TrackTown, USA: After two perfect weather days, it rained overnight in Eugene. Oddly, it did not wake us, so maybe it was a polite rain? Dave and I had an appointment this morning to meet with the University and tour through Historic Hayward Field with a group of Taiwanese visitors. How fun for us, and a learning experience for our friends who were visiting Eugene for the first time. Because we were guests of the university, we had full access to the facility. We had a tour of the amazing museum at the base of the tower in Historic Hayward Field, then took the elevator to the top of the massive tower on the NE corner of Historic Hayward Field. While looking down to the track from the top of the tower, I heard the young woman in the group ask: Is that Snoop Dogg on the track? I laughed, as I knew Snoop Dogg was in town, but also laughed as I had no idea a young woman living on Taiwan would even know of Snoop Dogg. Our world is so small. (As it turned out, Mr. Dogg was at the base of the tower racing NBC announcer Ato Boldon and retired sprinter Wallace Spearman in a 200m in some sort of promo for NBC.)
Then our tour started showing the training facility available for the University of Oregon athletes under the stadium, that is used exclusively for the track and field team. They have hot tubs, ice tubs, underwater treadmills and anti-gravity treadmills!
The team has access to lounges for hanging out or studying, theater rooms for meetings and viewing film, a beauty shop, barber shop, nail salon, access to nutritionists, massage therapy, and indoor running tracks, sprinting tracks and you can even pole vault under the stadium if the weather is not cooperating for your training. (It never rains in Oregon, right?) There is even an exhibit with current uniform combinations available - with all the shoes (NIKEs, of course) the student athletes can use for their performances and training.
Dave and I have toured the training areas previously, so for us it was interesting to see it during a major competition. We were able to see the area where the athletes gather for their last-minute instructions, where they receive their race bibs and their lane numbers. We saw the area where the athletics may be drug tested, and everything was a bit discombobulated under the stadium. We hope this wasn't a bummer for people seeing this amazing training space for the first (and probably only) time.
One fun thing we were able to do on this tour was to actually walk out on the track. The women's heptathlon had finished for the day and the evening session wouldn't start for several hours, so we stepped out on the track, stood at the 100m starting line and pretended we were Sha'Carri Richardson snapped this photo:
After the tour, we all went to a pub on the next block, McMenamins, for burgers and beers. Everyone loved this unique NW experience and they also enjoyed their famed Ruby Ale, made with Chinook hops and Oregon raspberries. Very refreshing. Our sister-in-law, Kris, is crazy for this beer and since she now lives in Colorado... I sent this photo to her (just to rub it in):
After leaving our friends, we ran back to the RV to rest for 20 minutes (ha)... when two of Dave's college roommates called to invite us to share a bottle of wine in a park, so off we went again. Never a dull moment.
The park was just two blocks from Historic Hayward Field, so we all walked over to the track to watch the evening session. Several finals this evening: women's hammer throw, men's pole vault, men's javelin throw, women's 400m, men's steeplechase and men's 100m. There were a few predictable results, and a few shocks when Christian Coleman did not make the 100m team. Of course, Coleman will still go to Paris as he will be utilized in the relay pool (the group of athletes available for the relay teams). But the most exciting race of the evening was a heat of the men's 400m because of 16-year-old Quincy Wilson, who has set this crowd on fire! Of all the finals and exciting races this week, the crowd was the loudest for Wilson. The kid placed 4th overall after the heats, so will run in the final tomorrow. Could America send a teenager to Paris?
Check the results below for the facts (I am not a sports reporter), but please record/watch the meet! It is so exciting, so much fun and so inspiring.
Until my next update, I remain, your awed correspondent.
Olympic Trials Information:
Meet schedule
Where to watch
Meet results
Campground Information: Premier RV Resorts - A bit confusing, as we have a frequent-flyer discount card, but we would be paying about $78 per night (we have several nights free on this visit with our punch card). The park is full-service, with every amenity (though the pool is teeny) and is very dog-friendly - with a dog wash. Small shop with limited groceries, RV supplies, Duck stuff, ice cream and ice. It is right on I-5 so quite noisy. The most conveniently located campsite for a visit to Eugene, but is isn't really very convenient. We stay here all the time. Like, really, all the time.