Training, Support Lead Michael Phelps, Jason Lezak and Americans to Victory

In the land of lifeguards, swimmers, and Michael Phelps fans, Marylanders are cheering loudest this morning for Jason Lezak, whose last leg stretch of the 400 M freestyle relay in the Olympics meant the second gold medal for Michael Phelps. Lezak managed to catch up to French leaders during the swim, touching the wall just a fingertip before Alain Bernard. Marylanders who stayed up to watch the race last night, like the rest of my family, stood up and cheered, waking those who'd headed to bed before the race... like myself. Thanks to the training that swimmers like Michael Phelps and Jason Lezak undetake, Americans have their heads expectantly turned towards the Cube in Beijing.

Michael Phelps is Baltimore, Maryland, born and bred, and Marylanders consider his race for Olympic history to be their own. They woke this morning to word that their golden boy had done his leg of the race in 47.51 seconds, according to the Associated Press. However, they are thanking their lucky stars for Jason Lezak, who managed to do the race in 46.06 and ultimately win the gold medal for the Americans.

Suddenly, Marylanders are turning into Jason Lezak fans. Thanks to him, Michael Phelps can continue his quest for seven gold medals in swimming at the Olympics, making history for Americans. This would put him ahead of American swimming legend Mark Spitz, who won six gold medals doing the same thing.

The training that Jason Lezak, Michael Phelps, and the rest of the Olympic swimmers have undergone in order to prepare for the Olympics is staggering. Maryland, home to many an aspiring swimmer and lifeguard, knows this only too well.

From teenagers like my cousin Julia, who is already undergoing training in by the Ocean City Beach Patrol, to college students like my cousin Kaitlyn, who went to college with dreams of perfecting their strokes, they're all hoping to be the next reason for Marylanders to jump out their seats and cheer.

Thanks to last night's Olympic 400 M freestyle relay, they're looking to Jason Lezak, even though he isn't one of their own, to inspire them. Don't worry Michael Phelps-they'll still dream of you.