Oh what an awesome 12 days I had at the Pan Am Games in Toronto this past July. I went there to compete for Canada in the 10,000m. It was an honor just to be selected for the team and I was so proud to be there wearing all my team Canada clothes around the village.
Speaking of the village- it was unreal! Every detail was thought of to make sure that all the athletes were well taken care of and had everything they needed for an enjoyable experience – and to help them achieve their best athletic performance. Within Canada House alone we had unlimited access to treatment provided by some of Canada’s best Chiropractors, Massage Therapists, Physiotherapists, Sports Doctors, Nutritionists, Sports Psychologists, Sports Physiologists….so many wonderful people there helping us stay healthy and get ready for our competitions. Unfortunately while I was there I was sick and needed to see the doctor. There was no wait, no appointment and I was given a prescription and the drugs needed right there in the village. From there I was referred to a nutritionist who was also on site and saw me within 10 minutes! I really felt so well taken care of. 🙂
The village was full of athletes from all of the different countries competing at the Pan Am Games. It was great to get to know people from all over of the world. In an effort to make all the various athletes happy, the cafeteria had many amazing varieties of food. We were spoiled with delicious and nutritious choices at each meal!
There were so many things to do inside the village- it was crazy! There was a giant games room- basically an arcade- air hockey, ping pong, video games, etc. There was a TV/movie lounge where there were nightly movies. There was a meditation room, a room just for stretching, a massive state of the art YMCA gym and pool. There was a salon to get your nails or hair done. A cafe that made lattes and other special coffee drinks. There was a place to take your laundry and they would do it for you! But my favorite part of the village was all the random little areas set up for lounging and socializing. Bean bag chairs were set up in random places, so you could just chill any time. I met so many fantastic people there and it was so great just chatting for hours and having some laughs!
Alright so I guess I should get to my race eh? Well there isn’t really many positives to talk about when it comes to my race. I was ranked 1st going into the race and ended up placing 7th. It was a very tactical race. It went out slow, no one wanted to lead, there were several pace surges. It was pretty much a mess of a race. Instead of sticking in the back of the pack and just staying calm, I ran at the front and covered every single move that any one made. I was wasting energy, getting frustrated and more importantly I lost focus. With 6 laps to go there was a big surge made and 5 girls pulled away from me. My legs had nothing, and I couldn’t increase my pace. In that moment I wanted to cry. I knew my hopes of a medal were gone. I tried not to panic and to hold it together as best as I could. I finished in a far off 7th place, with my head down and a broken heart. I had wanted so badly to medal that day- in front of my friends and family in my home country. I won’t go into details about the pity party I had that night after my race- but will tell you how lucky I am to have such great family and friends there to support me when I needed them most.
So everyone keeps asking me- What happened? Well I don’t know exactly why I raced so poorly, but I do know I lost focus and that was a huge factor. Perhaps my sickness the week prior took more out of me then I was willing to admit. I didn’t push myself when I needed to- it was like I forgot how to suffer in a 10k- which is necessary. This race was a valuable learning experience for me. I will work on my weaknesses and not let those racing mistakes happen again.
In the 5 days after my race in the Pan Am Games Village I received so much support from my team Canada teammates. It was really unbelievable. They lifted my spirits and made me forget about my not so great race, so that I could enjoy the rest of the Pan Am Games. And that’s exactly what I did- I put the race behind me and spent the next few days cheering on my fellow Team Canada athletes, and enjoying every moment of this once and a life time experience of being at the Pan Am Games in our home country! We finished off the Games with an amazing closing ceremony followed by a Canada House dance party complete with s’mores, wine, and beer. Oh man that was a fun night. It was just such a fun and amazing trip- I am so fortunate to have been there. So even though my race wasn’t the best, I am so thankful for the wonderful people I met that were there to support me and make my Pan Am Games experience beyond fantastic.
Natasha Wodak
Sponsored Athlete
Innovative Fitness Kitsilano
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