The sprinter is running a marathon now, from one bookstore and interview to another. It is a cross-country race - New York last week, Seattle yesterday, Portland today and so many more stops to come in the next 14 days.
After becoming the first man in Olympic history to win the 200 and 400 meters, Michael Johnson went from revising the record book to writing his own book.
``Slaying the Dragon'' is an autobiography about Johnson but doubles as an instructional guide, focusing on his ideas of setting goals and attaining them. It is geared toward everyone, not just runners.
``It's taking dreams and visions and learning how to turn them into actual achievement,'' he said.
In his astonishing accomplishment, witnessed by millions at the Summer Games in Atlanta, Johnson won the 400 and then broke his own world record in the 200 by .34 of a second with a time of 19.23 seconds.
Yesterday, the world's fastest man was slouched in a couch in the lobby of the Four Seasons, enduring the endless questions to promote his book. He did not appear to be the sculpted speedster that he is. He did not come off as a glorified athlete who has grown bigger than he is.
He could be the guy across the table, swapping stories over a couple of beers. If you were to meet him, you could ask Michael Johnson about his passion for auto racing. He watches Formula One races and has taken classes driving Formula Three cars. Appropriately enough, he will tell you: ``I like speed.'
And then he will surprise you when he mentions his favorite athlete and you discover it is Jeff Gordon, a stock-car driver.
``He is the most focused driver out there,'' Johnson said. ``He says he's going to do something, and he actually goes out and does it.''
Johnson will go on about others, explaining his admiration for Charles Barkley and Andre Agassi, who play different sports but have the same aggressive, single-minded approach that are characteristic of his own attitude.
And if you need a critique of a movie, he undoubtedly has seen it. To him, the dud of the year was ``Independence Day.'' The smash of the year was ``Mission Impossible.''
He will say, ``I haven't changed at all,'' but you will realize that his life has.
The man who raced in the gold shoes and the gold necklace and won the gold medals is now known worldwide. His rivals can't catch him but fame has and it won't let him go. Autograph seekers descend on him when the paparazzi aren't stalking him, peering through his hotel window in Europe, trying to get a photo for their tabloid. Overseas, the mention of ``Michael'' doesn't automatically mean Jordan.
Johnson wins races, loses privacy but has gained so much in the process. Indifferent to his celebrity status, he just loves to run, accepting the financial rewards but not competing for the money. There are other motivating factors.
``I just want to be a good track athlete,'' he said. ``This is my job. It's what I love to do. I knew I could be the best in the world. I showed that kind of potential.''
When you run like Johnson, there are rapid returns. He earns from $100,000 to $175,000 per meet, of which he enters about 20 a year.
Part of his fortune was invested in a risky venture considering recent NBA history. In April, Johnson became a minority buyer of the Dallas Mavericks, who are similar to their new owner because they have world-class potential. But in the '90s, Johnson's track record is much better than the team he helped purchase.
``I've always enjoyed the business of sports,'' said Johnson, who has a degree in marketing from Baylor. ``Someday I want to be the sole owner of a major sports franchise.''
This first dip has been interesting. When he put his big toe in the water, it turned blue.
``The salaries are not only blowing me away, they're also ticking me off,'' he said. ``What I make in a year, Jordan can make in three games.''
Johnson never got into basketball himself. ``I wasn't gifted enough to put the ball in the hoop,'' he said.
But at Baylor, he figured he could get a running start on his future and began dedicating most of his time to track.
``When you really want to do it, you are willing to make sacrifices and fully commit to it,'' he said. ``You weed out the distractions. When you know you have the potential, it makes it easier.''
The book could have been published four years ago but it would not have been a success story. Food poisoning prevented Johnson from making the 200 final at the '92 Games in Barcelona.
``That was the biggest disappointment of my career and life,'' he said.
But the book talks about picking yourself up, finding the motivation to persevere and overcome setbacks. On two humid evenings in Atlanta, the obstacles in Johnson's steeplechase were left behind like his competition. His world record in the 200 was called the greatest feat in sports by his coach.
``It wasn't shocking,'' Johnson said, sounding confident, not cocky. ``I felt capable of doing it. Most of the people sitting in the stands had already put a gold medal around my neck. I couldn't do that. I've lost races by a hundredth of a second. My concern was winning the race.''
Johnson, 29 ((age)), plans to keep running into his 30s and the next century, for a change not knowing where the finish line is.
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