One Week Before the First Race

One week before the first race


You could feel the buzz. It is hard to describe. As you enter the eating area you can feel the energy. You can discern the increase in noise, the louder bustle of movements; people seem to be walking faster. There are more food stations opened, more choices and yet the lines are longer. There are more wheel chair athletes, with their unique strategies for best navigating the queues, there are more colors as the village fills up with the participating national teams.

The inevitable march of time continues, we are getting closer to the competition and the more senior athletes are becoming focused. They all have their various mantras; some are obvious, some only known to themselves. We try to do Ruskos each day; these are the tests of heart rates done each morning lying and standing. (See Osaka: the first few days for a description). Donovan’s resting heart rate is 6 beats faster when lying, his response to standing is unchanged from last week, we think it is the anxiety of travel and adaptation to the village, we may modify training if it persists. He is not alone, many of the athletes are showing some subtle changes and the coaches are aware. It is because of these adaptive challenges that travel was timed to give a week in the village prior to the start of competition. All know that the preparatory work has been done; I like to say the cup cake has been baked; we now have to put on the icing.

Massage plays a huge role in this preparation, it relaxes and any minor injuries or sore points can be attended to. Also, our massage therapist, Vikki has known these swimmers for up to eight years, the swimmers are very comfortable talking to her, and they can allow themselves to decompress to ease some of their tension.

The coaches are meeting with Shane more frequently. He has valuable data on their hydration status, based on daily measurement of urine specific gravity and the Ruskos.

Today was a rest day for Donovan, a decision that was somewhat validated by his resting heart rate? He kicked back, answered emails and took a longer nap than usual. An S11 swimmer has many challenges. There is not only the swimming issues, such as staying straight and making quick turns after a tap, but out of pool concerns that need to be addressed. Today for instance I had checked on him a number of times and was reassured that all was quiet. I knew he wanted to nap and besides the door to his apartment was locked. The rooms here are really apartments. His has a front door with a separate key and there is a substantial common area as well as 3 bathrooms, and 4 bedrooms. Although the village is as secure as any we have been in we habitually lock both our individual rooms and the front door if no one is at home. When I came to his room for the second time, I knocked and was surprised that he was just on the other side of the main front door. The door was locked and it took rather precise instructions to extricate him!

We were able to have a leisurely lunch, Donovan caught up with another S11 swimmer from Ireland, Steven Campbell. He went blind a few years ago and is adapting admirably. He from Belfast where Donovan spent New Years a few years ago and they are able to share common memories and Donovan it appears knows most of the pubs.

After lunch we were getting our gear from the checkroom (all bags must be checked for security reasons). The system works surprisingly well here, an attendant comes out and provides you with a wrist band and yesterday she was able to 5 of our bags at once, by far the most efficient system we have seen. While in line there was a very pleasant S11 woman from New Zealand who responded to my describing her as Kiwi. Behind me was an Irish man, competing in sailing with right lower arm prosthesis that was essentially a hook with a pincer. After some jocular to and fro with her, he threatened to pinch her bum! In fact as the Kiwis left I noted he was continuing his apparently friendly conversation but following closely behind.

This morning at breakfast I scanned the cafeteria. In the 180 degrees I saw only 3 able bodied people. It is humbling to be a minority at these games, and inspirational to see the resolve, focus and determination.