Life at the Olympic Training Center

Life as an athlete at the Olympic Training Center (OTC) in Colorado Springs, Colorado, is simple:  Run, eat, and sleep — then repeat! The facilities here are top-notch and provide athletes with anything they could possibly need, including sports medicine, strength and conditioning, physiology training, and nutrition assistance. I am extremely thankful to be here and truly feel that everyone is helping me strive for my competitive excellence.

Not only is Colorado Springs great because of the training center, but it stands more than one mile above sea level and is a dream place for endurance athletes that want to gain the benefits of altitude training.

While staying at the OTC I will access the housing, food, gym, pool, and  physical therapy. My days at training camp look like this:

Breakfast
First Run: 80-88 minutes
Gym (core work)
Lunch
Nap
Massage/therapy
Second run: 32-48 minutes
Dinner
Bed

It looks extremely monotonous, and it is (it's a little like the movie "Groundhog Day"), but the beauty is that everyone here is doing the same thing. To keep ourselves entertained when we're not training we have been playing board games, reading, and watching movies and football.  We are all striving for greatness and are like-minded in our pursuit. I believe that I will get out what I put in — so work for what you want in life!

Here are some personal photos I've taken of my time at the OTC.


Kara Goucher and I after a chilly 20-mile long run.


 Training partners (with frosty beards) after a zero-degree long run.


Dorm room at the Olympic Training Center.


 Logging 110 miles a week requires lots of training shoes!


 View of the OTC campus


 Flags hanging in main building


 Physical therapy and massage area


 Housing for athletes


Cafeteria where all the athletes eat.

— Shalane Flanagan, Record-breaking marathoner