From Health Magazine, June 2012:

If you ever need motivation to slide off the couch and hit the gym, just think of Dara Torres.

At 45, the superstar swimmer has been training feverishly to make her sixth Olympic swim team at London’s Summer Games. Her event: the 50-meter freestyle, which is one frenzied lap. The swimmer (and model, TV sports commentator, author, and mother of 6-year-old Tessa, with ex-boyfriend David Hoffman) loves a challenge, but she’s had some tough ones thrown her way in the past few years.

In 2009, she underwent major knee surgery for arthritis and had to take off a year to recover. Last year, her coach, Michael Lohberg, whom she adored, died at 61 from a rare blood disorder. And she has found that her body—as insanely fit as it is—doesn’t bounce back from training as fast as it did a few years ago.

So this time around, she’s shaking things up and taking a more scientific approach. In her adopted hometown of Coral Springs, Florida, she’s assembled a team that includes a naturopathic doctor, a cook (“because it’s just me and Tessa, and she wants mac ‘n’ cheese every night”), a nutritionist, and a pair of therapists who stretch her for two hours post-workout…

If you compete in London, you’ll be the oldest female Olympic swimmer ever—how do you feel about that?
You know what? To me, it’s an honor. People say, “You must get sick of everyone talking about your age,” but it really doesn’t bother me.

So it doesn’t psych you out to be competing against people half your age?
Not many things psych me out! [Laughs] I just try to have fun. I mean, I definitely have aches and pains that most middle-aged people have. What’s funny is that I listen to music before I swim a race and while I train. And I’m surrounded by teenagers—everything is hip-hop for them. So I’ve really gotten into the hip-hop scene! I’ll always have my classic rock—the Rolling Stones, the Doors, the Who—but I’ve made some other playlists with Kanye West, Rihanna, Jay-Z…

How do you deal with jitters in general? Any tricks?
I always feel sick to my stomach before I swim. But the minute I’m on the block, everything is calm and I’m ready to go. The way I look at it is, “I’ve done everything I can at this point, I should just enjoy it.” That takes the pressure off.

Read entire interview

The outcome was not what she had hoped for, but her actions this weekend confirm her champion status.
[See post to watch Flash video]

“Victory isn’t defined by wins or losses. It is defined by effort. If you can truthfully say, ‘I did the best I could, I gave everything I had,’ then you’re a winner.”
—Wolfgang Schadler, Head Coach for the US Olympic Luge Team

Jill, Doug, Carrie, and Mike

Day 1: Congratulations to Jill for her killer results at Day 1 of the Reebok Crossfit Games Regionals! 

Hydrating for battle

Jill is currently in 20th place out of 33 of the top female competitors in Northern California. This is extremely impressive considering she is up against many women half her age and many times her size!

Our friends Amanda and Roger from The Cave in Marin with Jill

Best,
Steven

Bryan Clay has the potential to become the greatest decathlete in history.

Meet the A-Team:  Lucy and Gavin

Cuban Ronald Girones (Blue) struggles with the US Michael Eldred in the men’s Judo -73kg bronze medal fight, during the Guadalajara 2011 XVI Pan-American Games in Guadalajara, Mexico, on October 28, 2011. Girones won a bronze medal. (RAUL ARBOLEDA/AFP/Getty Images)

Yesterday marked the closing of one journey for Olympic hopeful Michael Eldred. Michael has been commuting to EBJI and IC from Idaho for the past four years in preparation for the 2012 Olympic Games in London. Unfortunately, the decision making match was not in his cards.

According to NBC Universal Sports (MIAMI – May 8, 2012):
The World Cup Miami and back-to-back U.S. Open this weekend are the setting for the “Hour of Power,” a fight-off between Nick Delpopolo, 73 kg (NYAC/Jason Morris Judo, Scotia, NY), and Michael Eldred, 73 kg (Western Idaho Judo Institute, Fruitland, ID) for the last undecided spot on the U.S. Olympic Judo Team.

Both Delpopolo and Eldred qualified for the team but Olympic rules allow each nation to send but one judo fighter per division. USA Judo created the Hour of Power to make that decision. Delpopolo is ranked higher internationally, so if he wins one match, he gets the spot on the team. If Eldred wins the first match, they go two-out-of-three. Each match is five minutes with a three-minute golden-score overtime.

“This is the definition of intense,” said Jose H. Rodriguez, USA Judo’s CEO, “a fight for a spot on the U.S. Olympic Judo Team.” The Hour of Power is scheduled for 2 p.m., Saturday, May 12, at the Doral Resort and Spa.

Michael won his crucial first match, allowing him to fight the “best out of three” event for the Olympic team spot. He then lost the first of three to Nick, won the second, but ultimately losing a very controversial final match – thus losing his place on the U.S. Olympic Team for 2012.

Michael is a class act and will continue to follow his dream into 2016.  Congratulations Mike – your effort and courage is inspirational!