Day 14 – Sun Aug 17

Up early.  Finish packing and on the 7.30h train to the airport.  Flight at 09.50h.

Heth comes with me.  Very mixed emotions as I go through security.  I have said to heth to take every opportunity and enjoy the last week of the Olympic Games.  The problem is it’s not that easy at 37.  When you are a kid its beer and women (or men) and have fun, but at 37 that’s not really what you want to do.  I am sure heth will hook up with some other athletes, but I know she would much prefer it if I had stayed the extra week and we could have shared all the different experiences.  Her mum is there for another two day’s but then she’s on her own until leaving on the 26th.  Hope she stays busy and enjoys it.

A final hug at airport security and then its off.

Flight home un remarkable.

Arrive in London at City airport.  Baggage doesn’t!!!!!!!!

Walk out side and find works on the docklands light railway and thus no trains.

Am now sitting on the no. 463 bus to Plaistow tube station.  A completely surreal experience contrasting with where I have just come from.  I almost wish for the efficiency of the Chinese culture.
As I sit on the bus driving through some relatively poor areas of London and I can only contemplate what London 2012 will be like.  We certainly cannot match the stadiums and newness and scale of all the infra structure of Beijing….and neither we should.  London will need to be a very different games.  The bus I am sitting on has at least five different languages being spoken by a Mexican family, a couple of eastern Europeans, a Caribbean lady and a couple of white English.

In one sense I am delighted by this.  This is the cultural tolerance that Britain is extraordinarily good at.  We really should celebrate this more.   Then I remember I have just arrived home and have no baggage and am on a bus trying to get to a tube station to get home…..suddenly I like Beijing a whole lot more.

My Olympic Games experience will now be in line with everybody else…watching it on the tv.  The GB team are doing fantastically well and the weekend has brought an absolute Gold rush for us.  My heart is with heather though.  All the turmoil of the Games…the pressure of competition….the mixed emotions of disappointment and celebration and achievement…..and another competition to do and fortnight before she gets home.  Elite sport is a very tough mistress.

Being the person I am, my thoughts are already turning to what we need to do over the next four years if she wishes to continue paddling….but it isn’t my call.

The people in the UK sporting system who lied, who removed Heather from funding in 2005 and who said…and I quote….”Heather Corrie will never make an Olympic Games”………..I’m tempted to take an opportunity to say something, however Heather’s performance is far to good to sully with petty vindictive comments…….……but boy is my smile wide!

Weary, I finally arrive home at 21.00h.

Final thought and reflections….

I continue to be a romantic about the value, the emotion and the experience of the Olympic Games and sport….I just love it.

The key to success for all of us world wide is undoubtedly tolerance.  London is very different to Beijing.   I cannot agree with big chunks of the Chinese state, but the people are pretty awesome and capitalism, Chinese style, is alive and kicking and I am really glad there is space in the world for all of us.

Thanks to everyone for taking part in this diary in the spirit with which it was meant.

Heather and I really appreciate all your support.  I am sure I am  going to miss some people out, and if I do I am really sorry….and tired…… but everyone here has helped us in some way directly related to the Olympics.

To Heather’s Mum…..thanks….you were really fantastic.
To Andy (heth’s brother) and Michael (her cousin) …for making it all the way to beijing
Doug our masseur
My brother
Maggie………thanks
Lisa and Mel and the kids in Augsburg who helped us so much
All my staff who make it possible for me to be away from my office
My business partner, Paul…for everything
All of our clients and friends
Everyone in the US who made it possible for us
To Peak and to Immersion Research
To zigzag for making the boats
Everyone at Loughborough where we train so regularly
Millie…our dog….(died in November last year but was absolutely part of the team).
To all of our neighbours and especially lucky monkey
To everyone who sent us so many supportive emails and text messages

Thank you       Thank you    Thank you.

PS        Maybe we’ll all do this again in four years time in London….what do you think eh!!!!!!!!

Kind Regards
Geoff Parsons