<*C>
(Hammond resident Erica Bartolina is in Beijing to compete in the Summer Olympics. Here is her latest postcard from the People's Republic).
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<*L> Hello to everyone back in the States!
I'm sorry I have not updated you in several days. Since I arrived in Beijing on Aug. 10th, life has been much busier. It is quite the change going from our quiet training camp in Dalian, with just American track and field athletes, to the Olympic Village, filled with nearly 10,000 athletes and coaches from around the world.
This is my daily routine: wake up about 6:30a.m., eat breakfast in main dining hall at 7:30, catch shuttle for Beijing Normal University Athletic Complex at 8:30, work out from 9:30 to about 11, physiotherapy at BNU from 11-12, take taxi to Nike Hospitality for lunch, massage and down time from 1-4 p.m.
Then it's back in the taxi back to Olympic Village from 4-5, dinner at 6, Internet, ice bath, etc. at USA lounge in Village, then bedtime at 10 p.m.
The dining hall is impressive. It seats 5,000 people, and has about 20 different internationally themed food stations, including McDonald's. It is the main place athletes come together to socialize.
The Beijing Normal University was reserved by the US Olympic Committee and is where all American athletes go for training. It is nice to have only the USA team on the track. They also have basketball, swimming, weightlifting, water polo, etc.
Many personal coaches are also housed here, so it is a good place for athletes to be able to spend time with their coaches. Personal coaches are not allowed in the Village, so Mike is staying in a hotel close to the track stadium.
The Nike Hospitality is where Mike and I eat lunch, usually the only meal we get to eat together. It is run by Italians, so the food is delicious, and they perform a special electrical stimulation massage originating from Italy.
I have three more days before I compete. My body is completely healed from my run-in with the bar last week, aside from the stitches. I have had great practices since then — I think it knocked some sense into me!
The qualifying round for the women's pole vault is Saturday, Aug. 16 at 10:10 a.m. That's 9:10 p.m. on Friday, Aug. 15 Hammond time. They will take the top 12 to the Qualifying round on Aug. 18, at 7:20 p.m. (Aug. 17 at 6:20 a.m. CDT).
Cheers!
Erica
curious wrote on Aug 13, 2008 10:59 AM: