Two-time Olympian Peter Vanderkaay says his no pressure approach to swimming is yielding better times in the pool while making his run at the 2012 London Games more enjoyable. Angela J. Cesere | AnnArbor.com

At 26, Peter Vanderkaay is, by competitive swimming standards, over the hill.

His words.

Not long ago, the former Michigan standout and two-time Olympian considered a future without swimming and convinced himself he was ready to retire.

Somewhere along the way, everything changed.

Instead of retiring, he changed his approach. Not only did he decide to attempt to reach the 2012 Olympic Games in London, he decided to enjoy himself in the pool.

This time around, the journey won't be pressure-packed. Instead, feels as if there's nothing to lose, even with younger teammates pushing him for a spot on the Olympic team.

"I really feel like I'm in the prime of my career right now. I'm feeling great, training great and swimming fast," Vanderkaay said last week. "I feel like I've got a lot more in the tank. I don't think I have anything to prove, but I think I have better swims in me."

Vanderkaay enters this week's ConocoPhillips National Championships in Irvine, Calif., feeling better than he has in recent years. One year ago, he fell ill with swine flu and his competitive future was uncertain.

Michigan swimming coach Mike Bottom helped spark his resurgence, giving Vanderkaay more input in his daily routine and choosing what events he'll swim.

"That helps him to enjoy what he's doing because he's got choice in the midst of everything he does," Bottom said. "But Peter is so driven in what he does to be a workhorse that I'm never concerned with him moving into an area where he's not training for the events he wants to swim."

The blend of freedom and steady work ethic had paid off with better times in the water. But it has also established a sense of balance that Vanderkaay said he hasn't felt in the past.

After returning from the Beijing Games in 2008, he felt too consumed by the sport. The amount of fun he had in the pool had diminished.

"There's a fine line between putting pressure on yourself and having fun and I think in the past, I may have put a little too much pressure on myself to do well," Vanderkaay said. "It's not like I have any regrets about that, but I've definitely learned that I probably swim faster I'm I'm enjoying it.

"And I figured if I'm enjoying, why quit?"

Still, Vanderkaay is motivated by the pressure that comes with big-meets. The light-hearted Vanderkaay can flip his mindset when needed.

In May, Vanderkaay won $20,000 at the Charlotte UltraSwim Grand Prix, capturing the 1,500- and 400-meter freestyle events. Vanderkaay won two medals in 2008 in Beijing, capturing gold as part of the U.S. 800-meter freestyle relay and bronze in the 200-meter freestyle.

As much as he would love to add to his Olympic medal collection, Vanderkaay is content.

Whenever his career ends, he has started to ponder life without swimming. He studied biology as an undergrad at Michigan, but is considering a return to school or starting his own business.

"Even if I don't make it, I have no complaints about the journey to get there," Vanderkaay said. "It's been incredible and I've enjoyed it. Obviously, that would be a disappointment but it's not a deal-breaker for me where I feel like I have to go another four years and have that experience again. It is what it is."

"But hopefully, I'll make it and it won't even be an issue."

Jeff Arnold covers sports for AnnArbor.com and can be reached at (734) 623-2554 or by email at jeffarnold@annarbor.com. Follow him on Twitter @jeffreyparnold.