CBC-Sports

A sneak peak at the Vancouver Olympics

July 16, 2009 03:21 PM | Posted by   Jessica Gregg  

One stepping-stone has passed, but many more remain down the road.

We just finished our national team training camp in Vancouver, where we trained at the Pacific Coliseum, the site of the short track races for the 2010 Olympic Games.

The camp consisted of the top 16 ranked girls and guys in Canada, as well as a few more alternates, and the coaches and staff of Speed Skating Canada. We were all put up at a nice hotel in downtown Vancouver, a short drive away from the Coliseum. Staying at the same hotel for over two weeks can be a little tiring to some people, but as we were right downtown there were many things we could do when we weren’t training.

Not only were we right downtown, but we were only a 10-minute jog from the construction site of the athlete village. On the first day, my coach took us on a run to the site and back. We took a couple minutes while passing by to take in what that area was going to represent, and I’m sure we were all picturing that as our home next February. The buildings, though not quite finished, are really neat and are located right on the water. I think they'll be one of the highlights of the Games for the athletes.

Training-wise, we skated almost every day at the Coliseum, trying to get the most out of our advantage of having ice time there. We had a few weights sessions as well, at a weight room downtown. Another thing we got to do that I was really excited about was to skate on the long track oval in Richmond.

It was for only one day, but because I skated long track when I was growing up, I brought my long track skates and enjoyed the change of tracks for the day. It's been said that the oval will be one of the focal points of the Games, and even though I’m a little jealous I completely agree. The roof, constructed from pine beetle wood, is beautiful and the view of the mountains sets it apart from other ovals I've seen.

Tough climb

The Coliseum might not be as new and talked-about as the oval in Richmond, but the hospitality we've received while staying there has been remarkable. They're currently painting the arena and updating our personal change room so it will be a great home for the five girls and guys who will represent Canada in short track, as well as those on the figure skating team.

When we had our few afternoons or mornings off during the camp, we enjoyed all the activities Vancouver has to offer. We were able to make it to the beach a couple times, and managed to beat some locals on the volleyball courts, a game I also grew up playing and miss a lot. It was nice to relax and enjoy the sun, because for most of the days we were inside the rink.

One afternoon, we had the option of recovery or to climb up Grouse Mountain. Not knowing how hard it was going to be, I picked the climb. A few of us started out hoping for a nice hike, but we soon realized it was going to be a tough climb! Halfway through we set a goal to make the second half faster and worked hard to pass all the traffic on the steep steps. We eventually made it to the top, found the rest of our team, and took the gondola back down.

On Canada Day some of us walked down to Canada Place and watched the fireworks. I was surprised to see so many tourists standing around us. But I guess the city will have to get used to it, especially when the Games come around.

We have had a couple days off since the camp and I was able to spend some time relaxing at my Oma’s cottage on Lake Winnipeg. That might turn out to be my last break for the summer, because we'll soon be back at the oval in Calgary where we usually train all year long.

I’m looking forward to training on that ice, but even more to go back to Vancouver in a month for our trials.

" Previous Post | Main
  •