Citius, Altius, Fortius

For two weeks every two years, I stumble around distracted and sleep-deprived.

I become oblivious to world events in my attempt to remain spoiler-free.

I sit around a lot, eat dinner on the couch, and lose whatever physical fitness I’ve acquired in the “off season.”

Yeah, that last bit of irony is not lost on me.

My name is Barb, and I am an Olympics junkie.

Of course, the summer Games are extra special for me. I ran track way back in the day – slogging through the 1600 and 3200 meters, as well as a leg of the 3200-meter relay on occasion. So as you can imagine, for the next two weeks I'll relive those glory days when I was a proud part of the pack that made champions possible.

Face it, folks, without losers like me – those winners look pretty silly running solo.

But I don’t want to give you the impression that I’m simply a track fan. When it comes to the Olympics, for me, the event is irrelevant.

Case in point – during the winter Games I can spend hours, yes HOURS, completely captivated…

by curling.

Two years ago, when the Games came to nearby Vancouver, I even paid good money to attend a curling match.

It ROCKED!

And BROOMED, Baby!

Certainly, it is the amazing mix of sport that makes the Olympics fantastic.

But writer friends, we all know it’s the stories that make them over-the-top AWESOME!

And London 2012 is chock-full of stories –

An archer who is legally blind.

A runner with blades for legs.

A U.S. weightlifter who lives in poverty because women with bad bikini bodies don’t get endorsements. Yeah, I’m pretty sure that’s what all the 60’s bra burning was fighting for… But I digress.

So, stay tuned for the stories!

And thank you, Olympians…

for demonstrating what dedication really looks like,

for showing me that overcoming atrocious odds is indeed possible,

and for making me less of a whiner…

and maybe,

just maybe,

more of a winner.

PROMPT: It’s all about Faster, Higher, Stronger this week, so set your own golden goal! Rock that revision! Slam dunk that story! Power through that project!

No whining allowed.