Curt Clausen ’90: Departing Greece

August 30, 2004

August 29

The end is near. I just returned to the village to check my luggage for my departure from Greece--a 4:45 am (bus leaves at 1:15am) charter flight to Munich. I've spent the past couple days with my family in the heart of Monastiraki and sightseeing around Athens.

Race day did not evolve as planned. I received two red cards before 20 km into the race and mentally did not respond well.  I felt great physically and the effort to around 20 km was exactly what I anticipated: 4:40-4:48/km. However the two cards meant I had no room for error if I wanted to compete in the Olympic race. 

Although just finishing was never my main goal, I have to admit that my worst fear was to be disqualified. Last year at the World Championships in Paris the officials disqualified a full 46 percent of the field including myself prior to 16 km.  I generally have what would be considered good legal technique but have had a couple international races with inexplicable red cards.  I was frustrated to receive the calls so early in the Olympics and had I not been dq'd in Paris would have likely responded better mentally.  I essentially shut things down and played it very safe. 

With about six kilometers to go, my teammate Philip Dunn caught me. I said way to finish strong, let him go a couple steps and then decided I should also finish strong. I lowered my pace to that of the first 20km and upgraded my finishing place about 6 places in the last 5 km to 32nd.  Physically I was ready for a much better race but psychologically I feared disqualification and let the calls severely impact my effort.  I am happy to have finished and taken part in my third Olympic Games.

Saturday, the day after my event, I spent the entire day seeing the sights of Athens. It was a wonderful day. I was fatigued but happy to take in the ancient sites. After a wonderful dinner overlooking the Acropolis, I returned to the apartment to rest up for the big "not to miss" Sports Illustrated party which started around midnight.

Crashing hard, I awoke near 1 a.m. and decided to miss the key party and rest. My body is still hurting and tired from the 31-mile effort. Saturday night provided some very interesting excitement as the loud club scene turned into a massive riot in the street just below our Monastiraki apartment. Thousands of young testorone-and-alcohol-pumped young men attacked police with bottles, burned garbage dumpsters, knocked over signs and trash receptacles and basically marched around taunting the police for several hours.  They mass gathered immediately below our balcony and lit at least 6 dumpsters ablaze, the noxious smoke permeating the apartment. Fortunately, the rioters stayed to the streets and despite the chaos below we all felt relatively safe viewing the action from above.  The police with plastic shields charged the group several times, deflecting the bottles thrown and occasionally popping off tear gas cylinders into the crowd to disperse them. 

I did not understand what they were chanting but am guessing their anger was related to the anti-Colin Powell/anti-war protesters we saw earlier in the day.  Last I heard Powell had delayed his visit, but protestors were still out on Saturday.  Based upon the faces of the rioting crowd, I am sure the anti-war protest was a good excuse to wreak havoc with the local police.  Alas, I look forward to reading a news account if it is indeed reported on. 

The streets were filled with glass in the morning, even after street sweepers had come through several times.  I am sure by the time I return this afternoon it will look largely as it did prior to the riots or perhaps it will take until Monday when shop owners return and clean the walks in front of their stores. 

The logistics of the final day in Athens are turning into a bit of a hassle. I trekked the 90 minutes from town to the Olympic Village to check my bags only to find out that the check in has moved 4 hours later--so essentially wasted 3 hours of travel to and from the city and time I could have spent touring or with my family.  But that’s pretty much par for the course; expect delays and change. 

I am just about to leave the village with my 300 pounds of bags and show up at the airport on my own to avoid the waiting game of traveling with a group of hundreds and to get a few more hours to see Athens.

Time to get out and soak up Athens. 

August 26

Just 12 hours until I will be waking on early Friday morning for my competition. Three hours pre-race I generally awake, take in some Extran or Gatorlode carbohydrate drink and/or an Ensure Vanilla - around 600 calories max. 3 hours out and plenty of Gookinaid Hydralyte. During the race I will likely drink around 16oz. of Gookinaid each 2km lap which take a bit less than 10 minutes. The drink volume per hour is difficult to maintain the entire race but is critically important and avoiding dehydration and glycogen depletion will be the critical factor over the last 2 hours of the 50km.

We’ll start our trek to the Olympic Stadium leaving housing at 4:40 a.m. and catching the bus around 5 a.m. for the 30-minute ride to the warm-up area. Around 40 minutes prior to race time (6:20pm) we are called to the stadium to await the start at 7 a.m. It is a routine that occurs at every major championship (or 1x per year). The 7 a.m. start is a great time for better conditions in Athens but it is a challenge getting the body going at 4 a.m.

Today the last training session was 5 km with one quicker than race pace 4:20 km. Feeling good and ready. Watching fluid and carbohydrates and will head to rest/nap before dinner tonight. Dinner will be rice or pasta and pretty much only carbos, no fruits or veggies and no protein. Keeping the stomach feeling well is important in avoiding unnecessary stops during the race. I have found carbos are the key and rice works especially well.

Talked briefly to Robert Korzenowski last night at dinner and today on the bus. He is the heavy favorite and looks fit and ready to defend his Olympic title. Always nice to see Robert as he takes the time to say hello and chat with all his fellow athletes. He is a great competitor and the kind of athlete I like to see do well. The Polish fans are sure to be the loudest and largest group out tomorrow as he is a national hero back home.

Ok, race time is approaching. Time to focus!

August 25

About 38 hours to show time! I spent last night with my family in Monastaraki and determined that while their apartment is in an absolutely amazing and convenient location, being next to one of Athens’ top 10 night life hotspots actually has it disadvantages: noise until the wee hours of the morning. The good thing is that at my 10 p.m. bedtime it was still relatively quiet as clubbing really does not get going until after midnight. By 4 or 5 a.m. it was again silent and I caught some extra Z’s. I'll have to check out the club Friday night. The noise was Euro dance beat coupled with loud talk and the neighborhood dogs howling. Very urban Athens I am told.

I ventured back to the Olympic Village this morning for my last real workout--a 4 km at race pace with warm-up and cool-down. Got going late as my roommate Philip Dunn had spent the evening with his family in Pireaus which had less convenient transport connections. The Village is way out on the northern fringes of Athens and via bus or subway it takes about 45 minutes to an hour to get to the center.

Philip and I managed to find some markings on the village roadway—1 km, 900 m, 800 m, etc. When we arrived at the start line it read “Polska Korea 2004.” We immediately new who had marked the “official” village training circuit. Our old coach Bohdan Bulakowski is from Poland. He coached us in 1997 and 1998 in Chula Vista, CA and is now coaching the Korean National team. The circuit was exactly what we were looking for and my 4 km at race pace confirmed I am ready to roll for Friday. We later ran into Bohdan at the dining hall. He laughed about the course and confirmed he marked it the first day here and all the walkers in the village have used it since. As Bohdan would say, “very professional.” He has one Korean athlete in the 50 km, a young inexperienced (only 1 50 km prior to the games) athlete but his most talented and hardest working athlete on the team. We ate lunch with them and Korea’s pole vaulter who I believe lives in Los Angeles at UCLA and speaks English.

The village is a great environment. You run into so many different people you have met over the years. Today’s more memorable encounters: Jefferson Perez (4th in the 20 km) while we were training. I asked Jefferson, “Listo para senquenta (50km)?” He just pointed to his head implying that his head was not quite there. He is a 20 km specialist and was the heavy favorite here having not lost a major competition since 2000 and setting the world record in 2003, but had an off day and finished 4th. He is hurting mentally, but he may try the 50 km, which would be a very interesting addition to the field for Poland’s Robert Korzenowski, the defending champion and favorite. Then there was Susana Feitor, Portugal’s 20 km race walk entry. She finished 20 th in Athens but is now lobbying for a seat on the IOC Athlete’s commission. She asked for our vote at lunch and of course we all replied it was a done deal. There are three racewalkers up for election: Susana, Jefferson and Robert. We can vote for 4 athletes total, and I imagine most walkers had only 1 tough choice. Ironically on the ballot were two athletes ( Greece and Turkey) that have since been suspended from the games for doping violations (I think their campaigns are in trouble).

Speaking of troubling, the women’s 20 km walk was won by a Greek woman. Awesome to see a relatively unknown athlete win on home soil. Troubling, though, was the post-race interview where she dedicated her victory to the two Greek sprinters who were forced to withdraw from the games due to several missed drugs tests. I don’t understand the solidarity shown toward athletes caught up in doping violations. I personally believe that an athlete caught doping should immediately be banned for life as well as their coach, doctors, agents etc. if their is evidence of contribution to the doping. Why a great Olympic champion would choose to associate with discredited athletes is beyond my comprehension.

Post lunch I had a great light massage and then checked into the logistics of having my family visit the village tomorrow. Guest passes for the village are limited, but if all goes well 1 or 2 family members will be able to come by. I will be doing virtually nothing tomorrow--just an easy 5-6 km and resting. The lead up to my event is a pretty singularly focused period of time.

After the competition I look forward to seeing as much of the games and Athens as possible given the inevitable fatigue of a 50 km.

Picked up yesterday’s LA Times today--looking forward to seeing what is happening outside of Greece and getting a short pre-dinner nap.

August 24

Goodbye to paradise! The men’s marathon team extended their stay in Crete by two days to make the three of them (Meb Keflezghi, Alan Culpepper, and Dan Browne) the “USA Track & Field Survivor-Crete” winners.

This morning a bus empty with five athletes (high jumper Amy Acuff, 10 km runners Elva Dryer and (name blank sorry), and 50 km walkers Philip Dunn and myself) were escorted from the Pilot Beach hotel to the airport by a police motorcade whose staff far outnumbered the passengers. I never felt security was an issue while on Crete and there was definitely a constant vigil at our resort by both local and U.S. security forces.

Ironically once they dropped us off at the airport we appeared to be on our own. What is only a 45-minute flight from Crete to Athens turned into 6 full hours of travel with transfers so I am glad we arrived three days prior to my competition. Complicating the travel was my three hundred pounds of equipment that I had to lug with me. The altitude tent system is portable but just barely.

The Olympic Village is bustling now with athletes everywhere. When we arrived on August 3 rd the place was empty and peaceful. I’m hoping that the dorm will be peaceful at night in the USA sector--if not I have the option of staying at the American College of Greece or with my family in the heart of Athens.

I am now at the Bank of America Family Center in Monastaraki. The center is an oasis for U.S. athlete's families to grab lunch or dinner, use Internet, watch the games or just hang out. It is a great place and the apartment I found my family is a mere 50 feet away. I imagine they will take full advantage of the facility and have to give a huge thank you to Bank of America for sponsoring this place. It is awesome!

I probably won't return to the center of Athens until after my race but look forward to a little touring of the center of the city on Saturday and Sunday. The Acropolis cannot be more than 500m away - although it looks like quite a hike up hill. The streets in this old part of town are so narrow and the buildings a strange mix of new, old, run down and spruced up. It is hard to tell if it is a good part of town at first glance, but once inside the center or the apartment all doubts are gone.

The next couple days training is a bare minimum and rest and carbohydrate loading will be the focus. My last workout on Crete was great and I am feeling ready to roll.

August 22:

Only 5 days to the 50km walk.  Just two more days here in Crete. This morning I had my last workout over 1 hour, a 15 km effort in 4:44/km, relatively relaxed and about the pace I hope to start the race on Friday.  Weather forecast is for 70 degree low/90 degree high next Friday and with a 7 a.m. start, 11 a.m. finish, I’ll likely walk through the entire range of temperatures.  The last couple hours will be a challenge. On a positive note, I was able to maintain my weight during the workout by taking in around 20 oz of fluid every 3 km, a big improvement over the first week here.  My acclimatization is essentially done.  Just easy training (race pace or faster but less than 1 hour workouts) and rest and nutrition for the next five days.

The U.S. Track and Field team did well yesterday in most of the events, but the women's pole vault was a disappointment. The big surprise was Stacy Dragila not making it out of the trials, but unfortunately neither did Jillian or Kelly.  Watching the trials here in Crete, I have really begun to appreciate NBC's English coverage. I can find the games on TV in Greek, German, Italian and Spanish, but besides a little Spanish, I understand virtually none of the commentary. It is difficult to follow so I have to catch up via the posted press releases here in the hotel lounge that is dedicated to our team.

The one computer was actually available this morning--the first time in weeks there has not been a long queue. The rest of the day here will be the same as usual: lunch and a nap, followed by some chiropractic and massage work, and maybe a dip in the sea. There is a flea market in town today, but I think I will rest most of the afternoon. 

Lunchtime...

August 20 and August 21:

Yesterday morning the men's 20 km walk was contested in Athens. Unfortunately, Jefferson did not have a great day and finished 4th. The winner was Ivano Brugnetti of Italy who in 1999 was the world champion at 50 km.  I remember him walking away from me just past 40 km in that race. He was very young and a big surprise winner. Until now he had not performed well at other major championships, but an Olympic gold medal at the 20k in a personal best time (in the heat of Athens) will more than compensate for the previous four down seasons. Our U.S. athletes finished 20th (Tim Seaman), 21st (Kevin Eastler), and 27 th (John Nunn). Only Spain and Russia performed better as a country and time wise I think it was the best overall performance by U.S. 20 km athletes in Olympic history. Overall the guys did a good job and it looked like they caught a lot of athletes over the second half of the race. I think the 50 km will provide even more opportunity to improve upon place over the second half as it will be a grueling challenge to finish in the severe conditions. 

Having watched the television coverage from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m., Philip and I headed out for an easy 6 km warm-up session and put off our last speed workout until the evening. After training I had a quick lunch and headed into town to drop off some laundry. I have been here almost three weeks but had not taken the 2 km stroll to town to check things until today. I made it to the laundry just before closing at 1:30 p.m. and then got a quick haircut. It cost me 10 euro and no one noticed that I a haircut--not sure if that is good or bad.  The only downside to town was everyone at the salon was smoking and likewise in the Internet cafe.  I read through weeks worth of email as my Internet access has been a nightmare here in Crete. It has kept me restful but I realize that I probably spend hours per day on the Internet back home. 

I walked back from town via the beach and realized it was about half the distance (1,000-1,500 m maximum) and a whole lot more pleasant than the access road next to the highway. The beach was packed with tourists, most lying on beach lounges with umbrellas (5 euro gets you 2 chairs and an umbrella for the day).  Little food/ beverage stands seem to be every couple hundred meters from town back to our resort and beyond.

Georgioupolis is a small village with tons of tavernas, souvenir shops, rooms for rent, and hotels.  The town was founded by King George due to its prime location as a hunting ground next to a river that drains into the sea (It’s nice and cold and they have a little bridge over it next to the beach) that attracted migratory birds. 

The big trip to town seemed to wipe me out.  My finally tuned-and-napped body was shocked by the extra exertion. I managed to drag myself out the door for the last speed workout around 6:40 p.m. when it’s still very hot. Philip and I warmed up and then began our 5 times 2 km repeats (out and back 1km).  The goal was 4:10-4:16/km and I hit them at 4:08-4:13/km which is as fast as I have walked here in Crete.  The realization that I could do this workout in 3:55-4:00/km in 1999 is a bit frustrating. However, I am plenty fit for a good 50-km effort. My race strategy will just have to be a bit different than in 1999 when I could approach a 50 km knowing there was no one in the world better prepared.

Post-workout I was in a zombie-like trance that hits after such a hard exertion. I forced myself to eat and drink.  When I weighed in just after the workout I was 160.5 pounds, nearly 9 pounds lighter than a month ago and 5 pounds less than a week ago. I need to replace the lost fluids and make certain my nutrition is good this final week. Being too light can be a mistake and perhaps that is why I am feeling a bit more tired today.

Saturday morning I slept in until 9 a.m. to make up for the relatively late Friday night I had. Not finishing training until 8:45 p.m. meant getting to bed after midnight. The morning training session is only 8 km and the afternoon will be a trip to the sea.  After training I get an adjustment and will get a massage later in the day. 

After a quick bite to eat--the restaurant at Pilot beach overlooks the pool, beach and sea, so it is difficult to be too quick—I walked into town with Philip to pick up yesterday’s laundry: 16 euro for 2 loads is a bit pricy, probably could have sent it to the hotel for less, but it gave me a good reason to head to town.  I also need to stop by the Internet cafe to register for classes this fall.  I begin law school at the University of Wisconsin immediately upon my return from the games.  I am excited about entering law school and as of today am officially registered for classes.   I am looking forward to the change of status from full-time athlete to full-time student and hopefully a future in sports and entertainment law.

August 19:

The resort is empty.  The dozen or so athletes from the following events are the sole remaining: 50 km walkers (Clausen & Dunn), men's marathon (Meb and Alan), women's high jump (Amy and Tisha), men's 800 m, women's discus. Our medical staff is down to three as well with my fellow NYAC members (Claudia T., massage therapist, and Jeanette Anderson, chiropractor) and Dr. Bob Adams providing support for the few athletes still here.  The medical staff has been absolutely tremendous in meeting the athletes’ needs here in Crete and I can say I am in much better condition than I was before arriving. With daily adjustments, massage, and treatment, all the little aches and pains have been put to rest and my body is feeling better than ever. 

The highlight of my day was a swim in the sea at sunset.  My training week has been relatively light, totaling just under 100 km. A normal load is 120-160 km. 

Tomorrow is the men's 20 km walk. I’ll watch the race on TV and be cheering for the favorite, Jefferson Perez of Ecuador.  Coach Pena coached Jefferson to the gold medal in 1996 and then joined us in November, 1998.  He is the primary reason I was able to break through to the international level in 1999.  I have trained and traveled with Jefferson in the US and in his hometown of Cuenca, Ecuador over the past 6 years.  He is a humble champion and national hero in Ecuador. He is the only medalist in any sport in the history of Ecuador and as a result is widely revered in his country.  I am hopeful he can return to the podium tomorrow. I’ll be cheering for him and all of my friends in the 20 km.

August 17:

Almost 75 percent of the team will be heading to Athens today and tomorrow.

When we started our morning workout today, the front lobby had become a luggage storage area for all the athletes’ gear as the first airport bus was leaving around 8:30 am.  John Nunn, Kevin Eastler and Tim Seaman leave today as they will be competing on Friday morning, August 20.  Coach Pena leaves tomorrow afternoon to join them in Athens for the 20 km, but will return to Crete for my last few days of training here. 

Track and Field officially begins tomorrow with the men's and women's shot put competitions in Olympia at the site of the ancient Olympic Games.  The U.S. men have a great shot at sweeping the medals. In Sydney they placed second, third, and fourth in the competition. John Godina and Adam Nelson have both been here in Crete training, while my New York AC teammate Reese Hoffa decided not to attend the camp. 

The rest of Track and Field begins on Friday with the men's 20 km walk as the first final. In 1996, I competed in the 20 km and then had a great Olympic experience by attending all the Track and Field competition as a spectator, soaking up the Olympic atmosphere in Atlanta. Competing on August 27 (the second to last day of competition) does not leave much time for experiencing the Olympic games as a spectator. But as in Sydney, I am thankful to be going near the end of the games as it allows for extra preparation time. I needed it in Sydney due to knee surgery 10 weeks prior and need it this time for heat acclimatization. I am sure the shot putters and 20 km racewalkers will have a great games experience and I am thankful for that opportunity in Atlanta. 

Late breaking news today--Irish 50 km walker Jamie Costin was in a serious auto accident while at training camp 300 km away from Athens. Jamie is a good friend and one of the nicest people you will ever meet.  He is also Ireland's 50 km record holder and was having his best season ever leading up to the games.  He has been training with Robert Korzenowski, the 3-time Olympic champion, and had just dropped Robert off at his hotel prior to the accident. Apparently, a tanker truck hit is rental car head on and it sounds like he is very lucky to be alive if not entirely well.  When I read the news, it brought tears to my eyes.  I know how horrible Jamie must feel that his Olympic dreams for 2004 are shattered; his first question was "Will I be able to compete?"  I am hopeful that the answer for him is yes in 2008. He is 27 years old and has the potential to be one of the top walkers in the world.  In 1994, I was involved in an auto accident en route to the National Championships that sent me to the hospital overnight with minor injuries.  That event was life changing for me. It woke me up to the preciousness and the fleeting nature of life.  Without that experience I doubt I would have ever dedicated myself to training to make an Olympic team, let alone three.  I will miss seeing Jamie in Athens and wish that he could be there, but absent that, I wish him all the best in his recovery and future. I am especially grateful to be able to compete--regardless of results. I know I will enjoy the opportunity to do my very best on August 27.

August 15:

The games have begun, but here at the Pilot Beach Resort near Georgioupolis, Crete the atmosphere is still vacation-like. Nearly 80 percent of the USA Track and Field Team has decided to take advantage of pre-Olympic training camp here.  In many ways it is like being at the Olympic Training Center in Chula Vista, CA: athletes everywhere. But here my single room overlooks the beach, and rather than Mexican-dominated cuisine, the focus is traditional Greek with additions like pasta to meet our training needs.  The most noticeable difference versus between Crete and California is the throngs of mostly German tourists that are sharing the resort with us. Lying on the beach, eating, and drinking seem to be the order of the day for most of them, and I am just a bit envious that I cannot join them under an umbrella next to the sea. 

The atmosphere at the resort is very relaxing and this is by far the best pre-Olympic training camp I have attended. The 1996 edition was basically at home in Chapel Hill (The Sienna hotel on Franklin Street) and 2000 was in Brisbane at Couran Cove Island Resort and the Brisbane Marriott. I have been here since Wednesday, August 4 and will depart on August 24 for Athens and the Olympic Village. 

We measured a 3 km loop that begins at the resort gate on our beachside, follows a lightly traveled access road for 1.5 km to a tunnel under the main coastal highway, and returns via the access roads to the main entrance of the resort.  The resort complex is huge and separated by the main coastal highway, but has a tunnel under it for easy access to both sides.  The 3 km entrance-to-entrance road course has and will be our sole training course for the twenty days here.  The entire U.S. men's racewalking team and our coach (Tim Seaman, John Nunn, Kevin Eastler, Philip Dunn, and myself) are here training and all but Kevin are also based at the Olympic Training Center in Chula Vista, California and coached by Enrique Pena. 

The main reason for our spending the entire month of August in Greece prior to competition is to acclimatize. Dealing with the heat and dramatic fluid losses will be the key factor in determining success or failure in the Olympic 50 km walk.  I’ve experienced tremendous changes in the process of acclimatizing; my second 30 km workout was a full 15 minutes faster with heart rate 10 beats per minute lower than my first 30 km workout.  In a workout that took just under 2 1/2 hours, I drank 10 pounds of fluid (160 oz.) and still lost 15 pounds.

In addition to the heat acclimatization, I am utilizing “simulated altitude exposure.” By night, I’m sleeping in a Hypoxico Altitude Tent at a simulated 9,000 feet for eight hours. This stimulates the body to produce more red blood cells. By day, I’m in the heat, which triggers plasma volume expansion. I used the same method in 1999 in the lead-up to the World Track and Field Championships in Seville, Spain where I won the bronze medal. The combination works well for me and I believe provides an edge over an athlete who utilizes just one or the other. 

My average day in Crete:

7am - Wake up

7:15 - pre-workout snack/fluid

8:00-11:00am Workout (includes stretching/main session/recovery)

11:00-12:30 - Shower/rest

12:30-1:30 - Lunch

2:00-6pm - Nap 1-2 hours, reading, tv, massage/chiropractic treatment

6:30 - Second workout or swimming in the sea/pool

7:30 - 9:30 Dinner (Greeks eat late!)

11:00pm - In altitude tent for the night

The routine works well for me. The key is in allotting time for recovery (doing nothing). With no Internet, limited phone access, and really no demands of home, the time to rest is sufficient for complete recovery. This is critical when adding the stress of the altitude tent (sleeping in low O2 almost requires napping during the day without the tent, too) and heat. In the first two weeks here I have pretty much kept to the same daily routine barring a one-day hike of the Samaria Gorge, an all day "training" tour on our second day here.  August 15 was another typical day.