olympics junkie; sweat & tears; lemonbasil
call me an olympics junkie: i�ve been parked in front of the tv watching the summer games. the appeal is that it�s every two (four) years, and the sports that don�t otherwise get much publicity, like diving, are on. i must say, though, that i have some issues with the way the games are being reported/commentated. of course i enjoy seeing our own USA teams do well, but� sometimes NBC�s reporting seems a little one-sided and less inclusive in spirit than what the games are meant to symbolize. or maybe that�s just my perception.
wow! did you catch the women�s marathon today? i was pulling for the tiny japanese girl who won. it�s probably no surprise that at 5�2, i have a soft spot for smaller athletes who face taller rivals. sure, it's an endurance test, but in the end, when push comes to shove, longer limbs are an advantage. so yay for the tiny gal! ooh, my heart broke for the british woman who just hit a wall and dropped out w/ only four miles to go. that's so awful. of course, i was also happy that an american came through to get a bronze. what a smart "come from behind" finish! great strategy! whoa, did you see how emotional she was at the end? well guess what? you are gonna laugh at me for saying this but... i can relate:
it�s funny�i always get so choked up as i cross the finish line in races. (and i�m nowhere near being a marathoner)! it's weird, all that emotion, but i guess such strenuous exercise is truly both a physical and emotional release. what�s more: the races i've participated in have been at once empowering and filled with a high level of emotion among participants and spectators alike. i�m sure that�s b/c they raise money for charities that touch so many people, like cancer, arthritis, and heart disease. but as for the tears that stream down my face at the finish line-- it's crazy, really. or it could just be that i'm sensitive and complex. who knows!?
probably for me, just completing a 5K or 10K overwhelms me with emotion b/c it means i managed to push my body to its limits. i savor those physical accomplishments when i think about the stamina/pain issues that (unfortunately) loom so large in my life. talk about sweat & tears! anyway, what else? i�m bummed that my pedometer broke today. the reason? butterfingers. i dropped it. ugh. well it�s bedtime. i have more to say but it'll have to wait. more later�
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PS i forgot: i made the *best* homemade lemon basil pesto this weekend. i might post the recipe sometime if i'm motivated enough!
