Author: Alex Ianculescu,  grade 12 student-athlete at the National Sport School in Calgary and competitive long-track speed skater.

The Olympics are now a totally different story than they were before, at least for me personally.  It's weird walking into the Richmond Oval and seeing people that I train with on a regular basis at the Calgary Oval.  It was exactly like a World Cup, except people were more excited for it and lots of Dutchies in the audience made it a carpet of orange and red.

My job is forerunner. What's that? Well, I get to skate before the first pair of any women's events, and test out the ice so they can make sure the electronic timer works correctly. With that being said...we also get a sweet looking skin suit and all this other clothing to match it, along with accreditation and infield passes for our shift days!

As a volunteer at the Olympics, you're basically given a schedule to follow and yes, there are long hours every single day.

But who doesn't love going to work and meeting people like Wayne Gretzky or Donald Sutherland...who just happen to be great speed skating fans?  Not to mention sitting with Richard Branson ...But hey, it's not like that doesn't happen every day or anything...right? It was pretty cool to see celebrities watching the skaters that I train with  and then realizing that everything you do is seen in a bigger picture -  the whole world sees what you do! 

I mean, I train 5 hours a day, 6 days a week, but it's not like I train because I want someone like Wayne or Donald to watch me in 2014.  But just thinking of that and knowing that even speed skaters get some pretty sweet attention just makes you want to work harder and get 'er done, deliver results, and head to the Olympics!

So forerunning... well it's probably the coolest volunteer job ever, because we get the best seats in the house for tons of competition watching....oh, I mean TRACK STEWARDING. Track stewarding means putting out pucks on the race lanes, and then watching as  skaters come around the corner and kick them or miss them! If they kick the pucks, they'd be disqualified.  Being the Olympics, I don't think you'd want to find yourself kicking pucks. It'd be a tad embarrassing, but it happens. So that's Track Stewarding, which is 50% of the job.

FORERUNNING is when you go out, wear spandex and show 8000 people what you've got...on klap skates.  And you get to race, which I did. Technical officials need to test the electronic timer in order to make sure that nothing will go wrong when races start. So you line up, and the gun goes off and 8000 people are standing and cheering for you. It's kind of a really good feeling. Definitely the best preview for when I race in 2014!  I now know what to expect. It was all perfect.

Overall, it is an outstanding experience being here and experiencing the Games without the pressure. Also visiting Whistler and doing a public talk to grade eight students at Richmond High, because you met their teacher at the gym and she randomly asked you to come and inspire kids!   And experiencing the Canadian medal ceremonies and watching my country perform fantabulously... what more can I ask for?!

In Sochi, I will also know what job everyone has and why officials do the things they do, and I will already have had that insider look. So all I will say is " bring on 2014, cause I'm already charging at it". This whole month is a learning journey, as well as a fun and crazy one. It's had its ups and downs. I am very thankful to have met such awesome people and volunteers from all over the world, who've dedicated their past few months or weeks to making these Olympics the best so far for athletes...and volunteers .

 I  have also had the opportunity to work alongside people who make sure that races at the Olympic Oval in Calgary run smoothly. It's been great getting to know each and everyone of them personally and I now know I've made new friendships that will definitely last a lifetime. I have not been to the Olympic Village but I've heard that Vancouver will be tough to beat, because according to some international athletes, it's fantastic. I would definitely love to stroll around it one afternoon.

And the weather here has made everything 150% better than Calgary. Period. I mean, hey, how many people can say that they went jogging in a tank top and shorts at 9am, on February 5th?  I can! Haha!  Sunshine?  Not so much. But +15C for 7 days straight with no rain...YES!