Month: July 2012
Tactics and Communication
Wow! Again….
Recovering from the last two days of racing and I did manage to see some of the racing afterwards thankfully.
We all started at 5am on site on Saturday morning, welcomed with a bit of drizzle but really warm temperature and drying roads so no one was concerned with a forecast of a really hot day on the cards to boot.
Our role involved monitoring and communicating the various activities happening on site to ensure everything went smoothly as planned so that the roads where closed and safe along with the measures put in place to allow traffic to move, one big complaint from the test event, and that the public could enjoy the race with enthusiasm.
Can’t say everything went smoothly but simple communication up the channel, constant monitoring and updating and a little bit of common sense, all went together to make it happen and the big result was that no one knew, or will know, that anything was ever an issue. All comments fed back from press, tv, local authorities, the cycling governing body etc, where all positive and upbeat. Result!
Shame the same communication and monitoring didn’t help Team GB win gold in their key event on home soil but that’s racing. No effort spared though, we could see it in the riders eyes as they passed, I’ve never seen those guys so exhausted in a single days race. Four men led the entire pack around 140 miles on the route, doing almost all of the work, sticking to their plan with confidence and commitment. It just needed those other minor areas to be addressed to succeed and gold would’ve been theirs.
Not to be, however it was clear that TeamGB learned quickly from this and the women’s race resulted in a very well earned Silver for Lizzie Armstead. Gold would’ve been hers if the dominant female rider of the year wasn’t with her, Vos has been supreme all year round with the only chink in her armour being real mountains, which Lizzie dominated.
All of this went on whilst we went about our roles, almost oblivious to the events unfolding. More concerned about ensuring road closures and race safety, I spent the morning riding up and down my patch, about 4 miles through Twickenham to Bushy Park. Nice area and great people. It was especially good to see non-cycling supporters really get behind their country and the sport. Kids weren’t kicking footballs on the empty streets, they where cycling, actually cycling around on bikes on the roads.
Closing the roads a few hours prior to the race may have been imposing on the traffic and negative aspect of focus for areas of the press, but they didn’t see what happened to these streets. They where transformed from busy roads you would be afraid to let your kids walk alongside without holding their hands, to streets that featured very young children cycling around under the watch of their parents who all stood out in their gardens with BBQs ablaze and TVs arranged in windows. The queens jubilee street parties may have been large where they didn’t happen but they didn’t happen in the numbers that these household parties did.
All of this did have a knock on effect though, prior to the race, the road closure allowed for safety to be monitored and instilled, safety cars proceeded the race to confirm all was in place as my team took to the pavements with the public also. It was afterwards that this public enjoyment of the streets, had an effect on events as the roads should’ve been clear for workforce staff to arrive and replace traffic measures, collect safety barriers and get the area back to a normal looking road environment. The public enjoying their day didn’t seem to be concerned about this. They all took to the streets on mass, making it difficult for us to even monitor our areas never mind HGVs arriving to drop off traffic islands to collect barriers. It did get done though and far quicker than the test event in February. My area opened about 4 hours earlier this time and I was able to redeploy to another sector assisting the race as it returned to London for the finale.
This was the first point that I realised Team GB had their backs against the wall with reports of a large breakaway featuring Cancellara among others, then he ‘dropped’ out. Such a shame for him as this was a classics type stage and his plan seemed to work perfectly until that corner, not his first over-cooked corner this year, too much power?
I was based in Fulham and Putney for this part of the race and the crowds here all spent the day on the roadside enjoying a summer party atmosphere. Plenty of invites to join these, where handed out on mass, photos where taken as if we where athletes ourselves and I don’t think one security staff member I met, had a single issue with crowd management, their main role on the day. There was always the odd traffic management issue where some people from out reach areas didn’t take the time to plan their route through London only to find almost no way through some if their timing was bad. There was always a way round if not through but this never appeals to an impatient, demanding driver who feels their human rights have been removed by not being allowed to drive where they wish to. Thankfully this wasn’t my domain and I only witnessed two actual heated exchanges. All other traffic flow points, allowed traffic to move across the route upto the point that the safety of the riders and public took priority. If they actually stopped and watched, they wouldve seen the crowds amassed, preventing safe passage, or the race unfold in front of them. Quite a few did just that and commented positively on the atmosphere roadside as a welcome reward for their patience.
I’m now recovering with sleep and food, both lacking on long shifts, however the party goes on on Wednesday with the TimeTrials.
In the meantime, my wifes coming to meet me so we can go to the Olympic Park for a day out and enjoy the atmosphere for ourselves, albeit on big screens as I couldn’t get tickets to anything.
Let the games begin
Wow!
Don’t know about you but I loved that opening ceremony. Only watched upto about 10pm as I had a really early shift start the next day for some road race thing but we joined a crowd in the pub and even there, the atmosphere was electric.
I arrived in London after a few detours round the North Circular road but pretty easy going on the roads and all the hype of traffic jams didn’t seem to live up to expectations, thankfully.
Only issue I did have was discovering that my rear brake lads needed replacing so I spent the morning changing them prior to leaving so that I could run them in prior to the events. Fiddly but simple job, just took a bit of time off of my day.
Arrived to sign in for the accommodation which is the university halls of residence, and the rooms seem fairly good compared to how they where played down by Locog. Some people complained but I can’t see why as we only get about 5 hours in the room until Sunday night.
Went to the briefing which was brief, thankfully. The guys from the National Escort Group are all volunteers who give their time week in week out to marshal cycle races for the safety of the riders and public, they have each amassed a wide range of skills and experience and it was this knowledge that Locog where relying on to ensure the race route was just that, safe. It’s just a good job they didn’t want them for their managerial or communication skills as some of them are like children who need spoon fed whilst others only want to know what’s in it for them prior to doing anything, unprofessional and sometimes embarrassing to the group but there’s room for all and we all accommodate them and work together to make up for any short comings.
Next up is the Men’s Road Race, first medal chance event and one that’s big on Team GBs list.
Nearly there
It’s Sunday the 22nd July at 6am and I am awoken with excited dreams of what’s just about to happen.
In 5 days I shall be achieving something that I set out to do over 5 years ago after methodically working my way through the ranks the gain the experience needed.
I shall be riding my motorbike as an escort rider in the Olympics!
Albeit the TimeTrial events only but still, I hold a key position in both road races and shall be trackside during all 6 competition days in the Velodrome. There isn’t much more I could do without riding a bicycle.
My minds filled with small details, have I got room for clothing on the motorbike, will the tent survive the weather, will my back survive the ground, will I be able to make porridge in the mornings before shift at 6am?
Today is my last regional road race prior to the Olympics and I’m mentoring a couple of riders who want to learn how to escort cycle races just like I did once. Few will start their journey with the thought of achieving something as big as this but major events still beckon.
Today will see Britains first ever Tour de France winner cross the line on the Champs Élysées, bar disaster, and this is going to start a chain reaction of events in British Cycling history that should see yet another Tour Depart on our shores. Dublin and London have hosted the initial stages of the TdF before and we now see both Yorkshire and Edinburgh bid to do just the same in about 4 years time. Now there’s a familiar time frame.
I read tweets every day from athletes who are achieving their dreams by qualifying for the Olympics and can’t help but think that I’m feeling exactly the same in my life as they are in theirs. I’m no athlete, if I was, it would’ve been on the track, competing in the sprint races like the Keirin or Sprint races just like Chris Hoy and Jason Kenny, but I didn’t have the foundation of professionally organised cycling federation behind me or the actual world class track, never mind the belief that it was possible. Any half talented youth cyclist, has now got a chance to find out if he or she has what it takes to become the next Chris Hoy or Jason Kenny and even the next Mark Cavendish or Bradley Wiggins. To play just a small part in that is as much as I can do but every but as rewarding when I remember how the opportunities didn’t exist for me in the same way.
I hope I have time to write about my experience as they happen but I’m sure the next 2 weeks will pass so quickly that recounting my steps will bring back enough memories to fill a lifetime of stories to recall whenever I get the slightest of opportunity.
I will try to stop and take it all in though, I can’t see me ever being in this position again in my lifetime…..unless I move to Rio?
The Flames arrived!
My lieu day was organised by my employer to be Wednesday, to allow a few of us to be part of it, or those that wanted to anyway.
My wife and I spent a hot day out on Cromer beach watching them prepare for the arrival of the flame on the pier and then we went back to Norwich for the rest of the festivities.
Chapelfields public park was fairly busy when we got there about 5pm and doubled in capacity by the time the torch arrived with live music and performers on stage keeping everyone entertained. I never expected such a large crowd so they really took this to heart with people of all ages joining in and lining the streets or having picnics in the park before hand.
The sponsors where all there promoting their brands, Samsung had stands where you could get your picture taken with the torch as did CocaCola who also gave out free special edition aluminium coke bottles with ice cold coke or zero, a nice free momento with the Olympic branding and the flame on it. I think a fair few had one too many as the crowd did get fairly excited as the flame arrived or maybe it was just the Olympic effect.
We only got to see the final torch bearer as they arrived and it was a shame they all didnt get to stand on the stage to lite the cauldron but this was the highlight as it passed the flame back to the secure miners lamp for overnight protection. To think this flame has been kept going all the way round Britain from Greece is quite something and I think those who may ever have been less excited about the Olympics themselves, where now getting the spirit fo it all and in awe of the effect it has in bringing people together. I wonder how many bought tickets for the football after that day, about the only event left you can still get to and advertised well on the big screens.
We stayed a while to watch more performers, gymnasts and acrobats. All the stage shows where pretty good, dancers musicians etc, not so sure about the two off of Britains Got Talent…think they missed the talent bit out but made up for it in spirit….and mentioning Samsung as many times as they could.
The crowd left through the only gates that allowed access to be met with almost equal crowds trying to get in to see the show only to be told they where too late as even the cauldron had been put out. The biggest crowds Ive ever seen in Norwich, at that time of the evening, then dispersed to street entertainment all round the city streets and the cafes and restaurants filled up quickly to the point of bursting. Carluccio’s chef nearly had a fit in the kitchen and the staff where really under pressure but we had a great evening despite the moaners who suddenly forgot the Olympic spirit and we thanked the staff and chef for a great Olympic performance, no medal though, credit cards would have to do and Visa is also a sponsor!
A day we wont forget and just the start to our Olympic summer. Ive got 2 weeks of hard work volunteering to come yet….and the wifes got 2 weeks of piece and quiet.
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