Why Katie Ledecky's World Record Changes Everything

There’s this idea in swimming—that once you hit your “prime,” it’s all downhill from there.

You hit your best times in your early 20s, maybe ride the wave for a few more years, and then start talking about your career in the past tense - especially in events 400m+.

It’s accepted. It’s expected. And until now, it’s gone mostly unchallenged.

But Katie Ledecky just blew that mindset out of the water.

She broke the 800m freestyle world record—nine years after she last set it. At 28 years old.

After four Olympic teams. After the entire world assumed her fastest days were behind her.

This wasn’t a comeback. This was a redefinition.

Ledecky didn’t just prove she’s still got it—she proved again that the whole concept of an “expiration date” on improvement is a myth.

And she’s not alone in demonstrating this:

• Sarah Sjöström is still swimming world-leading times in the 50 fly and 50 free, even after major injury setbacks and now in her 30s.

• Nicolas Santos won a World Championship medal in the 50 fly at age 42—yes, 42—proving that speed and precision don’t have to fade with age.

• Anthony Ervin won Olympic gold in the 50 freestyle at 35 years old—sixteen years after his first one.

These examples show that there’s no clock telling you when to stop trying. No set age when you should stop believing you can get better. The window is only closed if you decide it is.

So if you’re wondering whether it’s too late for a PB, a breakthrough, or a second wind—look at what Katie just did.

And then get back in the water.

A Ledecky-Inspired Set & The Importance of a Positive Attitude

The morning after Katie Ledecky’s record-breaking 800, I was wrecked.

For the last few months, I’ve been bouncing around the country for swim clinics, weddings, and everything in between.

So when I showed up to practice, I was just… not feeling it. The kind of day where you’re tempted to hide in the warm-down lane and call it “active recovery.”

But Blake P had other plans.

He showed up full of energy, ready to go, like it was the first workout of the season. Just a guy who made the decision to bring the right mindset into the pool that day. And it rubbed off on me.

We ended up throwing down a brutal Katie Ledecky-Inspired endurance set:

And honestly? It was exactly what I needed.

Sometimes you don’t need a new training plan or perfect conditions—you just need the right mindset and the right teammate next to you.

That morning reminded me of something important:

Your attitude is a choice.

You don’t always control how you feel walking into the pool. But you do control how you respond. You can drag yourself through it… or you can lean in, lift others up, and let the work change you.

Blake made the choice to be that positive force. And because of that, I was able to rise to the moment—even when I didn’t want to.

You’re either a product of your environment, or your environment is a product of you.

Be the kind of swimmer people want to train with. Be the reason someone else has a breakthrough.

Even on the hard days—especially on the hard days—choose to show up with purpose.

👋 Until Next Time

Whether you’re chasing a world record or trying to get through practice with a good attitude—keep showing up.

Keep finding reasons to believe your best is still ahead.

And most importantly… keep swimming.

-Cody

Until my next newsletter, I will see you all - later