2012-366 Day 221 – Olympics

There be spoilers for tonight’s (Wednesday, 8/8/12) prime-time Olympics coverage on NBC below, so if you are trying to avoid such things I recommend you stop reading now. In fact, I’m going to add a completely unnecessary run-on sentence here, because if I only put a single sentence Facebook ignores it for the preview and I don’t want to accidentally spoil it for anyone there either. Okay, that should be enough space, so let’s get down to business (to defeat the Huns . . . Dang it Jess!).

I love the Olympics and completely agree with Jerry Seinfeld. (“I enjoy any sporting event where nations get involved.”) I am also shamelessly nationalistic and will root for the United States above everyone else. If there are no Americans involved, I’ll generally drum up some reason to root for one of the competitors, sometimes based on the country they represent (it’s still a little difficult for me to root for Russia at any time, but the Cold War wounds are healing) or if I know anything about their back story (sometimes NBC gets me with their fluff bits). I also enjoy the fact that I can turn on the TV at pretty much any time and get a random event. I watched water polo for the first time and actually started understanding some of the rules (their penalty boxes are adorable, by the way).

Imagine my excitement, then, when eight years ago someone I had actually met made the Olympics! I went to Los Angeles Baptist High School and, in my Senior year, had the privilege of seeing Allyson Felix train with our girl’s track team (I, of course, was on the boy’s side, but we trained at the same time) when she was still in the eighth grade. We knew she was special then, but I don’t think I had an idea of how special until I heard she qualified for the Athens Olympics. Ever since then, I’ve followed her career and was on the edge of my seat at 1pm (PDT) today when she set in the blocks with her best shot at an individual Olympic gold medal on the line (God bless you nbcolympics.com). The race began, and tension gave way to wonder, gave way to joy. Jess and I emailed each other before and during the race, and this is what I sent her right after it ended:

First 100 meters – “C’mon, c’mon, c’mon.”
Second 50 meters – “I think she might do it!”
Final 50 meters – “Uh, Allyson, I don’t think you’re supposed to make it look so easy.”

I am incredibly proud of her and the example that she has been for younger athletes and so glad that she finally achieved on of her dreams. I’m looking forward to the relay races and wish her the best of luck in them. It’s funny how a tenuous connection that goes back nearly a decade and a half can pay off with genuine emotion all these years later, but I think it is this web of experience and connection and the resonance of those strands through time that make us truly connected as a human race. Sharing joy when someone fulfills a dream is truly one of the things that makes us unique as a creation, and it is the power of that empathy which makes us better human beings.

Weight: 229 Loss: 11 lbs – Running Yearly Mileage: 243.1 miles (+3 miles)
Volleyball Match Record: 5-3 (13-11 Game Record)
Fitocracy Level: 23 ID: disciplev1