I will pick an event of the day and i will write about how i see the Olympics. Ready, steady, go!
After getting totally fired up and excited last night, i spent the early hours watching the opening ceremony, writing my blog and then disconcertingly surfing the Internet until 5am. For regulars who read this blog you will know I've been pretty candid about my liberal and obsessive viewing of adult related websites. Well, i was at it again last night. But I don't know what's happened to me. I've replaced an online addiction to XXX rated sites, to searching you tube for 'the worlds toughest cycling climbs'. I'm obsessed with road cycling.
Clip after clip of Tour De France, climbing mountains in preparation for the men's road race. Excited. Knackered.
I basically fucked myself with a lack of kip. Woke early doors, and planned my viewing for the road race. It passes near my house, along routes i run daily, and into the surrey hills i used to train for my Ironman's. It is all familiar terrain. It is on my doorstep. It is the Olympics. It is Wiggins and Cavendish. It is free. It is here. It is today!!!!
I could have cycled out early doors to Richmond Park, or Surrey Hills, but decided instead, keep it local, keep it simple, watch a bit and then retire back to watch on TV.
I headed to St Margarets. All roads were closed off. I ran down in my Lycras, crowds were huge, lots of families and kids, there was excitement and a buzz in the air. Lets face it there is usually fuck all going on in St Margarets, so to have an Olympic event passing through was a big deal.
I stumbled across Mhairi and Gary from my time at London Scottish Fc who had a group of friends, chairs, flags, cool box, wine, grub and Team GB replica shirts. They were bang up for it and i watched with them. Good people and added to the fun.
I stood next to a woman who had travelled down from Llanelli. Fucking yes. The only way is Llanelli! I run 15 minutes down the road to an Olympic event to bump into a woman from my home town. We compared notes about MC Asda and mobility scooters. It was Ace.
Even the Team GB captain is from Llanelli, Dai Greene. It's the centre of the earth. TOWIL.
The crowds built up, 1 million were expected to line the route. People were on step ladders, standing on bus stops, all with phones out ready to take pictures. Twitter and FB was buzzing, it was great.
The Police riders riding in front of the Peleton came by first. The crowd had sod all to cheer about so they cheered them. Even the coppers played to the crowd, you know it's the Olympics when the Police show a sense of humour. #mazing
And then they arrived, the peleton roared through at huge speed. 160 riders tearing round the corner, flashing past and then in 25 seconds they were gone. That was it. I'm not going to lie it was thrilling to see them, but i wanted more. It was a little like premature ejaculation. Lots of build up but over far too quickly. It was time to return home to watch on TV. Though you just wanted to get on your bike and cycle the route. The support and crowd were incredible
I got the bike hooked up to rollers and spent the next 4 hours cycling, smoking, drinking tea, grazing, messaging (not all at same time) glued to the Road Race.
It was amazing to see all the routes i have cycled and run so many times on TV. To see how beautiful the area is and familiar sites. To see world class cyclists making the sort of climbs i sweated my arse off look like speed bumps. Incredible. To think i have done what the Olympic athletes were doing was a buzz. Granted they didn't stop off at regular intervals for tea and a snout, but then again my training was always somewhat unorthodox.
The TV coverage was pretty shit, no timings, long gaps of not alot happening. Funny episode in the lanes of Surrey when the peleton passed 4 blokes totally starkers waving GB flags. Us Brits just love to get naked. It's in our blood. streaking.
The race panned out, Cavendish and the boys unfortunately didn't deliver. They got left behind from the breakaway and couldn't make the time up. It fascinated me the tactics and was gripping to see if they could make the time up. It made me laugh the commentators saying that Richmond park was flat (hilly to me) and that they would be fresh for the last 80km after having an easy ride for the first 200km. Those boys are machines!
So it ended in disappointment. But i enjoyed the experience. The Olympics were off and running and so was i. Though to be fair i thought it was a bit selfish they put the route in the way of my usual running route. I had to amend that later in the day.
I Hit the gym for some Olympic style weightlifting, which involved laying down in the sauna thinking about it, and was very interested in the Beach Volleyball on TV until i saw it was the Men's. Boo.
Team GB came away without any medals on Day 1. I think I'm going to be interested in the gymnastics actually. Watched a bit of it, and man those girls have got hot bodies. Plus i reckon pound for pound gymnasts are the strongest athletes. Ever tried to pull your own body weight upside down on Olympic rings? #fuckinghard
I'm also interested in the weightlifting, if only to see massive beasts lifting incredibly massive weights covered in chalk (PS random thought what's happened to white chalky dog turd? You never see it on pavements anymore - have dogs changed their diet in last 10 years?)
So that's my start to the Olympics. A decent day 1. I'm slowly easing myself into it. I particularly love 'Olympic Breakfast' on BBC1 from 6am. In the old days my Olympic breakfast consisted of a full English and glass of crisp dry white wine. Not sure Cav and the boys would have been on that one this morning. But it's great to have Olympics on Tellie as soon as you wake up to catch up on some random sport you really have no interest in but some Brit is performing so you get behind it of course.
Medal Table Day 1- Team GB - 0
Lets hope it gets better. Female swimmers and Female road race tomorrow. Come on the girlie's (actually if you read that phrase back it's actually genuinely filthy. Sorry girls)
xx
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