Hello all this is Mark and I am back. I am guess that you guys will be asking for Ashley back in no time. It has been a great ride but I am very happy to be home and sleeping in my own bed. I guess it has been a while since I posted and I dont really know where to start. I have been really happy with the excitement that the blog has gotten. I am planning on keeping it up for as long as I can so you guys can keep up with where I am and where I am going.
As you guys saw the Olympic swimming was amazing. It was easily the fastest and deepest swim meet ever held. I heard that swimming was the main focus back in the USA which is amazing. I am so glad to have been a part of all of the excitement even though I didnt win eight gold medals. I would say after my 100 breast I really enjoyed going to the sessions just as a swimming fan. Being able to watch swimming of this level made me proud to have been part of it all. Swimming on the relay was also a ton of fun. I did not swim as fast as I would have liked but it is still an amazing experience to be a part of a USA relay at the Olympics. Watching the finals of the relays made me pretty nervous. The Aussies had a great team and swam a great race. I am just happy we came out on top.
After swimming was over Ashley and I spent a lot of time together. As she told you we were able to see some of the sights of Beijing and we were also able to get to some of the other sporting events (track and diving). In many ways it is more fun to be a part of the Olympics as a spectator. You can sit back and think about the scope of the Olympics and how much it means to much of the world. When you are competing you dont think about how big of a deal it is to be a part of it because if you do then it may hurt your performance. Going to the other sports made me realize this.
I am planning on doing some more posts coming up but right now thats all I have. I am going to put up some pictures that I though you guys would want to see (if I can figure it out). Enjoy and I will be back soon. Thanks again for all of your support.
Photographers anxiously awaited the arrival of the USA Swim team in Beijing
Mark on the Airplane from Singapore to Beijing
Mark was so lucky to have plenty of space to stretch out and sleep on the flight from Singapore to Beijing.
Me in front of the driving range at the Country Club we've been training at
Training facility in Singapore
The training facility in Singapore is at a country club. There is a driving range in view of the facility, which I like. This morning when I was riding to practice it was still dark out, but because there are lights over the course, people were playing golf still-it was 6:45am!
Hotel in Singapore
View of the pool at our hotel in Singapore
U.S. Swimming Olympic Trials
The U.S. Swimming Olympic Trials were held in the Quest Center in Omaha, NE. The venue was spectacular!
Shaking Hands, Kissing Babies
Swim MAC, my club team, threw a pep rally to honor those of us who made the Olympic Trials. After the party we signed autographs. I never imagined that I would be signing this one!
My send off
Before I left for the Olympic Trials my neighbors decorated my house to wish me luck!
1 comment:
welcome home mark. we're all proud of you. thank you for continuing to represent akron and firestone in such a positive light.
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