London Marathon 2012 Wk 14: Olympic Park Circuit

Run of the week was a "circuit" (of sorts)  around the London Olympics

2012 Park in Stratford.

I ran from Forest Gate to the Greenway at West Ham. The Greenway was blocked off at the High Street. I tried to rejoin via Blaker Road but this was fenced off. So I went along the canal to Marshgate Lane and eventually came back on the Greenway, stopping off at the view tube to take pictures of the Olympic stadium and the Orbit (see right).

The Orbit at the moment does remind me of the monster aliens from HG Wells "War of the Worlds". But I have little doubt it will eventually become a poplar icon.

Past the Second World War pill box and anti-tank defences then Old Ford Canal Lock.  Do you remember Chris Evans and "The Big Breakfast"? It was filmed here at the Lock Keepers cottage. I use to cycle into work along the towpath and wave at Chris and his guests filming in the garden (they never waved back).  I ran along the towpath (the area has totally changed - there are now Art Galleries, cafes and residential blocks) until the Eastway.  Then there was a long bit of road and pavement towards Spitalfields Market.

I wasted time trying to find a way to cross the A12 at the Asda Retail Park (there isn't one). There were groups of people at the retail park being taken on a guided view point tours around the Olympic site. Eventually made it back to Forest Gate past Leyton Underground and West Ham Cemetery. I was supposed to be running for 90 minutes but it took me 2 hours. It was a good run but a bit of a slog from Leyton onwards. I will post other pictures from the run on FaceBook.

I am running the London marathon in April 2012 sort of using the official advanced training programme and will be raising funds for Homeless Youth charity "Alone in London". Click here to sponsor me.

Newham Greenway - Vote Early (Vote Often?)

I’m reluctantly supporting one of Boris’s daftest ideas. Voting on-line in a “referendum” to decide which 10 London parks should receive up to £400,000 for improvements. You would have thought that it was the job of elected officials to make considered judgements on which Parks should have the funds for which they could then be held accountable.

Nope – Boris is letting it all hang on Internet voting. So that’s okay then. How very fair, transparent and of course not open to any abuse.

Still, if you can’t beat ‘em – Vote here for Newham Greenway. It’s a real life green lung for East London. For years I have walked, cycled or jogged to work and back along this route. I’ve been too lazy recently but I can feel yet another New Years Resolution about getting fit and losing weight in the air.

From the Greenway in Bow you could see the Chris Evans “Big Breakfast” cottage (I use to wave at him on the lawn as I cycled past) and a short detour leads you to the original “Big Brother” house at Temple Mills. Also close by is the impressive memorial here (and main photo) in Three Mills Green to 3 workers who tragically died trying to save the life of a work colleague. I have helped organise Workers Memorial Day remembrance ceremonies there in the past.

To vote you only have to type in your post code and put in a name. I voted twice from the same PC (purely in the interest of investigative blogging), the second time using the name Boris Johnson and the Newham Town Hall post code. The website accepted the 2nd vote.

Ends 29 January 2009.

Nice one Boris!