Isn’t it grand? The Olympic Games that is! A full two weeks of television coverage. There is finally something worth watching in the evening, and during the day and well, seemingly almost anytime.
The feats of these athletes are truly amazing. Some of my favorite events have already been shown – gymnastics and beach volleyball. Gymnastics was never an option for me growing up. At some point in my life I was not the tallest person in my class, but that was not for long. Growing up in a small town and attending a small school (54 in my graduating class) meant that the tall girl competed in all sports offered except tennis, which conflicted with spring track meets. Volleyball and basketball were my other two sports with horseback riding, anytime I could squeeze it in.
I admire the gymnasts. The control they have over their bodies is simply amazing. While I am sure it is not impossible, I have a hard time imagining my almost 6 foot tall self executing a back flip on a 4-inch wide balance beam. My feet are at least…well, let’s say that my feet serve me very well and allow me to carry my height!
When I played volleyball it was a 6 person team on a hard court. As an adult, I have played beach volleyball and sand volleyball, but we still had more than just two people. I can’t imagine covering the court as they do with the 2-person teams. Perhaps the sand is specially formulated and “springier” than what I played in?
As I sit on my sofa taking this all in, I know that it is the training, the conditioning, the discipline, the dedication that makes all the difference in the world. It goes across a top athlete’s life, from what they eat, how they rest and recover, how they plan their days, to the thoughts they allow in their heads. They are totally focused and that allows them to amaze us with the incredible displays of athleticism.
Now let me get off this sofa and see what I can accomplish!