Mindi's Message July 13
It’s almost time for the Olympics again. It seems like only yesterday we were rooting for American athletes to win the gold, but it’s already been four years. This year’s games is already filled with controversy, and most of it is just centered on the location.
The 2016 games will be held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, starting in less than a month. In the months leading up to today, there have been a million things wrong in Rio. World Health Organization officials have urged canceling the games thanks to the Zika virus outbreak. Deadly bacteria has been found in the water off Rio’s beaches, there’s been political unrest, and body parts are washing up on the beaches where volleyball will soon be played.
All signs point toward “this is a BAD idea,” but it’s too late. The show must go on.
Regardless of the location, I’ve always been a fan of gymnastics in the summer and figure skating in the winter games. This is mostly thanks to the fact that I’m entirely uncoordinated and can’t flip, skip or skate to save my life.
The last time I attempted to get on skates was at my niece’s birthday party years ago, and I literally fell and took out two small children. It wasn’t pretty or anything I wish to repeat. I hope they’ve recovered from the emotional trauma of having me accidentally attempt to crush them while on wheels.
I’m sitting here at a computer at 6 a.m. on Monday after having worked out at 4:45 a.m. and gotten ready for the day. Since the last skating debacle, I’ve lost a lot of weight and gotten more coordinated, though still not ready for dancing or jumping or doing anything involving wheels on my feet.
Before now, I was still feeling awake and alive and active and strong. I was full of energy (just ask my husband, to whom I talked at 100 miles an hour for about 20 minutes).
Then I hit play on an NBC Olympics video on Facebook. This one features Aly Raisman in the U.S. Olympic Team trials for gymnastics doing insane and acrobatic things in her floor routine. I’m telling you, if you didn’t see it, you should look it up. Her first pass featured moves that probably should have made the other competitors pack up their gear and just go home. There were single and double flips, tucks, layouts, handsprings and more. I hurt just watching it.
Watching her routine was awe-inspiring and amazing; however, it also put quite a damper on my own feelings of athletic prowess. I went from a natural post-workout high to “I really think I need coffee just to make it to the car.”
Rolling and tumbling and flipping hasn’t ever been something I thought I could do. I just never had the coordination or stellar athletic talent to do much more than a cartwheel – and I can’t do those anymore at the ripe old age of 35.
Sure, I could do what Aly did in her routine, but it would involve me being shot out of a cannon and would probably involve a whole lot of screaming as I hurtled through the air.
So since I am not quite up to par for participation in this year’s games, I’ll join millions of others in watching what this year’s gymnasts can do to represent this country well. We’ll all cross our fingers and hope nobody gets hurt, people don’t get sick, the water stays clear, and American athletes bring home the gold.
Maybe I’ll be inspired to get on skates again, or attempt a few flips, flops, and cartwheels. If so, look out. These things never end well.