Gold Medals: Laura's Cheesy Motivational Moment

Have yall been watching the Olympics this year? I usually think the Olympics are so boring. I realize that sounds unpatriotic but it's true.

However, now that I am an Ultimate Athlete myself (insert sarcasim here), I have become more interested in the Olympics.

In all seriousness, I have been watching the Olympics for the past few days with a different outlook than I have in the past. Normally I would be completely uninterested in the Olympics, mainly because I didn't have one athlete to 'root' for. Sure, of course I would cheer for Team USA but it just seemed unpersonal for some reason.

Now I feel like I view these athletes differently. Since I have been watching what I eat and exercising regularly, I have a totally new respect for these people.

I thought that giving up my weekly trip to the Mexican restaurant was a huge sacrifice. Every morning when my alarm goes off and I have to don three layers of clothes to get my exercise I am annoyed. I spend hours researching the internet on where I can find the cheapest, yet most effective pair of swim goggles. It hurts my heart to have to 'just say no' to chicken fingers and french fries and instead choose salad and cottage cheese for lunch.

For me, it is a daily stuggle to simply maintain a healthy lifestyle.

This is why I have a whole new respect for our Olympians. They spend their lives, every day, 24/7, EVERY WAKING MOMENT preparing for their sport. Everything they do, everything that passes through their lips, effects their JOB. Their job being to represent our country at a competition against the rest of the world.

Constantly, they prepare for their sport so they can adequately represent the strength that is The United States of America.

Some of the Olympians that I've been following include:

Apollo Ohno

won the silver medal last night in the Men's 1500 Short Track Speed Skating.

J. R. Celski

was right behind him and took home the bronze.

I want to say, "J.R., are you sure Mommy and Daddy will let you stay up late enough to watch yourself on the Olympics?"


He looks so young, yes?


In September, J. R. was competing at the World Championship (or something like that...it was a really big deal) and had a bad wipe-out on the ice. The blade of his own skate cut his leg just inches from his femoral artery. Officials say he was in danger of bleeding to death on the ice.


Last week The Biggest Loser contestants spent a week at the US Olympic Training Facility in Colorado. J. R. helped with one of the challenges and showed everyone the scar on his leg. It looked like a huge football stitch.


And here he is, six months later, winning a bronze medal at the Olympics. Amazing!


And then there are these two awesome ladies:

Shannon Bahrke

bronze medalist in the Womens Downhill Moguls.

And here's her buddy, Hannah Kearney.

As the last of 20 finalists to ski last night, Hannah won the gold in the Womens Downhill Moguls, beating the defending champion, Canadian Jenn Heil on her own turf.

Tonight Bob Costa did a follow-up interview with Hannah on her story, and her road to the Gold.

He asked her, "When you began that final run, were you prepared to take home anything less than the gold?"

Without hesitation she replied, "No. Absolutely not. I had decided days ago that this was my time and the gold was MINE."

I loved that.

I loved that the thought of failure did not even cross her mind. To her, the silver or bronze medal would have been a failure. She came to play and boy did she make a statement within her sport.

It got me thinking about gold medals and everyone's different versions of victory. For these athletes at this time in their lives, the ultimate victory is a gold medal.

What is YOUR gold medal at this time in YOUR life?

Is it running a 1/2 marathon?

Is it running a 5K?

Is it running a mile?

Is it losing 20 pounds?

Is it losing five pounds?

Whatever it is, whatever your goal may be right now, don't be afraid to accept nothing less.

My gold medal is finishing this triathlon I am working towards. No time to beat, not another competitor to finish in front of, just me.

Just me crossing the finish line. For me, that is worth a gold medal.

Right now, that is.

Who's to say what will come after that but for now I have my sights set on this triathlon, and that's all I'll try for.

No need to think about what comes after that. Just take one step at a time.

So whatever your gold medal might be, just go for it. For lack of a better phrase, just do it. If you want it badly enough you WILL do it. You WILL get your gold medal.

Whether it's being crowned as a first-class-best-in-the-world-athlete, or simply gaining enough strength to walk a mile, everyone has their own gold medal.

Go get yours!