While the internet can be a distraction for some athletes, others are able to use it as an important motivational tool — and that's especially true for young runners, as Wired reports. These athletes use sites like Milesplit, Dyestat, and even message boards to see how they compare to other runners around the country. And that knowledge can be a big incentive to work even harder. "I wanted to break 17 minutes" says American runner Jenny Simpson, who will be competing in the women's 1,500 meter race at the London Olympics. "I wanted to run certain times and the internet played a paramount role in that."