Coaches’ Blog

T-minus 1hour until the start of the 2008 Olympic Trials in Eugene Oregon.  Step back and think about it for a second – right now there is a collection of heptathletes about 15-30 minutes into their warm ups preparing to make a run for the opportunity to compete at the Olympics.  What did you do last night?  What was it, Thursday?  No more Celtics.  The Red Sox had the night off.  Personally, I played some Wii with Kevin.  That is, after I packed my bag for the 10 days of spectating at the Trials. 

Now that I think about it, this is quite possibly the first track meet that I am attending as a spectator.  No warming up, no cooling down, no recruiting (although it would be nice to find someone here), and no coaching.  To be honest, I don’t really know what to do with myself.  Of course I still packed the stopwatch.  What self-respecting coach wouldn’t have brought it.  Still, I think this is my first foray into ‘watching’ track and field.  Somehow I don’t think it will be like the rest of the sports that I love to play, but hate to watch.  Something’s different with track, Three’s a purity that you can relate to.  An emotion that you can see and empathize with, whether it’s the pleasure of the win or the pain of rigging.  I just rarely see that emotion in all the other sports.  Too much business, not enough goals and dreams. 

Now that’s a bit harsh.  I don’t really ‘know’ one professional baseball, basketball, or football player.  I’m not trying to say that they don’t have goals or dreams – they probably have them more than most.  I’m just saying that I can’t see them when I watch a game.  Not like I can see the fight in a SPer, 5k runner, or 4×400.  Hold the phone.   This may make me sound stupid, but I just realized for the first time that there won’t be a 4×1 or 4×4 this week.  That definitely changes the end of a meet.  The 4×4 is just such a great bookend to a meet.  Even if it is just some random dual meet, the 4×400 has so much tradition and history in it.  I’ll need to dig in my bag to find the schedule and see what new event will take its place. 

Well, I promise to try to give some regular posts about our adventures at the trials.  Any insights about the races or personal thoughts on the performances – I’ll do what I can in between the hiking and biking.  Although, if you really think about it, anyone who watches it live on TV or the internet will probably have better camera angles, slow-mo replays, and commentary breakdowns.  I’ll have to dig a bit deeper to add some really good stuff. 

Here we go.