My Beijing Olympics Diary, From U.S. Athlete Melanie Roach: Now This Will Be A Drug Test I Will Never Forget!

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Yesterday while I was shopping for some last minute items for my trip to China I got a call from home asking for my EXACT location. Ellen from USADA was at my house and wanted to collect a urine sample. What are the odds of her coming to my house on the one day in months that I was anywhere but home, the gym or the Chiropractor? Anyhow, we decided to meet in the third floor "mother's lounge" in Nordstroms.

So here we are amidst mothers nursing their babies preparing to go into the bathroom stall together. I quickly explained to the lady watching us that I was preparing for China and that Ellen was there to collect a urine sample for drug testing. Anyhow, after telling her I was a weightlifter she asked me if I had hear of that girl named Melanie Roach? I said, "I'm Melanie." Then she proceeded to tell me she was from Bonney Lake (my hometown) and was just planning to call our gymnastics gym to sign her girls up for gymnastics. What are the odds?

Anyhow I will always remember that one time I was drug tested in the Nordstroms bathroom!

Melanie Roach is an Olympic weightlifter, mother of three (one who has Autism), wife of Washington State Rep. Dan Roach and owner of Roach Gymnastics
For more, read Worth the Weight, Melanie Roach's personal blog.

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