Vancouver Winter Olympics

The Olympics are well under way and I always get inspired and excited to soak them in (Winter and Summer alike), and this time around is no exception. For two weeks I allow myself to be a bit of a TV junkie as I cram in as much of the games as I can (I spend as much time as I can logging in miles on my treadmill so I don’t feel like a total couch potato). Over the past several days, I have seen some amazing, inspiring, thrilling moments in winter sports and have studied the athletes in pre or post-event interviews.

From the excitement and disbelief in seeing American snowboarder Seth Westcott come from behind and pull an amazing feat in defending his gold medal, to the emotionally charged performance of pairs skaters Shen Xue and Zhao Hongbo of China in their 18-year quest to add a gold medal to their list of achievements, to the overwhelmingly exhilerating gold medal performances of mogul skiiers Alexandre Bilodeau of Canada (not to mention his amazing brother, Frederic, who inspires him to be not only a stellar athlete but to be a good person all around) and Hannah Kearney of the US. And who can deny how victorious US skater J.R. Celski’s bronze finish in the Short Track Speed Skating was a mere 6 months after sustaining serious injury during the Olympic Trials that narrowly missed being a fatal outcome?

Of course there are many other inspiring stories and performances and moments that are unforgettable. That’s part of the wonder of the Games; the backstories and years of perseverance and dedication of these athletes is truly inspiring.

Recently, I was out enjoying some cross country skiing in nearly-perfect conditions and got to thinking about the unbelievable skill, fierce dedication, relentless discipline, and countless other things that it takes to be an Olympic athlete. It’s easy to let your thoughts drift about what it must be like to be in top physical shape and have the skill level to compete with the best in the world. I am a novice, mediocre skiier at best , but it’s something I really enjoy and it’s a good workout. I accept the fact that I will never be in the league of super-athlete, but I can push myself to make my form a little better, or to get to the top of a hill a little faster, or to simply take in the fresh snowfall and the tracks that I’m creating in the snow. Or all of the above.

Enjoy these next special couple weeks of being a spectator to some of the most amazing athletes in the world and their mind-blowing talent, and even if you are, like me, a far cry from being an Olympic-level athlete, you can still get outdoors and push yourself to be your best.

And enjoy your surroundings.

Aimee Bone

“Attacking Life and Sport Since 2001”