Swimming two miles; biking thirty miles; running three miles. But after all of this, the triathletes are not yet ready to call it a day.

"They don't just train and go to bed," said Meriden, intern at the Recovery Center. "They train and then they go take care of themselves."

This week, Christina and I experienced what it's like to be an athlete at the Recovery Center - where our American heroes go after an intense day of training.

Set in a building just down the Olympic pathway from where they train, athletes come to the relaxed environment of the Recovery Center about four days a week in order to limit fatigue and prepare for the next day's workout.

First up, Christina put on the compression sleeves and pants. While most athletes don't usually wear the sleeves and pants at the same time, Christina was yearning for the full experience. The compression suit, which pumps air through the sleeves and pants, keeps lactic acid from building up in an athlete's body.

Imagine having your blood pressure taken from every inch of your arms and legs - that's the sensation Christina felt.

"We have a fun job, except now it's a little scary," Christina said. "I feel like my hand is going to die."

But for athletes like bobsledder Steve Mesler, this is just a daily regimen.

"After two or three minutes, it's actually really comfortable," Mesler said.

Next up, I put on a bathing suit and hopped into the hot tub, which is kept at about 102-103 degrees Fahrenheit. After a few minutes, I switched to the cold plunge, which was about 52 degrees. The contrast in temperature increases blood flow, while decreasing inflammation.

"They'll wrap towels around their heads and read magazines in the hot tub," Meriden said about the athletes.

However, I had a hard time believing this because of the extreme temperatures.

Now it was time for the dry sauna, which can reach up to 190 degrees. The wood floors, walls and ceilings are akin to entering a log cabin in the summer, and it allows the athletes to relax.

After taking a minute to adjust their temperature bearings, we headed to the aqua massage bed. The bed, controlled by a computer, uses high pressure water jets that run up and down the length of one's body.

The Recovery Center has many other amenities as well. Athletes can call ahead of time to schedule a massage, can participate in stretching and yoga exercises and have the opportunity to speak with a sports psychologist.

And of course, Meriden always ensures the center is stocked with nutritional goods after the athletes finally finish for the day. There is a "magic" 45 minute to one hour period after training to get water, carbohydrates and a small amount of protein that will maximally benefit an athlete's recovery.

The shelf is full of Cliff Bars, Erin Baker bars, Clif Shot Blocks and various sports beverages.

Although, we didn't actually spend the day training (rather we came right from the office) we were still ready for a nap after recovering - just like the athletes.