And now for something completely different..

..gymnastics Olympic Trials! Please tell me I'm not the only one that cries like a baby during Olympics and trials and such? Maybe it's just me.. Or maybe it's the hormones.. But man, was I a wreck tonight watching gymnastics. I mean, I can tear up a bit in other sports..seeing someone qualify for the games for the first time or something, but gymnastics gets me every time. Probably because it was my first 'love', if that's not too weird to say.. The first thing I sacrificed hours of my time, ditched friends to be with, overlooked any negatives (injuries, etc) to just keep in touch with the thing I couldn't get enough of.. I was a gymnast for a long time, and for all of my 'growing up' years..unless you count the years of growing up I still had to do once I started working.. But, though I never had Olympic dreams of my own..despite everyone always asking that any time they found out I was a gymnast..do other sports do that? No one ever asked me about soccer, but people always assume that if I spent that much time in the sport, I must want to go to the Olympics.. But I didn't. Mama didn't raise no fool and I knew college gymnastics was my path.. But anyway, for some reason, I feel these kids pain..how much work has gone in to preparing for trials.. I felt for those that didn't have a great night and could see the 'dream' slip away. I cried big ol crocodile tears when Nastia got her standing O, despite not great performances, but the crowd knew how hard she tried and honored her for all she has done for the sport.. Anyway. I just wanted to share..and hope others feel the same love for sports and competition. I obviously have long since left my gymnastics days behind me, but I think..actually, I know that the sport has done so much to make me who I am today.. Both good and bad. My dedication, strength, confidence, stubbornness.. Luckily I've been able to use those qualities for endurance sports and, most recently, in crossfit.. But I also use it in just every day things.. As hard as gymnastics is on your body, I'm not sure that any sport can rival it in the character building that it can offer, when in the right hands (though I think it can also be devastating in the wrong hands, but I guess all great things have the potential to go terribly awry, if the circumstances aren't right). So that's that. I can't wait for the Olympics to start.. And a 100m run-off tomorrow?! I can't imagine how tough that would be.. Crazy. Or for the swimmers who come in within a second of qualifying..but just doesn't cut it? Sheesh. That's rough. As for the weekend..that's the last time I'll post a 'planned' workout! I suppose my plan for Saturday was ambitious, given that I recently mentioned that my recovery ability ain't what it used to be and I need to shelf the back-to-back stuff, but as soon as I declared those plans, I felt sick all Friday evening. I woke up determined to at least try to move, because it usually helps.. I slept in a bit and opted just to swim. It went alright.. Then I made sure to stick with a cool shower.. No more vaso-dilation for this girl! But I still didn't feel great, so I settled with just a swim for the day. Today I got in a pretty good run. Nothing special, but felt pretty good, until some cramps kicked in at the end.. I think the heat and humidity got me and I should have taken water. But that was it! I've been ridiculously cautious with my eating today and felt pretty ok most of the day. Maybe, just maybe I'll have this thing figured out by the time this little fella arrives. Not holding my breath, though.