Mountain biking

While watching the Olympics, I started wondering what mountain biking is like.
I know what it is like to ride a tandem bike but not where they ride and how they ride on such rough terrain.
Everyone has been so very helpful with your descriptions.
Thanks so nuch for any input you can give me

The 10 km swim.

So this morning they were swimming the 10 km open water swim. Even in my competitive swimming days, was trying to think how far I swam in our swimming marathon to raise money. 200 lengths I think it was and about 2 or 3 miles maybe. I wonder if I could swim 10 Kms. Just to see if I really could do it. Not in competition you understand just to do it. Can't believe they did it in about 2 hours. Very impressive. As a blind person, I find open water swimming a bit disorienting so will stick to pools and fun swims in lakes or rivers.

rhythmic gymnastics what is it?

Today, on the olympics, there is rhythmic gymnastics. I know they talk about a ball, a ribon and something else I forget. But, what exactly do they do? Very curious. Again, thanks to those of you who have provided sports descriptions for me. Most entertaining indeed.

Can someone describe the cycling track?

Thanks so very much to those who gave me an idea about the pole vault. Fascinating to know more about these sports. Brings a whole new appreciation to me of what athletes do. I ran a bit of track in public and highschool so I know what a running track is like. I do not know what a track cycling track is like though. The velodrome. They said it was made from Canadian wood (the one in London that they are using now) but what is it like? It sounds like it is not flat like a running track but I am not sure.

Pole vault. How does it work?

Thank you to those who have helped me to better understand how these olympic sports work. Question of the day, what is the pole vault and how does it work? I can't even picture it at all. I know it involves jumping over some kind of pole from a great height but can't picture it at all.

people don't think we can be athletes.

This morning, Oscar Pistorius made history by running in an olympic race and making it to the next round of the men's 400 meters. he does not have legs and runs on artificial ones. I can't describe them to you as I do not know what they are like. But, I have been following the story. Some people said that it would be dangerous for him to compete. This is a common thought. Sports would be dangerous for us, for those around us, and why would people with disabilities do them? I myself have participated in many sports. People are amazed to know that I ran cross country and a bit of track. But how? Why? That I was a competitive swimmer and paralympian. Again, why? How? Skiing, skating, hiking, sandem cycling. Participating in sports has kept me healthy, happy, given me interests and activities that I love, help me travel around the world with confidence. i have not yet quite figured out why this makes people so nervous. Perhaps it is because we are often perceived as weak and pathetic. This makes participating in sports unlikely and even dangerous perhaps. or maybe they imagine themselves trying to do these things with their eyes closed and this makes them nervous. i'm so glad for Oscar that he is making history in a classy manner. Go go blade runner.

Sports: Olympic sports the visual aspects.

I think I have mentioned about my olympic adiction on this blog already. Yes, I have been watching the Olympics. I begin a series of blog posts on how I interpret olympic sports and also asking questions about them. It occurs to me how visual sports are. Unless you have done a sport, you cannot truly be sure of what it is like to do. I was a competitive swimmer and paralympian in the past. In gym class, I did some track, threw a shot put badly, a javelin comically, a discus terribly. I've riden a tandem bike but not a racing one. i have canoed and been in a kyak. I have felt the balance beam and paralel bars and rings. I've bounced on a trampolene. So, some sports involving these things, I understand. comretitive swimming I understand best as I spent hours and hours doing it. but, there are things I really donot understand. What are the rowing boats like? Are they different depending on the type of rowing for example?

amazing to watch opening ceremonies with audio description!

okay Okay, I admit it! I am adicted to the olympics and paralympics. There is never enough coverage of paralympics in my opinion. But, even for me, there is enough coverage of olympics. I have always loved watching even before I was a paralympian myself. but, I have never really liked watching the ceremonies. They are always quite visual and I do not know what is going on. I was not going to watch the opening yesterday either but when I heard they had audio description (describing the action for people who are blind) I turned it on and was so pleasantly surprised and thrilled. I also followed along with my twitter feed. Tweeting with friends around the country and across the world. Thanks to those who described and thanks to those who tweeted along with me. Congratulations UK! Go Canada go!