Day 27 - Olympic Park & the Velodrome

Welcome to Olympic Park

Olympic Stadium

Velodrome

Basketball venue

BMX track

Team USA competing in the Team Pursuit

Team USA being awarded their silver medal

Me in side the Velodrome

Is that Usain Bolt?

Aquatics venue

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The Olympics are now over a week under way.  It's crazy how fast time is going now that they have started.  It's great though because there is so much going on.  Event coverage all the time.  Everyday we have these postcards delivered to the office by our courier.  On the postcards is an athlete or team that won gold the day before.  Jen and I decided it would be a good idea to place a bet on who it would be.  Unfortunately, I did not guess right and now have to pay up.  It's a fun daily debate though and I will redeem myself!  After a fun morning joking around and completing the daily tasks I wandered up to Olympic Park by myself.  Max had given me a ticket for yesterday and today's events at the Velodrome so I headed to check it out myself.  I got to the park and I couldn't believe how many people there were.  The place was a sight I had never seen  before in the sense that there were soooo many people in one area and people from everywhere on the planet.  It has to be the best people watching place to go.  You could easily spend a day just viewing the millions.  I've been to the Minnesota State Fair when it is at its peak busy time and the streets are loaded.  Now imagine every kind of person possible and the amount of people on steroids with every muscle bulging.  This was my first time getting right by all the main Olympic venues such as the Aquatics Center and Olympic Stadium.  My favorite part was the giant tv screen stationed in the water with a platform on one end for bands to play.  Then there is a huge grassy park area to sit and watch the Olympic coverage.  I wish I had more time to enjoy it and could get back in there easier because the only way in is with a ticket or an accreditation.  After traveling all the way across the park I reached the Velodrome.  Before I moved to Colorado Springs my knowledge of track cycling was next to nothing.  After being working at a velodrome and being introduced to it by some great friends I have made, I love the sport and appreciate it a lot more.  It's quite exciting once you understand all the events.  I walked into the Velodrome a little late but the welcome couldn't have been more exciting.  I came into the place as the U.S. Women's Team Pursuit was competing and they won to advance to the finals.  Following that the Great Britain team advanced as well while setting a world record.  The noise in that place was absolutely deafening.  I have been to some thrilling events with amazing finishes where the crowd is going nuts and it is extremely loud but I would have to say the Velodrome was the loudest venue I have ever experienced in my life.  It definitely helps that the British love their track cycling.  It goes to show after how they finished in all the events (mostly 1st place finishes).  I got to see my good friend Claire as she waved to me from her press box.  She was working the event for the cycling coverage with NBC.  Team USA raced against Team GB in the final but lost as the Brits set another world record and had the place rocking again.  It was a great finish for the US though because track cycling is almost non-existant in the States.  To make it even better is that the riders have trained in the Springs and I've gotten to know their coach pretty well.  It was great for them.  The rest of the events included seeing anothe one of the German riders, Robert in the match sprint.  Max was even at their doing a workout.  He stood up and gave me wave from the infield.  I can't thank him enough for the new experience at the Velodrome.  To cap it all off was Paul McCartney in the crowd singing along with everyone as "Hey Jude" played through the speakers.  As I left the Velo I strolled back across the park and tried to soak the place in more.  By this time it was well into the evening and it had died down quite a bit but was still an incredible feeling.  I wish I knew the best way to explain it.  It was a beautiful night and I felt like I was in a very surreal place.  I don't know if I've ever quite felt like that because it was the biggest moment I've been in where I knew I was in the Olympic atmosphere, especially when I heard the roars from inside Olympic Stadium.  I'll simply call it an "Olympic Feeling".  After scarfing down a Big Mac at the super McDonalds I slowly headed out of the park and back to the trains.  On the way back I stopped at The Fox for a drink and to watch the women's 100 meter final which was outstanding.  I was so proud of that team after they destroyed the competition and set a world record.  I was proud because 4 years ago in Beijing both the women and the men got DQ'ed for dropping the baton and now for them to run basically a perfect race it was very fulfilling.  Now that I was done being a loner I headed out with Rob to explore a new area of London.  We tried to get into the Austria House but it was full so we checked out the area of Shoreditch which is a fun area of London and a lot of nightlife.  The night was fun but ended a bit to late for my liking.  I swear this always happens to me on the nights when there is an early meeting the next day.  Why?  What a day! One of my favorites so far.  Good night blokes and birds!

Day of the XXX Olympiad: 9