Sunday, February 12, 2006

For The Record

Every so often, someone breaks a world record. Track, swimming, speedskating, etc...the objective sports (think- Finish Line). And for a short time, they get to achieve the status of Super Human. Their record might fall, but they will live forever in the record books. It's a really cool thing when it happens at the Olympics.

But not today. So far, no world records have been broken. The USA had a 'Black Sunday'. Kwan cancelled, Ono droped, and Miller may have drank a bit too much. But, wouldn't you know it, one of those Ginger kids saved the day; The Flying Tomato - Shaun White.


Speed Skating is my favorite event at the Winter Olympics. Next would probably be Free Style Skiing, then Snowboarding. I like the other stuff too, but those are events I love to watch.

I actually trained for awhile in Inline Speed Skating, till I got my ass whooped at the first trail competition I tried. The other guy was all the way on the other side of the track by the time I even got to the endpoint of the curve. Two-to-Three days a week of training don't cut it. I remember asking the other guy how often he trained, "Twice a day" he replied. And he wasn't even in the competative league yet. I simply didn't have the time to devote to training, nor a close enough location too train. To be honest, I didn't have the desire to take it that far. And that's really what it takes to make it to the top levels; an unquenchable desire. I really did like speed skating though, and I appreciate what those people I watch on TV have accomplished.

What you see on the Olympics is not the result of weekend warriors. You don't make that level training only a few days a week. What you see are people who think, breathe, eat, sleep, and crap their sport 24/7. It's admiring to watch, but it can be difficult to be around people with that focus - just ask Lance Armstrong's first wife. But, if you want someone who has a work ethic you've rarely ever seen, hire someone who's ever even trained in an Olympic sport. What most people call work, they call rest.

The Olympics seems to be one time, when countries put their differences aside, and compete for Honor, Glory, and the Wheates Box. The cool thing about the Olympics; Sometimes, the champion isn't necessarily the one who won the Gold.

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