When it comes to swimming, the period between November and February will be some of swimmers toughest training in terms of yardage and intensity. I just watched 40-year-old Janet Evans, who is swimming less than she did as a 20-year-old, swim 8,000 yards twice a day. And it doesn't end when the athlete leaves their specific field. There are weight workouts, agility, rehab and on and on.
For many sports, the work is already put in. For swimming it is a crazy combination of years of thousands of miles in the pool, intense intervals and sprinting, followed by the most precise tapering process ever. Gymnasts and track athletes have similar regiments. This is the time for these athletes to dig deep and really work hard. And they’re all thinking about the same thing, the goal: that perfect ending standing on a podium with a shiny gold medal around their neck.
2012 is here! And there are only 200 days until London. In "The year of the Games," everything seems more real and tangible, and the focus becomes even more intense. There are only be six months until Swimming Trials, Marathon trials are next weekend, and some teams have already be named, ala Gwen Jorgensen for Triathlon…But right now, athletes in every sport are bearing down and giving it every ounce of what they have…
Because if they don't, they know someone else, somewhere else, is.
If you want to find out what it's like to be one of these athletes, check out my "Countdown To London" web series on Spreecast.
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