Wrote this week’s recap on my phone at the airport, because my life right now is a never-ending trip to the airport.
When I ended up at the med tent for a bit after the race on Sunday, my official medical diagnosis was: “Has a cold; raced anyway.” Which is pretty accurate.
Last summer, when people kept telling me the World Cup was starting, I was like, “No, no, I’m sure that’s next summer.” Hah. Turns out I was sort of right. Just turns out that I sort of care more about women’s soccer than men’s.
So when I found out the final was in Vancouver and tickets were like $70, it was a no-brainer to go.
At first, I wanted to work the tournament for FOX. Then, I actually didn’t want to work at all because I am exhausted. Then, I sort of ended up working anyway, writing this and this.
It was still sort of a vacation, except with a lot of driving. We drove up to Eugene on Thursday, but because traffic was insane we didn’t get there until late. Headed right to a brewery and then ran Pre’s Trail in the morning (which isn’t that cool a park, but is such a soft trail that I managed over 10 miles without really feeling it—even though it was so, so hot and my ankle has been bad lately). Bought some stuff from the Nike store, naturally, and then hit the road again.
More traffic on Friday, because cars are just my most favorite thing, and we finally got to Vancouver around 9:30 p.m. We were staying in the West End, which I picked based on three things: you could walk to the stadium, there were lots of bars and restaurants, and we were close to Stanley Park. I was right. It was a pretty cool area and Stanley Park has to be the best urban park around. But I didn’t get to run in it much, because the wildfires meant the smoke got really heavy and thick by Sunday.
The game, itself, was kind of insane. Soccer goes by so fast. It’s not like baseball. You have to load up on all your food and drinks beforehand, or you’ll miss something. Then three goals are scored in 15 minutes and aren’t you glad you loaded up before the kick-off? And then, in less than two hours, it was over. We stayed for the celebration, but there’s only so long you can keep cheering. Outside the stadium, it was just about one TV camera per every ten spectators. We hit up a bar and tried to figure out a way to get into the team party, but the smoke was getting so bad and we were both so tired, then we didn’t prowl the streets too long.
I wrote about what it was like and women’s soccer and Hope Solo and Canada.
Then it was more traffic Monday morning, when we spent well over an hour at the border. The border agent seemed weirdly suspicious of us, when I said we weren’t bringing any food back and didn’t buy anything, so finally I was like, “Oh, well, yeah a t-shirt.” Which wasn’t true, but it made him feel better and he waved us through and we went on to Seattle.
I got to run in another park, Discovery Park, which was very cool, but maybe my least favorite of the three. And then we went to the Space Needle (because you ought to do that one time you go to Seattle), the big REI store, and of course another brewery.
Now, vacation’s done and I’m so tired I don’t even know how to get back to work.
Turns out that 1. the Women’s World Cup final is in Vancouver, which is basically Northern California, and 2. tickets are still available and not expensive, which is a little insane.
Also, I’m a little obsessed with the Women’s World Cup, which I wasn’t even totally aware of until this past summer it became very clear when people talked about the World Cup that I thought they meant the Women’s World Cup. What other one is there?? Come on, I’m of the generation of girls that all played soccer and grew up with Mia Hamm. Somewhere there’s a picture of me and my sister at a match at Soldier Field when it was in the U.S. in 1999—also the last time the U.S. won, so, maybe I’ll be a good luck charm.
Basically, how could we not go when it’s a short flight (or a long drive) away.
This is now the thing I am most excited about this year.
