Day 12: Olympic Trials

Today was the official start of Phase 2 of our extended vacation.  We took off from Sandy, hugging AJ and HJ and said goodbye to the peacocks and cats.  The 2+ hour trip to Eugene, OR was nothing compared to some of the longer hauls we completed recently, but there was way more congestion than any place since Illinois.

Tracktown USA

Ducks for the Ducks

When we did arrive to Eugene, we found ourselves at Autzen Stadium, home of the Oregon Duck's football team.  This place is enormous!  A quick shuttle bus ride later, and we were at Hayward Stadium, also known as TrackTown, USA.  DJ was in his element, surrounded by people who enjoy running, watching running, and discussing running.  Like gymnastics, there are multiple events going on at the same time, but we had a great view of the track itself,  javelin and discus. Further off was shot put and triple jump, but still within sight.

Finding the qualifying list.

After a bit of watching, Alex wanted to hit the kids' zone. This place was awesome!  He got to create his very own bib with his name, make pins of his favorite athletes, and try out some of the events. He had a blast!  He discovered for himself that hurdles are not quite his thing, sprinting is fun, long jump is fun, but high jump is even better!  He didn't get a chance to do a longer run or the javelin, but that's his goal for tomorrow.  He was just so happy to be there!  We also took a lap around the extravaganza and scoped it out. Then, it was time to return to the trials, where DJ was still taking it all in.

Huge

Naturally, being in the Pacific Northwest, it started to rain.  I volunteered to purchase some warmer clothing for Alex and DJ, and ended up exploring the U of Oregon campus. This place is gorgeous.  I've seen many college campuses, but this might win for awesomeness. (Sorry, UConn.)  I love how bike friendly it is, and it's relatively flat.  Flat!  DJ concurs with the awesomeness.

When I returned to the trials, hurdles, discus and shot put where taking place.  That was fun to see!  The last event of the night though proved to be its highlight-the women's steeplechase finals.  I'm not sure who came up with the idea of steeplechase, but it's rather amusing. Run in a circle, occasionally going over hurdles that are more like balance beams, and then jump on and into a puddle of water, then keep running.  We'd managed to see the prelims of this event on TV, but the finals were intense.  The expected leader, Emma Coburn, easily cruised to the finish, but the real battle was between 2nd, 3rd and 4th.  The runner in 4th started to make her move, but fell over the final hurdle bar, not making the team.  I can't imagine the heartbreak of coming so close, but falling in the last seconds.

Steeplechase winner Emma Coburn & Alex

After this, the trials were technically over for the night, but the best was yet to come for Alex. He asked if we could go to the bottom row and wait a bit to see if the steeplechase winners did a victory lap.  Luckily for him, they did!  Even luckier, I had a sharpie AND Alex is pretty cute. Emma Coburn signed her autograph and shook his hand, making his day and DJs.  Alex is now hooked on the idea of autographs, and has many plans for tomorrow. On a side note: watch out for Michelle Carter in the shot put.  She is fun to watch and has such a great smile and spirit about her.

Opting to skip the shuttle and walk back to the football stadium parking instead, we managed to burn off some of Alex's excess energy. Then, it was hotel time and sleep for all, so we can go back to Eugene in the afternoon and see more athletic achievements, followed by dinner with my sister, who is now back on her original coast.