Inspiration for 2012 after Stadium visit
Emma Pallant, 2012 hopeful, 19 Sep 2008
I recently visited the Olympic Park for a TV interview as I am hoping to compete in the 1,500m at London 2012*. When arriving at the Park, it was a real surreal feeling to be driven through a high security, muddy building site and to think that all these workers were converting a rubbish dump into the location of all my dreams, what I work hard for every day.
I was excited about walking where I hoped to be running in four years time, but I thought that it would be hard to picture anything and that my trip wouldn't visually be very exciting or special. How wrong I was. Firstly, all the people working there that I talked to were so enthusiastic, cheerful and chatty that it gave me a taste of how great and life-changing 2012 will really be.
The seat supports are installed in the Stadium:
Me (on the left) with Dame Kelly Holmes (we are both from Kent!) and Stephanie Twell:
How often are so many people united and excited about something four years away!? Then I was taken up to where the Stadium will be and I could already see in my mind the markings for the track. It was amazing how real it all felt and I really could picture it!! I was shown how high the stands will be and how we are already three months ahead of progress, which totally contradicts everything that you read and see in the media.
The seat supports are installed in the Stadium:
I was really grateful to everyone who made it such a good, worthwhile trip, it increases my hunger to train even harder - for anyone in need of some inspiration I would definitely recommend it!
* Emma Pallant was born in 1989 and runs for Aldershot Farnham & District running club. Emma came third in the 1500m at the IAAF Junior Championships in July 2008 and hopes to compete at the London 2012 Games.
The seat supports are installed in the Stadium:
Me (on the left) with Dame Kelly Holmes (we are both from Kent!) and Stephanie Twell:
How often are so many people united and excited about something four years away!? Then I was taken up to where the Stadium will be and I could already see in my mind the markings for the track. It was amazing how real it all felt and I really could picture it!! I was shown how high the stands will be and how we are already three months ahead of progress, which totally contradicts everything that you read and see in the media.
The seat supports are installed in the Stadium:
I was really grateful to everyone who made it such a good, worthwhile trip, it increases my hunger to train even harder - for anyone in need of some inspiration I would definitely recommend it!
* Emma Pallant was born in 1989 and runs for Aldershot Farnham & District running club. Emma came third in the 1500m at the IAAF Junior Championships in July 2008 and hopes to compete at the London 2012 Games.
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Comments for this post:
20 Sep 2008, 01:57PM, drbrookes said:
Emma, this 'rubbish dump' was our homes, gardens and workplaces.I'm sure this is all very exciting for you, but bear in mind that many of us who were forced to make way for your dreams to be built will never forget the shabby way they were treated.
25 Sep 2008, 02:21PM, julian said:
David Higgins described the Lea Valley as a 'scar'. Residents at Clays Lane were told they were 'isolated' by the beautiful open space at the Eastway Cycle Track so it is not surprising to hear our former neighbourhood described as a rubbish dump. It is part of the justification for knocking it all down.
11 Jun 2009, 08:40PM, Brunel-ninja said:
Hey, cut her some slack you guys. I don't think she was criticising the area itself when she called it a rubbish, more the fact that it is now a dusty building site, putting emphasis on the amazing amount of work that is being put into preparing the location.