The inside edge: 41 Olympians share 84 insights into training, eating & competing

gUESS HOW MOUNTAIN BIKER Alison Dunlap, a two-time Olympian, motivates herself to go for a ride when she's not in the mood? She maps out a route that includes her beloved doughnut shop as the halfway point. And how fencer Erinn Smart, who will make her Olympic debut in Athens, stretches her hamstrings? With a towel around the arch of her foot, to make the stretch easier. And why softball catcher Stacy Nuveman, a gold medalist, gets up so early to work out? Because, she emphatically says, "I want it over with."

In other words, although their to-die-for physiques might indicate otherwise, Olympians are real people: They, like us, need the occasional nudge to work out, aren't always able to pull off physical feats and, at times, can view the whole stay-in-shape thing as a chore. But they're committed to finding out, on a daily basis, how far their bodies can take them--and if all their daily sweat and hard work ultimately can add up to a spot on the podium. How they keep going, and other secrets of their lives--everything from how they veg out to how they psych up--can add a spark to your athletic ambitions, whether they're Olympian or simply utilitarian.

LET'S GET PHYSICAL

A light day for the average Olympian is about three hours of training; a normal day, closer to six hours. Wonder how they do it? Here are some clues about how America's top athletes make it to the top:

"If you're having problems with technique, no matter what your sport,
videotape yourself doing it. I didn't drive my knees up very well, and
coaches told me that, but until I saw it on tape, I wasn't aware how
dramatic the problem was."
--Deena Kastor, 31, marathon

"Some mornings. I ride the rollers [an indoor cycling setup] to wake up
my legs and send the signal for them to get ready to work out."
--Tanya Lindenmuth, 25, track cycling, 2000 Olympics

"In the off-season, I started taking Bikram ['hot'] yoga. It really
helped me increase joint flexibility and strength. I can now squat
lower, and this is the first year I feel healthy--no aches or pains."
--Misty May, 27, beach volleyball, 2000 Olympics

"Before flying, I always get up early and go for a short ride. Sweating
before sitting for a long time always feels good."
--Kimberly Bruckner, 33, road cycling

"After a long plane trip I'll take a walk or have a short practice. Then
I stay up as late as I can to reset my [internal] clock--that's the
quickest way to adjust to a new time zone."
--Kristine Lilly, 33, soccer, gold medal in 1996 Olympics and silver in
2000 Olympics

"I squat, power clean, do plyometrics and some ab and arm exercises as
well. It's important to have a body that is balanced in strength; sprint
cycling involves explosive, quick movements and if anything is lacking.
I could pull something. Plus, keeping my body strong will help my bones
through the aging process--or at least I'm planning on it!"
--Tanya Lindenmuth, track cycling

"I don't play other sports for cross training, but I jump small hurdles
and run through ladders for coordination and agility. I also do things
for balance, and drills to improve my reflexes and instinct. It's really
functional training that can be applied to any sport."
--Annett Davis, 30, beach volleyball, 2000 Olympics

"I start some of my workouts by jogging in bare feet on grass. Doing so
strengthens the muscles in your feet."
--Stacy Dragila, 33, pole vault, gold medal in 2000 Olympics

"Three times a week, I do a 20-minute session for my core on a Reebok
stability ball before running. Core work is great because the more
fatigued I get in a race, the more I rely on my core."
--Michellie Jones, 35, triathlon, 2000 Olympics

"Fencing competitions are held over the course of an entire day; my body
has to be ready for serious endurance. So on my off-days, I run or
Rollerblade to build my endurance--and for fun. When I run, I like to do
wind sprints to work on getting my heart rate up and then quickly
recovering."
--Erinn Smart, 24, fencing

"Focusing on technique--tuning in to making one movement perfect--really
makes the time fly."
--Haley Cope Clark, 25, swimming

"While I'm watching television, I'll lie on a foam roller or a Swiss
ball to stretch out my back--a good, mindless way to get in stretching."
--Stacy Dragila, pole vault

"WHAT'S YOUR FAVORITE WORKOUT?"

Not surprisingly, there was no lack of responses.

"Yoga. I can forget about everything and just focus on myself. Plus, I
love the way I feel after it."
--Lindsay Benko, 27, swimming, gold medal in 2000 Olympics

"Running 9 X 60 meters--I like it because it's short and fast. And in
the weight room, I love squats because they make me feel powerful."
--Torri Edwards, 27, sprinting, bronze medal in 2000 Olympics

"A long threshold: between 4,000 to 5,000 meters of interval training,
holding my heart rate at 80 percent of max. I like this set because it
pushes me to my maximum. And I seem to be able to last longer than
anybody else in the pool."
--Rachel Komisarz, 27, swimming

"Going for a long jog--not a run but a jog--with my husband around Lake
Harriett in Minneapolis. Also, walking lunges are my favorite strength
move."
--Rebecca Lobo, 30, basketball, gold medal in 1996 Olympics

"Next to wrestling with a good partner who has both intensity and flow,
basketball is my favorite workout."
--Patricia Miranda, 25, wrestling

"On Saturdays, we have eight to 12-mile tempo runs, which is a game of
the hunter and the hunted. Our coed training group warms up together,
then our coach sends us off in waves. I start first, and then the guys
start about three minutes behind me. I often make a remark like, 'Catch
me if you can!'"
--Deena Kastor, marathon

"Short sprints, like 30 meters. I feel like I'm flying down the track,
especially when there's a strong Texas tailwind."
--Amy Acuff, 29, high jump, 1996 and 2000 Olympics

"Twice a week, we do three sets of three rope climbs, three sets of
pull-ups and three sets of 20 push-ups, with crunches in between each
exercise. Within two weeks, I went from being able to do three sets of
three pull-ups to three sets of seven."
--Carrie Chandler, 23, judo

"I like choreographing routines--it's a very creative process."
--Anna Kozlova, 31, synchronized swimming, 1992, 1996 & 2000 Olympics

"I love Pilates. I work up a sweat but leave feeling energized. Plus,
training for water polo leads to tight muscles, and Pilates loosens them
nicely."
--Robin Beauregard, 25, water polo, silver medal in 2000 Olympics

"I love practices when we work six-on-five power plays--it's the most
challenging situation for a goalie, which is what I am."
--Nicolle Payne, 28, water polo, silver medal in 2000 Olympics

"My favorite exercise is the bench press. I really feel strong
afterward."
--Maritza Correia, 22, swimming

"My current leg regimen is a squat pyramid, leg extensions and a 10-
minute interval session on a plyometric sled. It's exquisitely painful,
but I relish knowing how much faster each set is making me."
--Jennifer Devine, 35, rowing, 1996 Olympics

"I love to do core exercises. If I feel my abs really burning. I know
I've found a good exercise."
--Amanda Beard, 22, swimming, one gold and two silver medals in 1996
Olympics and bronze in 2000 Olympics

"I love to play squash. It's a fast game that offers a good
cardiovascular workout."
--Heather Mitts, 26, soccer

"My favorite way to exercise quickly is to jump rope. It gets your heart
rate up and gives you sexy, toned legs."
--Haley Cope Clark, swimming

"I love Spinning. I pretty much swim, swim and swim, but once I've
retired, I'll rely on it for cardio."
--Brooke Bennett, 24, swimming, gold medal in 1996 Olympics and two gold
medals in 2000 Olympics

FOOD, GLORIOUS FOOD

Endless hours of daily exercise allow Olympiaris to justify every calorie they put in their mouths. Think Ben & Jerry's must be a staple? Far from it. Check out these Olympic eating strategies:

"I ate McDonald's for lunch the day I set a world record [200-meter
freestyle, short course], although I wouldn't recommend doing that.
What you eat throughout the year matters more than what you eat right
before competition. On a daily basis, I keep my protein high and carbs
low."
--Lindsay Benko, swimming

"Although I don't count calories, I don't waste them on food that
doesn't provide positive fuel."
--Patricia Miranda, wrestling

"I never work out on an empty stomach. I think ahead to practice and the
demands that I'll be putting on my body, and I fuel it with whole grains
and fruit."
--Maggie Bowen, 24, swimming

"I'm a fan of food, especially sweets. My favorite is Reese's Peanut
Butter Cups. Even when I'm 'dieting' [to stay under the lightweight
requirement of 125 pounds], I allow myself to eat what I'm craving--but
in moderation."
--Lisa Schlenker, 39, rowing

"I don't eat fast food and try not to eat anything processed (out of a
bag or box). I eat fruits and nuts for snacks, and mostly cook for
myself to ensure the food I eat is high-quality."
--Amy Acuff, high jump

"An hour before a race, I like to eat half of a Power Bar--peanut butter
is my favorite flavor--so I don't find myself hungry behind the blocks."
--Tara Kirk, 22, swimming

"Always eating in restaurants because of travel can be dangerous for an
athlete. I try to eat something small every two to three hours, so I
don't arrive at a restaurant famished."
--Stacy Nuveman, 26, softball, gold medal in 2000 Olympics

"I have four meals a day, but I definitely watch what I eat because I'm
in the 105-pound weight class. Still, my favorite food is peanut butter
and chocolate ice cream, so I treat myself once in a while."
--Tara Nott Cunningham, 32, weightlifting, gold medal in 2000 Olympics

"When I was playing professionally, I loved having a bowl of oatmeal. It
didn't matter what time of day it was--it filled me up but didn't make
me feel heavy."
--Rebecca Lobo, basketball

"I like to get my vitamins from fruits and veggies: the old-fashioned
way. If you're living off chocolate and chicken fingers, you don't have
the energy to exercise."
--Maggie Bowen, swimming

"I'll have a small cup of coffee with breakfast, and sometimes another
one after. I usually eat just breakfast and dinner daily, with a snack
like fruit and a granola bar in the middle of the day."
--Liz Burns, 19, judo

"I cook a big meal on Sunday, and eat the leftovers all week."
--Anna Kozlova, synchronized swimming

"My favorite power snack is toast with peanut butter and honey."
--Maggie Bowen, swimming

"Lately, our team has been having a big barbecue on Sunday nights. We go
to the farmers market in the morning, then cook a huge dinner with
teammates and roommates. It's a great way to start the week of
training."
--Nicolle Payne, water polo

"I've learned the difference between real hunger and a desire to eat out
of boredom. Just because I need 3,500 to 4,000 calories a day doesn't
mean I can be indiscriminate about what form they take. I stay away from
processed, prepackaged foods because they tend to be high in sodium and
fat."
--Jennifer Devine, rowing

"I never work out without a water bottle nearby, and I always eat some
fruit or a sports bar before practice."
--Haley Cope Clark, swimming

THE MENTAL EDGE

Having the physical ability to pull off perfect 10s is one thing; doing so while the cameras of NBC--and the eyes of the world--are staring at you is quite another. Here's how Olympians keep it together, mentally:

"I always jump three times before a game begins; it mentally tells me to
get going and get ready to play."
--Kristine Lilly, soccer

"I wear a new suit and shoes for every major race. If I look good, I
feel good and race well."
--Michellie Jones, triathlon

"My favorite psych-up song is 'Sing for the Moment' by Eminem, because
it reminds me that I only have one shot."
--Rachel Komisarz, swimming

"My husband says I play better when I'm mad, so I usually try to find
something, pregame, that makes me a little angry. It helps when I'm
warming up and a player from the other side--or even a teammate--hits me
with a ball. It gives me extra adrenaline and motivation!"
--Tara Cross-Battle, 35, volleyball, bronze medal in 1992 Olympics, 1996
and 2000 Olympics

"Whenever I line up next to someone or am called on to perform, I say
three words: 'Breathe. Relax. Execute.' That says it all."
--Lisa Schlenker, rowing

"I like to keep to myself before a tournament so I can stay focused, I
don't like a lot of people talking to me."
--Liz Burns, judo

"Right before I step onto the mat during a competition, I look at my
coach. Glancing at him keeps me from freaking out because he looks so
confident."
--Carrie Chandler, judo

"I usually watch a movie the night before a big meet to help me relax."
--Torri Edwards, sprinting

"I listen to hip-hop before games. Right now I'm into DMX. His song
'Lose My Mind' really pumps me up."
--Tara Cross-Battle, volleyball

A DOSE OF MOTIVATION Job duties for Olympians include sweating, lifting and playing. Not bad, but it's still a job. Here's what they do when they feel like calling in sick:

"If I feel really tired when I go to bed, I leave my shades open so the
light will coax me out of bed in the morning."
--Heather Petri, 26, water polo, silver medal in 2000 Olympics

"On days when I don't feel motivated to ride. I call a fellow racer. The
chance of two racers both lacking motivation on the same day is rare."
--Susan Haywood, 32, mountain biking

"I talk a lot on training runs; it makes the time go much faster. When
the pace picks up, the conversations become shorter, but I still make an
effort."
--Deena Kastor, marathon

"I like to meditate before bed, and visualize my goals for the next
day."
--Holly McPeak, 35, beach volleyball, 1996 and 2000 Olympics

"My third training session of the day--usually a run--is the hardest,
because I'm exhausted. On the days I don't feel like heading out the
door, I take my two mini-pinscher dogs with me. They're always happy to
run."
--Michellie Jones, triathlon

"During cold East Coast winters, when I'm on my own to work out, I play
mind games. If I'm running 10 shuttle runs [short sprints]. I tell
myself, 'Just get through the first four.' On the fifth, I tell myself,
'If I do this one well, I don't have to do the last one.'"
--Kristine Lilly, soccer

"I save the extra energy coffee provides for hard workout days or race
day; usually, before my morning ride, I'll drink green tea with honey."
--Susan Haywood, mountain biking

"When I work out, I stay focused by concentrating only on what I'm doing
right then--I don't think about the next part of the workout."
--Amanda Beard, swimming

"When I'm not in the mood to work out. I look at my two gold medals and
remember how easily they could end up around somebody else's neck at
this Olympics."
--Leah O'Brien-Amico, 29, softball, gold medal in 1996 and 2000 Olympics

"Now that I'm retired, I sometimes don't motivate myself to exercise.
But now that I control the content of my workouts, I look forward to
them more than when I was following a regimen a strength coach had put
together."
--Rebecca Lobo, basketball

"I create a weekly calendar, and write everything on it I need to do
daily: drink enough water, lift weights, finish training runs, get a
massage, stretch, I put an 'X' next to everything once it's completed.
My reward for millions of X's? Hopefully, an Olympic medal."
--Deena Kastor, marathon

"When I'm not up for practice, I just think about how hard the other
teams are working; that's all I need to get going."
--Laura Berg, 29, softball, gold medal in 1996 and 2000 Olympics

"If I'm not in the mood, I just remind myself how fortunate I am to be
able to work out."
--Tara Nott Cunningham, weightlifting

"Keeping a schedule helps me, because I just go to the track and get
started--I don't have time to fritter away."
--Amy Acuff, high jump

"Listening to music, talking to my teammates and wearing bright clothing
always lifts my spirits."
--Ellen Estes, 25, water polo, silver medal in 2000 Olympics

"Before a tough workout, I grab a Red Bull."
--Amanda Beard, swimming

"If I'm feeling flat. I might back off a little to let my body recover.
I'm not one to try to get out of practice, but if I'm not feeling 100
percent, going really hard can hurt more than it can help."
--Stacy Dragila, pole vault

FIVE REASONS TO RISE, SHINE AND SWEAT:

"When I retire, I'll always work out in the morning, I feel so much
better during the day, and I like knowing my workout is already done."
--Lindsay Benko, swimming

"If I wait until the afternoon to exercise, it's too easy to find
excuses not to. Also, by working out in the morning. I get adrenaline
and endorphins flowing, and I'm more mentally alert for the rest of the
day."
--Robin Beauregard, water polo

"Working out in the morning is great because you've gotten so much
accomplished before other people even have gotten out of bed."
--Tara Kirk, swimming

"If you train hard in the morning, you have the rest of your day to
recover, which allows you to get up and do it all over again!"
--Deena Kastor, marathon

"Sitting around, thinking about having to work out later takes more
energy than just getting up and training does."
--Tina George, 25, wrestling

AND TWO REASONS NOT TO:

"My favorite time of the day to work out is high noon, because it's the
warmest part of the day and it's the body's energy peak."
--Amy Acuff, high jump (and student of traditional Chinese medicine)

"I really enjoy working out at 4 p.m., because that's when my body feels
the most awake."
--Tara Nott Cunningham, weightlifting

RELATED ARTICLE: >>> WONDER WHAT THESE WONDER WOMEN USE FOR FUEL?

Breakfast

"A bowl of Special-K Red Berries, either a glass of milk, OJ or water.
On some mornings, a vanilla latte is necessary to make it to practice."
--Robin Beauregard, water polo

"Two hard-boiled eggs, grapefruit, cottage cheese and decaf coffee."
--Tara Nott Cunningham, weightlifting

Lunch

"Chicken sandwich, salad with strawberries, pears, pine nuts, blue
cheese and a sprinkle of raspberry blush vinegar."
--Tanya Lindenmuth, track cycling

"Ham-and-cheese sandwich, fruit and a cookie--I always have the same
boring thing, because I know my stomach can handle it before I turn
upside down."
--Anna Kozlova, synchronized swimming

Dinner

"Grilled salmon with fennel and roasted peppers, and organic low-fat
yogurt for dessert."
--Susan Haywood, mountain biking

"Grilled chicken breast, grilled zucchini or peppers, a steamed green
veggie (broccoli, peas, green beans or spinach) and a few of my homemade
oatmeal-with-toffee-and-chocolate-chip cookies for dessert."
--Jenny Johnson Jordan, 31, beach volleyball, 2000 Olympics

ILLUSTRATIONS BY CHRIS PYLE

Additional reporting by Linsay Morris

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