I'm not sure how many Olympics ago I first spoke to Clara Hughes.  Or whether it was at a Summer or a Winter Games.

She's been around that long and the depth of her athletic ability is so deep.

It's even hard to know where to begin to write about her.  So much ink has been splashed, so much video rolled.

Over the years, Canadians have to come know her almost as a daughter, a sister, and an unwavering and principled friend.

It's not just the five Olympic medals, her charitable work, and the Order of Canada that so many look up to.

It's that smile and unflappable optimism that exudes from every pore.

Canada's flag-bearer in Vancouver is 37-years-old now, about to race in her last Olympic event and will handle the moment as she always does - harnessing the inner child that makes her live every moment as if it were her first, yet at the same time cherishing every step, or rather every stroke, as if it were her last.

I have seen the inner child and that wise woman many times, but a couple of moments stand out for me.

I was there at the finish line in Turin four years ago when she charged, with every last ounce of energy across the finish line, collapsing on the ice as Olympic champion.  The kid in her would not be denied the 5,000 metre gold; the experienced veteran ensured she knew how to get there.

And where to take it.

It was after that race, she donated $10,000 to Right to Play, the Canadian-based humanitarian organization that uses sport to enhance the lives of underprivileged children around the world. Her generosity inspired a wave of giving, generating another $400,000.

But she wasn't done yet.  And probably never will be.

I was there a year later when Hughes travelled to Ethiopia to see those dollars at work.  And there was another moment, on a hilltop over looking Addis Ababa, when she spotted a few kids in ragged clothes and ball.  And together they played.

The inner child enjoyed every moment.  The wise old veteran knew the value of a touching a child's heart.

Hughes has often said she doesn't care about medals - she just wants to skate.

Later today, she'll skate one last time as an Olympian for Canada.

It will hurt.  But medal or no medal, she'll enjoy every moment.

And then this woman, who has accomplished so much, will continue her journey.

It's a good bet Canada will be hearing a lot more from Clara Hughes along the way.

(Clara Hughes in Ethiopia, Photo by Stephanie Janzer)