Swimming Hero's and Swimming Nemisis'

Last week I asked some of the members of our training group if they knew who Eric Vendt is.  I've actually asked this same questions 3-4 times over the last few years.  No one ever has a clue.

Eric Vendt is the first USA athlete to break 15:00 in the 1500M Free.  He's not the first in the world's history, but he's first in US history.  

Eric is famous for this fact, and a few others.  He is an Olympic Gold Medalist in the 4x200 Free Relay from 2008, and he won individual Silvers in the 400IM in 2000 and in 2004.  

It's crazy to me that not only do people not know who Eric Vendt is, but they don't know who Grant Hackett is, or Mike Barrowman, or really anyone but Michael Phelps, Ryan Lochte, Missy Franklin, or Katie Ledecky!  Ok, maybe I am exaggerating!  But my point remains: most of the time, when I throw names out there to our T2 Aquatics athletes, they have no clue who I'm talking about.

I think everyone needs two people in their "sporting life" that are more important to them than their parents and their coach.  Those two people are:

1. Their HERO

2. Their NEMESIS

Athletes MUST THINK ABOUT SOMEONE OTHER THAN THEMSELVES when they are training.  It's too boring and too emotionally draining to be thinking about yourself all of the time.  Where do you get the adrenaline that can happen during/before training?  You have to "not like" some people.  Plain and simple, you have to be mean to win at the highest level.  Mean, vindictive, and not at all sorry about it.  

The facts are -- when you can't live happily without knocking off that kid that has beaten you six of the last seven races, then you are finally ready to win.  

Be nice and fun and chill outside of the athletic environment.  You think Michael Phelps flaps his arms and stares people down when he's pumping gas or grocery shopping?  He doesn't.  But he turns his "attitude" on during many parts of his day that have to do with training or preparing to train.

The fire inside of us needs to be constantly stoked and prodded.  We have to feel the weight of the loss at times, and motivate to never feel that pain again.  That's why I like it when athletes have to "sit with the pain".  The pain is part of moving ahead.  Second place is sometimes better than first place to me, because I'd rather have a pissed-off-for-greatness athlete in practice for weeks on end than some kid that thinks they've done something great but really they've just won a local competition.

Parents: sometimes this is why our super-competitive kids are a pain to deal with sometimes.  Nothing can put a competitor in a "mood" like losing a race (or training heavy, but the way -- that affects the mood too:) ).

Athletes who are ok with losing will lose more than they win.  Athletes who are not ok with losing will still probably lose more than they win, but they will win bigger races at times that make them feel somewhat ok about losing all of the previous races.

And then they wake up the next morning, and the process starts all over again!