Olympic Fever
They're finally here! I don't know how many hours of Olympic coverage I've already watched, but I assure you it is a large amount. I can't get enough! I'd even watch these new sports if they made it in.
Thursday and Friday I watched the replay of rowing events over my lunch break. If you don't know this already, I rowed for 5 years at Kansas State. Grueling. That's the best descriptor for rowing. Imagine yourself sprinting down the track. Then keep going for 7 minutes. That's rowing. It is intense. It is painful. It is mentally and physically the most challenging sport I've ever done, but when your boat comes together and you're flying over the water, it's an amazing feeling. Especially when your body is ready to shut down because you're demanding so much, and you cross the finish line ahead of everyone else. Nothing can compare to it. Trust me on that.
Patrick Sweeney was my coach at K-State. He was a coxswain for the British national team during his career. He won a bronze and silver in the Olympics, in the coxed pairs and men's eight respectively. So impressive. He coxed Sir Stephen Redgrave, one of the all time greats of rowing who won Olympic gold in 5 straight games. Basically, Sweeney is awesome, and I learned so much from him. His stories about his journey and sacrifices to reach the Olympics are amazing and really helped me. He continues to encourage and inspire me. Thanks coach.
Speaking of Great Britain, their men's four blew Australia out of the water on the last 500m of their semifinal. I have no idea what there stroke rate was, but they gained back an entire boat length and ended 3/4 of a boat up in 500m. That's crazy! And that's all without a coxswain yelling at them. Very, very impressive! Today they won the final in decisive fashion, leading from the start. They are dominant in the men's four, that's for sure.
Here is one of my all time favorite rowing videos. I've watched it dozens of times. These guys are so amazing!
Then there was the women's 8 race. I've been very excited to watch this race. The U.S. women's eight boat extended its six-year winning streak in rowing, defending the Olympic gold medal. The U.S. edged Canada, covering the 2,000-meter course in 6 minutes, 10.59 seconds. I read an interview with Mary Whipple, the USA coxswain. (She's the tiny girl that sits in the front of the boat. Her job is to motivate and steer.) Whipple also was the coxswain when the Americans won in the Beijing Games in 2008. Here's what she had to say:
"I just felt so much power," she said. "When took our stride, that was beautiful. … I just told them to breathe, enjoy this moment and feel each stroke. Just be present. We were present that whole time. We got into a rhythm, and it was just a crushing rhythm. It was relentless. It was exactly what we envisioned and practiced. The last 300 (meters) was a little rough, but we sold it, and did what we needed to do. We just kept motoring to that line. … At the end, I am in awe of my teammates in what they can endure."
I only rowed for 5 years at a college level, and I can't even imagine rowing at an Olympic level. It's just ridiculous. They are amazing athletes, and I am also in awe of what they have to endure to make the into that top boat. I'm cringing and making faces right now just thinking about it. But I understand the elation of winning a race that you've been training so hard for. It is a tradition to throw your coxswain into the water after a victory, and the US women didn't break that tradition. Here are some shots of them tossing Mary Whipple into the water.
That's part of rowing I do miss. I miss my rowing girls, and I'm looking forward to getting back to Lake Placid to rejoin my bobsled teammates. I'm all about team sports. I love the camaraderie built with people you're in the trenches with everyday. It makes the victory that much sweeter to share it with your teammates.
I can't believe we're already a week into these Olympic games. I don't want it to end! Every sport under the sun played at a very high level by amazing athletes. Doesn't get much better than that! My absolute favorite part is when you see all the emotion of athletes after their event, especially on the medal stand. You get a small peek into who they are. The hours and years of their lives they've dedicated to their sport. The sacrifices. The people who kept them going when they wanted to quit. The passion. The dedication. The accomplishment of making it to the Olympics and their dreams coming true. So amazing!
Thursday and Friday I watched the replay of rowing events over my lunch break. If you don't know this already, I rowed for 5 years at Kansas State. Grueling. That's the best descriptor for rowing. Imagine yourself sprinting down the track. Then keep going for 7 minutes. That's rowing. It is intense. It is painful. It is mentally and physically the most challenging sport I've ever done, but when your boat comes together and you're flying over the water, it's an amazing feeling. Especially when your body is ready to shut down because you're demanding so much, and you cross the finish line ahead of everyone else. Nothing can compare to it. Trust me on that.
Patrick Sweeney was my coach at K-State. He was a coxswain for the British national team during his career. He won a bronze and silver in the Olympics, in the coxed pairs and men's eight respectively. So impressive. He coxed Sir Stephen Redgrave, one of the all time greats of rowing who won Olympic gold in 5 straight games. Basically, Sweeney is awesome, and I learned so much from him. His stories about his journey and sacrifices to reach the Olympics are amazing and really helped me. He continues to encourage and inspire me. Thanks coach.
Speaking of Great Britain, their men's four blew Australia out of the water on the last 500m of their semifinal. I have no idea what there stroke rate was, but they gained back an entire boat length and ended 3/4 of a boat up in 500m. That's crazy! And that's all without a coxswain yelling at them. Very, very impressive! Today they won the final in decisive fashion, leading from the start. They are dominant in the men's four, that's for sure.
Here is one of my all time favorite rowing videos. I've watched it dozens of times. These guys are so amazing!
Then there was the women's 8 race. I've been very excited to watch this race. The U.S. women's eight boat extended its six-year winning streak in rowing, defending the Olympic gold medal. The U.S. edged Canada, covering the 2,000-meter course in 6 minutes, 10.59 seconds. I read an interview with Mary Whipple, the USA coxswain. (She's the tiny girl that sits in the front of the boat. Her job is to motivate and steer.) Whipple also was the coxswain when the Americans won in the Beijing Games in 2008. Here's what she had to say:
"I just felt so much power," she said. "When took our stride, that was beautiful. … I just told them to breathe, enjoy this moment and feel each stroke. Just be present. We were present that whole time. We got into a rhythm, and it was just a crushing rhythm. It was relentless. It was exactly what we envisioned and practiced. The last 300 (meters) was a little rough, but we sold it, and did what we needed to do. We just kept motoring to that line. … At the end, I am in awe of my teammates in what they can endure."
I only rowed for 5 years at a college level, and I can't even imagine rowing at an Olympic level. It's just ridiculous. They are amazing athletes, and I am also in awe of what they have to endure to make the into that top boat. I'm cringing and making faces right now just thinking about it. But I understand the elation of winning a race that you've been training so hard for. It is a tradition to throw your coxswain into the water after a victory, and the US women didn't break that tradition. Here are some shots of them tossing Mary Whipple into the water.
That's part of rowing I do miss. I miss my rowing girls, and I'm looking forward to getting back to Lake Placid to rejoin my bobsled teammates. I'm all about team sports. I love the camaraderie built with people you're in the trenches with everyday. It makes the victory that much sweeter to share it with your teammates.
I can't believe we're already a week into these Olympic games. I don't want it to end! Every sport under the sun played at a very high level by amazing athletes. Doesn't get much better than that! My absolute favorite part is when you see all the emotion of athletes after their event, especially on the medal stand. You get a small peek into who they are. The hours and years of their lives they've dedicated to their sport. The sacrifices. The people who kept them going when they wanted to quit. The passion. The dedication. The accomplishment of making it to the Olympics and their dreams coming true. So amazing!