Oakland, California - The rest of the Olympics were a blur. I spent most of the second week hanging out with friends, exploring the Olympic Village, going to see other sports, and touring around London. It was all really amazing but my favorite moment of the second week had to be walking into the Olympic stadium for Closing Ceremonies. Seeing the thousands of spectators, being alongside athletes from all different countries, and knowing the world was watching was just incredible. I remember watching athletes walk into the ceremonies at previous Olympics and thinking that had to be one of the coolest feelings in the world, but having it actually happen to me puts it beyond words. It was unbelievable. I'll remember that moment forever.
The Spice Girls at Closing Ceremonies
It is a difficult task to transition to life after the Games. In the months leading up to the Olympics, I was so wrapped up in the preparations that I wasn't thinking about life afterwards at all. Like most Olympic athletes, once that one gigantic event is over and you come back to real life, you're left wondering what comes next. Some people have called it "Post Olympic Stress Disorder." Though I don't think it's quite that dramatic, it is strange to wonder where you fit in, what you want to do, and how you want to structure your days.
One of my biggest priorities is giving back to the community and working with kids. Now that I've had the experience of competing at the Olympics, I want to inspire others to figure out the goals they want to achieve and then chase after them. I've spoken to a few different groups/teams in the area about my experience so far and plan to do more of that over the next few months. I've also started coaching at Oakland Youth Rowing, a community club on the Oakland Estuary (the same body of water that I've been training on for parts of the past year). I'll mostly be working with the high school boys' team, but in the last week I've also worked with the high school girls and all of the middle school kids. It has been a blast so far and I'm excited to see what these guys are capable of doing this season.
Boys' double
Girls' 8 (on the left) rounds the corner to the dock
Me and some of the middle school girls
Talking to all of the high schoolers about my road to the Olympics
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