Congratulations to all Olympic TrainingPeaks users!

After a spectacular closing ceremony, the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing have come to an end, and the whole team at TrainingPeaks would like to offer our most sincere congratulations to all of the athletes. Among the many incredible achievements of this year's Games, Olympic TrainingPeaks users distinguished themselves as some of the top performers in their disciplines. Kristen Armstrong took the gold in the women's time trial, and BMX bikers Mike Day, Jill Kintner, and Donny Robinson brought home a silver and two bronze medals. Levi Leipheimer took the bronze in the men's time trial, and 18-year-old Taylor Phinney came in 7th in the men's individual pursuit. Triathletes Sarah Haskins and Lisa Norden took eleventh and eighteenth in a field of almost fifty Olympic triathletes, and cyclists Mario Aerts and Cadel Evans took eighth and fifteenth in the men's road race out of a field of almost 150.

In addition to all of these spectacular performances in Beijing, many athletes using TrainingPeaks worked hard to train with and support those selected to represent their countries. One athlete who showed particular dedication to supporting the Olympic team was Arielle Martin, a BMX biker who narrowly missed qualifying for a spot in Beijing. Instead of abandoning her teammate Jill Kintner to finish preparing for Beijing alone, Arielle continued to train with Jill at the US BMX course in southern California.

"It's been so emotional for us," Kintner said in an article for NBC. "We've been together, then she left and she came back just to help me prepare. That's real strong character, right there. I've been getting all the attention, it all slipped out of her hands at the last minute, and it's been hard for both of us."

That dedication and support from Martin really paid off in the end, with Kintner bringing home the bronze. Before she stood on the podium, Jill acknowledged how important training with Arielle had been for her. "I feel like if I win a medal," Kintner said, "half of it goes to Arielle."

Such a story shows us how all of the medals and the glory of the Olympics belong not only to the individual athletes who have worked so hard to get to Beijing, but also to the team members, coaches, parents, friends, and others who have helped them get there. TrainingPeaks is proud to support Olympic athletes and proud to help everyone achieve their goals, whether you are hoping to win Olympic gold or complete your first 5k. Happy training!