#iamanolympian

[autumnifbb-blog]

🏅Stand tall...stand strong 💪 ..it's almost FRIYAY!!!!🎉 What an outstanding treat this year to get backstage @mrolympiallc professional photos!!! May I make it there again next year and hope to have again!!! 📸 @dburns_photoflex #olympian #iamanolympian #4xolympian #blessed #blessedbeyondmeasure #ifbb #ifbbproud #ifbbstrong #wpd #womensphysique #physique #tbt #olympia #olympia18 #standtall #standstrong #foreverandalways #cherish #bestrong #fitchicks #ladiesthatlift @muscleegg @nuethix_formulations @6packbags @cjselitesuits @ifbb_cj @protan_official @flalternativemeds @gorillawearusa @glamcompjewelry @stagereadyhair @shelbystarnes100 @underground.athletes @brentswansen @aesthetic_dynamic @arrid504 @positive_reflections2012 @thebackinstitute @kennywallach @jamiepinder14 https://www.instagram.com/p/BpE5OvpjE2x/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=5ng7n4kd3asq

[livelaughloveplease]

Opening Ceremonies- Day 6

What an action packed day!!!! The day started off with a little bit of training, a whirlwind of getting ready, meeting an important person, traveling back to the Village, waiting, a little more waiting, traveling to our venue (which was near our hotel where we started), meet cool people on the bus, wait in the volleyball venue, meet cool people, and then walk, and walk some more, and then walk into Opening Ceremonies, and then head home!! The end.

I guess I'll unpack that story a bit and tell you in detail how the day went! We did start with training, that was pretty normal, we were feeling pretty good, last day of training before our first match, we're ready!! Then it was a race to shower, do hair/makeup, try not to start sweating again, eat something if there was time, and then hurry over to meet the US Secretary of State, John Kerry! He came to the Navy School to say hello to all the athletes training there. We were pretty pumped. He made a brief speech, he spoke about how proud he was that we were representing our country and that the Olympics is a great event to bring awareness and insight to foreign relations. He shook hands, took some selfies and group photos, and then we had to say goodbye, jump on a bus and head for the Village. Keep it moving…

Got to the village early and had some down time, thank goodness for the athlete lounge, we hung out with the men's volleyball team for a bit before we had to gather. When we went downstairs it was a huge swarm of athletes everywhere, everyone in the same striped shirt, white pants, and blue blazer. People were going around either taking photos with each other or finding other athletes to take photos with. It was overwhelming, it was hot with the jacket on, but it was amazing to feel the buzzing of excitement as we were all ready to go!

We started walking and we were one of the last groups to walk, which put us right in front of Phelps who had only come out once he knew people started walking, probably to avoid the mob that would inevitably swarm him. Karsta, Kim, and I strategically stayed right in front of him and then told everyone behind us to jump in our photo! Hahaha we figured it was more discreet than outright asking right? Or was it? Anyway, the walk continued and that part was cool in itself because we were walking the curved path through the village as Team USA, even though it was opening ceremonies yet, it was a cool moment!

We got to the buses and we all spread out, most teams stayed together but this way we ended up meeting lots of different teams, some of the girls got to chat with Ricky Fowler the golfer, and Kim, Karsta, and I got to hang with the women's Basketball team. I sat down behind Maya Moore and got to talk with her the whole way to the stadium. It was really cool to chat about their team, the life they live vs ours, she was interested in our side of things as well! I really enjoyed the chat, so cool to find common ground!

Our volleyball arena is right next to the soccer stadium, so it became the holding area. They gave us snacks and a huge section to sit in and be comfortable while we waited to go in. Other countries were already there, some would arrive in a bit, and everyone was dressed in their opening outfits, interesting to see the colors, the design, etc. We found this waiting area comforting. The basketball teams, some of the track athletes, and probably Serena Williams, might not have felt the same, they were sitting ducks for people to come ask for photos, but they handled it well. Music was playing and people were dancing, and of course at one point we had the wave going. And then it was time….

But not really, it was time to walk, but that walk would take about 30 min, even thought the actual distance being traveled should have take less than 5 min to walk. Even though the walk was long, there were lots of photos taken, lots of team interactions, met some of the sprinters. They asked us about our qualification process and how many games it took to win here, and while we can imagine that they have one shot sometimes to prove themselves, to qualify, they said they'd rather have a quantifiable measurement, rather than a subjective decision on who makes the team, and that they'd rather compete the 1,2 times (depending on the event, or how many events they were in), to our playing every other day.  In the end, to each their own.

We started down into the tunnel, and for most former Olympians, this is their favorite part. It’s pretty awesome, we’re so close you can see a little bit inside, but mostly it’s dark, we can hear the fans inside, and then everyone around us (I think Court started it), started chanting, USA, USA, USA!! This is that moment, we’re in it, we are Team USA, and no matter if you’ve done this part before, if you’re famous NBA or WNBA players, if you’re Michael Phelps, Serena Williams, etc, nobody has been in this moment before, and we’re all experiencing it in the same way, and I think that’s why people like this part so much! What a cool concept and amazing feeling!

We made our way onto the field, walking the aisle created by the other countries standing around us, the stadium is full of color and screaming people, the lights are bright, and you just know that this is a big deal, that this is the show. I wanted to be in it, I wanted to document it, I wanted to share it. So much in the 2/3 minutes it probably took us to walk around and then it was over. We had to leave early because we had to compete the next day. We did it! We got to walk in Opening Ceremonies in the 2016 Summer Olympic Games, we were part of the history! There aren’t enough words.

We got back to the hotel and had a late dinner and discussed everyone’s favorite parts, and then quickly got to bed. Tonight was huge, but there were big things ahead of us as well.

P.S. Wanted to thank everyone for watching and searching for me on TV, I know my mom got sent screen shots of me walking across that golfers interview. I got a couple via twitter, so cool to see people’s excitement, I’m living this with you guys, I’m happy to share this experience with family, friends, our town, our community, our state! It’s amazing!

[autumnifbb-blog]

🏅Stand tall...stand strong 💪 ..it's almost FRIYAY!!!!🎉 What an outstanding treat this year to get backstage @mrolympiallc professional photos!!! May I make it there again next year and hope to have again!!! 📸 @dburns_photoflex #olympian #iamanolympian #4xolympian #blessed #blessedbeyondmeasure #ifbb #ifbbproud #ifbbstrong #wpd #womensphysique #physique #tbt #olympia #olympia18 #standtall #standstrong #foreverandalways #cherish #bestrong #fitchicks #ladiesthatlift @muscleegg @nuethix_formulations @6packbags @cjselitesuits @ifbb_cj @protan_official @flalternativemeds @gorillawearusa @glamcompjewelry @stagereadyhair @shelbystarnes100 @underground.athletes @brentswansen @aesthetic_dynamic @arrid504 @positive_reflections2012 @thebackinstitute @kennywallach https://www.instagram.com/p/BpE5OvpjE2x/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=kxk52u6mtg39

[autumnifbb-blog]

🏅Stand tall...stand strong 💪 ..it's almost FRIYAY!!!!🎉 What an outstanding treat this year to get backstage @mrolympiallc professional photos!!! May I make it there again next year and hope to have again!!! 📸 @dburns_photoflex #olympian #iamanolympian #4xolympian #blessed #blessedbeyondmeasure #ifbb #ifbbproud #ifbbstrong #wpd #womensphysique #physique #tbt #olympia #olympia18 #standtall #standstrong #foreverandalways #cherish #bestrong #fitchicks #ladiesthatlift @muscleegg @nuethix_formulations @6packbags @cjselitesuits @ifbb_cj @protan_official @flalternativemeds @gorillawearusa @glamcompjewelry @stagereadyhair @shelbystarnes100 @underground.athletes @brentswansen @aesthetic_dynamic @arrid504 @positive_reflections2012 @thebackinstitute https://www.instagram.com/p/BpE5OvpjE2x/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=73iaj4o0b1hx

[livelaughloveplease]

And the adventure begins..

Day 0*

Today (was) is the day we start the Olympic journey. We head to Houston, Texas for processing before we head to Rio. The morning was a little stressful, hadn't slept the best, had to go to practice and finish packing, then head for the airport. Called my mom before I left and she asked the same question she'd been asking, “Does it feel real yet?” She asks again because I wouldn't answer her the first couple times that she did. I wouldn't answer because it felt like a jinx, like if I let myself feel like an Olympian and get excited about it, it might somehow get taken away. She felt confident asking this time because I had a airline ticket and I had survived the last training session, no matter what happened now, I wasn't an alternate, it was official, I was going to the Olympic Games.

In 2012 I was an alternate, which is why I'm all caught up in the jinx, not that I'm really superstitious, but I've been on a mission after being told 'no' four years ago, and not that 'just going' is the ultimate goal, but it's farther than I got last time and pretty darn exciting. Getting told 'no' to your dreams is heartbreaking, there isn't really a better way to describe it. You're in love with a sport, with a journey and a dream, and it broke up with you and it hurts. So for a while it hurt, but good news, the hurt goes away, and if you can be level headed, you can look back and identify the reasons why it didn't work out, and decide how to go about doing it differently. I wasn't ready four years ago, they made the right choice. So when I got over the heartbreak, (home, time away, family, and friends was my tub of ice cream), I realized I wanted to do things differently the next time around, and here I am, a different, stronger person.

Now, it's not magic, it would be nice if it was but it's not. Becoming stronger for having gone through something takes work. Identifying your weaknesses, making a plan to attack them, and work your butt off until you're stronger. Easier said than done of course. I'm on plane today, a different and stronger person than the one in 2012, but I still have weaknesses and issues I'm working through, the work never ends. Isn't that the fun part? I guess it depends on your outlook on life. I wouldn't call myself an optimist, but I am a big believer in change, in a person's ability to change, but that's a story for another day.

So my answer to my mom was this, “I mean yea, I do have a plane ticket, they do have to take me (I think), I am excited, well I will be when I finish packing, make it to the airport, and drop my bags off.” Just so you know, that's an approximation of what I said, I'm terrible with verbatim quotes, but since it's mine, I don't mind if I was off by a little, you get the general idea. So if you didn't pick up on it, packing stresses me out a little. Not so stressed that I'm panicking, but I like to bring everything I possibly can, within the weight limit, sometimes a little bit over (overflowing into the carryon), but what's a really heavy carryon in comparison to the comfort of knowing I brought everything I wanted. Super excited that the weight limit for people traveling to and from Brazil is 70lbs, it made my life easier, or did it? In the end, my bag was 70lbs with a little help of my lighter weight assigned USA equipment bag. Shuffled some things around and dropped my bag off at baggage claim. I'm officially an Olympian, and mom, does feel real! I'm ready for this amazing adventure!

Stay tuned for more days to come!

*I’ll start with Day 1 when we get to Rio...