Off to Beijing

This upcoming weekend is going to be the test event for the Beijing Olympic games next year.  They are treating this as if it were the actual games having the women and men race on different days and at the same time of the day that the race will be held next year.  We are also racing on the same course that will be used so it will be good to actually see what kind of race we can expect next year at the Games.

The field is virtually identical to last weekends world champs in Hamburg except that the conditions and course is going to be opposite.  Hamburg was cold and flat...Beijing is going to be hote, humid, and hilly which I am looking forward to...hopefully string out the packs a little more.  Unfortunately we just got an email saying that the water was 18.8 degrees celsius the other day which means that if it stays below 20 degrees then it is going to be a wetsuit swim.  Either way it does not matter too much to me but with a non-wetsuit swim usually people are more strung out in the water which means better chance for front pack to get away and stay away...it will take longer for other packs to form and get going.

I think that I have been recovering well since last weekend.  I got a couple massages last week and had some good sessions with coach Joel.  Joel has done an amazing job this year...just look at our squads accomplishments this year and you can see just how good he is.  Every year we are all improving and stepping up from the year before...next year with the Olympics...people should watch out!  All the pools in the area have been closed for yearly maintenance...WHY WOULD EVER SINGLE POOL CLOSE AT THE SAME TIME!?!?!?!?!  STAGGER A LITTLE PEOPLE!!!!  So....we have been swimming open water everyday this week and by the third day I was sick of putting on my wetsuit and getting in cold water....I was just thinking "Oh wouldn't Crystal pool be so good right now...it would be sooooo warm with all the old people peeing in the water keeping it at a nice bath temperature....oh how I miss you dirty, discusting, urine filled, old people shedding crystal pool!"

Well time to get going as Joel is picking me up soon for the airport.  If you want to watch last years Beijing World Cup race you can find the mens race HERE and the womens race HERE.

ENJOY!