Heather King is the owner of North Vancouvers Active Life Physiotherapy. She is working as a volunteer physio at the cycling events at the London 2012 Olympic Summer Games and is documenting her experiences for the North Shore News. This is her first report.
Day 1
The first day of the Olympics in London has arrived! The Opening Ceremonies were brilliant and definitely displayed all that was British.
My first day on the job as a physiotherapist was at the velodrome, a gorgeous new venue where the track cyclists from each country were taking some time to train and get used to the track. Walking into the Olympic Village, I was blown away by all of the energy from the people and you could definitely feel the excitement of the Games. I entered the Olympic Village just after 7 a.m. and it was all abuzz. The Olympic Village is an incredible setup with all of the different venues, entertainment kiosks, big screens and a peaceful garden area to take a break from all of the energy. Fortunately the day at the velodrome was incident free. I was fortunate to work with a team of therapists from Scotland, Wales and England. The day was full with a start time of 8 a.m. and finish time of 7:30 p.m. The riders look primed for some great results.
Day 2
Redgridge Cycling Centre, where I spent my second day of the Olympics, is the training venue for the cyclists and triathletes. This venue is very different from Olympic Village as it is situated well outside of the city centre and East London. The day was a little quieter as the mens road cace had just finished the previous day. I had the opportunity to connect with some riders and take in the womens road race.
Day 3
Today I was back at the velodrome and had some work to do when I first arrived at the venue. The track was filling up quickly as riders from many countries were arriving for training. Most of the Canadian team had also arrived and it looks like the riders are ready for action.
In the evening I had a little time off to take in some womens basketball. Canada and Great Britain went head-to-head and I was happy to see Canada take the win. Go Canada Go!
Day 4
More action at the velodrome and there is definitely more of a buzz around the building with more riders, officials, media personnel, coaches and volunteers arriving. The heat is also rising as officials try to keep the velodrome at the temperature, 28 C, that is optimal for fast times. The action starts on Thursday. . . . Stay tuned!
