It's too easy to assume the homeless are mentally ill. Here's a better, longer write-up that gives a deeper look into what she's going through and what she's thinking.
What an Olympic medalist, homeless in Seattle, wants you to know
I just re-watched the 1984 Olympic road race. What an exciting race that was. Surely one of the highlights of her life, but I wouldn't doubt that it also brings back bad memories for her. You think things are easy if you're a world-class athlete. Their lives aren't all fame, glory and fun. The pressures are unimaginable. Then when you've reached the top, the fall from grace can be long and far.
And on top of all that, her ex-husband, national team member Mark Whitehead, died young a decade ago.