Sunday, August 16, 2009

a quick berlin overview

so i'm here.
arrived on saturday after many, many, many hours of travel and delays. somehow my bags made it to berlin before i did. AND didn't get lost. that's a story the airlines don't often report...
there are two hotels in berlin that house the athletes and all their support staff. we are in the estrel hotel which has over 1000 rooms, a concert hall, 4 restaurants, and a spa. compared to my accommodations in belgium, i am living in the lap of luxury.
there is a ton of energy in the air, there are tvs everywhere showing the meet and even a projector in the eating hall as big as a movie theater screen.
we all eat in the same common area and the food is actually really good. there are cooks preparing as you serve and the hall is open intermittendently from 6am to 11:30pm. your only excuse for underperforming is overeating!
the usa staff has a wing in the hotel with anything and everything you could possibly need. doctors, chiropractors, massage therapists, a sports psychologist, computers, more tvs, games, an ice bath, food, snacks, drinks, everything you could want/need...free!
i have been utlizing these services to the fullest as i try and get my sciatic nerve and si joint issues under control for wednesday's prelim.
there are buses every 20 minutes to the olympic stadium and buses every 30 minutes to the practice track.
security is tight. no one is allowed to enter the hotel unless you are an accredited athlete and/or staff member or coach. my agent wasn't allowed in the door yesterday!
there is a forest about a ten minute jog from here, beautiful trails that eventually lead you to the spree river for more paths to run along.
a three minute walk will also bring you to the ring which is the metro line that does a full circle around the city. you can then connect to any other metro line for quick access to the downtown. best part is it's free for the week to all athletes.
i'll be sure to post some pictures later. i'm heading to the practice track this afternoon for a run and some strides. last workout tomorrow!

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