I'm Competing In Beijing: The Big Race Beckons

Day 15, August 14

Today started off as usual, but I decided to do my 25-minute run around the Village, instead of going over with fellow competitor Jenny to Beijing Normal University. Tomorrow I will do my shake-out with Coach.

After my run, I hung around in the Village for a bit, then ate lunch. After lunch and wasting some time at the computer lab, I drove to meet with my agent, Chris Layne. We hadn't talked in a while, so it was great to catch up and touch base about future races.

Afterward I waited in the rain for a cab for about 40 minutes. I am from small towns, so catching a cab is still fairly new to me, and what I have seen on TV and in the movies about catching a cab in the rain is true: There are no cabs; everyone wants a cab in the rain.

I kept thinking about a "Friends" episode: "The One Where No One's Ready," when Ross is trying to get everyone dressed and out the door, then it starts raining and he says, "It's starting to rain. That will make it easy to get a cab." (I just love "Friends;" it's my favorite TV show.)

After I got in the cab, I drove over to the hotel where my fiancé Alisa, my daughter Bella, my mom, and step-dad Bill are staying, and we just relaxed for a few hours. I actually napped a bit. They were pretty tired from the traveling and also the tour of the Forbidden City and Tiananmen Square.

After hanging around watching some of the Olympics and resting, we ate at the restaurant at their hotel. We all got something different, which is the way to do it.