February 7, 2010 Day 7

I only have a few pictures for today. It is just a picture of the kits on my table that we use and a picture of Ragnhild happy to find some Norwegian in Whistler. The Kits were specially made for the Olympics. Anyways, it was that kind of day today... we weren't tremendously busy but we simply couldn't find who we wanted to or needed to. The IOC medical committee decides daily who they want to test. They communicate this to the FCC (Function command centre) who in turn filters the information down to all of the various Anti-doping test sites where WOP CC (Whistler Olympic Park cross-country) is just one of them all over Vancouver and Whistler. The only problem with this system is the information literally just trickles down to us and there are many changes made as we go throughout the day. This is something that we need to work on so we can locate our targetted and non-targetted athetes quicker.

The other thing about the lack of pictures is we are not allowed at all to take pictures with our athletes. This includes asking for autographs etc. So when I am working out in the field or working in the doping control station, we are not allowed to take any pictures of any kind...

Today I worked as a Processing DCO. My job is to receive athletes that have been notified that they have been selected for doping control and the doping control chaperones bring them to the station where I process them for Urine or blood or both. We had several Estonian athletes in the morning and they were great to deal with however, I had another Russian athlete to test. He was very good as well. They are very used to being tested and at this level, they know what the process is and they know they must comply with the process.

One of the funny things was every morning we have a briefing and I guess the story of me going for a run with my Russian athlete while he did his cool down the day before was being discussed in other doping control stations for good and bad reasons... it seems news travels fast around here.

One of the major themes of these Olympics in Vancouver is being "green" or environmentally conscious and this includes garbage and waste. it is quite annoying and takes some getting used to still. Everything is biodegradable and at every meal, we are to sort our garbage into 3 or 4 separate bins. I will take a picture of this if I remember but for someone like me who is not used to recycling this religiously, it is very difficult and it has made me realize just how much I just throw everything out without thinking.

Today about 200 police officers and Canadian soldiers descended on WOP. They are doing a full security sweep tomorrow so they were doing their walkthrough today. They are taking the security very seriously and it has made everyone feel alot safer. I heard the security budget is $900 million dollars so it better be good.

It is funny that for some things related to the Olympics, they have the absolute best and cost is not a problem but for others it is so mickey mouse, it is funny. For example, our berlinger urine kits were being stored in a sotrage room in the day lodge in a "secure" area that is monitored. Well, on the first day, we didn't have a key for this room and after standing around waiting for a key, I just took my accreditation and used it to Jimmy the lock open. So now when we need more kits, Neil, the station manager just sends me up to get a case and i just use my accreditation like a creditcard to jam the lock and door open.

The one thing I have to start getting used to is everyone doesn't like us much I think. It is hard for me because I have a job where people are happy to see me and now I have a job where people really are not happy to see us or don't really like us... It really is all about attitude. We have a job to do and we are going to get it done and we will almost always get our way.

Well, we are planning a trip into Whistler village tomorrow and I will mail out some postcards to Thomas.