Countdown to Beijing

Happy Wednesday. I’ve just returned from the salon, where Ellen and I got our new Beijing-bound do’s. I am happy to report that this go-around was much more successful than the incident that preceded our departure for Munich back in May (I believe the look I was sporting for that trip was described as “newscaster hair” by one of my close personal friends). The fabulous new hair along with an invigorating eyebrow wax has inspired me to visit RCM and write a bit about what’s been going on in Princeton over the past few weeks since our return from Lucerne.

To start, let me just say this: wow. The response I have received from friends, family and community members regarding my nomination to the team has been absolutely phenomenal. Following our fourth-place finish in the double in Lucerne, Ellen and I signed on to the team via some “very official” (handwritten) documents during our flight back to the U.S.. Almost immediately thereafter, I was fielding phone calls and emails from reporters all over the greater Minneapolis/Saint Paul, Western Wisconsin, and Seattle areas to cover my nomination. It was really exciting and fun, but just for now I’m happy to be under the cover of a blackout period which will bar any further involvement with the media. Along with the barrage of media attention came a huge surge of interest in my rowing from my hometown city council, who not only issued a Mayoral Proclamation declaring August 8, 2008 “Megan Kalmoe Day” in Saint Croix Falls, but also started working on incorporating a regatta into the annual Fall Festival, and possibly starting up a rowing club in town. Wow! It’s been a little overwhelming to say the least, but what an incredible experience.

When not basking in the media limelight with other A-list celebrities, we’ve been training. A lot. Princeton has been generously providing us with some Beijing-like conditions, with heat and humidity in spades. The first few weeks back in Princeton we found ourselves mostly on our own and trying to stay out of the way while the coaches finalized big-boat selection. But the moment that was over we were pounced upon and started work on some pretty significant technical changes. The good news is that despite the brain-bending and frustration that accompany the technique practices, we’re still squeezing more speed out of our stroke.
As other cool bits and tests that have accompanied our training, we’ve done some more body composition testing, lactate testing, and rigged the double with pressure-sensors that report information about our individual power curves and blade entry angles. It’s a lot of information to deal with; fortunately organizing and interpreting it is left up to the coaches and I’ve just got to keep showing up and rowing.

When we’re not training, we’re not doing much. Ellen and I have been taking full advantage of the central air in our house, as well as our Netflix subscription. I’ve started making tentative travel/celebration/escape plans for post-Beijing, but it’s been tricky with so much to plan for pre-Beijing. Following the naming date, I had my first official autograph session with the USRowing Meet & Greet at Mercer County Park. There were actually a fair number of fans, and I got to sign many an autograph that afternoon. We got our first of two gear packages distributed yesterday, and got some pretty cool stuff. I’m not really at liberty to disclose my personal opinion on the new unisuit design, except to say that it is a unisuit and it is a new design—significantly different than the classic blue and white Nike the USA has been rocking for the past several years. Along with our gear package we got sponsorship items from Johnson & Johnson and Tyson which will be helpful in packing and preparing for our trip to China. Finally, I’ve set to work creating some USA W2X support t-shirts for our fans and family to sport in Beijing—thanks to Dave at Sew Sporty for a most excellent design and customer service experience. Team Kalmoe/Tomek is anxiously awaiting their fan gear back in the Great Lakes region (oh yeah, the whole Kalmoe clan is coming to Beijing).

Lastly, during the past month I have spent a few hours writing thank you cards to a number of people regarding my nomination to the team. Taking the time to reflect on many individual relationships that have come and gone during my time as a high school athlete, a tutor, an undergraduate, a fast-food restaurant employee, a daughter, a granddaughter, a mooch (in various respects) has really allowed me to appreciate the innumerable ways in which the people around me have helped to shape my experience as an Olympic hopeful, and now United States Olympian. There is no singular way for me to express my gratitude to all of the family members, friends, mentors and co-workers who have challenged and encouraged me. But I’ll throw another big thank you out there, just in case. It means everything to me.

Overall, it feels like the past few weeks have just flown by. Now, with only a few days before we leave for California for team processing, it is actually starting to sink in: I’m going to be racing at the Olympics in less than a month. I might even be on TV. I am going to hang out with my friends and family in China. I’m going to be staying in the Olympic Village with hundreds of other Olympians, meeting the best amateur athletes from around the world. I am going to be participating in one of the biggest celebrations of humanity that our global community has to offer. Me. A long shot. Going to Beijing.
Wow.

See you out there,

--MK