Life with Team USA at the Olympic Training Center in Chula Vista

(You can also view this post and more at the AthleticFoodie blog.) Since March 14 I've been in San Diego training at the US Olympic Training Center (OTC) in Chula Vista. USA Swimming organized a training camp for professional athletes like myself so we could get a change of scenery, and also train with some different athletes. This camp comes at a perfect time as many of the college teams we train with are preparing for the NCAA Championships, and are not training very hard. In 2008 I spent 10 days at the Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, C0. In 2009 I spent two and a half weeks at the OTC in Chula Vista, CA. Each training center has it's unique attributes. Colorado is at altitude which makes training there definitely harder, especially at first. In Colorado the pool is on the OTC campus, whereas in Chula Vista we train at a pool about 15 minutes away. Both training centers have high quality dining halls, which provide almost all the normal healthy things I would eat. As you might expect, the pool in Colorado is inside, while in Chula we have the awesome opportunity to train under the beautiful California sun. Both centers have great weight rooms and physical therapy centers to promote strength and recovery. All in all, each training center is awesome and provides a close to perfect environment to train in. As I'm sure many of you can attest, our lives always seem to have something else tugging at our attention. Sometimes it seems there are always errands to run, dinners to cook, calls to make, emails to write, meetings to attend, and more. Part of the true beauty of training at one of the OTCs is that we are basically in our own little cacoon, that has a sole focus on training. My objective here is to maximize training and get my shoulder 100% healthy. At the OTC meals are prepared for me. We're driven to practice. The weight room is a two minute walk from my room. I've been getting my shoulder worked on 100 yards from my back door. The campus is quiet, intimate and a wonderful place to take a deep breath and really focus at my goals at hand. Permanently living at this training center are a number of Olympic track and field athletes, rowers, bmx bikers, archers and kayakers. Traveling through on training trips are teams like our swimming crew, USA rugby, field hockey, softball, soccer, amongst others. As an athlete it's always helpful and eye opening to speak with other athletes about their training and how they're preparing themselves for peak performance. There's no question everyone does things a bit differently, and there's no exact science for anyone to achieve maximum performance. However, learning from other athletes, and experimenting with new training techniques is always an exciting thing to think about and explore. So far the workouts have been tough. I'm in a phase of training right now where I'm looking to get super fit while also gaining strength. Since about January 1 I've been nurturing a shoulder injury that I'm feverishly trying to rehab back to 100%. This camp has provided me with great opportunities to work with physical therapists and trainers who can help me on my road to recovery. Although my shoulder is only at about 85%, I'm making progress, and hope to be back close to 100% by the time I leave on March 29. Part of me truly wishes I could live at a training center like this and let all my other worries and responsibilities melt away. I'm refreshed by the simplicity of life here at the OTC. In part it makes me wonder just how good I could become if I had nothing else to worry about but training. Alas, no worries or responsibilities is not really a reality. However, I think this experience can show me, and hopefully others, that we can all probably simplify our lives in some way so that working towards our dreams is less hectic, and more focused. For instance, at the OTC there is nothing to do at night. Left with nothing to do, I've turned in for bed as early as 8:20pm. So much extra rest translates directly into higher output training. If I can successfully tune out insignificant distractions at home, and transplant this routine into my life regularly, there could really be huge benefits for me. I understand going to bed at 8:20pm is not normally a possibility for most people. Therefore, ask yourself this simple question...what could you alter and/or or take out of your life that would have an immediate and positive effect on you fulfilling your dreams? Think about it. My guess is there are things we can all do to help promote the realization of our dreams!

Hard Work Paves Road for Improvement

Few things are as much fun as swimming fast. Going best times is even better! This past weekend was a blast, as I not only swam very fast and also went a few best times to boot! Although I did not achieve my goal of going under 4:20 in the 500 free, I did go a best time by 10 seconds. The 500 free was spurred on by a bet I'd made with a coach named Chris Davis. Unfortunately I failed to win the bet as I missed breaking 4:20 in the 500 free by .03 of a second. I must admit that I was very annoyed and frustrated after the 500. Truth be told I really don't have any experience racing the 500 and just took it out a bit too slow. However, the fire is still burning inside me and mark my words, "I will break 4:20 before I retire from swimming." Even thinking about that 500 still rubs me the wrong way. After not being able to sleep much after the 500 fiasco, I still came back the next day and swam an awesome 200 free. My previous best time in the 200 was 1:33.55, in a full body suit. The plan was to go 1:33 something. The race felt great and I hit the wall at 1:33.29! Wahooo. As Eddie Reese always says, "The hard work and sacrifice always pay off if you're patient." This entire year of training has been some of the best of my life. No better way to boost my confidence, and drive home that all the hard work is worth it, than improvement. The final day of the meet was the 100 Free. Interestingly we hadn't done much speed work leading up to this meet. All eyes and preparation had been on the 500 free. Therefore the pace we did in practice was mostly all 500 pace. Generally leading up to meets we increase the amount of speed work we do (ie fast 25's, fast 50's, 15 meter sprints with fins on...etc) to prepare my body to go fast. Without having done much in the way of fast training I had no idea what my 100 would be like. My goal was to go 42 low. I knew I would have a great second 50 I just needed to get out fast the first 50. I went 20.4 and 21.9 for a 42.33. 20.4 is a bit slow going out for me. My easy speed just wasn't there like it normally would be. 42.33 is still a fast time that I'm very pleased with. What a great weekend of racing. I'm so happy with how my body recovered after every race. There's no question that my fitness level is as high or higher than it's ever been. My complete trust is in my coaches. We're continuing to work hard and prepare for even more fast swimming. Hard work is the way to success! Thanks y'all for continuing to support my dreams:)

Follow Garrett in Dubai at Short Course World Championships

Despite the fuzziness, these are cool photos from Garrett of the competition pool building in Dubai. Be sure to follow him on Twitter. You can find him as G_WeberGale (G_WeberGale). He also plans to keep writing athlete profiles at www.athleticfoodie.com.

Check out Garrett’s post at AthleticFoodie

Building strength is a requirement for all athletes. Garrett explores that topic at www.athleticfoodie.com. Give it a read.

Training Update

Hey y'all! I'm here in Austin, Texas training my tail off and absolutely loving it. I've been back in the water at Texas for a month and a half now. France seems like forever ago. My body is on a roll and my mind is feeling like a million bucks! In years past the fall has been a pretty trying time for me. Generally I get very broken down in training and struggle all the time in workouts. This year I am killing many of the workouts and, for me, training like an animal. There are a few factors playing in my favor. First, I think getting back in the water at the University of Texas and already in a modest level of fitness has really helped me adjust. Second, I'm on the light side in terms of weight. Right now I weigh about 180 pounds. My heaviest in training has been about 192-195 (at that heavy of weight I'm very strong but I've decided it's too heavy). At the Olympics in Beijing I was about 183. Maybe it doesn't seem like much but being a bit light I feel so much more agile and fit. My strength is not quite where I want it to be quite yet but I'm working on that four times a week! Third, I'm having fun with the guys at workout and leaving everything in the swimming world behind me when I leave the pool. I go to the pool and weight room to work, when I leave it is my play time. At times in the past I would get a bit caught up about swimming and it would pester my mind...no more! My diet is still pretty regimented but I'm allowing myself to cheat here and there. You've got to let yourself have pleasures along the way. You deserve it! Last week after a crazy week of workouts I made an incredible steak (which I learned to do in France), potatoes, salad, a mind-blowing chocolate dessert, and ice cream. If y'all had seen me eat it you may have thought I was crazy...my excitement for the steak and dessert was out of control! Train Hard. Eat Right. Swim Fast

Garrett cooks and chats with Gold Medal Mel

[caption id="attachment_1650" align="aligncenter" width="400" caption="Dinner...Direct from France"][/caption]

Gifts from France…and from the swimming pool

Have you seen the current post from Garrett on Swim Network? Give it a read.

Swim Network post: What the kitchen and the pool have in common

My regular blog for Swim Network features a few thoughts on how chefs and swimmers have more than you might expect in common. Be sure to check it out.

Roanne, France update

Two photos that illustrate two sides of Garrett's trip to France. Watch for more! Or, get them directly by following him on Twitter at G_WeberGale. [caption id="attachment_1307" align="aligncenter" width="300" caption=""My Sanctuary" as Garrett calls this pool"][/caption] [caption id="attachment_1308" align="aligncenter" width="300" caption="Tasty food from street vendor in Roanne"][/caption]

Pan Pacs 100 Free–All in the Tweets

Garrett had a good day in the 100 meter freestyle. Lowered his time to 48.73, secured his spot as third on Team USA. Now on to the 4 X 100 relay and the all-important 50 meter freestyle tomorrow. His Thursday tweets concerning the racing in case you didn't see them on Twitter from @G_WeberGale 9:57 p.m.Fed now off to bed. 8:05 p.m. Happy with my 100 free tonight. Went in there and took the B final! Thnx for all the support y'all. Gotta keep the momentum rollin... 12:03pm Qualified as 3rd American this morning w a 48.9. Have another chance to swim faster tonight. Need to b out smoother and ratchet time down!