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United States Olympic Training Center, Colorado Springs from Eric

May 30, 2004

Heavy rains. Tornados in Chicago. Canceled flights. And so it begins.

Luckily, I didn't really have anywhere special to be on Sunday, it was just a travel day, so my delayed flight just meant being able to grab lunch with my friend Jason before he took me to the airport. That may have been the first relaxing thing I've done in 3 weeks.

Life had been pretty hectic since getting back from the Trials in Frisco. Matt and I didn't know if we'd qualified, work had stacked up from the 4 weeks I was gone, and I was doing what I could to help put on Collegiate Nationals in Madison. I think I can safely say these last three weeks have been the 3 least enjoyable weeks of work I've had at my present job. I like a good challenge but I start to get a little cranky when it gets in the way of my riding (0 rides in wk 1, 1 ride in wk 2, 2 rides in wk 3) and I can't even begin to describe how stressful it was to wait day after day not knowing if we were going to go to Athens. Stuck in a broken down car and some friends visiting from out of state, just for good measure, and it adds up to a pretty busy schedule.

I suppose this would be a good time to apologize to my friends who had to put up with me for the last three weeks. Sorry about that, I'll do my best to be a little less uptight for the rest of the summer.

Fortunately I think that should be pretty easy. I've known for a little over a week now that we were Athens bound but I haven't had more than a second here and there to think about it. It all finally hit me this morning. I'd arrived in Colorado Springs late last night, put my bike together and spent a fit-full night tossing around with cotton-mouth in the dry air. After 5 bottles of water and a good breakfast I was feeling better and it was time to roll over to Matt's house to pick him up for the morning ride. I rolled out of the dorms and past the athlete center at the Olympic Training Center. Then it hit me in this wave of euphoria. The Olympic Training Center? Oh my goodness - I'm at the Olympic Training Center, I am really here!!! AND I'M NOT GOING HOME FOR A LONG TIME!!!!! WHOOO HOOOO!!!!!

I bunny-hopped my bike over all the rest of the speed bumps in the parking lot, getting some good air for a roadie, and giddily made my way over to Matt's house, eager to get this little adventure underway.

We got our schedules last night. One more mandatory drug test, body fat testing at the beginning and end of camp, a stern warning that nobody should be gaining weight at this camp, sauna several times a week (to get us used to hot humid temps), and lots of riding. In addition to a team mechanic we'll also have a masseuse to help us with recovery. I like being an athlete. I wonder what it takes to get a full-time gig doing this stuff?