Closing Ceremony Celebration

It's hard to believe that it was almost 4 1/2 years ago when J sent out a seemingly innocent email asking friends if they'd want to try out all the Olympic sports with her.  Six of us started and four of us finished.  We didn't really know each other when it all kicked off on a cool February afternoon, playing "ping pong" in a church rec room.  A few weeks later, we were throwing each other to the ground in judo.  That's definitely one way to get to know someone!


We decided to really get into it and started reaching out to more experts in our area.  What was most amazing to me was that we were able to do every one of these events pretty close to our own back yard in the Dallas-Fort Worth area.  I mean, we have an Olympic sized velodrome less than an hour away!  We met some amazingly giving, patient and talented coaches and experts whom we never would have been able to complete this adventure without.


With new found respect and admiration for the athletes, a few of us traveled over 5000 miles to take in the Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil!


We had some minor injuries to overcome - a reminder that, although we are awesome middle-aged women who can accomplish anything, we still had to take care to know our limitations.  We also had some fears to overcome - from one who managed to jump off that 5m platform, despite her fear of heights, to another whose stomach turns at the thought of distance running, to all of us seeing those 45 degree banked turns at the velodrome.  We supported each other.  We encouraged each other.  We didn't let anyone give up!


It was great to learn so many new sports and push ourselves to do every single one of them.  Although we had some folks think we wouldn't physically be able to do something (or tell us we were just plain crazy), we did it.  Best of all?  We became friends.


The day after our last event, we met for a Greek lunch.  As a memento of our journey, we each will now proudly display a replica gold medal from the 2016 Rio games.

The Fort Worth do the Olympics adventure is complete!

To those that have followed us on this journey...  Thank you!  We hope you enjoyed reading about our adventure as much as we enjoyed doing it.

Heptathlon - 7/13/18

It's looking more and more like our one sailing lesson will be it, so we decided to go ahead and hold our grand finale event - the heptathlon!


As the name implies, this event consists of 7 track and field disciplines:  100m hurdles, high jump, shot put, 200m, long jump, javelin and 800m.  Traditionally, the first 4 events are held on one day, with the final 3 held the next.  Starting in the 1960's, women in the Olympics competed in the pentathlon, but in 1984, the javelin and 800m were added to become the heptathlon.  There is a scoring system that uses different equations and factors for each event.  As engineers, we had to take advantage of the math!  In order to make it work for us, we created another factor for each event, to get us as close as possible to real scoring.  That way we could get a feel for our overall ability at this event.  We had a simple grid to keep track of our raw scores.


We had previously done all of these disciplines on their own, so we had some knowledge about each.  We met at a local middle school track to set up our version of this test of skills.  Again, we took some creative liberty to make sure we competed safely and to our ability.  First up was the hurdles - homemade, short versions.  We took turns running, with one person timing us at the end.

RA has pretty good hurdling form!

Next was the high jump.  This was the only thing we couldn't do on-site, so we swapped it out with a standing vertical jump - using J's daughter's finger paints!  We first marked our static reach, then made our 3 jumps and measured the difference between the static and highest jump point.

J's impressive jump

Final vertical jump marks

For shot put, L1 had purchased one online and we headed to the sand pit used for the long jump.  This made for easy marking and didn't damage any grass.

J's first shot put attempt

Then we ran our 200m "sprint", followed by the long jump.  We were glad to have a sand pit and stuck with our initial method of jumping from the edge of the pit instead of off the board usually used (not sure I would have made it to the sand otherwise!).

L1 always has the best jumping shots

After our long jump, it was javelin.  L2 crafted a homemade version, as close to spec as possible using a dowel rod, metal spike and cording.

L2's first throw

Finally, we ran two laps of the track for the 800m.

We used quite a bit of gear for this one!

Our crafty heptathlon

It was a tiring day, but a bit surreal when we finished and realized we were done.  Done with our final event!

Event #111 complete!

Cross Country Mountain Bike - 6/15/18

We are getting down to our last few events!  L1 has been cleared for activity after having her baby and we had to wait out some spring weather, but we are now determined to wrap up this adventure!  While we continue to try and schedule our last sailing events, we decided to get out and finally do our Cross Country Mountain Bike event.  We've had this scheduled several times before and it kept getting rained out.  So on a hot Friday morning, we headed out to Lake Mineral Wells State Park where they have a great back country hiking/biking/riding trail. 


CCMB is generally run on a combination of track surfaces - from dirt to pavement - of varying widths - from narrow "single-track" to wider "double-track".  For Olympic CCMB, riders complete laps around a shorter track.  In Rio, the women rode 6 laps around a 4.85km course (totaling around 18 miles).  A couple of us had ridden off road before, but the other two had not, so reading that this location was "good for beginners" had us feeling confident.  It consists of 4 wide (double-track) loops that can be combined together into one larger one.  Initially, the plan had been to do a few laps around the first loop, but...  Well, plans change.


Once we geared up, we rode off along the trail, water and emergency supplies in tow.  Nice large gravel.  Easy!

J and L1 start the ride

Then we quickly found one thing that makes riding bikes very, very hard.  Or should I say soft?  SAND.  We had to ride off to the side or in the grass - and even walk at times.  Then we hit some pretty hefty rocks which we rode over when we felt it was safe to do so, but ended up walking again. 

Taking the safe way down

By the time we hit the decision to continue the first loop or move on the second, we were debating.  We chose to take the risk and start the second loop.  Luckily, the terrain became better.  More packed dirt or grass.  We also rode the third loop, but decided against the fourth, which was listed as the "most difficult".

L2 glad to be on dirt

We enjoyed some nice scenery and even though it was hot and sunny, there was enough tree cover to keep us mostly shaded.  By the time we got back to finishing the end of that first loop (back to the sand), a couple of us managed to power through, but walking was needed again - at least for me.


In total, the ride was just over 5 miles, in around 80 minutes.  Definitely a work out and it became quite obvious why they call CCMB "technical".  Just riding on such ground is hard work, but racing on it???

Event #108 complete!

Congratulations!

You may have noticed a prolonged absence from us once again, but it's been for good reason...  L1 has welcomed her first child into the world!  Congrats to L1 and her hubby - you'll be great parents!


Meantime, we'll get back to our quest once L1 is cleared for activity.  We're hoping to wrap up sailing, then finish off our adventure with our cross country mountain biking and heptathlon this spring.  Stay tuned!!!

Sailing #1 - 7/28/17

Sailing!  This has been the single most difficult event to schedule.  Although there are a number of sailing clubs in the Dallas-Fort Worth area, we’ve had a hard time finding one that can fit us into their schedule, on our budget.  That match finally came up with Corinthian Sailing Club and youth coach Greta was happy to take on our challenge.

Olympic sailing has been around since 1896 and the types of craft used for the events has varied.  There have been 46 different classes used to date!  In the 2016 Rio games, there were four sailing events for the women, including the RS:X windsurfing that we’ve already completed.  The other three events are all in the “dinghy” class, which means small boats being sailed using five types of control: sails, foils (daggerboard, centerboard and rudder), trim (angle of the boat in the water), balance (controlled by weight of the crew) and route (factoring in wind, obstacles, tide, etc).  The boats are also all “monohull” design – one chassis, so to speak, as opposed to the catamaran style of the America’s Cup racing boats.  The events are the 470, the 49erFX and the Laser Radial. 

Our first meeting was mostly an introductory lesson to sailing.  We first sat down and went over terminology:  mast, boom, sail, jib, hull, centerboard, rudder, tiller, head, foot, luff, leech, roach, block, clew, tack, jibe, windward, leeward, reach, run…  I could go on and on.  We were on overload by the end of our lesson!  It was interesting to see how much education is required.  Even finding out how many parts there are on a sail was fascinating to me.

  

Learning the parts of the boat

Next, we headed over to take a look at a couple of the boats that we’d be using in future lessons so that Greta could point out the differences. 

Figuring out what lines move what parts of the sail

At the end of the lesson, we headed out on the water.  Greta chose to take us out on a Flying Scot – a larger boat all five of us could comfortably fit in to get a feel for the water and start taking turns manning the helm.  

The Flying Scot

While one person steered the boat, two of us manned the smaller jib sail, each pulling it and locking it into place on the correct side of the boat.  With the nice light wind we had on the lake, it was a nice trip close-hauling (sailing at an angle, into the wind) up the lake.  We quickly discovered that the “telltales” are the key to steering.  On each side of the main sail and jib, there are small streamers attached.  On the port side of the boat, the streamers are red.  On the starboard side, they are green.  The two colors are mounted at the same location, one slightly below the other, so that you can see both.  They should be flowing straight aft, if the boat is sailing properly.  If one, or both, are flopping around, it tells you how to trim the sail.  Small corrections to the tiller result in that smooth stream of air flowing over the sail.  There is also a “no-go” area like we had in windsurfing – where you allow the sail to line up perpendicular to the wind.  Although it’s noisy as the sail flaps in the breeze, it stops the boat quite quickly since no wind is being caught in the sail.

RA glances at the telltales while at the helm

Greta even showed us some of the more extreme ways to move weight about the craft, including leaning out over the edge of the boat, using foot straps to counterbalance.  This was a bit disconcerting for me – I didn’t like being on the lower side of the boat, my upper body immediately sitting forward as I felt like I would get dumped right out of the boat!

J holding a jib line - Coach was willing to lean a bit further out

What surprised me was when we turned to head back to the dock.  Greta mentioned that you can only sail as fast as the wind is blowing.  I figured we’d turn the sail, catch as much wind as possible and zoom back.  Instead, we leisurely floated back to the dock with the wind and current carrying us back, giving us time to ask more questions.

This was a fun first lesson.  Next time, we’ll start out on the Flying Scot once more, then move on to one of the Olympic style boats!

Steeplechase - 3/12/17

As an added bonus of working with Coach Buzz from Texas Express, after we were done with our high jump lesson, we were delighted to get the chance to try the steeplechase.  The most difficult part of that event has simply been locating a track with the right set-up.  Most high schools do not run the event and the college coaches I have contacted weren’t too motivated to help us out.  When Coach Buzz heard we still needed to complete that event, he offered us a chance.

 

The steeplechase is a 3000 meter (7 ½ lap) event and has been part of the men’s Olympic program since 1920.  It was added in 2008 for the women.  It gets its name from the similar horse racing event and originated in Ireland.  Horses and riders would race from town to town, using church steeples as guides since they could be seen from far away.  During the race, the horse would likely have had low stone walls and streams to jump over.  In the human version, the 3000m race consists of 28 barriers and 7 water jumps, which equates to 4 barriers and 1 water jump per lap.

 

The barriers are quite different than traditional hurdles.  First they are quite long so that multiple jumpers can go over them at once.  They cover approximately the first 3 lanes on the track.  They are also square – around 4”x4” – and covered by the same type of rubber material that most tracks are made of.  This shape and material aids in the jumps, as many racers step up onto the barrier, in stride, then jump off.  The women’s barriers stand 30” high.

 

Steeplechase barrier

The final barrier includes the water jump.  Immediately behind the barrier is a pit full of water.  Nearest the barrier, it is approximately 28” deep (we had no clue it was that deep!).  It is 12 feet long and at that farthest point from the barrier, is at track height.  The further out an athlete can jump from the barrier, the less water she’ll be landing in.  We saw some preliminary rounds of this event in Rio and there were a number of approaches by the women.  Some did jump the regular barriers completely.  Most chose to step on the water barrier to clear as much of the water as possible.  Others however, almost hopped over the barrier, landing in the deepest part of the water.

 

A few of us decided to run a lap, a couple of us decided to go ahead and give the water barrier a go.  Since it’s such a long drop, we opted to essentially sit on the barrier and jump from there.  Surely the shoes the athletes wear for this are highly specialized, as running with soggy tennies wasn’t easy!

 

J and R approach the water barrier

J setting up for her jump

Into the water

And continues her lap

We were happy to get the chance to learn a bit more about this event and have a chance to splash down in the water barrier.  Event #106 complete – only 5 more to go!!! 

High Jump - 3/12/17

We returned to Lovejoy High School to work with Coach Buzz Andrews of Texas Express Track Club on high jump.  There were some similarities to last week’s pole vault lesson, but definite differences as well.

 

After a warm-up jog and some stretches, we talked a bit about the approach to high jumping.  When the high jump was first competed, there were no cushy foam mats, usually sand, so the jumpers mainly landed on their feet.  As the sport progressed, and mats were added, jumpers moved more to a “roll” style jump where they faced the bar and rotated the length of their body parallel to it.  In 1968, Dick Fosbury won a gold medal at the Mexico City Olympic games and brought his style, what became known as the “Fosbury Flop” into the spotlight.  To this day, nearly all jumpers use this technique that has them bending backwards over the bar.

 

The general concept is a sprint run-up, straight toward the bar, but off to one side.  The final few steps are then taken in a curve, becoming parallel with the bar.  The shape that is defined by this run is a “J”.  As the jumper approaches the bar and begins the turn, the body will lean away from the bar, due to centripetal force pulling the body inward toward the center of the circle shape they are running.  When the jumper lifts the knee and arms to begin their jump, the force is released and the body can then bend and get over the bar.

 

We started off like last week by running the “J” backwards, from the mat.  That defined our starting marks.  Then we did a few runs without jumping, to ensure our bodies were leaning away properly.

J shows the proper lean away from the bar

Then we did some initial jumps onto the mat with no bar.  A couple of us really struggled with either trying to jump off of the wrong foot, or trying to hop off of both feet.  In order to complete a successful jump, you must jump off of one foot and the bar must remain on the stand (touching it is okay, as long as it doesn’t fall).  Personally, my body just didn’t want to make the backward bend – I looked more like a doll with no bendable limbs falling back into the mat!  As some of us got the feel for it, we worked over the bungee “bar” to a height of around 3-4 feet.  The other two of us did really get the hang of a more sideways motion over the bungee and even managed to fully clear it once or twice.

 

R shows great form at takeoff with arms up and knee high

L1 cleared the highest bar

Even with our mixed success, we were all glad we had the opportunity to try this event, especially with the assistance of a great coach.  Thanks again, Buzz!  High Jump (event #105) complete!