THE MIX
The Media Mix is the gauntlet that every skater must run after they race. Whether they fall or set records, they have to walk the 50 ft room lined with TV cameras and photographers, reporters and, yesterday, Conan O'Brien. The room is long and narrow and bisected with bike-rack barricades to keep the press back. It is further divided in to 5-foot stalls that each country must fit into. It's obvious when a skater reaches their home country, because that stall erupts with activity.

Yesterday was day two of the women's 500 meter. They combine the scores from two days of skating to determine the winner. On day one a Chinese woman fell on the ice and was out of the running entirely. She still had the courage to skate on day two, had a pretty good time, made it through the media mix with grace -- and only as she entered the locker room did she start to cry.

She's my favorite skater so far.