Pollution Boogers

"You go for a jog or a run and you come back, and you don't think about it, but then there's all this black pollution that you're blowing out of your body."

-Australian Olympic athlete on ESPN's
OTL, discussing pollution in Beijing

That's actually one of the first things I noticed when I got to Shanghai, and it's something you'll see even if you're not outside exercising. My "booger cleanliness index"* is significantly worse here than it is back home.

Air quality is going to be either a big small issue during the Olympics or a smaller big issue. Haile Gebrselassie, the current marathon world record holder, has backed out completely, with his manager calling it an "extremely dangerous marathon" (Chinese media spin), and the Australian and Canadian Track teams are skipping the Opening Ceremonies to try and save their lungs a little. It'll be interesting to see whether the pollution does affect track times and what the athletes, many of whom have never been to China, think about the dirty air once they arrive.

Former marathon world-record holder Rob de Castella reflected on the Olympic marathon he ran in smoggy LA when asked about Beijing:

“By the finish, my right eye had swollen up so I was hardly able to see out of it. I think that was a direct result of the pollution, the swelling went down after a couple of days. But given what happened to my eye you have to wonder what was going on with my other functions."

Less than encouraging words, to be sure.

*The BCI has no scientific backing of any kind, and contrary to what others may think, I do collect my own boogers and compare them.