For years I have dreamed of being an Olympian, but it was always a dream. A dream followed in blind faith that one day, maybe just one day, by a mighty act of God it would come true. This weekend that dream became real. The journey starts now.

I don’t whine for attention or to get out of hard work. I whine to verbalize the pain I am feeling. It reassures me that I am heading in the right direction. In some twisted way it helps build confidence in my training and my ability. But do athletes have a right to whine?

Success at the highest level is a very large, thousand piece puzzle. I am learning more and more how critical this piece of the puzzle is. These are my support structures, and the reasons you, as an athlete need a support structure to perform at your best.

You need to be smart about your training. Training through pain isn’t always the best option. Here are 4 questions to determine when it’s time to push through and when you need to ease up.

This poem got me chasing the dream of swimming in an Olympic Games. It’s a long shot dream, but with a little common sense and a healthy does of determination, you’d be surprised at what’s possible. I hope it inspires you too.

If you were already maximizing your training time, what’s the #1 thing you’d want to add to your day to get faster & stronger? The answer is sleep. And here’s why you want to be getting more of it.