low eyeballs

I have been watching some of the events that will lead up to the Winter Olympics.

Disclosure is that I often (usually) watch TV with the sound off. Particularly on sporting events, the chatter of the background takes away from what is happening (which I don't always undestand either! Once in a while when I am watching the Super Bowl (which I miss far more than I watch) or the Boise State Broncos (might watch a game a year), I'll turn the volume up a bit, but not too often.

So I truly was watching.

These competitions are from Europe. By chance I have seen a bit of ski jumping; speed skiing; 2 man bobsled and luge/skeleton.

Since I don't listen well I thought I was watching Luge, because these nutty people were going very fast on a very small sled, but then I discovered there are two different sports. One the slider is head first on his/her stomach and the other they lie on their back and slide feet first. Luge and Skeleton. Luge is feet first and Skeleton is head first – I think.

But imagine going close to 80 mph down a icy canyon on a tiny sled with your eyeballs about 8” above that ice.

No brakes, no steering, only feet and body movements.

Everything went well and they all ended up at the end of the run (less than a minute in length) with all body parts in tack. I read, though, that it is one of the most dangerous of winter sports.

And imagine going to a big championship event, your specialty event. And actually doing your thing for 2 brief minutes (2 runs 1 minute each) and either going home a winner or a looser.

A whole season could be less than half an hour of actual competition!

My life is so dull!