Even for a novice to the sport, the Olympic Sliding Centre at the Pyeongchang Olympics takes your breath away. Within moments you get a sense of the magnitude, the power, the adrenaline rush — and the risk.

It’s the longest sledding track in the world, touting 2018 total meters of track — in honor of the 2018 Winter Olympics.

Below is a schematic of the track map.

Starthouse 2 is the beginning point for the Luge Doubles and the Women’s Luge Singles. From this point, athletes hurtle ~140km/h (87mph) down 1201.82 meters of track. All other events initiate in Starthouse 1.

The interior shot below shows the track, the waiting area for the athletes, and the spectator area.

We got a sneak shot of Chris Mazdzer of Team USA as he met with reporters before the competition began — before he won his Silver Medal in Luge Men’s Singles.

From the back of Starthouse 2, you can see the course for the Alpine Ski event.

The backwards C-shaped run will be used for the Alpine Ski event

The track is protected from the sun with a roof and shades. The shades are opened in the evening. (Through the trees you can see the Ski Jump tower!)

A shot of the track. Though the temperatures in Pyeongchang have been particularly frigid, the athletes like the effect on the ice. According to Team USA’s coaching staff, it makes for faster conditions.

The volunteers climb the hill to their posts along the track and spectator seating. The track touts superior technology to protect the athletes — including deflectors and reinforcements to keep athletes on the track even in the largest curves.

Spectators are also seated at Curve 14 — the largest hairpin curve on the track — and the final curve you see the athletes on as they race the track.

Um. Cool shot below!

Curve 14 has two large screens for spectators to watch the entire race and results.

Part of the Ceremony Team. The pink sign reads: “Thank you, Volunteers!”

The volunteers were given a tour of the facility before the Games began.

An ambulance in the background is practicing medical runs before the Games began.

The high-tech finish line for all events!

Our team works at the Finish House below:

After the finish line, the athletes have a long uphill climb to help them safely slow down.

Kimberley McCrae of Canada finishing Heat 3 run. Kimberley finished 5th in the Women’s Singles event.

Inside the Finish House! This is where the spectators go wild and where the athletes exit the track.

In the early heats, the athletes exit the track and quickly move their equipment off the track to get transported back up the hill.

The athletes do a lot of the work themselves.

Drazen Silic and team of Croatia load their bobsleigh to head back up the hill

We, the Ceremony Team, wait out part of our time in our office. We watch the heats on TV and then move into position for the final run.

We can spot the world’s best athletes inside the Finish House. We brief the medalists in one of the offices in this hallway right after the competition ends.

USA’s Bobsled Team waiting inside the Finish House

In this shot you can see our ceremony podium and backdrop in position. The Venue Ceremony takes place immediately after the competition.

Looking at the stage for the post-competition ceremony. The medal podiums are the white stands just below his hand.

Part of our Ceremony Team pose just after a dress rehearsal.

The athlete escorts, the tray bearers and medalist assistants

And every now and then we get a memorable connection with the athletes…

Part of the USA Womens Bobsled team below are dancing in the street after practice. They aren’t hiding their faces because they’re camera-shy. The cold Siberian winds were attacking us at that moment!

Look for Me at the Winter Olympics

I’ve been assigned to the Olympic Sliding Centre venue to help with victory ceremonies for the bobsleigh, luge and skeleton events. I’ll be providing support to the medalists.

My daughter told me I’m hip. That made my day.

I’m pretty sure that the cameras won’t ever be pointed at me… but you never know. So keep an eye out for me.

And I’ll be writing about my experiences at the Olympics on The Mission. If you want to follow my adventure, then just follow me.

Sometimes You Need a Little Creativity Boost

My free eBook might just help:

5 Exercises that Will Make You 10 Times More Creative

I use these exercises to keep the juices flowing — in myself and in my clients. (I am a marketing consultant, after all.)

You can follow my blog on Medium.

You can follow my journey to get published on Facebook.

Blog

A Volunteer’s Perspective: A Behind-the-Scenes Tour of the Pyeongchang Olympic Sliding Centre

Sometimes You Need a Little Creativity Boost