The Countdown Begins ...
We are well under way with the track and field portion of the Beijing Olympic Games, and there have been a few upsets and a few stellar performances on the USA team. One of the toughest things to do is to sit back and watch all of your friends, with whom you have trained and competed against, live out their Olympic dreams.
The javelin throw is one of the last events of the games - it was also last at the USA trials. Due to the lateness of my event, I have had the opportunity to watch many of my friends compete. I had the joy of watching one of my best friends, Hyleas Fountain, have the performance of her life and win the bronze medal in the heptathlon. I have also had to sit and watch some of my other close friends see their dreams fade in the men’s shot put and discus throw. It has been quite the emotional roller coaster.
Now that the javelin is the last throwing event to compete, the focus has been placed upon Leigh Smith, Breaux Greer and myself to pick up the slack in the USA medal count among throwers.
In my recent postcards I mentioned that the amount of free time that I have is dwindling every day. I find myself staying up until well after midnight due to many of the things that I need to do during the day. The most difficult thing for me has been the juggling act of doing what I need to do to prepare for my event and also taking time to watch my friends compete and share their Olympic experience.
As I have said before, there just doesn’t seem to be enough time in the day and it doesn’t seem possible that I have been in China for over 1 1/2 weeks. These games are indeed flying by and I am caught in the middle of the preparation vs. experience dilemma.
My training has been great and the biggest focus now is just getting a sense of normalcy. I have competed well in 12 meets this year, my program is timed perfect, my health is good and I am approaching lifetime bests in the weight room. As impossible as it may sound, I very well may just have to approach the Olympic Games as just another track meet (with over 1 BILLION people watching). My plan so far when its time to throw . . . “just push print.”
Talk to you again soon,
Mike
