Is there anything that jumps out that you've changed the most or had to continuously innovate on?

I think, uh, I mean, one thing that I think I haven't talked too much about...

I mean, I think everyone knows, you know, I've had different coaches at different points in my career.

Um, but I think one thing that I always have to remind myself is that when the, when the 1500 was added to the Olympic schedule, I did kinda shift my focus to more of the 800 and 1500.

Um, and so for the early part of my career, I was training, I would say, more as a 400 freestyler that would go up to the 800 and down to the 200.

And I, yeah, I had the ability to have a great 1500, of course.

I mean, that was always there and I would swim it at Worlds, but it was never my focus in training with Bruce or Yuri.

Yeah

So I'm wondering, what was the early goal that you set, that first one, or one of the first ones you can remember?

I think I had a few turning points or points in my swimming career where I felt like I took the next step or took a big step and I think two of those that stand out, one of them I was 13 years old and I was at a sectional level meet and I was swimming against 17, 18 year olds and I was beating them and I was winning events and um and I think that was one one time where I realized age doesn't really matter if I'm ready I can I can start racing the the older kids so that was one moment and then the following year I won my first junior national race um at a meet in Orlando and that too was against some older swimmers and I was probably more prepared for that given my experience the year before but i remember i didn't really have a very good meet in the days leading up to that race i wasn't even making the finals in some events i was maybe getting 10th or 12th 16th 20th that kind of range and then i just kept getting better as the week went on and i ended up winning the 1650 the mile race the last the last day of the meet and i think Just kind of building into that meet taught me a lot and again helped me learn that I was capable of racing those older swimmers.

Even at the Olympics, when I was 15 years old, I only had one race, the 800 free, and it was on day six of the competition.

So I had the first five days of the swim meet to just watch and cheer on my teammates.

And I think it helped me get over kind of that imposter syndrome that you might feel in those situations when you're that young.

I always saw these Olympians as these superheroes It was something so far-fetched when I first started swimming.

And then, okay, yes, I'm here.

Do you have any thoughts to tell other people who are trying to get rid of the noise and the less important in life?

So I think first thing is just when you think about pre-practice, pre-meet, what are your go-to grabs?

Well, I...

Pre-practice, pre-meet, it depends what time it's at.

[laughs] So usually for early morning practice, I'll have just, um, an oatmeal packet with a banana.

That's kind of been my go-to lately.

Um, and, but before a meet, which is usually a little later in the morning, like 9:00 AM, I'll have a full breakfast.

So I'll have eggs, bacon, toast.

So what do you, what are your go-to recipes now?