Thursday, August 14, 2008

Our adventures are getting less and less adventurous as we draw closer and closer to our competition dates. Leo and Lindsey found out what heats they’re in. Both are in the first heat which is probably the worst. The third is the best because you can see how fast the other heats have run, and then run for a time to make it to the next round. Usually each heat will take 3 or 4 automatically from each heat and then like 4-6 qualifiers on time. The steeple will be top 3 from each heat auto advancing and then next 5 fastest times from the total field. At this point, you just run as hard as you can. When the heats come out, you can look at all the other runners that will be in your heat. You can go online and look up their personal best times. You can do all this research as I’ve done before, but the bottom line is you just have to be ready to run your hardest. Each heat will be tough.

It’s raining pretty good right now. People are all taking shelter and so it’s a little barren outside. At least I got my run in this morning. I did a 5 minute warm up jog. Stretched for about 5 minutes. Did another 25 minutes. Some light plyos and hurdles. Then went to the 24 Hour Fitness facility to do some core strength work. My plug for 24 Hour Fitness is that they gave Olympic Hopefuls a free 12 month membership this past year. I can’t tell you how nice it was to be able to run on a treadmill when it was 15*F outside and/or with 6 inches of snow. Running on a treadmill isn’t exactly a party, but it’s much better than trying to follow packed paths left by cars in the middle of the road while it’s still dark out.

Just finished Twighlight. I’ll have to wait until tomorrow to get the second book from Whit. I assume they are on their way to Japan right now. They land in Beijing tonight around 8:30pm. I want to see them tonight, but two nights before the race is crucial for sleep. Plus, Leo races tomorrow and I don’t want to get back late and wake him up. So I’ll see them tomorrow. I have kept my cell phone nearby just in case they call. I even took it in the shower with me. The trip over was long for us and we flew out of San Francisco. It’ll be twice as bad for them since they are going from Salt Lake to San Fran to Japan to China. My folks are driving to Detroit, then going to Japan, and then to China. That’s a lot especially for a 6 month pregnant woman. All of them, Whit, my mother-in-law, sister-in-law, Whit’s friend Amy, and my parents are taking the same flight over from Japan and then staying in the same hotel. And Leo’s parents fly into Detroit and then are on the same flight as my folks. It’s funny because Whit has probably had the busiest schedule between finding a house for us, making sure our stuff gets moved, and being pregnant, but she’s been the organizer for everything. As long as the others stay close to her, they should be fine. I worry about her, but I think out of all of them she can manage the most. She’s tough. After 3 ½ years with me, you know she’s really tough. J

Am I nervous yet? Not really. Maybe tomorrow. Maybe when the heats come out. I think I’m excited more than anything. Maybe anxious is a better word. I haven’t raced for over a month and a half. I’m ready for the crowd, the adrenaline, the pain. Okay, maybe not all the pain, but the first 4 laps anyways.

It’s weird how everytime I get ready for a race, I get nervous. Even workouts get the heart pumping. I will be lying in bed the night before and start thinking about the race. I can feel and hear my heart starting to beat faster and harder. I have to make a conscious effort to slow down my breathing and relax. It comes in cycles up until the gun goes off. That hasn’t started yet.

I was about to finish this and just call it a day, but I’m in the United States Olympic Committee athlete lounge area watching table tennis. This game of Japan vs Korea is incredible. These women are just amazing. That is the only way to describe it. The younger Japanese is slamming the ball, I mean just hammering it, and the older Korean is returning it with this crazy wicked spin. The Korean was backed up about 20 feet and just lobbing it back over and the Japanese girl kept hammering it to the left and right. As much as the Korean was running, you’d have thought it was Wimbledon. Truly amazing!