First of all I want to say that I am very proud of how Aubrey and Chris did at this Trials. We had not so good times and best times but most important is that I really have the feeling that both of them are leaving this place with a good mind frame and a good understanding of what they did.

Sorry it has been a while since my last blog. It has been a great last few days. Well, when I blogged last I was supposed to swim the 100 meter backstroke the following day. Because of the time trial time limit and the amount of entries I was unable to swim it Tuesday and had to wait until the following day, Wednesday.

After prelims this morning Aubrey and I were coming out of the Quest center when I saw Matt Grevers. I recruited Matt to attend Northwestern and I had the privilege to coach him during the 2003-04 season. After Aubrey, Matt and I had a little conversation and we were walking back to our car I told Aubrey Matt’s story.

So, yesterday did not necessarily go as planned, but that is ok. I swam as hard as I could at the moment but that was not enough. I am a big believer in “Things Happen For a Reason” and I think that the whole event taught me a lot…

Today was not a good day for us. Aubrey got her debut at the US Olympic Trials and she did not have a good race. I know that she is very disappointed and I am also upset. But I told Aubrey after the race that we need to look at the positive side of the negative and we need to make sure that we learn from what did happen today.

Watching the way Ryan Lochte make Michael Phelps work for the win was one of those races that will be very hard to forget. At the end of the race I was showing Chris (he was sitting next to me) all the Goosebumps all over my arms :-)>

You can just imagine a newscaster saying it: “The Olympic Trials blows through town on the heels of a 100 mile-per-hour storm that’s literally ripped off part of the Qwest Center’s facade.”

This morning as I get ready to leave for Omaha, I can’t help reflect on the people and events that have brought me to this point. It was less than eight years ago that I showed up on the pool deck for my placement swim. I was just shy of my ninth birthday full of confidence and short on experience.

WOW!! There is less than 48 hours until Chris and I leave for what might be the biggest and most important meet of our lives. The Olympic Trials marks the beginning of a life long dream for some and is the last stepping stone before the Olympics.

Even those living beyond the swimming world’s bubble are feeling the buzz about this Olympic Trials. Those in the know already know that, well, they may not know anything. Sure, Michael Phelps will qualify in a slew of events along with Katie Hoff and Natalie Coughlin.