Stairway to Soreness

Since hearing about it a few weeks ago, I was determined to do the Incline. The Incline is about a mile's worth of steps going up Pike's Peak. And by steps I mean old rail road ties from the old cog railway. There is now a new cog railway that goes up Pike's Peak. The old train tracks have become a popular workout spot for fit Coloradans, of which there are many. I was prepared for the endurance challenge posed by a mile's worth of steps. I was prepared to be affected by the thin air. What I wasn't prepared for was how steep and unfriendly these steps would be. The railroad ties have not undergone a makeover to accommodate their many visitors. It was tough but worth it for the photos. I don't need to go back for a month or two, though.

I volunteered for the USA Triathlon Junior Nationals. It was really impressive to see these teenagers swim, bike and run the way they do. It was even more amazing to see the seven-year-olds posting better times than I could. I did lots of odd jobs for the event but the main one was marking the kids with there race numbers, which had to be on each bare arm and leg.

My roommate Isaac has gone home and I have the room to myself for who knows how long. I might get a new roommate in September when the fall class of interns show up, or I might not. The summer interns are leaving one by one, which means a few more trips to the our neighborhood bar Finish Line are in order. Its a very cozy place with some eccentric regulars.

I finally wrote my first press release, all by myself. Click here to check it out.

Click here for photos of the Incline, the triathlon, the finish line and a night out in downtown Denver with my cousin Emily and her friends from when I first moved out here.

Days until my buddy Anthony and his friend Molly come to visit me: 3

Goobers and Buffaloes

In July, right before I leave for Colorado, I see this show on the Food Network called Man vs. Food. On the show, the host goes around the country and eats unusually large or wierd foods, like a 7 lbs burrito or rocky mountain oysters. While in Denver, the host stopped at a burger joint called the Cherry Cricket. The place is known for putting just about anything on a burger, including a fried egg-and-peanut butter burger known as the Goober. I immediately added the burger joint to my list of 'things to do while in Colorado'. It took about a month, but I have finally crossed it off my list. I went with my cousins Emily, Christopher and Ana as well as my Aunt Nuni, who promised she would take me there. The burger was surprisingly good but very heavy. I will probably never order another and I will probably never consume so much protein in one sitting.

Goobers aside, I spent much of the weekend with family. After the Cherry Cricket, we went to Boulder and walked around. I forgot how nice the University of Colorado's campus was.

My internship is starting to pick-up and I am learning the valuable skill that is multi-tasking. However, there is still time to volunteer, which is a great experience and often very easy. Vanessa and I manned the pressbox at the Opening Ceremony of the State Games of America. We outnumbered the members of the media 2:1. At work, I was asked to escort a newspaper photographer around the Olympic Training Center. At the aquatic center, I got to go up on the catwalk overlooking the pool that is normally used by coaches.

Click here for the latest Olympic Sports Scene, co-written by moi.

Click here for photos of the Goober, Boulder and what not.

Days until the season opener of Longhorn football: 29

Rapids and Resorts

By rapids, I mean the Colorado Rapids of Major League Soccer. I had never been to a MLS game and it didn't disappoint. My fellow soccer-watching USOC intern Maura and I drove out to Dick's Sporting Goods Park in Denver. The soccer-specific stadium was pretty cool looking and just about packed. It was a little wierd being around so many American soccer-fans. The highlight of the day was realizing that the head referee on the field was none other than former Central Catholic High School student/teacher/coach Jason Anno.

By resorts, I mean the world-renowned Broadmoor hotel and resort in Colorado Springs, at the foot of the Rocky Mountains. My Aunt and Uncle were kind enough to take me there for lunch. Established 1918, the sprawling resort was over the top, but classy. I imagine that lots of celebrities and maybe a few presidents have stayed there. If those walls could talk...

My first real bit of writing is now posted online. The Olympic Sports Scene is a weekly online newsletter that recaps all the past week's competitions from each U.S. Olympic sports team. From now until December, me and the other media relations intern Vanessa will be putting it together.

Click here for photos of the Rapids game and the Broadmoor.

Today's weather in Colorado Springs: High 74, Low 54, thunderstorms

One Very Granola Town

I had never been to Fort Collins, CO before. All I knew about it was that it was the home of Colorado State University and that it had a few microbreweries there. What I didn't know is that it is a very laidback, bike-friendly town. Colorado loves local beer and Ft. Collins is the beer capital of the state. Every bar offered all dozens of community beers. It seems like everyone is outdoorsy and happy.

During my 22 hours in the town, my cousin Emily and I went out to the bars, drove out to Horsetooth Reservoir and played with her dog, Indie. We were going to goto the New Belgium Brewery, famous for Fat Tire and Skinny Dip, but they were closed. I plan on returning to Ft. Collins over Labor Day weekend for the Tour de Fat, a bike-riding, costume party put on by the brewery.

Before Ft. Collins, the USOC paid to take us to a Colorado Springs Sky Sox minor league baseball game. It was $2 beer night (until 7:30) as well as Jimmy Buffett night (he was not in attendance). Then on Saturday morning, I volunteered at the International Blind Sports Federation's World Youth and Student Championships, aka the Blind Junior Olympics. I was a timer for the swim meet and I sat next to a father whose son was competing. His 16-year-old son, Darren, lost his sight suddenly a year ago. Needless to say it was all very inspiring.

Click here for photos of Fort Collins and the Sky Sox game.

Days until the Vancouver 2010 Olympic Winter Games: 206

Coors Field and the Velodrome

Since my last post, I visited Coors Field to see the Rockies play the Atlanta Braves. It was the last game before the All-Star Break and the Rockies won in the bottom of the ninth. The stadium is beautiful and the view was great, even from the Rock Pile (aka cheap seats). The tickets were four bucks and the beer was $6.50.

After work today, I made the trip to nearby Memorial Park. The inner-city park featured a big lake and a velodrome. A velodrome is an arena for track cycling, which is an Olympic sport. I had never seen such a stadium in person.

My good friend Anthony has booked his ticket to come see me in Colorado, along with two of his buddies. His mid-August trip is centered around a whitewater rafting excursion we have yet to organize.

In my internship, I'm beginning to work on Olympic Beat magazine, as well as prepare for the Olympic Media Summit leading up to the Vancouver 2010 Olympic Winter Games. If all goes according to plan, I will travel with the USOC media relations team to Chicago for the Summit in September.

Click here for photos of Community Day at the Olympic Training Center, Coors Field and Memorial Park.

Today's weather in Colorado Springs: High 91, Low 57, partly cloudy

Working Man

My first ever 40-hour work week is in the books. I have worked hard and learn a lot about public relations. My bosses have gone out of their way to show me the ropes and they have trusted me with some serious assignments. In my first week, I have written press releases for the Junior Olympic Skills competition and biographies for the 2009 class of inductees into the US Olympic Hall of Fame. In my first three days, I interviewed three Olympians, including skier Picabo Street and basketball player Teresa Edwards. Vanessa, the other media relations intern, has more experience in the field and has helped me along.

Four years removed from my last dormitory experience, I was afraid to go back. But thanks to Isaac, my friendly (and clean) roommate, it hasn't been so bad. I also eat just about every meal at the Olympic Training Center dining hall, along with every other intern and resident athlete. The food is surprisingly good, varied and healthy. The nearest bar is about a five-minute walk away. The Finish Line is a great dive bar with lots of interesting regulars. The other interns and I have already broken in the ancient karaoke machine.

This weekend I volunteered to help out at the Training Center's Community Day. Without asking me if I had any real experience as a photographer, they handed me a fancy camera and told me to cover it all. This included taking photos of the unveiling of a Michael Phelps statue, which was a gift from the Chinese Olympic Committee. The community day involved demos of lots of Olympic sports like judo, fencing, table tennis and shooting, all of which were pretty interesting.

Click here for more photos of the Olympic Training Center.

Days until the Vancouver 2010 Olympic Winter Games: 215

Home Sweet Dorm

Tonight is my first night in the dorm. Tomorrow is my first day of work. I now live in the athlete/volunteer/intern residencies at the U.S. Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, CO. But before I go any farther, this blog post is dedicated to the roadtrip and days leading up to today.

In two days, my parents and I drove from San Antonio to Denver, where some of my relatives live and my sister was visiting. On the trip up, we stopped in Palo Duro Canyon. The canyon in in the panhandle of Texas near Amarillo, where we stopped for the night. The canyon is a miniature version of the Grand Canyon in Arizona but it is big nonetheless.

Over the last three days, we ate, drank and watched fireworks. I want to thank my cousin Emily and her friends for showing me around downtown Denver. Thanks to Uncle Mike and Aunt Rosanne for taking me in as their replacement son. Thanks to my parents for everything else.

Click here for photos of my stop at Palo Duro Canyon.

Today's weather in Colorado Springs: High 72, Low 55, thunderstorms