Just preparing to compete at an event as significant as an Olympic Games is a mission in itself.
Imagine doing it while nursing a major injury.
That's the situation for javelin thrower Kelsey Lee-Roberts, who's missed out on the end of the domestic season and the national championships.
It means her Road to Rio has also been her road to recovery.
Javelin throwing is a sport rife with injury.
Kelsey-Lee Roberts knows all about it.
"It's been described as a car-crash event so most often you're going to have to have a niggle that you're managing."
For Roberts is was a lower back injury sustained after the 24-year-old had qualified for the Rio Games, leaving her intricate training program in disarray just months out from the biggest sporting event of her life.
She's had to go to Plan B.
"Not only am I dealing with the change in the training itself but there's this whole big thing outside of the world of training which is life, which is managing emotions, which is that Rio goal."
And she's not letting the injury get in the way of her Olympic dream.
Confined to the gymnasium while she recovers, Roberts is throwing a medicine ball against a wall.
She's also turned to training her mind as much as her body.
She utilises mental imagery techniques to practise, when she's not practising.
One of her coaches, Mike Barber, explains:
"So Kelsey has built in place some really good processes in terms of mental imagery. So she's able to simulate the throw in her mind while she's not able to do it on the runway in training. So she's able to visualise herself going through the motions, the timing, the sound, the feel of everything. And I think that helps her keep in touch with the throws when she's not able to do it in training."
And it's helping keep Roberts' spirits up as the days countdown to Rio.
"Yes my training is modified but I can still train and the training I'm doing now is things that I might not be able to do while I'm throwing, because my throwing would take precedence."
At a time when most other Olympians are on the path to reaching their peak as Rio approaches, Roberts remains unflappable about what she hopes to achieve.
"My goal, my dream, it leads to the podium. For me to get there I'm going to have to throw a personal best, which with the work I've done, and yeah the minor setback with my back, but I fully think that's possible."
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