Speed Skating

I took a long nap today...probably should not have but I really needed it after a delayed flight from Newark to RDU last night.  And honestly, sometimes sleep is just the best thing in the world.  Especially when you fall asleep to the US men's curling team beating Sweden...then wake up randomly to hear a great back and forth hockey game between Switerland and Norway...Switzerland won. 

I finally got myself out of bed only to turn on the Olympics on the television in the living room.  I love, love, love to watch the Olympics.  Athletes representing their countries...at the highest level of their sports...and the sad thing is that this, for many, is their only time to shine in front of the country.  Regardless, it is always amazing to see and I love to watch them.

Men's short track speed skating in on right now.  It reminds me of my time in South Korea when I was wandering around one of the local malls one day and there was an indoor ice rink.  Instead of a lot of figure skating wannabes there were about 20 kids (ages 3-4 up to 12-13) with coaches learning how to speed skate.  I had never seen speed skating training before...I have no idea where most of the US speed skaters hail from...I've been in many ice rinks in my day and it has mostly been to see figure skating or hockey or to just play around at an open skate session...have never once seen a speed skater. 

I stood at that rink watching the kids for a good 30 minutes.  It was a tough training for kids of that age but the kids were just as serious about it as the coaches.  Sitting and watching the short track speed skating now it sort of closes a loop for me...there are three incredibly strong South Korean skaters who are now in the semi-finals.  I have a soft spot for South Korea since I thoroughly enjoyed my time there.  Don't get me wrong...I want the US to win...I want to hear the US National Anthem being played during the medal ceremony.

In the meantime, I'll wait about 10-15 years and wonder if any of the South Korean kids I watched that day will make it to the Olympics...I sure hope they do...and I sure hope that some amazing US skater beats them to gold.