Olympomania

So unless you've been dead for two weeks you won't have failed to notice the Olympics were taking place. Today is the last day. In the background I've just watched the men's MTB race and now is the USA V Spain final of the men's basketball. Later on tonight is the closing ceremony which promises to be emotional I'm sure. No, not because the Spice Girls will play but because it's all over. Waaaaa...

If you follow me on Twitter then you may have noticed I've been cheering Team GB on from the comfort of my couch. Everything else to me has gone out the window. I haven't been to spin class for nearly two weeks I've been so wrapped up in trying to see lots of sports on TV. I don't think some people share my enthusiasm since I've lost a few followers in this two week period. Boo hoo haha! If you haven't been touched a little by what has gone on then i don't actually know what would move you.

Highlights have been plenty. And it seems wrong to pin point a few but here are some of mine:

Bradley Wiggins and the rest of the team trying to guide Mark Cavendish to glory in the road race. It wasn't to be, sadly, but a few days later Bradley took Gold in the time trial. He owned it, right off the back of his magnificent and historic Tour de France win. Amazing.

Andy Murray wins Gold in the tennis. So so pleased for him. Finally something went his way but he totally out played the out-playable Federer. Ha! Wonderful.

Jason Kenny wins Gold in the men's sprint in a booming velodrome. Well happy that he won that. He's such a quiet and unassuming lad and it totally belies the obvious power and strength that he has. Brilliant.

David Rudisha wins Gold in the 800m race with a World Record. Such a wonderful win and a smile to light up that whole stadium.

Michael Phelps wins more Golds and retires from swimming. An amazing Olympian and i loved when he won silver against South Africa's Chad Le Clos. He was guiding him around what to do. Chad later saying he won against his idol. Must've been a great feeling!

Sir Chris Hoy wins his 6th Gold medal. My heart was pounding as he took the last lap a few metres behind. But, then he came through and took the line. Oh how we roared! A gent and an amazing ambassador for Team GB.

Greg Rutherford wins Gold in the long jump. Was this unexpected? To the experts, probably not but he wasn't really highlighted on our radar was he. Well done lad!

Usain Bolt toys with everyone and comes out in front in the 100m sprint. How could anyone doubt him? He knew what he was doing and only his team mate and training partner, Blake came close. He has the magical demeanour that everyone loves. He knows how to play the crowd, the crowds love him and he can still perform.

Down at Eton Dorney was the rowing. It's always an emotional one this one. Katherine Grainger finally won her Gold. I think everyone who watch had a teary eye, then the Sir Steve hugs. He's such a legend too. Helping Alan Campbell up those steps and to the podium to collect his medal. Hugging everyone. But my abiding memory of the rowing is him with Mark Hunter and Zac Purchase. He got Mark on his feet. Brought them up to chat after such a tense race in which they won Silver. Still amazing but they wanted Gold. We were left with tears and a petted lip from Steve, then John Inverdale crumbled in front of our eyes too. That set me off again. What makes the rowing for me is Gary Herbert, the commentator. He who was cox in Barcelona games with the Searle brothers. If you get a chance try to catch his commentary.

Laura Trott wins Gold in the Ommnium, after her team pursuit Gold. Such a slight girl and still so young. A bright talent shining on that track. More of her please!

Jessica Ennis win Gold in the heptathlon. Finally! Such a great role model and abs like steel!

Ben Ainslie wins another Gold at Weymouth. Wow that was a tense set of races, the last one being so close. But he survived. I'm delighted for him.

Mo Farah double Gold in the 5k and 10k races.

The Brownlee brothers win Gold and Bronze in the men's triathlon. If not for a 15 second penalty it would've been Gold and Silver. Still, they're young enough to go to Rio. Woo..

Wow, can't list them all but Team GB have been fantastic, for the most part. What I'm most amazed at is how it has galvanised the country. Again, for the most part, for those who are actually enthused about the Olympics. We need more of this feeling. We need to harness the talent, encourage to kids to get out there, do it, like their heroes, like my heroes. We can do it. We should do it. Why the heck not! Sure there will be tough times, economically, around the corner, but you can't deny the lift the Olympics have brought to the country. The whole country.

I have to say apart from a few teething problems with the road race, the BBC coverage has been excellent too. I haven't watched another channel for 2 weeks. It's been on constantly. A few highlights for me have been Claire Balding, Mark Foster and Ian Thorpe in the aquatic centre - brilliant natural presenting and a good duo. As well as Moorhouse and Jamieson in commentary. Then we had Jake Humphrey and Mark Cavendish in the velodrome. I loved their little tag team and Cav facts. More of Cav on my telly please! Jill Douglas down on the floor of the velodrome is always great. She has a connection with them and you can see she tries to be professional but I'm sure there were a few tears for her. Michael Johnson on the athletics is just brilliant. He brings an alternative view and lots of insight. And lastly I've really enjoyed Gabby's catch up show at 10.30 each night. Good guests, good banter and a really nice lady.

I wish I could've got tickets for some venues.
What are your favourite Olympic moments?

Thank you London, thank you BBC, thank you Olympics, but most of all THANK YOU TEAM GB for the memories and the great feeling of joy.

Angela x
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Five things #29 and #30

okay okay okay, i missed last weeks Five Things on a Friday post. Gah!
I'll add en extra few to this one, don't worry. Maybe.

1) THE OLYMPICS!!! I cannot help but be swallowed up by the while fever that has taken over form the moaning. Wow, the country has embraced it, for the most part i think. Day one and no medals for Team GB yet, but the games are still young.

2) THE OLYMPIC OPENING CEREMONY. I was soooooo excited and looking forward to this event all week. And what an event it was! Apparently 27 million people watched on TV in the UK and what a spectacular spectacular it was, from Danny Boyle no less. I loved the set up, a rolling green land, prospering with crops, animals, kids doing a maypole, a cricket match, a concert on a tor, a giant tree and even rain clouds. The moment it all started and then the anthems from the various regions that make up GB, that was the first teary moment. We then moved onto 'pandemonium' and fantastical extravaganza of steel workers, strikers, suffragettes, industrialists and high above the arena were 4 orange lit rings, the fifth being made right there in the make shift foundry. It rose and they all joined together over the towering reeking chimney stacks. It was a wonderfully dark cityscape. We then moved on to a tribute to the NHS, fairytales, JK Rowling reading Peter Pan, Mr Bean! But one of the highlights has to have been the moment James Bond turned up at the palace, yes, Buckingham Palace and brought the Queen to the ceremony on a helicopter and a sky dive! Well it wasn't her sky diving but fair play to the Queen for her sense of humour and rolling with the sketch. Later the athletes came in and the loudest cheer was obviously for Team GB, last ones to appear being hosts and all. So blooming exciting. Sir Chris Hoy held the lag aloft with such pride. It really was inspiring the whole shabang. Let's gloss over McCartney being rolled out again shall we. Throughout it all was a soundtrack of British music and film from the decades. Awesome. It really was a triumph! Bravo, bravo.

3) The Dark Knight Rises. So i relayed my thoughts in another post - without any spoilers i add. but I had to include it here, because it was a good thing of my five...or six...or seven.

4) the family returned from their holiday safe and sound. It was nice having the house to myself for a whole 12 days but seriously I was beginning to miss them and get a bit lonely in the house by myself. I don't think i could live entirely on my own. No way.

5) i had the offer of a sounding board via emails with someone this week. Someone so generous with their time and a person whose friendship is precious. Anyway, it's amazing what clarity it can bring to talk things over, say it out loud (or in print) and see it for what it is. I saw the light a wee bit and it has helped me clear my thoughts about something that's probably hung around for  a few months longer than it should have. Thank you, friend.

6) okay, can't think of any more. i'll end.

Angela x

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The Olympics Eve and Team GB

As I sit here and type I cannot believe we are on the eve of the Olympics. London 2012. Wow. I am really excited to see the opening ceremony. There are so many different sports i love to watch. Here are a few... the cycling (of course), swimming, rowing, sailing, tennis and the athletics. I'm excited to see if Sir Chris Hoy can get any more golds. I want to see Mark Cavendish win the road race, being led out by Brad Wiggins and aided by David Millar. I want to see if Usain Bolt is still unbeatable, in the Olympics. I'd like to see Ben Ainslie win again. For some reason the rowing always gets me emotional. I think it's because for so long we were there cheering for Sir Steve Redgrave to cross that line again for another gold. I still remember that Friday night we sat up late watching the final of the men's coxless fours rowing and cheering them on to victory. What a night! I am beyond awed and simply cannot wait to see Oscar Pistorious race in the 400m and 400m relay races. What an athlete. Nothing stops him does it.  And i so hope that Paula Radcliffe finally finishes a marathon in the Olympics.

I know some people aren't that fussed by the Olympics. I move sport and therefore always watch them but i think it's so exciting that they're finally here. I can remember that day when it was announced that London had won. Times flies.

Good Luck all on Team GB.

Here's a few pictures from a trip to Glasgow the other day. See! we are excited too :)

Angela x

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The Olympic Torch

This Olympic torch is making it's way around the country just now. Earlier this morning it passed by the front gate of the University of Stirling (incidentally, where I work). We headed down to catch a glimpse of it. There are some photos below.

I have to say that for a minute there I got all patriotic. That soon disappeared when the corporate sponsored Olympic floats came into view. All Coca Cola, Samsung and Bank of Scotland. Pah.

There weren't any 'famous' people carrying the torch around these parts but it must've been great for the young girl who ran past us. Something she can tell people for the rest of her life. Pretty cool.

Angela x

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2012 Olympics, amongst other things

lympic tickets went on sale today. Will you be getting any? I want to go but as usual there's no-one to go with. That's the thing about being eternally single. There's no salt to my pepper no ice cream to my raspberry sauce nobody to watch the Olympics with. Dang. When will I ever, ever, meet a nice guy? Tell me that someone.

I digress....I will apply for tickets but I'll deliberate over which ones to get since the price ranges from £20 to £100 for the stuff i actually want to go and see. By the way £100 is one of the cheaper tickets! In my mind they have priced most average earners right out the Olympic park, so to speak. I mean a normal family of four probably can't afford to go to any more than one days events, by the time you add in food and a programme? It'll likely be a fiver for a cup of juice, more if you 'want to go large?'. Aah the Big Society is great isn't it.

Talking of which I saw a wee snippet of news that said Oxford University is going to be charging the £9000 maximum amount for tuition fees. Pricing it even more out of the league of a family with an average income never mind a low end income. Disgrace. This only goes to cement the belief that certain institutions will become more elitist than they are and a certain calibre of person will not be able to attend them. Gah. Shite.

Talking of news, I've been watching the ever changing news from Japan and I'm beginning to think they actually want one of those nuclear reactors to blow so that they can get a story. I've lost count of the number of experts they have on who are talking with caution and always saying they're unsure of the radiation levels, if anything has actually been released, that it's totally different from Chernobyl in many ways including the fact that the reactors in Japan were shut down after the initial earthquake, even after all of that they news headline always includes the words nuclear and meltdown putting the frighteners into everyone. I've already seem people on Twitter talk about why were the plants built on a volatile earthquake zone, shady workmanship by contractors who built them and the Japanese hiding information about previous radiation leaks. For me that is quite bad taste so soon after the event. This is real, it's happening just now to real people and there has to be a blame game at all then surely it can wait.

Which reminds me, if you can, you should probably donate something to help. Shelterbox or the British Red Cross would greatly appreciate your help.

I'll finish where i started, 2012 Olympics.

The countdown clock they put up in Trafalgar Square stopped working. Not a good advert for Omega, that official timings sponsor! Maybe its a sign of what's to come...and maybe that's an old wives tale. Whatever, I'm quite looking forward to them. I can remember a time when they were 7 years away and now it's but a matter of a few months. I think we have a great chance of a few medals. Let's do it!

Angela xx

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Team GB!

A brief interlude from the trek/training/fundraising talk to take my hat off and bow down to Team GB 2008!

First at the Laoshan Velodrome (because those that know me know that I just love, love, love, the cycling!). What an achievement from the big man himself, Mr (or should that be) 'Sir' Chris Hoy. No but seriously the precedent has been set with Steve Redgrave and Kelly Holmes, surely GB has to mark this achievement? 3 Gold medals at these games! Awesome big guy.

It was bad luck but good effort to Bradley Wiggins and Mark Cavendish in the Madison race. They were being watched very closely from the outset. Oh well, Wiggins has already got some pretty shiny medals in his locker and Cav won quite a few stages at this years Tour De France so all was not lost. They will win more, I'm sure of it.

The ladies weren't to be outdone. Victoria Pendleton was strong in the individual sprint. So fast. Gold. Well done. Rebecca Romero: Well considering she only got on a bike (in competition) 2 years ago, this is an awesome feat. Gold. A previous Olympic silver medal winning rower, she certainly has shown the GB athletes over at the Birds Nest stadium what hard work, dedication and a 'what you can do when you put your mind to it' attitude is all about.

Not forgetting the other valuable members of Team GB cycling: Jamie Staff, Ross Edgar, Jason Kenny, Paul Manning, Geraint Thomas, Ed Clancy, Wendy Houvenaghel, Nicole Cook, Emma Pooley, Steven Burke, Chris Newton, Roger Hammond, Ben Swift, Sharon Laws, Jonny Bellis, Steve Cummings plus all the coaching and backroom staff. Sorry if I've missed anyone out.

Still to come in the early hours of tomorrow morning is Shanaze Reade and Liam Phillips in the BMX - fingers crossed for you! Then there's the mountain biking with Liam Killeen and Oliver Beckingsale.

Next I have to mention the sailing over at Qingdao. Congratluations to Ben Ainslie on winning his third Olympic Gold medal on the trot. I'm running out of words other than Awesome. Ok, tremendous effort!

Then at the swimming, not as successful as some may have thought but still a great effort by all. Rebecca Addlington with her 2 Gold medals was fantastic and all she wanted was new shoes! - ah a girl after my own heart.

I'm well aware this post could become very long if i were to mention the whole of Team GB, especially for those who are not that into sport. So I won't go into any more details or name the full GB squad but these links give details of Team GB and the medals won - so far!!

http://results.beijing2008.cn/WRM/ENG/INF/GL/92A/GBR_T.shtml
http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/olympics/team_gb/7094118.stm


I've realised that I'm quite passionate about sport (quite a few different sports too), even if i don't take part in any myself. I think i may have missed the boat on becoming an Olympic athlete but these guys certainly do inspire me and make me even more determined to complete my challenge as best I can.

Some of my memorable Olympic moments so far: The men's 100m sprint final on Saturday was truly a sight to behold. Usain Bolt of Jamaica winning at a jog in a world record time and with his left lace undone!!! It must be great to be sooooo good. Then there's Michael Phelps. Bullied when he was young for having big ears (true story, i heard his mum talk on the radio about it!), and now he's arguably one of the best Olympians - EVER. He's still only 23 too, gee whizz. I do feel sorry for Andy Murray, gets to number 6 in the world and still people keep on criticising him because he never got a medal. What has he to do? Never mind Andy, when you win Wimbledon then they might sit up and take note. The poor wee diver, Tom Daley, i think the pressure got too much for him at only 13, no wonder! Never mind he probably will medal in London. Now this wasn't an event, it was Saturday morning on BBC news 24 and the reporter (she was Scottish too - duh!) was interviewing a guy who trains alongside the mens coxless 4 rowing guys and asked how he thought the 'c*$%less' (you get the drift eh!) 4 would do in the race! It was all he could do to keep a straight face. Ha ha what an dafty she was! I'm sure it will be replayed over again on one of those blooper programmes that seems to be filling the tv schedule more and more these days. Gymnastics - good to watch but the scoring system stinks big time. Sort it out people.

Now Paula Radcliffe ...we were being told a few months ago about how this was her time and then she fractured her leg but still we were kind of assured she'd been doing all this training and she'd be fine. She was going backwards at one point in the marathon and the commentator said that this Olympics wasn't about winning it was about if she could finish or not! now that's not what we were being told a few weeks ago, was it?! Don't get me wrong I actually quite like Paula and think she is an amazing athlete, what I don't like is that the media (sorry but it seems to be the English media) build these people up and make them better than they actually are at the time and then knock them down or make excuses for them when it goes wrong. Remember David Beckham during the World Cup in 1998. He had to flee to America to tour with the Spice Girls as the press were crucifying him and effigies were being burned in the streets. Then a few years later he was the darling of the press (and I'm sure he works hard so he could become this). It just seems like the press build pictures of people into Gods and when it goes wrong they're like well they weren't that good anyway. Give these people a break, take a truthful and objective look at them beforehand and then judge them on what they achieve.

Another thing i don't get is this athletics. Example: track runners - surely they know the times that their fellow competitors are putting in well in advance and know then what they have to aim for and achieve to medal. Obviously, as in every sport, things can happen differently on the day and the best may be disqualified or something so they have to take their chances then. Also, why did the young boxer not make the weight for his fight and then be sent home?? I cannot understand that. Yes, he was taking on extra water because of the heat etc etc but surely the team of coaches, nutritionists and various advisors etc factored that into his regime?!? It's common sense is it not? Or is my thinking too simple and some other things come into play. Not sure but what I think is that it shouldn't have happened. I do have sympathy for the boxers as they are the only Olympic sport that is truly amateur now and their funding isn't as great as the athletics/rowing/swimming etc. Heck the guy Jeffries was selling burgers from a van at Sunderland FC only 2 years ago! Anyway rant over.

Now after all of that i have to say i think London 2012 will be quite exciting for Team GB and we should get behind them all! Here's a question, what do you think of a GB football team? I quite like that idea....

Then ... after that we'll have Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games to look forward to. There's still time for a new Chris Hoy to be found and trained by then - hopefully. So take all the Wii's, playstations, Xboxes, PSP's, Gameboys (or is that too old school) Nintendo DS, anyway take all of this nonsense away and get the kids out playing sport, any sport, just get them active and interested and you never know what may happen, a new hero may be being produced as we speak and we just don't know it.

word of the day - PROUD
much love,
Ange xoxo