The Beijing Olympics start on August 8th, 2008 - just 4 short days from now.

The Vancouver Games start on February 12th, 2010 - a mere 556 days from today.

556 days seems like a long time from now, doesn’t it?

But the athletes who are likely to be competing in Vancouver have already been training for 10 years (or more) to have the opportunity to realize their goal of qualifying, competing and succeeding at the next Winter Games.

In one month, the elite female hockey players who will be battling for gold in 2010 will be entering their “intensive” preparation phase for those Games. The US players will be centralizing in Minnesota and the Canadians will have monthly camps throughout the entire season.

If you haven’t already been identified as one of the top 100 players in your national team program, the only way you will be attending the Vancouver Olympics is as a spectator.

But you have 2012 days to get ready for the 2014 Winter Olympics in Russia.

So how are you going to get there?

One day at a time.

If you push yourself during each and every one of your off-ice workouts and on-ice sessions over the next 4 years, you can have the opportunity to realize all of your Olympic dreams.

Get a little bit better every day.

The journey to Russia begins now and your 2012 day countdown starts today.

Until next time,

Kim