Walking Summary

Here’s a summary of my walking so far:

Started measuring – 13 July

Total distance walked in those 16 days 194.5 miles

Average daily mileage 12 miles

That average,  according to some,  is more than many car's average daily mileage!

Olympic Moment

I was moved and delighted  (aka Olympic Moment) to discover that Team Nigeria’s Boxing Coach is from Liverpool. Not only that he’s from Toxteth  so he’s a real  home town boy – Kevin Smith.

That's Kev on the left me on the right !


Took me back as we talked  about Liverpool based Nigerian boxers  of the Sixties – Dick Tiger  and Hogan Bassey  also Liverpool’s very own John Conteh  often called my doppelganger.

Kevin was very knowledgeable on the history of Liverpool boxing  Also learned the essential difference between amateur and professional boxing – stamina – amateur boxers go four three minute rounds while professionals go twelve or fifteen five minutes rounds. So when some amateurs turn pro and sadly fail to make the grade lack of stamina plays a big part.

'Sadly' as a Liverpool FC supporter now, the ‘bad’ news about Kev not only does he support Everton but he has convinced the rest of Team Nigeria to follow Everton....very sad!

That's me with Team Nigeria's  Secretary  General Dr Patrick Uwuagbale and his Everton shirt via Kev!

Who’d have thought I find fellow Scouser in the Village and not  just any  Liverpudlian but one from my area – Toxteth!

My Next Door Neighbour's Nigerian?

Nigeria's Flag and my next door neighbour's washing line.,,.

2 hours 26 mins 40 secs

I eventually arrived home after the Opening Ceremony having missed the last train and taking the bus, I arrived home at 2am. But couldn't resist  the chance to watch Team Nigeria for real - actually in the stadium.

I could do this courtesy of BBC’s great Olympic  coverage.  I was able to watch the whole Ceremony on line and fast forward to 2:26:40 where Team Nigeria made their colourful and energetic entrance into the Olympic stadium looking just fabulous!

Went to bed at 3am v hpy!

Almost 20 miles..

Walked almost 20 miles (19.9miles) on Opening Ceremony  Day. What a day it was. Started in the Village withy a trip into London via the Javelin to the Savoy to help dignitaries attend the evening Opening Ceremony.  Had to pick up another dignitary at ‘another’ hotel which to my surprise turned out to be in the Isle of Dogs in Dock land.

This addition meant some hasty reorganising involving unplanned Taxi rides ,calls to Nigeria and a walk with two dignitaries  around the Park calling at each gate from Gate A to E as we tried in vain to find the correct entrance to the Prestige Entrance.

At the same time and for the first time had both my Olympic phone and my iPhone go flat on me as I reorganised  the day’s  travel plans and negotiated the printing of Nigeria’s 60 page full colour Olympic brochure’s samples.

The end of day was good fun as I helped (walked!) the Nigerian team to reach their entry point to march into the Stadium.

24 July: 0 to 3 miles

Acreditation

The day started with checking at the Welcome Centre  (just outside the Village) to see if one of the Physios accreditation had been re-issued. His original accreditation was cancelled last night which meant he couldn’t return to OLV if he decided to leave before he had his replacement accreditation. 

The new accreditation was indeed ready, the next task was to find the Physio. This was relatively straight forward - he phoned me and we agreed to meet up and I took up over to the Welcome centre. 

By that time the Welcome Centre was busying up (!) as more and more teams are arriving in the village on a hourly basis.

All went very smoothly despite a small hick up. His name had been incorrectly spelt on the original accreditation which was why he wanted it changed. The back of the replacement accreditation had been changed but not the front. 

Fortunately the back is essentially a copy of the passport while the front is its high lights in BIG PRINT. The passport is the accreditation’s approval document  and the one where the Phsyios name had been spelt correctly. The Accreditation team were able to make the change on the front and all was well – the Physio was happy and security will be happy – and he can return to Village.

Great start to the day a result - the essential Games Maker’s function in microcosm.

The GM unites  an Athlete or Official with something that has been lost, changed ,moved or is new.

24th July A Busy Day....19 miles

Wed 24th July was an incredibly hot ,  busy and intense day reflected in the19 miles I walked : Accreditation management, Insights into Olympic Physiotherapy, NGR Kit management, Chauffeur, Theatre Goer, Scouse football fan , late night radio chat host - all in a Games Making day.

12 Olympics 2 World Cups and 9 Languages!

I had the great pleasure of meeting Aberra Aguegnehu a GamesMaker who has volunteered at 12 Olympics and 2 World Cups, he speaks 9 languages and can't be missed thanks to his distinctive hat (only 9 Olympics old) which is covered in Olympic pins from his many Olympics - top man! Couldn't resit the chance to to accost him, he was very freindly and generously allowed me to be photographed with him.

1.6 Miles More then Yesterday - 11.6 miles

Walked further than the previous day by 1.6miles - 11.6 miles. The extra mileage reflected the varied day but still very much down on the daily 16 miles at the start - reflecting the fact I know where I'm going now!

The Varied Work of a Game Maker

The past two days have gone in a flash. The work has if anything been varied : interior design, office management, shopping, PC & WiFi network management, man-with-van and general all round goffer.

The interior design was required to theme Team Nigeria (NGR)  office from what it was - a white painted space which will eventually will be a shop on the ground floor of a block flats. On the OLV (Olympic Village) these spaces are snappily called Retail Units. We are in Retail Unit 8 inside Seaside 1.

NGR Office

I borrowed some artefacts, pictures and wax cloth from friends to give the space an African feel with the emphasis on Nigeria thru a liberal use of NGR’s flag. What do you think?

Team Australia

Team UK

Shopping & Office management meant stocking an office from scratch; staples & stapler, scissors, pens, envelopes, blue-tak, mouse pads, tea-coffee-sugar-powered-milk-biscuits, scissors, pins, post-it-notes, clip boards, folders and so on. There’s one place you can purchased all of this at simple, direct price proposition – Poundland  and the 99p Shop  – don’t be fooled by the price it’s all good often branded or at least good enough to take us thru the Games – two weeks – so what if the stapler is not going to be around in six months but neither is the Games!

With the office supplies sorted or at least established we now needed to have the PCs and MACs share a printer. Apple’s AirExpress  solved all our problems after a time wasting, moral sapping  start attempting to  network all – PCs, printers and MACs -  using Windows 7’s Homegroup feature #fail.  Once I realized (Doh!) the printer had an Ethernet port and the AirExpress had an extra Ethernet port it was plain sailing. Now there’s Wifi accessible by the all the delegation (and we NOC Assistants!), the MACs and the PCs all share a printer – everyone connected and happy – and the up and down speed seems  fine or rather no complaints from users on speed or rather lack of speed.

Man-With-Van
My other NOC Assistants had been there several times this was my first visit to the Big Yellow Box in Stratford which NGR is using as a store. Went there in one of NGR’s Citrone people carriers   quite easy to drive despite being manual – found the electronic hand brake odd - much smell of burning rubber when I used it last – couldn’t and don’t see the benefit of this feature.

NGR Store

Coming back into OLV was interesting as all, packages have to go checked. Found myself in the queue behind Team GB and the ubiquitous Team Australia, bringing in some of their athletes kit in smart looking red & blue (Team GB) and green& yellow (Team Australia) luggage and carriers. Nation branding looks great when you see it at OLV volume and density. Couldn’t resist the photo opportunity:

Everything has been just fantastic so far except for one minor problem.

For the past three nights I have left OLV using an exit close to Stratford  International  DLR  where I can catch a train direct to Woolwich Arsenal, there I take the Southeastern train the two stops to Abbey Wood  - an hour or so door to door.

When I use OLV’s WorkForce Entrance (WFE) this adds 30mins to my journey as I have get to and from Stratford’s Main Station to WFE – 15 min walk or bus ride.

On Monday night attempting to leave OLV via the Stratford  International  DLR I was a asked to turn around and use WFE by a particularly  officious Games Maker. He acted as thou the courtesy and consideration Games Makers have be trained to offer to the Athletes and Officials clearly did not extend to me – a Games Maker – I just needed to be told what to do and would blindly obey. I was at the end of a long shift - tired – the prospect of an additional upto 25 mins ( 10 min walk across OLV , then 15 mins to Stratford Station) to my journey I didn’t relish so I wasn’t going to WFE lightly, without some good reason. He then went into broken record mode repeating himself #fail. Reluctantly I turned around; I had to pass by NGR’s office on the way to WFE. I couldn’t pass the opportunity to share my distain for that Jobsworth Games Maker on the plus side I picked up a lift to Stratford  International  DLR recovering some of my wasted time.

Ironically,  the rules changed overnight now  as Games Maker aka Worker if I’m leaving OLV after 9pm you CAN now use the Stratford  International  DLR exit !

New Walking Pattern?

Another 10 mile day, perhaps this indicates I know now know the quickest routes across the Village? Having said that an exit has been barred to Games Makers meaning I have to walk much further than I did yesterday.

Nigeria's Canoeist Johny Akinyemi

The tourist thing has to stop but couldn't resist this photo opportunity with Johny Akinyemi.

I bumped into with his trainer. He is favourite Olympian of mine as Nigeria's first Olympic canoeist he has a great story as a Nigerian born in in the UK. And what's more I have a very precarious connection to him as he attends the same church, up north, as friend of mine.

Only 10.6 Miles Yesterday

Seems I had a quite day yesterday my Olympic Phone  Pedometer App says I 'only' did 10.6 miles rather than my 'normal' 16 plus daily miles.

looking back I did spend a lot of time setting up the computers as well as themeing the Office with a Nigerian feel, more on that tomorrow when it's finished.

Some snapshots from yesterday...

On the way in to the village couldn't resit the tourist photo opportunity (with a just touch of PhotoShopping)

This is where we - Games Makers - check in and collect meal vouchers aka Work Force Entrance...

Games Makers' shifts start and finish with a debrief - rain or no rain!

Yet another 16 mile plus day?

I'm find this very hard to believe  - another 16 mile day. No two days appear to have been the same; the places I've visited have been different, the only common factor is the entrance and exit I used the same route two days running. Very Odd!

Guess Where Team Korea Are Staying?

Nigeria awakes and Village Continues to rise...

The village is filling up as new teams continue to arrive while other  teams continue to make their presence felt.

My own NOC - National Olympic Committee - Nigeria has started to dress its office and its accommodation with the green and white:

Other COUNTRIES continue to impress as they dress their buildings...

CZECH

FRANCE

GERMANY

JAPAN

 KOREA

CHINA

Another Day, Another 16 miles...

There's a pattern developing here - another 16 mile day !

Olympic Rings & The White Cliffs of Dover

The Olympic Rings are turning up all over the place eg here on the White Cliffs of Dover (courtesy of London 2012's web site)

Daily Mileage - Walking 16 miles a day ?

My Samsung Olympic Phone includes a novel App - a Pedometer. Which claims to measure my footsteps and convert them into daily miles walked.

According to the the summary from 13th July to this morning I've walked 40,912 steps equivalent to 31.8 miles so each step is 26 inches.

I measured my step - 4 steps covered 97 inches making my measured step about 25 inches compared to the Pedometer step of 26 inches - almost the same so it looks I really have walked  nearly 16 miles a day for the past two days!

Village Waking Up

Teams SUI and NGR making their presence felt

The Village is starting to come alive as the Teams take residence, decorating and customising their allocated apartments, offices and spaces to their needs, style and above all national identify – flags and national symbols everywhere.

Teams CAN and AUS show off their love of animals

Canada’s huge red Moose standing at the entrance to their offices  and Australia’s Emu found in its coat of arms  and disarmingly seemingly randomly and incongrously at the entrance and balconies of Team Australia’s block. I feel there is more national identity assertion to come as the Village fills up!

Asserting and celebrating  national identity seems to be one of the key features of the Village – giving athletes a subtle  psychological advantage - taking pride in their country’s presence in the face of others.

Off To A False Start

I was all set to go when I had a call from my fellow co-ordinator – Bernie: Did you  get the message ? Me: What Message? Bernie On your Olympic phone!

I hadn’t looked, I had planned to turn it on this afternoon en route to my first Olympic session, sure enough there was voice  message for me.

My (first)meeting with Team NGR’s  Chef de Mission  has been moved to Friday at 8:30pm. When I was expecting to meet him this afternoon after the NGR DRM (Nigerian Delegation’s Resource Meeting)

Seems the inclusion of the Basketball team into Team NGR needs more time to plan.

Off to a false start but NOC’s communications are working well as I had call this morning to make sure I’d received the message from last night.

Friday the Thirteenth of July two thousand and twelve my 60th Birthday is going to be a doubly memorable day!

(Picture from AdrianSprints.com )

CANUK Team NGR Welcome Event

Cover of CANUK Event Guide

I along with other NGR NOC assistants were given  VIP invites, arranged by NOC Assistant Regional Co-ordinator, Africa  for London 2012 , to CANUK’s  (Central Association of Nigerians in UK ) gala reception dinner for Team Nigeria.

The Ticket

CANUK is an umbrella organisation for Nigerian Organisation in the UK – there are between two and three million Nigerians in UK making them perhaps one of the largest ex-patriot communities the UK.

The attendees were drawn the from the Great and Good of Nigerians  in the UK including  Dignitaries, Nollywood and football stars, Diplomats`- Nigerian & UK  , Entrepreneurs -  including a who’s who of Nigerians in the UK.

The entertainment was excellent and very Nigerian; a  comedian - MC Mark  - who joked about making pidgin English an official language, a brilliant soloist  saxophonist - Wale Great - playing some classics , a Diva - Carol Jiani -   who sang with the energy and dynamism of Chaka Khan, a rapper - Big Tizzy - too loud and arrhythmic for me - it’s an age thing - but the rest of team enjoyed him!

Carol Jiani 

Wale Great

The highlight of the evening was the chance to meet some of the Nigerian team and the Deputy Chef de Mission.

'Dapo', Me , Deputy Chef de Mission, Mr Alhassan Yakmut, Alex , 'Bernie'

I had to leave early as I had a train to catch so, one of the last speeches  I heard was from The Sports Minister’s but for me this was the most memorable. He spoke of NGR’s basketball  team – D’Tigers – who were playing in a tournament in Venezuela  as he spoke. If they won their last match against the Dominican Republic then they would qualify for London 2012. I woke the next morning to an email from Alex -  they’d done it !

D'Tigers Celebrate Qualification

This dramatically increases the size of the NGR delegation which means they will receive more resources in line with their  increased need – possibly including more NOC assistants so NGR NOC Assistants may be growing, more of that to follow.