I don’t know what it is this week but I am just not that into working out. Lis and I were supposed to go to the track and do speedwork, but she spent the night at home icing her legs, off and on. We’re worried she’s got an injury now of an unknown nature (our coach says maybe a stress fracture, let’s hope that she’s wrong.) So I decided I would head to the gym, and use the treadmill instead for speed workouts rather than using the track in what would ultimately end up being the dark since I had to work until at least 6 p.m.
Got to the gym, and my tummy didn’t feel so good. You ever get a cramp because you are so hungry? Yeah, that’s not the right way to run. So I rode the exercise bike for 45 minutes and watched the Olympics. Rode 16.2 km in 45 minutes. At least I think it’s been km I have been riding – the bike doesn’t tell me if it’s km or miles. Like Jill, I am a little bit obsessed with the Olympics. So here are my thoughts lately in that regard. (Get ready, it’s one of my famous lists.) 🙂
- If those Chinese gymnast girls are 16, I’m 16.
- Trampoline. An Olympic sport. WTH? Are you kidding me? Yet, oddly I find myself transfixed, staring at the TV, even yelling out to my husband “hey, it’s back on again, get back in here!”
- Trampoline has been a sport for at least 10 years. Yes, both my husband and I found ourselves glued to the tube, yet in shock that it has been around for at least that long.
- Did anyone else see the AMOUNT OF AIR those ladies got underneath them on the trampoline?! I would have peed my pants for fear of heights!
- How come we didn’t get to see the preliminaries for Trampoline? Why, I ask you, why??!!
- I’m going to go out on a limb here, and say that the Chinese are good at Trampoline and Diving because they’ve taken the ones who couldn’t cut it at gymnastics and put those athletes into these other sports. Who’s with me on this?!
- Badminton is an Olympic sport. WTH?
- I know this sounds catty, but I think it’s fair to say that none of the women discus throwers will ever be mistaken for supermodels. Wow. Really, not in a good way, either.
- I like this Oto guy who is announcing for the track and field events. Not sure how to spell his name.
- I don’t like Usain Bolt from Jamaica. Way too cocky. Stop looking behind you and rubbing it in your competitors’ faces – they worked just as hard to get there as you, Usain.
- Gold shoes, Usain? That’s a bit too much.
- Walter Dix, I like. When asked how he is keeping it together without having his personal coach there, he said it is his family that is keeping him going. He seems like a down-to-earth guy. My kind of person.
- Walter, I know that track is not a field so worried with aerodynamics like swimming. Don’t those braids cause drag though?
- I like Michael Phelps and all, but there are other team members there, and other sports I’d like to see. The world won’t come to an end if we didn’t see each preliminary swim he did.
- I do like the fact that Michael Phelps is down to earth and acknowledged his mom’s effect a lot in interviews.
- My God, we have to wait until the last day of the Olympics to see the Men’s Marathon?!!!
Happy Running everyone.
Middle-of-the-Pack Girl 
August 19, 2008 at 11:08 pm
Laughed out loud and your first two points (although I didn’t see the trampoline) and agree with you completely on your other points! Good list.
August 19, 2008 at 11:14 pm
I am having a lazy, stay-up-late-watching-olympics sort of week too. I am using my half marathon as an excuse– I need my recovery time.
I hope your friend doesn’t have a stress fracture. That would suck!
Totally laughed out loud…my husband and I had the exact same conversation about the trampoline. Neither one of us had ever heard of it as a sport and wondered why it was on prime time. Yet we were glued to the tv and amazed by it. Did you see how high the MEN got???
I agree with you about Bolt. He is a little over the top. But holy cow… he is a freak of nature. He doesn’t even look like he is working hard and runs SO fast. The gold shoes? You have to blame Michael Johnson for that one. He wore shoes like that when he was sweeping the sprints. I didn’t like him then either.
One last thing on this LONG comment….”GO RYAN HALL!!!!!” I can’t wait.
August 20, 2008 at 1:11 pm
man, i COMPLETELY agree with everything you had to say about the olympics. that Bolt character just erked me the wrong way, especially after the whole pounding the chest thing and slowing down before he even crossed the finish line. Just because your skinny and lanky and can run fast doesn’t mean your better than the other people who worked just as hard, if not harder, to get there. I think the best rewards in life are the ones you ACTUALLY have to work for, but then again, so does everybody else.
as for mr phelps over here…let some other people win the gold. I mean he is great and all and a freak of nature when you watch his body move through the water, but 12 gold medals?!…i mean, come on. to me, he’s taking out all the fun of actually making it to the olympics. for him, its just another day
anyways…good luck with your running 🙂
August 20, 2008 at 1:29 pm
My husband and I were also mesmerized by the trampoline. I don’t think I’ve ever watched it before this year! The height, the flipping, the graceful way they can just stop… it’s kind of amazing.
Maybe running sleeves help offset braid drag?
I am getting a little tired of all the Phelps coverage because there are so many talented people there. But I have to give him props for looking appropriately embarrassed when Bob Costas asked him if he was the greatest Olympian ever.
And don’t even get me started on Costas, Grr…..
And #8 about the discuss throwers? LOL!
August 20, 2008 at 4:20 pm
Jill, when my husband and I watched the discus throwers, it was like every succeeding one looked less and less like a female. My husband was kind of scared! They looked strong enough to throw me those hundreds of feet!
August 20, 2008 at 7:40 pm
Did you hear the American discus thrower say that Mary Lou Retton (sp?) was her idol because she loved to watch her in her leotard??!! I DIED laughing! But seriously, I saw her on the Today show yesterday morning in make-up and dressed nicely and she did seem like a nice girl.
August 20, 2008 at 9:52 pm
I have really enjoyed the Olympics this year. Buuuuuut, I am ready for it to be over. It is interfering with pre-season football. It is interfering with all of the tivo’ed shows that I would rather be watching (Burn Notice anyone).
They could easily take out some of these awful competitions and bring it down to like a week. Get rid of the equestrian crap, trampoline, motor cross (WTF???), and probably a couple dozen more.
Whats next? NASCAR? Darts? Bowling?? Texas hold’em???
Am I rambling?
August 20, 2008 at 9:58 pm
Your list is almost like mine-and there is no way the Chinese Gymnasts are 16!!!! NO WAY!!!
I understand not feeling like working out…I’ve been feeling that way-I’m exhausted from work and am really looking forward to time off-but then I’ll be pissing and moaning about not working!!
Olympics are on!
August 21, 2008 at 6:37 pm
You’re right, they could throw you like a discus! 🙂 You’re right about the less and less female thing. I love considering myself athletic, but I don’t ever want to turn into something that is not feminine as well! That’s why I wear pink when I workout, but not at any other time in life!