West Ham, Stratford & Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park walk

 

Picture collage from yesterdays lockdown "3 Park walk". First was West Ham Park (we had coffee sitting on the bench remembering local Spanish Civil War International Brigader and poet, David Marshall) then Stratford Park (check out the Sensory garden).

Stopped off in Stratford to buy sandwiches and treats from Sainsburys (and for me a hot large sausage roll) and then walked through Carpenters estate into Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park for circuit via Stadium, Bow Lock and E20 Village. The weather was cold but contrary to forecast, we had lovely winter sunshine and big skies. 

6.95 miles and took 3.36 hours from Forest Gate finishing at Stratford (then a empty bus 308 back home with more food shopping). 

National Paralympic Day & Liberty Festival: Sunday 3 Sept Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park

Hat tip Peter Daley. 

Great Newham Run 2015

Off message-ish but last Sunday (19 July) I took part in the first Great Newham Run 10k in the Queen Elizabeth Park. I have also taken part in the Great North Run in Newcastle and the Great South Run in Portsmouth.

For I think the fifth year in a row, I took part in a running (or rather in my case - a jogging very slowly) event in Newham. The weather was warm but there was a very welcome cooling breeze. It seemed well organised apart from huge queues for the portable toilets at the start.

I was in the Green wave which started off just after 10am near the ArcelorMittal Orbit. Running legend and founder of the Great North Run, Brendan Foster, set us off. The route was around the Olympic park and went past all the iconic Olympic 2012 sports stadiums that are still standing - the main stadium, the Aquatics centre and the Velodrome. The park is also a mass of canals and beautiful green spaces.

During the final 300m you are in the Olympic Stadium itself and running along the track to the finish line which is great thrill.

Fellow Newham Councillors James Beckles and Terry Paul also took part (Terry had the previous day also particated in the Great Newham Swim with Cllr Julianne Marriot in Victoria Docks).

The run itself was a great experience. The big downside was that I didn't see very many Newham residents taking part. We were identified on our number bib. Despite being host to the Olympics in 2212, Newham also has the most "inactive" adults in the country. Is this because we have very little organised youth work provision in the Borough?

There was also a distant lack of black runners taking part. Newham and the boroughs that surround the Park are amongst the most ethically diverse in the country.  While I love Queen Elizabeth Park, I often think it has become a middle class playground and local Newham residents for whatever reason are excluded. Something to work upon I think.

National Lottery Newham London Anniversary Run 2014

Off message but this morning I took part again in this 5 mile run in the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park in Stratford.

We were started by 2012 Olympic Cycling legend, Sir Chris Hoy (see bottom right of college).

It was a great run around the Park. A little hot and humid but very friendly and relaxed atmosphere.

I used it as a training opportunity for the London Triathlon later next month. After the run I went for a 1.5k swim at the Aquatics Centre then a 90 minute cycle ride. Now feeling absolutely knackered but pleased it went okay. Only 2 more weeks until Triathlon. I cannot wait....until its over :)

Newham Council Election Count 2014

I hope I haven't left anyone out? But the collage has I think all 21 Labour declarations from Friday 23 May at the Newham Election Count which took place at the Queen Elizabeth Olympic VeloPark (20 wards and Mayor). I have some more interesting photos of the day which I hope to set to music on a youtube clip sometime soon.

This was a great day for the Labour Party. We won all 61 elections. You can check out the results here. Many thanks to the Newham Council staff, the Police and the VeloPark workers for all their hard work on the day.

Bling your Bike at Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park

Today I went to Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park in Stratford to watch the start of the professional riders taking part in the Prudential 100 mile cycle race.

I was hoping to pick up some tips to help me with my Ken Biking in Central London. After the start of the race I went to the stalls in the Park where you could cycle for free smoothie drinks; try out weird bikes and find out how to "pimp up your ride".

The Olympic Park is now open (in part) to the public for free and it is just a fantastic asset to East London. There are great facilities for families, especially those with young children.  I must admit that I did think that it was noticeable that there were relatively few Black and Ethnic minority families in the Park today?

I wonder how many of my (West Ham Ward Councillor) constituents were there? I will contact the Park to see if they know. We don't want the Park to turn into some sort of privileged white middle class ghetto. It should be open to all.

Years ago I use to cycle/run into work through this area when it was probably the most grotty and ugly industrial estate in London. How things change.

Olympic Anniversary Run 2013

I still can't quite believe that the London Olympics have been and gone (and its now almost a year since!).

Life in Newham has pretty much returned to normal but the Olympic Park (now renamed the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park) is there to remind us that it was all not a dream

This morning I took part in a 5 mile Anniversary run around the Olympic Park finishing off in the Stadium itself.

There were I believe about 12000 runners. The weather was warm but thankfully overcast so not too hot.

It was a strange feeling waiting for the start amidst all these thousands of like minded strangers dressed in the same blue National Lottery tee-shirts.  We were divided into white, red, green and pink sections and while we waited we were blasted with very loud "motivation music" with lots of bass. Pretty much everyone was cheerful and eager to go but a little apprehensive.

I wonder why we do this? I thought we are supposed to be living in an "individualist" society. Does this sort of thing appeal to some sort of collective race memory? Who knows (or cares).

The run itself went okay although at the beginning a little crowded in places so you had to walk for a bit then run then walk again.  You could not avoid bumping into people but nearly everyone was very "English" about things with lots of "sorry" and "excuse me".

It was superb to run again through the Olympic park. The waterways and green spaces are just absolutely stunning. I can still remember the awful industrial estate and ugly railway sidings that were there when I used to cycle to work from Forest Gate to Bow.

I had a bit of a panic when I saw a 3 mile marker when I was expecting the 4 mile one but thankfully I was looking at the wrong marker.

The best part was the final 300m along the Olympic Stadium running track to the finish line with the crowd cheering and clapping. That was a long, long 300m mind!

At the end we picked up our goodie bags and medals. As we went out of the park families and young children were streaming into it for their run.

I walked back to Forest Gate feeling pretty happy and content with myself albeit just a little sore.

(Picture of fellow Councillor David Christie bottom left and I have stolen his great pic of the "medal and Tortoise" from Facebook. Also Newham Labour Candidate 2014 James Beckles top right)