2012 Awesome Olympics

Saturday 28^th July                    Thursday 2^nd August         Saturday 4^th August

Distance: 4.02miles                 Distance: 2:52milesc        Distance: 7:13miles

Time: 58:10 min                      Time:  47:89min              Time:  1:41:33min

Avg Speed: 4:15mph                Avg Speed 3.22mph         Avg Speed: 4:22 kmph
Avg pace: 14:27min/mile         Avg Pace 20.9min/mile    Avg Pace: 14:14 min/mile
Calories Burned: 704               Calories burned 428         Calories Burned: 1257
Running                                  Walking                          Run

Monday 6^th August

Distance : 2:01miles

Time : 26:39
Avg Speed: 4:53mph
Avg pace: 13:15min/mile
Calories Burned: 366
Running

Today I begin my missive with the appeal that I usually place at the end. I do this to bring to the forefront, dear reader my reasons for writing as the date of the Great North Run, which I am training for is one month away. I am running to raise funds for The Muscular Dystrophy Campaign and I write to bring awareness to the cause of Muscular Dystrophy and if any of you good blog readers out there want to sponsor me in my endeavours you can follow my link to the Muscular Dystrophy Campaign, its work, outreach, campaigns and research. Just log on to www.muscular-dystrophy.org and see why I am doing this. If you feel you want to support me with a donation then please log onto my ‘Just Giving’ account and give as much as you can.  www.justgiving.com/Team-LewisMDC. A huge thank you to all of you who have donated already and to those of you who have not sponsored me yet …. WHY NOT???? Come on guys I –we-they need your support.

As you can see from my stats I have been a little more active since my last entry. I have had a couple of runs and I recorded a couple of walks on my way to the Chinese athletics camp. Had a good day last Thursday when the British and Chinese media paid a visit I did an interview for Chinese TV all about why I volunteered and what I had been doing. So somewhere in China a lot of people will be baffled by the ravings of this mad Yorkshire woman!

My run of Saturday 28^th July was done in London up to and around Alexandra Palace where the Dutch Olympic team have been based. My reason for being in London was simple. I was there to go to the Olympics. We had been fortunate to win tickets in the ballot. Having bid for hundreds of pounds worth of tickets (would have cost us a fortune if we had won them all) we got tickets for Beach Volleyball (BVB). I cannot begin to tell you how pleased my Raison D’etre was when he realised those were the tickets we had won. The thought of all those buff bodies in bikinis was enough to set his poor old ticker racing. Beach Volleyball was not in the Olympic Park though it was to be on Horse Guards Parade. So with that in mind I kept scouring the internet and re-applying for Park tickets for any event just to ensure access to The Park. My persistence paid off and eventually I was successful on a bid for hockey.
Sunday 29^th found our little group excitedly venturing forth. Our BVB game began at 9:30am so we started our travels at just after 6.30am. We wanted to be sure we got there and as my Raison D’etre, for obvious reasons, cannot move very quickly we built contingencies into our transport plans including avoiding stations with steps and taking a taxi to a further station in order to avoid too many changes. Our careful planning paid off and we arrived at the venue unflustered, calm and ready. We were one of the first to take our seats and watch the rest arrive. The atmosphere was electric with loud music playing and audience participation encouraged all along the games. The athletes were stunning the women had fantastic bodies absolutely beautiful, curvy and muscular, athletic and honed. The men were a sight to behold the Czech boys were a sight to behold one was 6’8” the other 6’4” giants of men again with beautiful bodies but sadly, unlike the ladies in their sports bikinis the men had long loose shorts and vest tops. Now you all know me, I love equality of the sexes so come on Bach Volleyball organisers if bikinis are kit for the girls, then bare chest and speedos should be de rigueur for the boys, the sport is great but eye candy helps. We saw 4 games Italy v Russia (women) Czech Republic v Spain (men), Holland v Spain (ladies) and Austria v Brazil (mens) with Italy, Spain, Holland and Brazil victorious. We had a fabulous time we clapped, chanted, cheered and gasped. The sun shone for most of the time but there were a couple of heavy showers later on that sent the less prepared folk running for cover, not us we travelled with rain ponchos that not only keep you dry but can also cover your seat and bags too!

Later on in the day after a walk to Green Park we got ourselves into a good position to see the ladies cycle road race fly past. Those girls certainly move at speed. This race saw GB’s first medal, a silver for Lizzie Armistead. Weary but exultant we made our way home.

The following day was our day in The Olympic Park. Once again our journey there was planned meticulously and was embarked upon early, thus enabling a smooth and event free journey. The first exciting part was on the train as it approached the park I spotted the stadium on the horizon and was virtually overcome with giddiness. I was jumping up and down on my seat and pointing things out to children on the train who were, to say the least, indifferent to my excitement and the occasion. We were greeted at the station by an army of ‘Games makers’ the cheery, smiling army of 70 000 volunteers who ensured that no one got lost or did not know what to do. We then passed, without issue, through security which was slick, cheerful and efficient. All that scaremongering by the doom merchants of the British press pre games just dissipated into a haze of excitement and efficiency.

I cannot put into words the pure excitement and exhilaration of being there. I was just so happy. I have watched and followed the Olympics since 1972 and to now be here and at a home- British one too, was a dream come true. As we walked into the park I asked my Raison D’etre if he wanted a wheelchair, as they were available to hire, or to ride in, on one of the accessibility buggies because I knew we had a hard day of walking ahead of us. His response echoed my own thoughts “No I just want to walk in and soak it all in” and that we did.

The Park is beautiful the waterways and wild flower beds looked stunning, the buildings are awe inspiring. The Aquatics centre another feat of engineering and design. Close by the water polo centre stands at 90degrees to the aquatics centre and together they greet you as you enter the park. The stadium of course is huge and impressive although my Raison D’etre who is an engineer, was not totally won over by it and suggested a few design improvements. The Orbit stands by the stadium and offers an elevated view of the park, sadly we could not get tickets as these were booked up until mid-August! The Velodrome is beautiful beyond words the curve and sweep of the roof is awe inspiring this was our favourite structure. We actually forgot to check out the Copper Box! My only very small complaint is that the torch cannot be seen above the stadium it is inside rather than a top the building. This to me kind of says that only the events in the stadium are worthy. It should be high above everything but I realise that the nature of the structure ie  the stems and petals, would not withstand strong winds.

After a Cornish Pasty (£5!!) we made our way down to the Riverbank Arena, a temporary structure which was built from so many scaffolding poles that I cannot imagine there are any left anywhere else in London! Scaffolding poles can create beauty too!

We watched two games of mens Hockey the first one between Pakistan and Spain which ended in a draw, the game was good and the support from the crowd was loud and supportive of both teams. The second game was more exciting as Holland (who are pretty dammed good) took on India (who are pretty dammed good!)The stadium was full of orange, the Dutch really are in evidence at these games they really support their teams with gusto and in their bright orange they certainly stand out. This game ended in a win for Holland so the orange army went away happy. I had forgotten how much I loved hockey. It was always my favourite game at school and I played for my school teams throughout my school life. Think I may look up a local team and see if they have an OAP squad!! It is played fast and with passion and as the GB ladies at these games have proved, playing with broken jaws, getting smashed in the face and still playing on! Passion for the game overriding any monetary gain; premier league footballers could learn so much from the hockey players, indeed any Olympian, who compete for their sport, their team and their countries, giving their best for the hope of nothing more than a personal best and a ribbon round their neck, the overpaid, preening prima donnas of football look so insignificant alongside these Olympians.

We stopped on in the park till dark as I wanted to see it all lit up and was not disappointed. We had a fabulous day one I know I will remember for a long, long time. We go back in September for the Paralympic events and have tickets for the swimming so I am already planning that event as being in that terrific aquatics centre is already getting me excited.

Team GB are doing so well and I am so proud of my country even if we were not doing so well I would still be proud as we have pulled off a fabulous event. The venues have been inspired, the organisation efficient and the competition outstanding. I hope that the legacy to inspire a generation holds fast as these athletes are true inspiration to children, they show commitment, determination, passion and dedication and are such great role models to a generation who have grown up watching dross like ‘The Only way Is Essex’ ‘X-Factor’ and ‘Big Brother’ consequently we have a celebrity obsessed youth who think that being famous is their right and have no idea of how to earn your place in society. Let’s hope that these super humans, true inspirational beings, inspire and stimulate our youth in a positive and beneficial way.

So I end where I began I am running to raise funds for The Muscular Dystrophy Campaign and I write to bring awareness to the cause of Muscular Dystrophy and if any of you good blog readers out there want to sponsor me in my endeavours you can follow my link to the Muscular Dystrophy Campaign, its work, outreach, campaigns and research. Just log on to www.muscular-dystrophy.org and see why I am doing this. If you feel you want to support me with a donation then please log onto my ‘Just Giving’ account and give as much as you can.  www.justgiving.com/Team-LewisMDC. A huge thank you to all of you who have donated already and to those of you who have not sponsored me yet …. WHY NOT???? Come on guys I –we-they need your support.

Thank you for your support.