BBC World Service reporter Rebecca Kesby in Beijing
Today I got to interview a real-life athlete! Robina Muqimyar, a sprinter from Kabul and the only woman on the Afghani team.
She was telling me about the difficulties she's had in training for the Olympics as there is only one race track in the whole country - and it's in the same stadium the Taliban used to execute people in before the US led invasion.
Rebecca and her first 'real-life' athlete Robina Maqimyar
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Robina told me it's a powerful image for her as she runs round that track, and that the stadium is now a symbol of hope and love and respect for each other.
She also said if she could get some better training facilities she'd bring home a medal from London 2012! I believe her - she's pretty feisty.
I had to wait to meet Robina outside the athlete's village as my lowest-of-the-low accreditation won't get me past the first swat team never mind past the sniffer dogs. But let me tell you, if you like people watching - there is no better place on earth.
When you see athletes on the TV they look pretty impressive don't they? You might notice that they are lean, or tall - you might think that they look a bit wiry or what my granny used to call, "strapping".
But on the TV you only see them next to other athletes - normally from the same event. In real life they are fascinating to look at! Such interesting shapes! The human form really does come in all different shapes and sizes.
Hanging around outside the athletes village you see them walking along next to their 'normal' shaped friends and relatives - perhaps a dumpy coach or a short girl friend. I have never seen so many astoundingly tall men. I don't mean six foot four - I mean seven foot and higher. I saw two tiny little women, without a drop of fat between them, walking along with a whole bunch of giant Cuban men whose forearms were wider than their waists.
I know it's rude - but you can't help but stare at these magnificent creatures. Big, strong women and delicate bony men; broad shoulders, long legs, wiry, bulky - and some of them just a bit funny-shaped.
I may not have tickets to get into the stadium, but now at least I feel like I'm at the Olympics!
