Our interview with Mike Hazle at My Athletic Life.  Mike talks about his training at the Olympic Training Center in Chula Vista, CA, his views on USA Track and Field, and his plans for life after competing in the javelin.

What is your vision of how elite Olympic athletes live and train?  Are they able to enjoy the financial fruits of their athletic achievements?  Are they surrounded by a cadre of coaches, trainers, sponsors, and handlers who attend to their every need?  If this is your image of an Olympic athlete, prepare to be disappointed.

I recently caught up with Mike Hazle, a 32 year old javelin thrower from Texas who now lives in Chula Vista, California at the Olympic Training Center.  Mike, like his fellow United States teammates, has toiled for years preparing himself for a few precious chances to achieve an Olympic dream.

Over the past decade, Mike has seen his PR in the javelin increase from 193 feet 4 inches in college to an impressive 269 feet 8 inches; however Mike is just now reaching the peak of his athletic career having been an Olympian in 2008 and the USA National Champion in 2011. So for the next year, he plans to be 100% focused on achieving the best possible outcome in London at the 2012 Olympics.

Beyond his competitive athletic career, Mike will make a fairly radical change in his life – he plans to join the US Military.  You might think that spending a lifetime competing in amateur athletics would have been enough of a sacrifice for Mike and that military service would be the last thing on his mind; however Mike doesn’t look at it that way.  For him it is simply “a choice,” one that makes sense and provides context and value for his life.

I believe after learning more about Mike from the interview below, like me, you will respect him as an athlete and as a person who isn’t confined by typical boundaries.

During the recent CrossFit games, I observed that many of the participants took time after completing an event to cheer on fellow competitors.  It appears that there is a similar supportive atmosphere among javelin throwers.  Do you find this to be the case?  For example, I understand you train with Andreas Thorkildsen, the reigning Olympic gold medalist.

I believe that the majority of javelin throwers and most technical event athletes tend to...  Read More