It’s finally the morning of the 4 x 100 free relay. I find myself staring in the mirror moments before I leave for the meet and an odd feeling comes over me. I feel my stomach turn. I begin to feel sick. I have felt this before, right before the 4×100 relay in Victoria for Pan Pacifics. Alright time to muscle this out, I pick up my bag and walk to the buses to go to the pool.

At the pool, wow, I feel a little like a rock star as I walk in. Mainly because of all the security checkpoints we have to go through. Australians love their swimming and this is a new feeling. Warming up turns out to be a little rough. There are so many people in the warm up/down pool. 1,200 athletes at one meet can get pretty overpopulated. I jump in the water with the plan to warm up and get ready, OH MY GOD! The water is freezing … I look up at the coaches with what I’m sure looked like a look or sheer horror. My coach looks at me with a smile on his face.

“Oh did I not mention they have been having problems with the temperature, it’s 76.” I shove my head under water and left my choice words I had for my coach in bubble form.

As the meet continues Garret Weber Gale, Ben Wildman, Neil Walker and I are getting ready in the ready rooms. I say my prayer and get ready to take the stage. We walk out and it seems like a scene from the movie Gladiator. As Maximus walks out, the Roman coliseum roars in excitement (If you haven’t seen the movie, I recommend it.) We walk to our lane. The bright lights are blinding and my hands are sweating in anticipation. The race begins. Garret swims a great leg, Next is Ben, OK, we are in good position, let’s go. I dive in and break out. OK,seems like I had a good start, Lets go GO. My first 50 seems effortless, “yes there is the wall and flip!” I scream to myself. Good flip, my right hand comes out as it always does to break the surface.

As my head approaches the surface, I feel the waves from the other swimmers hit me in the face. Wow this pool is wavy, “I’ve gotta get up and go.” I break out again and try and hold the lead. Come on, come on, something feels different though. My energy is dropping. I’m feeling so tired, I do not feel like I have control of my legs anymore. I have to make it to the wall. Alright in the red “Hold your breath Cullen, FINISH!” I hit the wall … best feeling in the world. I try with all my might to get out of the pool on the side. Neil finishes well and we win our heat. 3rd for tonight. That’s great lane placement. I get through talking with the media and walk to the warm down pool. I’m approached by the head coach,, Bob and he says you don’t look to good, when was the last time you ate?” I think about and respond, “Breakfast and I had a Powerbar before I got here.”

Eddie Reese looks over at me and says 200 calories — that isn’t good enough, that’s why your so tired and drained it’s 2:50 p.m. Bob looks at me and says, “Get some food in you, we need you for tonight, Don’t let me down. You are gonna need to go faster than that.” I nodded and walk to the warm down pool thankful I would have another chance to have a better time.

As we arrive in Australia, I feel fully rested. I had a bed on the plane. I was worried I would have gotten some evil looks from my teammates but all they said was, “that flight wasn’t so bad.” I stayed quiet, not exposing my blessing.

We met up with the team finally in Australia. Most of us are together. The only people we are missing are those that swam at the NCAAs. It was great seeing some of the same faces that I had a blast with in Victoria, Canada, for PanPacs and yet missing some that didn’t make this team.

Melbourne is beautiful. But we left Melbourne to go to Geelong for our taper training. That is by far my favorite word, taper … sometimes I’m sure it is better than Christmas.

When we got to Geelong, we checked into the hotel, and I’m rooming with none other than Ryan Lochte. Ryan and I are the same year and swam in the NCAAs together, so it was good to have a friend as a roommate.

Unfortuately for Ryan, they lost his luggage and he has now resorted to having to buy clothing. This is a position that I am not foreign to considering that the airline lost my luggage on my trip to China for the short course worlds. So, my heart goes out to Ryan.

A few days have passed, and we are finally all able to say that we feel a little better. The time change has been quite the ordeal, and overcoming the fatigue has been even harder but most of us are starting to stay up later and show more signs of taper and rest.

Much of the day during the taper week consists of sleep, eating and tapered practices — what more can a sprinter ask for? We will see by the end of the week how we feel.

Soaring high in the sky and the only thing going through my mind is trying to leave the troubles that are in New Jersey and Raleigh behind and focus on the important three weeks ahead: world championships and Duel in the Pool.
As I listen to my iPod, T.I. blaring in my ears, I daydream of my upcoming swims. I begin to feel tired as I release all of the stresses. My body begins to loosen on the way to Chicago. Soon I feel a thump on my left shoulder. It’s a small child, who was moments earlier playing with his PSP had fallen asleep on my arm. I look at his mother who silently says, “Sorry” and attempts to move her son. I whisper back, “It is OK.” I was feeling tired also and fell asleep.

The flight to San Fran seemed to be standard. I am flying in the economy section. YES! Legroom — this will help with added comfort. I fall asleep again. Man, I was tired. Arriving in San Fran was a great feeling. I’m finally going to see some of my friends on the national team.

As I exit the plane my coach and I are met by some swim managers and walk to the new gate for Melbourne. We soon learn that the team is split with some people leaving from Los Angeles and others from San Fran. Although there are only a few of us now, I still felt the relief that the only thing I need to think about was swimming fast.Ticket 41C — hmmm that is interesting, that is my Dad’s basketball jersey number and the letter is the first letter of my name. A sigh of relief leaves my lips as I feel comfort as I board the plane. My pops “is looking out for me.” As I sit down, I get myself comfortable but also ready to move for anyone in my row. I am sitting in the aisle. Moments pass and I finally hear the flight attendant say, “All electronics are now to be turned off because the cabin door is closed.” Wide-eyed I look to my left and the entire row is empty. JACKPOT. I guess Pops is looking out because I scored the whole row to myself for the 14 hour flight. I lie down and continue to visualize my races as I drift off to sleep.