Red, White & Trending: Aug. 3-9

What are Team USA athletes — Olympians, Paralympians and hopefuls — up to when they're not competing? They're training. They're practicing. They're traveling to competitions and meets and games and tournaments. They're relaxing. They're getting engaged and married and having children. They're taking hard-earned vacations. Or retiring. Or coping with the raw emotions that come from losing and winning. And they're sharing. Through the reach of social media, we're able to follow along on their often extraordinary journeys. We'll catch you up each week on what's "Red, White & Trending."

Pool Queue

One of the world’s most successful international teams — USA Swimming — has hit the road and its elite athletes are spending the next bit of their dedicated swimming lives to winning some hardware in Japan for the Pan Pacific Swimming Championships. But, first, Team USA enjoyed more than a little bit of sightseeing along with the views … and even the training.

Nature’s Beauty

As slices of life go, these aren’t too bad from Paralympic star and three-time snowboarding medalist Amy Purdy …

Nailed It

The almost ceaselessly positive and enthusiastic Elana Meyers Taylor drove home some of that positive enthusiasm to her local professional soccer team this past week, serving a starring role in what has become a popular tradition in Atlanta. Appropriately, the three-time Olympic medalist nailed it.

Cup Run

Olympian T.J. Oshie certainly has enjoyed his time with the Stanley Cup, which he helped the Washington Capitals win earlier this summer, but … so has his daughter. And (presumably) one of her stuffy friends.

Just Dance

Back in April, two-sport Olympian Lolo Jones posted an update letting her more than 400,000 Instagram followers know that she’d been shut down. Still working her way back through injury, Jones, who has been candid about the difficulties she’s faced in aiming to compete against the very best in the world, takes a few mesmerizing steps toward keeping her heart rate, if not her spirits, elevated.

Road To Recovery

Surgery in November. In a sling to end the year. Out of the sling in January. Posting video of himself on the high bar by April. Now … Olympic alternate gymnast Donnell Whittenburg makes another giant leap.

Countdown Is On …

Before two-time Olympic silver medalist ice hockey player Kelli Stack walks down the aisle this fall, a bridal shower weekend was in order. And there were more than a few Olympians among this crowd.

Going Green

A star-studded cast — and, in the case of Olympic curling champion Matt Hamilton, that meant his sartorial selection, as well — turned out in Wisconsin this past week for a golf event. No shortage of Olympic appearances, including legendary Michael Phelps, in this crew, either.

Four More Years

Along for the above ride of a lifetime was Chris Mazdzer, who, in addition to golfing and working out in Wisconsin, has Beijing on his mind a mere four years away from the hope of competing there.

Winter Is Coming

OK, so while the past week has seen temperatures soaring over so much of the United States, a few of Team USA’s most recognizable skiers are back to carving turns. Though Olympic alpine skiing star Mikaela Shiffrin seems to have missed one of those turns, for anyone who has followed the past years of Travis Ganong and Steven Nyman, these are gratifying scenes …

Shiffrin, on the other hand, found trouble …

Flipping Out

And then there is fellow Olympic winter sport champion Jamie Anderson, the two-time gold medalist snowboarder, who has taken her air show into summer.