Death by Olympics

(Cue the Olympic theme song)

It's official - the 2008 Beijing Olympics are killing me.

It's a slow and painless death of cheering until your voice goes hoarse; a racing pulse from the severe adrenaline rush as your team races to victory; and drowsy, late nights of tape-delayed coverage, followed by early mornings when you do your best impression of the 50-yard dash as you run to catch the 6am bus.

Maybe I'm just getting old, but I don't remember needing to wait to see the prime time coverage events until 1am during the Athens or Atlanta games. But still, I'm doing it.

My work is suffering - propping ones eyes open with toothpicks is no way to conduct professional library work. My health is suffering - I've been walking around like a zombie... and let's just not even talk about my paltry gym attendance this week. Even my marriage is suffering - simply because we are both staying up entirely too late - and thus grumpy and tired the next day.

But, ask me if I'm going to stop - and I will pump my fist in the air, shouting "No way!" and then exclaim "Go USA!". (Actually, that's just the fatigue talking - I'm not that fanatical.) Although, if you ask Dave, he will divulge that I was shouting "Whoo-whoo!" when Misty May-Treanor made another amazing kill during the Beach Volleyball match against Belguim.

I absolutely LOVE the Olympics.

During the past week, I've been able to catch many of these great hightlights:

• The opening ceremonies - 1,000 drummers drumming, 500 ladies dancing, 100 fireworks bursting, little girls singing and one man running through the air to light the touch. WOW!
• Michael Phelps capturing 7 Gold medals and breaking how many Olympic & World records?! What's with these crazy, new laser-seamed suits?
• US Swimming - AMAZING: Phelps, Lezak, Vanderkaay, Lochte, Piersol, Coughlin, Soni - I love hearing "The Star Spangeled Banner" echo throughout the voluminous Water Cube.
• Misty May-Treanor & Kerri Walsh - an awesome, fluid style, like a well-oiled machine. Watching them play inspires me to grab a volleyball & head straight to Golden Gardens & train for London in 2012.
• The US Men's Gymnastics team capturing the bronze medal, but the evening was so magical, it felt like Gold. Honestly, chills went down my spine when Raj Bhavsar rocketed into the air on the parallel bars, Horton spun off the high bar like a freight train and stuck the landing like he was planted there, and Sasha Artemev executed his pommel horse routine with powerful grace.
• Rebecca Soni coming from behind as the underdog, snagging Gold in the 200m breast stroke.
• Watching with a sad heart as the US women faltered in the team gymanstics competition. With Gold just within their grasp, Alicia Sacramone fell not only on the beam, which is her specialty, but on the floor exercise. As she crumbled to the floor, with her head in her hands, you realized that winning isn't everything but silver never felt so disappointing.
• Redemption for the US women! - Nastia Liukin and Shawn Johnson pulling the 1-2 punch for a historical moment with two US women on the medals podium for the All-Around. It was a magical night, reminiscent of Mary Lou's perfect 10 & Keri Strugg's one-footed landing on the vault .

Even if you are not usually very patriotic or interested in sports, it seems difficult to not swell with pride as you watch these athletes come together every four years and put on a heart-thumping, nail-biting, edge-of-your-seat, amazing show. I just hope I don't keel over from the emotional turmoil, the physicial exhaustion and thrill of it all!