CBC-Sports

One hundred days to go!

November 4, 2009 11:10 AM | Posted by   Heather Moyse  

What? The Olympic Games are only 100 days away? Wow! That’s hard to believe.

It may surprise you to know that the only reason I know this little fact is because I was asked how I felt about this a couple of days ago by a reporter. Why didn’t I know this? Because, truth be told, I have not been following the media hype about the Olympics. I have not been glued to my television screen watching the torch relay. And I have not been spending my spare moments looking at either the Olympic medals or the athlete clothing.

And how do I feel about this 100 day marker? Well, it’s not an easy answer.

Let me explain. Yes, I am excited like every Canadian that the Olympics are going to be held on Canadian soil. The world will see how wonderful our country is and how hospitable we are. But, it’s hard to get excited about competing in the Games, when I won’t even know until the middle of January if I’ve made the Canadian Olympic team.

I know it’s cliché, but if I only focus on the destination and the goal, and not the steps along the way, then I will not be successful in even making it there. For me (and many athletes), the Olympics are not 100 days away. They are a full World Cup Circuit away. They are eight World Cup races away. They are eight races in five different countries away. They are a LOT of training sessions, sore muscles, and phone calls to home away!

Yes, representing my country is always an honour and the thought of competing on behalf of my fellow Canadians in front of friends and family – those who have helped make me the person and athlete I am today – is definitely exciting.

Here’s the thing. I know what it’s like to compete for Canada on home soil! The last Women’s Rugby World Cup in 2006 was hosted in Edmonton. It was such a great feeling, but was also difficult not wanting to let people down, especially with them there watching. Yes, these Games will be a much bigger deal in the media, with added scrutiny. But pressure is what you put on yourself.

The idea of walking out of the start house to the starting block, staring down the track while waiting for the green light to flash, with a sea of red lining the track with thunderous cheering only somewhat muffled by my helmet, now that’s exhilarating! But, for me, this excitement is muted – contained and controlled because of not wanting to get ahead of myself.

As I already mentioned, there’s a long season first and there are no guarantees. Whether people are watching or not, whether the media is there or not, I still have a job to do. And, if I am given the opportunity to push a Canadian sled in the 2010 Olympics, it will be amazing. But it will also be the same job that I have to do for this whole season, one race at a time!

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