This is what I came to see! You just cannot appreciate the velocity these racers achieve until you are 8' away and they rip by @ 85mph. I have hit 56mph on my bicycle, which seemed fast at the time. But, imagine standing on I-5 and a motorcycle flies by you at 90mph a mere 3 steps away. The crowd at the Whistler Sliding Center all had the same expression the first time a competitor went by...quite simply, eyes wide open and saying WOW!!!!!Most Olympic athletes have minimal fear and train years in obscurity for their chance at Olympic glory. If they win, they become national heroes and the purity of sport, dedication and sacrifice all becomes worth it in an instance. It is an amazing thing to see the unspoiled relief and shock they experience (think Simon Ammann, Switzerland, ski-jumping) as opposed to Kobe Bryant winning another title...and endorsements worth millions.
For years, I have wanted to attend the Games and vowed if close enough, I would go. This was an awesome experience and it motivates me for my quest in May. It needs to be for a cause bigger than me. Maybe not for national glory, but why not to benefit others less fortunate than myself?
