So some people have suggested to me that blogs are supposed to have original content... My plan starting this blog was to track the various news articles about the athletes I work with in the build up to the games, which has provided plenty of content to keep me busy with updates. However, there will be a few opportunities in the coming weeks to provide some original perspective and commentary on the final days leading into the Beijing games, as well as during the games. The endurance world keeps moving after the games, so I'll keep this going as we move into the fall season and beyond.
Anyway, here are a few recent articles:
Colin Jenkins' CBC Olympic blogs here
In his element out of the elements
Triathlon team forego athletes village for mansion and fresh air
Canwest News Service
Published: Wednesday, July 30, 2008
Victoria triathlete Simon Whitfield won't be with the Canadian team when it marches into the Olympic stadium for the 2008 Olympic opening ceremonies in Beijing on Aug. 8.
Whitfield will be watching them on television at a Victoria bike shop with training mates, friends and family, and a big order of Chinese takeout.
"We've already organized it to be at the bike shop with some Chinese food," Whitfield, who won the 2000 Olympic gold medal and finished 11th in Athens four years ago, said Tuesday.
More at canada.com
Brown bagging it in Beijing
HAYLEY MICK
From Wednesday's Globe and Mail
July 30, 2008 at 9:23 AM EDT
Forget the Peking duck. When the Beijing Olympics kick off next week, Canadian athletes will be dining on quinoa and summer vegetable salad, baked salmon and organic chickpeas - dished out by premier Canadian chefs imported to the Games.
For the first time, the Canadian Olympic Committee has hired two chefs who will cater low-fat meals at a Canadian performance centre. Some teams, such as Canada's triathletes, have also packed personal cooks, while other teams will dine in hotels outside the athletes' village on tailor-made Western menus hammered out through delicate negotiations with Chinese kitchen staff.
More at Globe and Mail.com
Whitfield still has eyes on the big prize
Eric Koreen, National Post
Published: Tuesday, July 29, 2008
After an 11th-place finish in Athens, triathlete Simon Whitfield will try to climb back to the podium this August in Beijing.
In 2000, Simon Whitfield completed the triathlon of his life, winning the gold medal at the Sydney Olympics as a 25-year-old underdog.
Eight years later, Whitfield thinks that racer would have his lunch handed to him in the upcoming Beijing games.
"I think I couldn't swim, bike or run with myself if you could ghost-race yourself from eight years ago," Whitfield, the Victoria resident born in Kingston, Ont., said during a conference call on Tuesday. "I couldn't compete back then.
More at the National Post
Whitfield likes his start position in Beijing
Gary Kingston, Vancouver Sun
Published: Tuesday, July 29, 2008
As athletes go, Simon Whitfield isn't particularly superstitious, but the Victoria triathlete isn't above latching on to what he believes will be good omens.
Nearly a year ago, the new licence plate he picked up just happened to read 001 FPL, which Whitfield quickly interpreted as reading first place. Now, he's learned that he's drawn the No. 16 position in the transition area at the Beijing Olympics.
"That's my birthdate, that's got to be good luck," Whitfield said Tuesday on a conference all with Canadian reporters.
More at the Vancouver Sun
Whitfield: My brakes must be rubbing
Well it's been a couple years since I turned in one of "those" races. To sum it up I was looking down at my brakes about halfway through the bike and thinking they must be rubbing on the rim because I can't possibly feel this bad. It's disappointing to come all the way to New York City and DNF a race I've won in the past. But that's racing.
More at the Globe and Mail
BONUS
Here is a real whopper of a story and here
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