Blogathon

So, I haven't posted in a few days, but, to be cliche and at the same time completely honest, work is crazy right now. So, since this post will cover three days, I'll split it up so everyone can follow the insanity which is working as a flash quote reporter at the Laoshan Velodrome.

DAY 1

It was the first day of the games. One of the good things was that we didn't have to be there until late. The track cycling schedules each day start around 4:30 so we have to get there around 3:00. Plus, the past couple days, we've had a shuttle that picks us up and takes us there, avoiding the rugby scrum that is trying to get a seat on the subway.

So, we get to the velodrome and it was nice to see everyone again. Andy (our Sports Information Specialist) Ernst and Amy (our two ONS reporters) and Krystyna (our ONS supervisor) hadn't all been in one place since our big dinner more than a week ago. It's also nice because we know there's only one medals event today, so it should be a pretty easy day.

Then, the chaos started. I told you last time about how they moved the mixed zone, right? Well, they moved it and now, we found out as the day went on, they were restricting our access to it.

Let me make something clear to everyone who might be confused. The mixed zones are where we do our jobs. The jobs that they brought us here to do. It's the only place we can do that job. And, as we work on our first day, they are only letting about four of us in there at a time. Sometimes, entire teams will come through the mixed zone. What are we supposed to do then?

But, let's not get ahead of ourselves. I've talked on the blog before about adapting to new things and that's exactly what we had to do. What was going to be all of us in the mixed zone, ready to pounce on a moment's notice on an unsuspecting athlete became shifts of us frantically running up and down the stairs when we weren't just sitting in the office, watching the events on TV. It's a really dysfunctional way to do it, but it's the way things have to go now, so we're working with it.

It was a really long first day. Like I said, there was only one medal event, but, after it, we had the medals ceremony and then the press conference and then had to make sure we had to get all of the quotes we had from all of the mixed zones and interviews and press conferences into the system before we left.

Also, let me point to something that could become a common thread to all of the rest of these blog posts. GREAT BRITAIN IS AMAZING AT TRACK CYCLING! Seriously, in the past three days, with five medals events, GB has won eight medals. EIGHT! It blows my mind how much of a machine they really are. It's stunning.

That being said, I've heard "God Save the Queen" about 20,000 times, it seems. And, yes, it's "My Country 'Tis of Thee," but when I hear it with Bradley Wiggins or Rebecca Romero standing with a gold medal around their neck, it's hard not to get lost in the Olympic moment.

GB rocking the drome makes our lives a whole lot easier, because the interpreting skills are pretty non-existent until we get to the press conference. So, having at least one of the medalists (most of the time the gold ones) guaranteed to speak English is a big benefit to us.

So, it was a long, long day. After the day, we went to the Holland House. All of the countries have kind of embassies for the games, where people from that country, as well as others, obviously, can go and be a part of their home during the Olympics. One thing that makes the Holland House interesting is that it's all sponsored by Heineken. Yes, that Heineken. The green beer with the red star (honestly, I just called it that because I didn't want to type Hein...never mind) bought out an entire building, covered it in orange and had it turned it into a giant party.

We were there for a while and then, once it closed at 2, we headed off to Sanlitun.

Where I left my camera, never to be seen again.

Yes, kids, that's right, I no longer have a camera. I still have a lot of pictures and can get more from people, but I got it out of my pocket and left it.

DAY 2

We knew coming into the day that it was going to be a rough one. We had three, count 'em, THREE medals events, plus some big time names in semis and qualifying rounds. Plus, whenever we got off work, we were going to try to haul it to the bird's nest to get to use whatever we could of our Track & Field tickets we got. And THEN, I was off to Sanlitun to try to see if the bar still had my camera, which, as you know now, was a wasted trip.

So, as expected, it was a long day. There was a lot of running around, thinking quickly, trying to be in more than one place at the same time. A lot of elbowing, scribbling, squinting to read computer screens, sloppy notes and electronic timing systems. A lot of drinking water any chance you could, actually watching the race any chance you could and wishing you could eat all of the chances you couldn't.

On the upside, and it was a big upside, we saw some awesome races. I mean, big name and awesome race, one after the other, with the kiddies from the other side of the pond dominating the entire time.

So, we left, found a taxi surprising quickly (we had heard rumors that getting a taxi to travel to the Bird's Nest from the velodrome was a bit of an issue because they wouldn't travel out of a certain district) and headed on over. We got to seats (not our seats, but seats nonetheless) just in time to see the Jamaican guy break the WORLD RECORD in the 100m Sprint. It was really quite amazing to see a packed stadium of people from all parts of the world cheering for this Jamaican guy who was dancing around the track, on top of the world.

And, that was the only race we saw. But, we saw the best one, so it's all good.

Day 3

Today started out with the downside that we didn't have a shuttle. After the blow of losing my camera, I didn't feel like muscling through the subway. Ahh, the things we do for this job.

So, today we only had one medals event again, but still, some pretty big names in other events for qualifying. We spent the first big chunk of the day in the office watching handball, which is quickly becoming the summer version of curling for me. Oh, and for those of you who don't know, curling is the best sport ever from the Winter Olympics. And, yes, the thought has crossed my mind that I might do this all again in Vancouver. But, as the cliche that I've heard from so many athletes over these past couple weeks goes, "Let's just take it one day at a time."

And, I'm just here to help the team. You have to give a 110% and, the good Lord willing, things will work out. Things will work out.

Anywho, we watched handball for a while, then got to work. Again, a lot of running around and trying to get as many quotes as possible. I met some really nice guys from New Zealand television.

By the way, there are two mixed zones. The first is the broadcast mixed zone, where all of the television and radio people do their interviews. It's turning out that a lot of athletes are going through there and not heading to the press mixed zone, which is the place where we've been kicked out of. The BMZ is really cramped and lined with camera cases, wires, cords, mics, video screens, all sorts of things. So, today, I was waiting to interview Allison Shanks, who had just lost out on getting a bronze in the Women's Team Pursuit, something that was considered something of an upset. So, I started talking to the NZ guys, making sure of where their cameras were going to be so I wouldn't be in their way, when the silver medalist Wendy Houvenagle from (shockingly) Great Britain, came to do a quick little interview. From where I was standing, I could hear her just fine and was getting fine quotes. But, to my shock (seriously this time) the NZ guys moved out of their station so I could get through and hear Wendy better.

This is the BMZ equivalent of giving some stranded random person on the side of the road a tow or a jump. It rarely happens and when it does, you're so freaking thankful.

So, I got quotes from Wendy and from Allison and that was huge. Then, I got back up to see the GB Men's Team Pursuit break the world record. Yeah. They're not that bad. So, I waited and waited for the team to come through, only to find out that they weren't doing any interviews. Instead, Ernst and I did talk to their coach, who was a heck of a nice guy and even took the time to explain some of the tactics of this race and the race that they have to run tomorrow to me. I mean, I mostly understood it, but we asked him about the race and went in to an awesome, if not flash quote-y, answer about drifting and the perfect timing you have to have. Really nice guy. Favorite part was when we asked if they were expecting to break the record and he said, "Yeah, we expected to break the world record. Just not this soon."

It must be nice to be able to be that cocky.