Episode 14: We're Going To The Olympics!

[MUSIC] Hello and welcome to Unlaced with Chalk & Bates. I'm Madison Chalk. And I'm Evan Bates and we're Olympic Ice Dancers for Team USA. If you're into sports betting, bet online is the fastest and easiest way to bet all your favorite sports. Head to their new updated desktop or mobile website, design up today and receive your 50% welcome bonus on your first deposit. Just use our promo code, believe 50, to receive your bonus. So we've got a lot to catch up on. We didn't put out an episode last week because we were in Nashville and well- >> The forces were working against us. >> We ran into some technical difficulties upon arrival and decided it was assigned from the universe that we should just focus on our competition. >> Yes, we got there pretty late on Tuesday night after some flight delays. And when we arrived to our Airbnb, we realized that it had not been cleaned since the last guest, which is never really a great thing to walk into. But in the age of COVID, it's just extra icky. It just didn't feel very good. And so it was like one or two in the morning. We had a pretty long day. >> Yeah, we got delayed. >> We were wearing our face shields and our masks and being extremely careful. And then we walk into this dirty apartment and we started using disinfectant wipes. >> Wiping everything down. All the door handles, all the faucets, every handle, every surface. We disinfected. And we had to strip the bed, put on new sheets. >> Yep. >> Which were actually sheets for the air mattress so they didn't even fit the bed. >> Right. >> But we made it work. >> And then we realized there was no Wi-Fi. And we were like, how we can do a podcast if we don't have Wi-Fi. So anyway, all of these signs just made us realize, maybe we should just focus on skating and what we came here to do. So that's what we did. Apologies for no episode next week, last week. >> It would have been quite difficult to do without Wi-Fi. But we did have a much better week from that point on. >> Yeah. >> It got a lot better. >> Jigs. >> It was quite eventful. >> We got the place cleaned up. The host sent a professional cleaner the next morning, which was very welcomed and helpful. There was a big snow storm that hit Nashville in the middle of the week and pretty much shut the city down. I don't think they get too many snow storms in. It doesn't seem like a good way to pass. >> It doesn't seem like a good way to pass. >> I mean, for us, we were kind of surprised because it's just like another day in Montreal when you get some snow. But that is the south. >> Yes. >> They, I don't know. We went to the grocery stores. They were all closed. Or if they weren't closed, everything had been snatched up. It was like the shelves were bare. It was like an apocalyptic scene. March of 2020 when everybody bought toilet paper. >> That there was a game show we didn't know about. Like super store clean out. >> The five minute. >> Yeah, Dash where everyone runs in and just grabs as much as they can, which is probably what happened. But yeah, the stores were closed. The grocery stores were getting cleaned out. And Uber Eats wasn't even delivering. But I understand no snow tires. It's not like Montreal where you change your tires for winter and you're ready to go. >> They didn't even really like plow the roads very well or very much at all. Or the sidewalks, like they didn't salt them. >> They did around the rink, but only around the rink. >> The sidewalks? >> Yeah, the sidewalks. They had plowed those and salted those. But literally those were the only sidewalks I saw that were cleared. >> But we had a rental car. So I was driving around and I was quite surprised at how slushy they just like left it all day. And then the next day it was frozen. I was like, this is dangerous a little bit. There were quite a few cars that were just like abandoned on the side of the highway. And which, you know, like I've been in snowstorms before I'm from Michigan. But it wasn't like that bad of a snowstorm? >> Well, I think like when you're not prepared for the snow, it just makes everything harder. And you're not used to having like snow plows and salt. >> Right. I mean, why would they invest in that stuff if they don't get that much snow? >> Exactly. So anyways, we endured the snow. We got the apartment cleaned. >> Got the apartment cleaned. The Wi-Fi was eventually fixed. And the rest of the week went pretty great. We competed and we won our third national title. And we renamed our third Olympic team together. So-- >> Woo-woo. >> Hi, Five. >> Very fun week, all in all. And you know what, your fourth Olympics. The first T-N-U-S-A figure skater to go to four Olympic games. >> Wow. >> History, my friend. How does it feel? Do tell. >> You know, it feels-- it makes me feel older than I feel because I've been reminded how many Olympics I've been to and how old I am. And I just don't feel that old. And you know, they say life is short, but I'd say an athletic career is even shorter. Like it just goes by so quickly in the blink of an eye. And here we are at another Olympics. And I'm so honored to be on the team for a fourth time. There is no greater honor in our sport. >> I agree with that. And can you just like elaborate a little bit on, I don't know, how it feels making your fourth Olympic games. They're four years apart. And you've gone to four of them. So that's a pretty great span of competitive excellence if you ask me. >> Thank you, Maddie. >> So congratulations for-- >> Thank you so much. >> Proud to be a part of this team. >> We're still doing it without you. >> Well, thanks. >> I mean, I'm just trying to wrap my head around it. I don't honestly-- I don't know. Like, I don't know how we got to this point. This is-- it doesn't feel like it's been-- >> That long, right? >> That long. >> Yeah. >> And, you know, it-- I don't know. I mean, it sounds like a lot of Olympics. It is a lot of Olympics. And I'm really proud of it. >> Yeah, I know. Some moments feel like I remember them like they're just yesterday. But then when I think about it, it's been such a long time since at least our first Olympics together. And your first Olympics, which was in 2010, it was over 10 years ago. >> I know. On the NBC broadcast, it was 10th, and it was Johnny Weir calling it. And I was like, I went to the Olympics with those guys. >> Yeah. >> And, you know, they're doing the TV commentary. And I don't know. I-- >> But, you know, it's really funny. I find that qualifying for this Olympics feels just as exciting and just as special as qualifying for our very first Olympics and our second Olympics. Like, each time that we've qualified, I've just-- I'm so excited. And it feels like the first time again. It's just such an amazing feeling. >> I know. >> I don't know. What about you? >> No, definitely. I mean, I got so excited, especially when I realized what the team is going to look like and who the other skaters on the team are. I just so thrilled for so many of these skaters, especially the ones going for the first time. Just knowing them and knowing their stories and being invested in their journey by just, you know, proximity and seeing them. John Loken-Katelyn, Ashley and Timothy, you know, Jason being on the team again after eight years. Like, just some incredible people who were just such hard workers, devoted athletes, thoughtful people. And, you know, it couldn't have happened to better people. I shouldn't say it couldn't have happened because they earned it. Like, it's something that they've achieved. But I'm just very happy for them. And obviously happy for us getting to go back to the Olympics. Like-- >> It's fantastic. And, yeah, you're right. We have an absolutely incredible team. I'm so proud to be a part of this team with all of these wonderful people. And, yeah, it's going to be a super fun experience to share with them, especially our training mates from Montreal. All of the ice dancers who've qualified for Team USA Olympics are from our school in Montreal, which is super cool. >> Yep. >> And to even go further than that. >> Come further. >> These three US couples are not the only couples who've qualified for the games from our school. We have a huge Olympic squad going from the ice academy of Montreal. >> It's intense so far. I have qualified. >> Oh my gosh. That is just incredible. Like, we get to have our whole, like, crew or whole gang. Like, the whole gang is going. And I'm so excited. >> That sounds like it's always sunny and Philadelphia episode. The gang goes to the Olympic. >> Awesome. Well, let's make it a chalkbaits episode. >> There we go. We're going. So, between now and the end of the month, what's the plan for us? >> Well, we're back home. >> A month away. We've got our tickets booked. Our bags are not quite packed yet. So, we've got some things to wrap up there. >> But, like, do we need to really pack a lot? >> Because we don't need to pack a lot. >> They sort of give you everything when you arrive. >> Right. Everything will be provided. I'm going to be packing a lot of snacks for myself personally, just because I love certain snacks at competition and just in general. And I just want to make sure I've got plenty of those. And, yeah. And I also usually travel with someone who's really hungry or loves eating and is constantly hungry. >> I feel like you're talking about me. >> I am. It's so clever that you picked up on that. Yes. - That was not. - I was hungry, I'm in. - Not discrete. (laughing) - Anyways, I'll be packing lots of snacks for you too to make sure you're in the world and ready to go. - We are going to China, it's quite a long trip. - Mm-hmm. - So those snacks will be welcomed, and I thank you for thinking of me in that way. - You're so welcome. Always thinking of you. - What else? Like training. - Training, yes. - We're kind of a couple weeks, we're not gonna make a ton of changes or anything. - I'm assuming we're gonna train. - Is she gonna stick to our plan? - Yeah, stick to our plan, focus on our preparation, stay healthy. - Right. - But most importantly, before all of that, we're gonna be spending a lot of quality time with Henry and Stella, because I will miss them like crazy while we were our way. - Yeah. - Yeah. - They don't know they can't come. - Shh. - Okay, don't tell them. (laughing) They're listening, but they're not listening too intently. (laughing) - What else? Okay, so a few costume touch-ups perhaps. - I need a costume touch-up. - Oh, yes you do. - I have a new rhythm dance costume, which is a cool jacket. It's like a nice bomber jacket. - Love it. - It looks so good on you. - Flies in the wind when you see. - Not stretchy at all. And therefore I just ripped like a huge tear in the back during practice. - Well maybe it's your big hulking muscles first thing out of it. - I mean it is lime green. - Yeah. - So Evan, smart. - I mean just ripped his jacket open. - But, well it's black and then the underneath layer is lime green. So when I tore a huge hole in it, like every time I would move my arm, you'd just see like this flash of lime green. It's very distracting. And, but our coach patch had a- - So resourceful. - Clever way of dealing with it. - Yes. He took a black sharpie and proceeded to just fill in the spot that was showing, that was green, that wasn't supposed to be showing. And you honestly couldn't see it. It was such a great little fix. I was so impressed. I was like wow patch, you were incredibly resourceful. - Yeah, I mean I really wouldn't have thought to sharpie the costume before competing in it. But, and- - You've got five minutes. Make it work. - That was my- - Tom gun. - Tom gun impression. Tim gun. - Yeah. - Make it work skaters. - You have five minutes. Make it work. (laughing) - Okay, but anyway, so- - Tim gun, I don't know why I keep saying Tom. - Top gun, no, Tim gun. - Tim gun. I love Tim gun. (laughing) - But yeah, we need to, you need to have a couple of stitches fixed on your dresses. - Yeah, I have like a tiny little hole in a glove that needs to be mended before it gets bigger. But yeah, we're gonna bring our costumes to Matthew and see what he thinks about your sharpie. - Oh boy. - Sharpie costume. - Sorry Matt. - Sorry, an advanced Matt didn't mean to draw on it with a sharpie, but it worked and a pinch it worked. And- - We're gonna need to figure out a better solution than that though. - Matt, you will fix it. I have complete faith. - Absolutely. So I guess, you know, we'll have some exciting things coming up in the next couple of weeks and we'll definitely be sharing them. - We definitely do. - We definitely will have some exciting things coming up. - And we'll be sharing them on the podcasts and looking forward to the next couple of weeks. - Yeah. - And also, this is our first episode of 2022. - It is. - So I hope everyone's new year is off to a great start. - I feel like ours is. - And yeah, gonna keep this going. - Yeah. - Get into February and yeah. - Get to January first. - Finish up January and then keep the ball rolling into February. Just enjoy every moment of it 'cause it's gonna go by so quickly, I know it well. - That's why we have the podcast. We're gonna document it all. - And save it as much as we can. - Absolutely. - Well, we'll keep you posted. - Keep posted. - Stay tuned. - Stay tuned. - Make sure you subscribe for future episodes and you can follow us on social media at chalk baits and we will talk to you soon. Bye. (upbeat music) (upbeat music)