The Dead-end to Sochi 2014 - Winter Olympics!

Following the start of the London 2012 Games, my time in London as a spectator at the Olympic Games, and the excitement building up to my Games Maker Experience.......I decided enough was enough and I wanted to do it all again already! So 2 weeks before I headed to London for the Paralympic Games I submitted my application for Sochi 2014!!

Wednesday 15th August 2012 - Registered my interest & applied for Sochi 2014!
The application form was very similar to London 2012's - I'll update this part later :)

Monday 27th August 2012 - Invite to complete the English Test!
This led to a manic check of application status on the website the first and second time! But on the second time, I decided to check through my application form! Aha! My volunteer positions had been changed..... was this a good or a bad thing!


The application form wasn't too dissimilar to the London 2012 application form. Very similar layout and questions......very easy to complete and I definitely had enough to write for each question!!

"Dear Mr/Mrs Lazenby,

We are pleased that you wish to become a volunteer and play a part in the XXII Olympic Winter Games and XI Paralympic Winter Games in Sochi! Volunteers will be the driving force at the forthcoming Games, helping to create a uniquely hospitable and cordial atmosphere, and welcoming millions of visitors to Russia!"

"Your application has been completed successfully. The creation of your Volunteer Portal account is been processed."

English Test?? Ahhhh!! I'm hopeless at English - being more a maths and science person, I've never stressed over a language test so much in my life!

"Dear Nicola,

Thank you for your readiness to contribute to the XXII Olympic Winter Games and the XI Paralympic Games in Sochi as a volunteer. It is these volunteers who will be the main driving force behind the Games, creating the unique atmosphere of hospitality Russia is preparing to show millions of guests.

Knowledge of the English language is one of the key components of our success and, because of this, one of the steps to becoming a volunteer is a test of your knowledge of English."

This email was received 2 days before heading to London, with the excitement, I decided it would be best to wait until I came back to complete the test! I complete the test on Thursday 13th September 2013...... surprisingly I didn't receive confirmation or, a pass or fail 

Thursday 8th November 2013 - Invited to Interview!!

A nice surprise dropped into my inbox inviting me for interview! This was VERY exciting!!  

"Dear Mr/Mrs Lazenby,

You have been invited to the Interview_OCOG interview. With your valid User name and password, you can log-in to your personal application"

Selecting a time for interview took forever! Originally I didn't realise the time was in Moscow time, so booked a 9am interview.....in the UK, this equated to a 5am interview.....Oh no! I am certainly not my best at 5am! After a lot more time spent confusing myself, I decided to go for a 4pm interview Moscow time, this mean that my interview would either be at 12pm or 8pm.....with the 4 hour time difference!

I'd also decided I'd go back to my parents to have the interview, as I live in a shared student house, I didn't want to rely on my house mates not interrupting me, the internet breaking down, or my neighbours loud music not blasting out their music! 

Sunday 11th November 2013 - Interview Day!!

Now that I'm definitely not going to Sochi, and aren't under any sort of 'Volunteer Agreement' (mentioned later in the post!) I thought I'd share exactly what the interview was like....

To start with I was expected to produce my passport and show it on the camera. Having left my passport in Sheffield and returned to my parents house unaware I needed my passport, it's safe to say I didn't have it to produce!

It was very similar to the London 2012 Interview, but unique due to the fact the question were translated from Russian. "When have you lost your head?" Being one of them... It was very annoying that when I didn't fully understand the question I was being asked, it appeared that the girl interviewing me, didn't know English well enough to rephrase the question.This was very frustrating and lead me to think my interview was being recorded for someone to score it at a later date.

After a 'personal qualities' questioning, I then got handed over to a guy who was interviewing me from the Protocol team. This was a series of 'yes or no' questions, e.g. "Do you enjoy speaking face to face with people?", "Are you organised?".... nothing more was to be said other than yes or no... I found this slightly off putting but never mind! Towards the end I got asked a few questions that I was allowed to expand on. 

Throughout the interview, there was no follow up questions. Having interviewed for London 2012, I expected to be asked similar question and have follow up question/conversation about my answers, but this didn't happy. It was very much 1 question, then the next moving promptly on.

Note: I stated on my application form I didn't speak any Russian, hence the English Interview!

Saturday 17th November, Thursday 29th November - Personal Data Updated

On a few occasions I received an email like the one below....

"Dear Mr/Mrs Lazenby,

Your personal data have been updated.

The Sochi 2014 Organizing Committee"

Tuesday 25th December - BEST CHRISTMAS PRESENT EVER!

Having just ate my Christmas dinner, I returned to the living room to chill out in front of some Christmas films. I checked my phone and noticed this email....

"Добрый день!

Мы поздравляем Вас с наступающим Новым Годом и рады сообщить, что Вы успешно прошли все этапы отбора на позицию Ассистент Национальных Олимпийских и Паралимпийских комитетов и теперь переходите на следующий этап – Обучение!"

I presumed this was just a Merry Christmas email, but thought I'd best go and get my laptop to check it out. It turns out this the above actually means.........

"Good day!

We wish you a Happy New Year and happy to announce that you have successfully passed all stages of the selection to the position of Assistant to the National Olympic and Paralympic Committees and now move on to the next stage - Education!"

Wow!!! Really??!?! I'd been accepted?? I couldn't quite believe it, and put it down to the meaning being lost in translation. By boxing day I was wanting English confirmations, so I decided to email them.....

"Hello!

Merry Christmas and thank you for your email.

Would it be possible for you to email me in English? I have no understanding of the Russian language.

By using Google Translate I have read that I have been accepted for a role at the Sochi 2014 Games – could you confirm this in case what I have read has been lost in translation?

Kind regards,

Nicola"

Then I waited for my reply........Having originally applied for and been interviewed for the protocol team, it appeared I'd been moved to the NOC/NPC role!

Thursday 10th January 2013 - The confirmation!!

I was now back in Sheffield, as I was locking the front gate I heard my phone receive an email. Just as I was getting to the corner of the street I read it.....

"Hello, Nicola!

You are right, you are Assigned on the NOC/NPC Assistants position!

Sorry for our mistake! 

Next time we will send you English-version of a letter!"

Yiipppeeee!! If I hadn't have been in the street I'd have probably squealed with joy!! It was true!! I was going to Sochi....as long as I completed the training!

Here is the job description for the role I am set to carry out! Can't wait!

Tuesday 6th August 2013 - Training or maybe not!
This morning I woke up to an email in Russian detailing some volunteer training - after translating the email:

"Congratulations!

You have successfully completed training in your volunteer center and at the moment we are pleased to invite you to the portal training games, which collected all the necessary content for the Sochi 2014 Games, including test items and more - much more!

Click on the link and fill out all the information about yourself and before you open special sections with materials training courses on "My games", "My job" and "My object"

If you have questions on the use of the portal, go to the special section "About the service."

To access the site, please use the manual entry of username and password. In case of problems with login, please contact the technical service.

Team EXECT BUSINESS TRAINING"

I then logged into the volunteer training pages, only to find it was all in Russian! Google Chrome's Translate feature worked well on translating this, until it came to videos and Pdf's that required translation! 

Thinking something wasn't right, I emailed my functional area to double check the email was meant for me and if it was available in English. The functional area were amazing and emailed back within no time! :D

Turns out the email was sent to me by mistake as international volunteer training will be carried out in Sochi tight before the games!

Now I can sit back and relax whilst I wait for my travel dates and further information!!! :D

Tuesday 10th September 2013 - Volunteer Agreement Arrived!

Woop! Today I received an email with my volunteer agreement!!

"Dear volunteer!

We congratulate you on the successful passage of the stages of selection: tests and interviews. There is still a lot of interesting contacts, events, fascinating work at the XXII Olympic Winter Games and XI Paralympic Winter Games 2014 in Sochi.

Now you will have a very important stage - the signing of the agreement with the Sochi 2014 Organizing Committee. Please pay special attention to this document. Filling the agreement is a prerequisite for obtaining a visa."

Completed my agreement - posted it 1st class, recorded delivery to ensure it gets there! Look like I'm one step closer :D

Thursday 26th September 2013 to Wednesday 2nd October 2013

After reading through my application form online again, hoping something had changed, indicating they actually still knew I existed, I realised that I was now available a lot longer than I originally expected to be, so emailed my functional area manager just to let her know.... 

This is when I received a response that literally changed my future:

"Nicola,

At this moment you are in the list of volunteers who are in “Reserve”. You have a great experience and we want you to come in Sochi. The only reason why we can’t tell you that you will be NOC/NPC Assistant – you don’t speak Russian language. Now we can’t promise you that you would come to Sochi."

Having spend since Christmas Day 2012 looking forward to my adventure to Sochi, saving my PhD grant to pay for flights and spending money.... it turns out I'm no longer wanted, based on the fact that I don't speak Russian! 

I feel the need to point out, knowledge of the Russian Language was never given as an essential prerequisite to volunteer at the games. I also never suggested that I knew Russian (see my application form for proof!). My only remarks on the language side of things was when I had a definite response to being accepted (i.e. my portal status changed) I would then look to learn Russian.

Originally I applied for a completely different functional area, but the Sochi Organisers changed my role following my interview. I had intended to begin learning Russian at a local night class, based on the fact I thought it would be personally useful for my trip, not essential for my role! 

You can imagine the annoyance I felt towards this response, if I'd have been informed that my acceptance required me to learn Russian, I'd have happily been learning Russian and would have a pretty good understanding by now! The other thing that really upset me, was the fact this response following an email from myself, how much longer would I have been living the false dream of being a Sochi 2014 volunteer before they would have informed me I was now only a reserve? 

I still have a lot of questions I'd like to be answered by the Sochi 2014 volunteer management team, as I feel massively let down by the whole process. Maybe this is 'just the Russian way' of doing things, but surely this is not the way the Olympic Volunteer Legacy of London 2012 should be being continued. Getting the hopes up of volunteers only to crush them, for me this is the organising team in Sochi abusing the power they have been given to recruit the Games Time volunteers. This is hardly following the Olympic and Paralympic Values!

I must add, although my storey appears to be pretty unique, after speaking with other London 2012 Games Makers, the storey of confusion, chaotic organisation and very little respect from organisers in Sochi appears to be consistent! 

It's been 13 days since I emailed Sochi for an answer to my only question, which they have failed to answer, by skirting around the question in previous emails. So unless I get a response, this is my final communication with Sochi 2014......

"Why was I told 10 months ago I had been accepted onto the team to find out now that I am not on the team because I don't speak Russian? You were aware of this fact when you sent me the initial email saying I had passed the selection process and all that remained was training before you welcomed me to Sochi. You have also accepted volunteers who don't speak Russian into the NOC/NPC role - so why am I different?"

::Games (maker) Over::

Thursday 17th October 2013

Talk about confusing - this has just landed in my inbox:

"Dear Sochi 2014 Volunteer,

It’s less than 4 months left before Sochi, Russia, will host Olympic and Paralympic Games of 2014.

We ask you to pass several learning modules prior to your work at the Games. And we are very glad to invite you to our distance learning portal: [website link]. Sign in right now:

Your login is: 

Your password is: 

That’s what you’ll find at the portal:

- general information about the Olympics, Paralympics, the host city, venues and sports (“My Games” module)

- description of skills we expect from an effective volunteer (“My Skills” module)

- job-specific information, your role and functions at the Games (“My Job” module)

- venue-specific knowledge and the related policies and procedures (“My Venue” module)

We also need to kindly draw your attention to the fact that this learning is mandatory for all Games volunteers, and you need to pass all necessary tests to have the online training completed.

Right before your first shift in Sochi or very soon after you’ll also have few onsite trainings.

We’re looking forward to see you at the Games!

Sochi 2014 Learning and Development Team"

Right before my first shift? Has my status now changed? I doubt it since I'm still under the impression I'm a reserve! This is just another confusion to add to that of Sochi 2014. It's fair to say that until I have confirmation I'm required in Sochi, I won't be spending my time completing the training!

Saturday 19th October 2013 - Volunteer Agreement Returned!
So even though I posted it, to the exact address given by the Organising Committee..... My volunteer agreement made it to Russian, but not to Sochi....and it now back at my address! Excellent! I'm afraid this won't be getting reposted until I know if I am actually going to get to Sochi..... So far my volunteer agreement as made it further than me!..... the storey continues!

Diving with the USA: Pre-Games Maker Volunteering

So, in my previous blog The Road to London 2012 I mentioned I visited UDAC whilst on 'Other business'.....this is my 'other business'!!

Before I get into this, I'll just point out that I haven't covered everything in this blog - it would be wrong for me to write about some of the stuff as it was the teams personal experience not mine! I was just the one helping to make everything ran smoothly, so the team could make the most of their training in the run up to their time in London. So it begins....

Following my time volunteering for the UK School Games held in Sheffield and me starting my PhD at the University of Sheffield I decided to sign up to volunteer with Sheffield City Councils Major Events Unit (MEU).

In February 2012, I received an email from the MEU asking for people to volunteer with some London 2012 Pre-Games training camps being held in Sheffield. As the dates which volunteers were required was at a time when uni work was less demanding I thought why not - lets go for it!

Having already volunteered on a pre-games training camp with the USA Wrestling team, I was fully acquainted with the lovely Manchester Airport, so off I went on the coach, armed with my 'USA Diving' sign to collect the USA diving squad from the airport! 



We were running a little late and I was worried they would be in arrivals before me, so I jumped off the coach and dashed in, thankfully there was no sign of the team... although I didn't exactly know who I was looking for.....!! As I'd been told to dress slightly smarter for this adventure, I looked slightly professional, well I had a blazer, shift dress and boots on, complete with 'Yorkshire' Olympic pin attached. What I didn't realise was this 'professional' look, pin badge and sign attracted slightly more attention than the last time I was at the air port! This resulted in me having a little gathering of taxi drivers around me asking "so it is the real ones you're collecting, like the ones for the Olympics?"....This kept me entertained whilst I waited!

After waiting for about 20-30 minutes, I was worried that I'd missed them and they'd disappeared, as the passenger flow through arrivals had now died down. Thankfully I hadn't, and 5 minutes later I saw a group of  only what I can describe as astronauts coming through arrivals, with bright red 'Team USA' puffer jackets on! Aha! They'd arrived!

After a few quick introductions on the way to a bus, parked  where it probably shouldn't have been, everyone climbed aboard, destined for Sheffield! On the bus I'd been given some bottles of water and fruit to dish out to the team for the journey back.......with many jokes over my pronunciation of 'plums'...although I don't know what's wrong with the way I say it :( I did however find out that some of the team were well acquainted with Sheffield, having competed in the city in previous years! 

I'll leave it there with my February adventure there as I did the same role later in 2012....keep reading :)

After my time volunteering with the team in February, Tom Daley realised his autobiography. Classing myself now as a bit of a diving enthusiastic with a bit of love (haha!) for Tom, the autobiography was a must read. It was so strange to be lying on the grass outside of my flat, reading about Tom working with and competing against people, I'd just been having lunch and laughs with a few weeks ago! It was all a bit surreal being able to put faces and memories to these peoples names!!

Skipping on a few months, to May (ish) and I received an email asking if I'd like to volunteer with the USA diving team in their Pre-Olympic Training camp.......did I really need asking? Answer was obviously yes! By this time I'd found out that I'd been selected as a Games Maker at the Paralympics so had the time before and during the Olympics to lend a hand!

This time the team were checking into the Athletes Village down at the Olympic Park so there was sadly no trip to Manchester Airport........instead it was a first class train London bound! So, 19th July,  I found myself at Sheffield train station at 6am, waiting for the train company representatives and member of staff from the MEU to head to London. 

We were due to collect the team from the concourse of Stratford International, this meant a trip on the Javelin high speed rail connection between London St. Pancras and Stratford! Arriving in Stratford we headed for the escalator to track down the team, but just as we were about to step on the escalator, I spotted a familiar face......"There they are!"...The team had decided to wait for us on the platform instead, to save us the trip up to come back down! Thankfully I recognised them (as if I could forget!) from February as I was the only member of the welcoming party to have met them previously! After welcoming hugs from Team Leader Molly and Performance Director Steve along with "ahhh we've got you again!!" smiles from the team, we boarded the Javelin once again, this time, destined  for Sheffield!

Whilst in St. Pancras station, we stopped by the First Class Lounge to meet up with 2 lovely ladies from the Woolsack Inspired Project. The ladies had brought along lots of cushions which had been made by a whole host of volunteers across the country for Olympic and Paralympic Athletes! Click here for more details on the Project! Here's a photo of the team in St. Pancras station with their cushions!

So, you might be now wondering why I was involved and what my role with the team was... My official title was Pre-Games Volunteer...basically, the only way I can describe my role was as a Mam/tour guide/Sheffield Expert/suitcase returner....although I don't think I was majorly qualified for any of these roles, being 23 at the time, and having only lived in Sheffield for around 8 months, but never mind I had my trusty volunteer pack with maps and telephone numbers  along with my common sense and enthusiasm - what more did I need!

Basically, my role involved me meeting the team at their hotel, walking with them to and from Ponds Forge, translating English to American (via Geordie!!) and basically helping out with anything they might need, whilst watching them train - not a hard job, I promise :)


Some of the things I got up to where trips to the tailors to get clothes made smaller, trips into town to get those vital supplies (gummies?), a trip to the doctors and various water runs from the pool side to the kitchen of Ponds Forge, and comparing English to American words!

The most totally confusing moment of preparing to volunteer with the team was looking down at their planned training schedule before their arrival and seeing the words "dry diving". It's not first thing you think of when you think of diving....surely diving has to take part somewhere wet right... like maybe a pool?! Not to worry though - I was swiftly brought up to speed on what dry diving was before their arrival back in February!

One of the funniest moments I had was in Boots was when shopping for a 'neti pot'...!! This confused me big style.... as the word netty is old Geordie slag for toilet! So I was very confused as to how we'd find a toilet pot (guessing this meant potty!) in Boots! After asking what it was for, to be told it was to help get rid of a cold, I knew I was definitely on the wrong track! Ops!! Turns out a neti pot is used to flush out your sinuses by pouring water up one nostril! I learn something new every day!

I also learnt all about 'orange tang' or orange squash to us English! I can also now relate 'where is the bathroom?' to 'where is the toilet?' rather than 'where can I go to get washed?'. You'd think this is obvious, but it got slightly confusing with people who had just came out of the pool......

It was great to see USA Diving getting lots of coverage by the UK press, with a media afternoon held in Ponds Forge. There was a hole host of different people from BBC Yorkshire to students from the university papers there to chat to the team!

During the time I was volunteering with USA Diving I returned home to Gateshead to run the Bupa Great North 10k, whilst at home my granny had been asking me all about my adventures with the team....and the big question: "So Nicola, Who are going to support when it comes to diving in the Olympics?".....my answer to that had to be USA. Having met the team, spent so long watching them training and ate lunch with them, how could I not? My granny did not approve!!

Once Games time approached, the team then packed up in Sheffield to head back to the Olympic Park for training in the Aquatics Centre. I'll never forget the scenes navigating around Sheffield train station with trolleys of luggage, with the team dressed 'incognito' with bags covered in Team USA logos...not obvious at all - haha. I was telling a couple of the team about my Granny, and her disapproval at my choice in team to support. To help me out with further annoying my granny, I was given a mini stars and stripes flag to wave during the competition to show my support! 

Having been to the Olympic Park for the Olympic Park Run, I thought I knew what to expect getting off the Javelin at Stratford International, but how wrong could I be!!! It was like a scene from a holiday brochure. All the lamp posts and fences were branded up with the typical 'London 2012', Olympic Rings, Agitos' and the motto for London 2012 'Inspire a generation'. I was so excited! It was hard to believe where I was. Coming down with USA Diving made everything seem so real. After waiting so long to hear if I'd made the cut to be a Games Maker, it was hard to believe that in about a months time I'd be allowed the other side of the fence, dresses in the purple and poppy uniforms!

Now the team was back in London, my life went back to PhD work, with a mini-project due in before I was able to head home to pre-pare for my 'official' London 2012 adventure. With my diving TV schedule all planned out and the house TV booked for those time, off I returned to doing my real work. I've got very vivid memories of sitting on my sofa with my house mates cheering on the USA, only in diving - obviously!! 

Up until this point I've never been so proud of my volunteering - watching USA Diving compete was up there just under the Opening Ceremony with the best bits I watched of the Olympics! I was so excited when Abby and Kelci won the first medal in the first event for the USA. Following this we then had David and Nick winning their Bronze medal, with Kristian and Troy joining them as medallists.

Since both David and Nick were competing again, later in the diving schedule, I'd been asked to head to London to collect them from Stratford to come back for some extra training in Sheffield. I'd managed to coincide this trip with my visit to UDAC and headed off to London for a bit of a morning adventure before collecting the guys. After waiting for about 15 minutes at Stratford I was a bit worried as to where they had got to. With the organisation of the team, lead by Molly, I'd never known them EVER to be late! So I got called the training camp manager in Sheffield and asked if he knew what was going on and to check I was in the correct place! It turns out a bit of miss communication had occurred and they'd got an earlier train without me- how rude! haha! I'd been abandoned in London :'( So offer I went, back to Sheffield...without the team! Thankfully with my trip to collect my stylish uniform, all was not lost! I'd also had a chance to have a cheeky shopping trip around London, planning what I was going to buy when I returned for the Paralympics! 


On my return to Sheffield I headed to the team hotel to drop off a few bits and bobs including the train tickets for return journey, whilst also collecting my volunteer t-shirt I'd given to them, asking if they could sign it! There it is, my signed volunteer t-shirt signed by the team, minus David, Nick and Troy....pretty good going I'd say so myself! Another item to add to my Harry Potter Style trunk of memories! :)

A couple of days after this, I was back on a coach to London, this time with no Team USA in tow. I was off on my own adventure to London to watch some of the Olympic Games (blog to come soon!). Towards the end of my Olympic  Adventure as a spectator, I was in Windsor for some canoe sprinting, but made sure I was in the hotel when the diving was on, refusing to go out for dinner until I'd seen at least the first 2 dives! I even had my parents texting me the position that the USA and GB had finished in! Bit of a nerd, I know!

My greatest diving memory from the Olympics has to be David Boudia exceeding Tom Daley to the Gold medal position! After all the hyper that had been built up in the UK for Tom, a lot of people just presumed Tom would take the gold. I don't think the tension in my living room has ever been so high when I watched it with 2 of my house mates!! When I came to the final dive I was on the edge of my seat, the order was David, Tom, Bo. So David dived and went 1st, Tom dived but only managed to achieve the silver position, I could barely watch when it came to Bo diving.....What was going to happen!! By this point, I knew both David and Tom would finish with a medal, but what colour would they be??? Bo dived and that was it! David had won Gold! At this point I was getting told off for supporting David and the USA, over Tom and Team GB. I even had my mam call me asking if I was proud of myself since Team GB had lost a medal.....and yes I was! This photo (from www.zimbio.com - Source: Clive Rose/Getty Images Europe) pretty much sums it all up!

Throughout my time volunteering, I learnt so much about diving, a sport that I'd honestly only previously know for the speedo's and the crazy height of 10m! One of the key people who taught me a lot of my diving knowledge was team physio Terry, who would sit pool side and answer my stupid diving questions.  Questions like "should there really be a splash when they're diving?", "Why are they going in feet first?" and "Why are they jumping off the 5/7m board when there's not competition at that height?".........I'm sure you get the idea!

To sum up my time volunteering with USA Diving, I can honestly say it was pretty epically amazing  ........that doesn't really make sense, but that's exactly what it was! I met some truly inspirational extraordinary people who were so down to earth, and as I'd put it, just really 'canny' people, who were passionate about their sport. It was amazing to see a true insight into what life is like training to compete at the Olympics.....and it definitely motivated me go to the gym A LOT more!

If you've read this far, you'll notice I've been pretty brief in some area, as I mentioned at the beginning, it wasn't my Olympic storey to tell - I'm a professional volunteer remember! A very proud one these days too! hehe! :)

Finally - check out this video - it brings back so many memories for me, and puts a massive smile on my face! It even feature Clive, but sadly no Special Agent Sam! :( 

National Lottery - Olympic Park Run!

Date: Friday 30th March 2012

Destination: London

Mission: National Lottery Olympic Park Run!!!

On Friday the 30th March 2012, my parents arrived in Sheffield to pick me up for the most exciting trip to London I'd ever been on......so far!!!! 

On Saturday 31st March 2012 I was due to run the National Lottery Olympic Park Run!! 5mile route around the Olympic Park......the first competitive event to be held in the stadium......and I was going to be one of the first 5,000 to cross the finishing line in the Olympic Stadium.......Wow!! Here's the route for those interested!

I'd received an email advertising the run through Bupa running, having been on their mailing list from running the Great North Run and Great North 10k's for the previous few years. I thought I may as well apply, although the odds of actually getting a place were very low! I'd regret not applying when I saw it on the TV - wishing I could have been there! By entering the ballot at least I had some chance of taking part!

The cost of entering the run was only £15 - believe me, I would have paid a lot lot more for this opportunity so I thought it was a bargain. In the weeks leading up to the run I'd been suffering for a stupid, painful, cough....after the run I found my cough was actually a chest infection (Ops!!) I'd refused to go to the Doctors about it as I didn't want to be told this, and to be advised I shouldn't run!

My parents and I had booked rooms for the night before and after in the Travelodge in Stratford, only a 10 minute walk to the park, the location couldn't have been any better!

On the Saturday morning, we got up bright and early and headed to Westfield Shopping Centre (aka. Shoppers heaven!). We'd heard that you could get a good view of the park from the window in John Lewis.... this was no lie! The weather could have been a bit more sunny - but for running, the weather was ideal! I also got a chance to meet Wenlock and Mandeville again, after my time as a SEV.

After a swift wander back through Westfield, off we went to the Olympic Park! I was so so excited I could have wet myself.......thankfully I didn't :)

Entrance to the park was via the Stratford Gate, after 3 walk through metal detectors (although I'm sure these weren't actually plugged in!) we reached the airport style security point. Bags on the conveyor and another walk through metal detector! I was pleased that, unlike every time I go on holiday, I didn't beep, meaning I could run straight into the park! I was very impressed by how efficient this process was, and wondered if they could make it this efficient when it came to games time!

On entering the park there was none of the pink over head signs we all know from Games time, instead there were fences covered in The National Lottery Banners as a lot of the park was still a building site! Lots of people were getting their photos taken along side them, so it was rude for me not to! 

It was pretty quiet when we entered the park, one could have called me a keen bean, dying to get inside! On entering the stadium, everything just got too much! I'd followed the building of the Olympic Park (remember I'm a civil engineer - so that sort of thing is right up my street!) and as a Games Maker Applicant at the time, I simply couldn't believe I was there. I couldn't believe I was actually standing in the Olympic stadium. My parents found the fact being in the stadium made me so emotions it reduced me to tears hilarious. Likewise, the security guard working at the top of the stairs at a good giggle at the expensive of my tears - but I didn't care! I was just so happy!

Once I'd pulled myself together and dried the tears, it was time to take some photos! Who knew if I'd ever get the chance to come back into the park - I had no Games Maker Role or tickets at the time, so I thought I best make the most of it!

Dad and I climbed the stair right to the very back of the stadium to check out the view from the there - we were both pretty impressed that you would still get a pretty decent view from the 'cheap seats'. Looking back, its strange seeing the stadium so bare without its fabric façade and pretty coloured lights!

Before I knew it, it was race time! I decided I'd run with my camera, so that I could take photos on my way round and share the memories of a partly built park with my friends and family! Everyone lined up and there was an unforgettable sea of red t-shirts!

One of the runs participation criteria was that everyone was to wear their race t-shirt which was sent out in advance of the run. It was a very impressive sight!

The race begun with a group stretch, although space was a bit tight so some of the moves were slightly limited but to be honest I don't think any warm up was needed with the amount adrenaline in my blood, warming me up nicely with excitement!

Nearly 15 minutes after the first runners it was my turn to cross the line! 

On the panel to be pinned on the back of my t-shirt I'd wrote 'Geordie Racer'. This lead to various shouts along the route of 'Toon Toon' and 'Geordie!'. There was also a few people who ran alongside me, also from the north east, asking where I was from, and general just supported each other for the part of the run! I found this run was the most sociable run I've ever done. Anyone you found yourself beside did their best between pants to chat and generally just share the enjoyable experience. 

I'll never forget one lady, who must have ran behind me most of the way round. I decided at about the 4.5mile enough was enough and I couldn't really breathe any more so had to walk! The lady behind me patted me on the back, and said "I'm so glad you decided to drop to a walk here, we're close to the stadium so it's a good idea, but I'd promised myself I wouldn't stop until you did! Thank you for the break!". We then walked for a minute or so chatting about how amazing the experience was before I decide it was time to finish the run at a proper pace with pride!

I finished the run in a time of 52:05 minutes! Boom! What an achievement for someone with a chest infection, running whilst taking photos!

After the run, I spent a bit of time watching the Stadium entertainment and catching my breathe before it was time to sadly leave and go back to real life! I'd joked that I'd love it if Tom Daley was at the run...sadly I hadn't spotted him, until I opened my race pack I got at the finishing line and found him on the front cover of the London Prepared Magazine! Aha! Maybe not in person....but I had found Tom Daley in the Olympic park ;)

I left the park with 1 final photo (on top of the many I'd taken but won't bore you with!), my race pack and medal, as one very happy girl!

In the lead up to Games, I'd be an avid follower of the sustainability and construction side of the park - I still am now with the regeneration of the park! One of the quirk things I read about the park was canal crayon art work! I'm a bit of a geek and collection pencils from various locations, so I thought having these in the park as functional art was AMAZING! I'd been sad that I hadn't seen any of them whilst running acround the park....but just as we were crossing the bridge by the aquatics centre my mam points and says "are those them stupid crayon things you've been on about?".....YES we'd found them! Turns out we would have spotted them on the way in, if we hadn't had been so fascinated and engrossed by the stadium! Seeing these, my visit to the park was officially complete - simple things, I know :)

After I'd finally left the park - we had another wander through Westfield where I found a shop, Pull and Bear, that I'd never heard of in the north east. After a wander in, I found my sweaty smelly self in the changing rooms trying on a pair of dressy shorts! I've no idea what the changing room guy thought of my sweaty mess trying on their clothes.... Thankfully they fitted so I bought them!

After a quick shower and change we headed back to Westfield for dinner. We settled on 'The Real Greek' in the outside area of Westfield, where we enjoyed a nice selection of meze. On leaving the restaurant I couldn't believe my eyes..... the Olympic Park was all lit up.....very impressive! Walking back to the hotel turned into another photo opportunity!

That was it, Olympic Park Run adventure was officially over, off I returned to back to Sheffield with my t-shirt, medal, memories and photos, not knowing if I would get the opportunity to come back. I'd had my interview and was still playing the Games Maker waiting game.....thankfully my dream came true!

Addition: The route I followed for National Lottery Olympic Park Run in 2012 can be found on my Endomondo Page - it should give you an idea of hills etc: http://www.endomondo.com/workouts/45552932/2899302