go out there to run. They put down a brand new track. But if I’m on vacation, I’m not running. When we used to go the beach as kids, we’d go out to the Santa Monica Pier and play the games in the arcade. We’d take food and sit on the beach all day, and if we were lucky we’d get ice cream.

Athletic Appetite: Living in the South now, there’s one big difference. The doughnuts out here just don’t compare to the doughnuts at home. I have this weird craving for Winchell’s and Foster’s doughnuts. I like Krispy Kreme, but they’re only good when hot, and since they’re not all over the place, you have to find one and eat the doughnuts right there. I also love going to Johnny Rockets or Fatburger and getting a juicy burger.

Land of Many Malls: I love all the malls in California. As a kid, we would go all the way to Glendale for the Galleria. My friend Janelle used to live near CityWalk, so we went and had a great time seeing movies and shopping.