I can only describe as a “new-summer-camp smile” plastered to my face—when you’re overwhelmed, excited, and scared all at once. It’s a disarming moment when you realize that you are not fully in control; you’re plopped into a new environment that you cannot change. For elite athletes, especially endurance athletes, control is extremely important. Our sleeping environment, meals, and even how we spend our downtime are all carefully calibrated and controlled. Now that I was in the Olympic Village, I had to smile politely and accept the fact that unless I wanted to confront an entire horde of
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