Marlow 2012 parade

Looking forward to Saturday when the local Olympic atheletes are paraded around Marlow to celebrate their achievements.

I received a Tweet from Suzie Clarke (ex Wycombe Wanderers/Wasps) who was trying to get in contact with all the Bucks games makers.

A quick call into Wycombe District Council and I was invited to attend a reception ahead of the parade (in uniform).

Can't wait... details are still vague but will be a great way for us all to celebrate :)

Volunteering: the gift that keeps on giving

It's been over 10 days since London 2012 finished, but the gifts keep arriving. Yesterday a lovely thank you certificate arrived from GM sponsors McDonald's signed by Lord Coe and Sir Philip Craven.

So many keepsakes, so many memories. What to do with them all?? Luckily the art shop next door is offering 50% off frames... I have purchased a couple!

Inspired to do more...

Fresh from my GM experience, it's time to focus on my last marketing assignment but as per usual, I'm looking for my next challenge...

It came in an email from my Uncle. A 100 miles cycle in August 2013 along the Olympic route and through London... part of the games legacy.

I am not new to endurance challenges having completed London marathon in 2010 and Rome in 2011, but I've gone quiet/lazy and soft recently! But I've never been a cyclist..

My application is in. Expecting this to be a really popular event, but fingers crossed I get the opportunity. Hoping that my girlfriend and friends will also join us so that we can create our own Tour De France Peleton!

Fancy it?? Get involved...

Letter from the PM!

As the email promotions continue to fill my inbox (thank you very much London 2012 for allowing me to see England v San Marino next month for £20.12!), I then receive a rather odd looking letter.

As my housemate quite rightly pointed out, it looked like my job title was "The Prime Minister"...
I hastily opened it having absolutely no clue why I would be receiving such a letter. Surely I hadn't been bad?!

To my astonishment it was a letter from 10 Downing Street and a Mr Cameron thanking me personally (ha) for my efforts as a games maker. Really nice touch. It's not often such an esteemed person sends you something... another item to frame (I have so many things I'm going to need to buy a house very soon will lots of wall space).

This has followed an equally nice email from Lord Coe and a GM supplement in The Times.

Only question left to answer is do I take up McDonald's offer of making my volunteering into a McDs qualification?!

Oh... and how do I get to Rio?????

And the winner is.....

Without doubt, the greatest sporting year in history, easily surpassing the winning feeling of 1966 no doubt (although I'd have loved to have witnessed that for sure).

As the dust begins to settle after an epic parade, Andy Murray goes and wins the US Open in the early hours of this morning, fresh from his Olympic gold and silver medals... clear to see that London 2012 has kicked him on another level.

Absolutely no point in having Sports Personality of the Year... how do you pick from Andy Murray, Mo Farrar, Jess Ennis, Bradley Wiggins, David Weir, Rory McIlroy, Sarah Storey, Chris Hoy, Victoria Pendelton.... ahhh the list goes on!!

If 2012 hasn't put a permanent smile on your face and inspired your generation, clearly there is no hope for you!! Leave now..

The Weirwolf!

It's taken until the last day of competition, but I've finally spoken to the great man himself fresh from his 4th gold medal win in the marathon. Top man!

My words "I salute you Mr Weir".... AHHHHH!!! So stupid...

I froze unfortunately, so no photo opportunity, but I did take one from behind as he sped off into the distance ahead of his important closing ceremony duties! ha.... silly Pezza

Day 9: Is it really all over??

Still pumped from the closing ceremony, I made my way to Stratford one last time...

The station was a ghost town, really eerie after a month of hustle and bustle. Even the athletes village was a shadow of it's former glory... the US team had left at 4am and most of South America were in the skies making their way home.

It was time to pack away the IPC memorabilia. Finally I had a chance to hold Beijing and Sydney medals that I had been admiring for weeks... we were also joined by two double gold medallists from the Irish team as they completed their last blogs for Samsung. Both extremely down to earth and shared their accounts with me about winning.

Two Irish double gold winners

I was fortunate to have seen Jason Smyth's gold on Friday evening and I replayed my anthem video of him to him, which he appreciated.


And then that was it... time to leave it all behind and return to work. Said my goodbyes to the IPC team and begrudgingly checked out. Shame to have missed the parade, but hardly able to complain with what I had been allowed to witness.

As my mum said... getting back to reality will be rather tricky!!