THE POLE-VAULTER | Brad Walker

Age 26
Location Seattle
Olympic Trials June 27-July 6

How Brad Walker stays fit Works out four hours daily, pulling weight sleds and running up hills. Pole-vaulting is a sport for the upper and lower body and requires quick spurts of energy, so “you’ll never catch me going for a jog,” he explains. Favorite drill Start by holding a barbell at knees. In one explosive motion, lift to chin. Done correctly, it works core, hamstrings, butt, quadriceps. Walker’s listed at six foot two, 185 pounds, but lifts upwards of 300 pounds. “It really is a total body lift,” he says.
Diet Fish, chicken, beef, plenty of rice. No processed foods and he does a lot of his own grilling, sautéing, and stir-frying.
Sleep Ten hours a night.

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THE SWIMMER | Megan Jendrick

Age 24
Location Tacoma
Olympic Trials June 29-July 6

How Megan Jendrick stays fit Wakes up by 6am three times a week to swim for three and a half to four hours. The other three training days she wakes up at 7:30am for a gym workout and swims in the afternoon. Favorite drill When they wouldn’t let her swim as much as she wanted as a kid, she ran up and down the stairs at home for an hour.
Diet Consumes about 4,000 calories on six to eight meals daily, including a protein shake after each workout. Husband Nathan grills three days’ worth of fish, steak, or chicken, adds brown rice, and packs it all into single-meal containers.
Sleep Eight to ten hours a night.

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THE RUNNER | Bernard Lagat

Age 33
Location Pullman
Olympic Trials June 27-July 6

How Bernard Lagat stays fit Runs a 13-miler once a week. On the five other training days he mixes it up, including a day during which he does a two-mile warm-up, followed by a four-mile run averaging four minutes and 45 seconds per mile, then a slower, two-mile cool-down. Favorite drills A simple stretch, where he sits with legs straight and slowly tries to touch his toes while his wife, an athletic trainer, pushes gently from the back. Diet Eats a lot of rice, sweet potatoes, and steak. “I don’t believe people who say not to eat steak before a race.”
Sleep Eight hours a night; goes to bed at midnight.

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THE GOALIE | Hope Solo

Age 26
Location Kirkland
Olympic Trials April 2-12

How Hope Solo stays fit Begins at 10am with an hour and 15 minutes of yoga. She jumps rope for 20 to 25 minutes, then heads to a field near her home for running and conditioning drills. Favorite drill Sets up 15 cones on a field, five yards apart. Sprints to the first, drops to her stomach, and extends her arms and legs like Superman. Gets up as fast as possible, sprints to the next cone and repeats.
Diet A glass of OJ for breakfast. A 2pm lunch of salad with tofu and a vitamin water from PCC Natural Markets. Eats dinner (often Thai food) around 8pm. No chocolate or pastries.
Sleep Six hours, usually 2 to 8am.

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THE BMX RACER | Jill Kitner

Age 26
Location Seattle
Olympic Trials June 14

How Jill Kintner stays fit Four hours a day—bike sprints, weight lifting, and bike jumping. Crucial drill Squats. “You have to build your ass up,” she says.
Diet Eats the standard three meals a day, bulking up on carbohydrates and proteins, and she snacks on fruit throughout the day.
Sleep Eight hours a night.