Sunday 2nd September

Well here we go again, up and checked out and luggage left to collect later from the hotel.

We are meeting Garry our friend from Oz today (he is Janes best mate and is flying home today), we can get him into the Park as we have tickets for two event s today. We meet at Stratford Station and greet each other, go through the usual security checks and chat with the friendly troops before heading to that biggest McDonalds in the world for breakfast. the queue is not too bad and we go upstairs and have a chat. We then have to head off to the stadium for more athletics and Garry goes to add to his photo collection. We say our goodbyes and look forward to our next rendezvous in 2 years which seems ages but when you live on the opposite  of the world from each other its not bad (oh for something out of star trek where you could beam yourself somewhere or a tardis).

We take our seats and we are today overlooking the long jum pit, we havent been this side of the stadium often but we are pleased we are here today so we can see this event. It is a mix of T40+ long jumpers so there is a points system.

Lara is hear today and has almost front row seats belwo the cauldron so is also being kept warm on a slighly chilly morning.  Various heats of events take place and the huge home cheering of GB athletes continues

The high jump and discuss are in progress and we have a good chance in both.Stef Reid was leading the long jump but in the later round falls back to silver, although looking initially dissapointed she soon cheers up and realises how well she has done and takes the cheers of the crowd and becomes very popular signing auto-graphs.

We don't have long to wait for our gold medal as Aled Davies in the F42 discus gives the home crowd a gold medal to cheer, his lap of honour is greeted with huge cheers and he takes his time completing this, really savouring the wholes experience and atmosphere. We see Stef's silver medal and she is greeted but the customery huge cheers.

The morning session ends and we head off to the 5 a side blind football. Being a football fan and coach I am really interested in seeing this. I remember once on a course trying to just walk up to a ball and kick it and failed dismally. We also have a team GB game to watch which adds to the excitement. Again this is game that has to be watched in silence so we have to pop our mute buttons on. We arrive in time to see the second half of the Spain V Iran game, which Spain win 2-0. At full time we chat to a couple of supporters who fill us in with a few more rules.

We are the encouraged to join in with Queen songs to build the atmosphere which is great but then you have to be quiet for an hour which is quite an odd combination. GB take to the field against Argentina. It is a close fought game and we gradully get uses to the goalkeeper who is sighted and a coach behind the other goal giving the players direction. It is quite draining to watch because of a combination of concentrating on the game and being quite and the sheer amount of skill and fatih the blind players have in their goalkeeper and coach. The game ends 0-0. The players take the applause of the crowd and have their work cut out now to qualify.

There have been a few comic moments in this event the top one being a player going to hug a team-mate and hugging the ref instead, there are the odd clatters of players running into each other which also makes you since abit.

Another amazinf sport to witness.

After this game we get another McDonalds, we don't have them ofter but I fancy a Big Mac, so we use the walk through (like a drive through) at the other McDonalds and find somewhere to sit and reflect upon our weekend.

It has been hectic, different in so mcuh there are more GB fans than the Olympics, I think I read figures of 75% for Olympics and 95% for Paralympics and the security guards have said pretty much the same. We have marvelled at waht we have seen and this has given Miss O some food for thought in sport provision for the youngsters.

We head to the hotel, collect our bags and get the train home. Miss O has now found extra 4 channels that do give us highlights and although not on the scale of the BBC we can at least catch up on some of the other action when we get home.

I have noticed these past few weeks that the football season has started and although I check to see how Leeds have done I have not become immersed in it as I usually do once the season starts.

Well its work tomorrow for a couple of days and then back down to London on Thursday with a few of Janes Y11 lads.

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Todays event are

10.00-13.40  Athletics

13.30-16.30  Five a side Football (Blind)

I have recently done a Goalkeeping Course and the Tutor is the coach for both football teams and the blind competition is very close to call. We have two games and Team GB are the second game we see so I am sure I will be amazed at watching this.

We both did a football course for people with disabilities and we all had a go using a blind-fold and it was difficult to even walk while being guided to kick a ball let alone the pace these guys will play at.

Train home this evening at 20.30 (First Class) so should be home at 22.30.

Big shock to the system tomorrow as work beckons