DAY 4: In The OV (OLYMPIC VILLAGE): It just keeps getting better!

Today was brilliant, again!
The English efforts making us all feel secure, welcome, and organized at moving the masses into and through such condensed areas, is nothing short of a masterful feat!

Really impressive.

There are lifeguard stands with Westfield directors with bull horns yelling direction and salutations to us all as we shuffle along. They are like mall comedians( just local English folk with great dry humor lovingly harassing the masses) as they direct us along, and keep us moving with a smile.



The Westfield Olympic mall has been the most massive and busiest mall I've ever tried to window shop in. It's like being on a New York city side walk at holiday time, trying to look into the Macy's windows:), except your inside!



Another treat, is that the athletes are openly window shopping as well, and giving the masses photo ops. Anyone recognize this guy below?



How about these USA VOLLEYBALL athletes, just leaving Westfield mall headed back to the secure Olympic Village?? For those of you that know me, this is probably the smallest and thinnest you've ever seen me look. I actually felt tiny...;)

We had great session at the Olympic village(OV) gym today (the guys post am workout finishing up with a stretch after their work in the Ab-inforcer (www.abinforcer.com)



Check out this video of us in the Olympic gym...beautiful facility! Of course the USA, AUSTRALIANS, AND CHINESE OLYMPIC TEAMS, built of site training facilities outside the OV.

Yesterday, jumped off the tube and ran over the London bridge to sprint over to the TOWER OF LONDON to walk around and view the jewels!




Some of these shots look like a post card. These were actually shot with my iPad. Technology blows my mind--strange and precariously functional!

Stain glass window inside King Edwards old castle...

Stairs spiral and go on forever...if your tall, note: don't wear a visor, there are low lying stones:)

I love this shot from the main castle window, overlooking the tower bridge. Look closely and you'll see the olympic rings. I got reprimanded for opening this window...:)



Henry VIII DESIGNED ARMOR not for the phalicly challenged...




My feet were killing me from all the sprinting, but, I cant imagine how this mans feet must feel at the end of his day:)
Signing out for today, til tomorrow...remember: " if you have time to think it, get up and do it!".
I'm always surprised how much can get done.
Love u all, in strength...
Lee Brandon,C.S.C.S. Reporting to you from XXX LONDON OLYMPICS

Location:Stratford, England

DAY 3: Behind the Scenes at the Olympic Village:

Hi Everybody,
Being part of this Olympic experience has been so thrilling! Today was no different, and did not disappoint.




More pressing questions were answered, like:
-How can there be so many empty seats at the events, and warm bodies like me willing to fill them, cue it up and pay?
With my inside look at the situation, and after spending many hours in long lines ( meeting great athletes and coaches standing there with me in the same line, like the legendary Svetlana Moiseeva Russian diving coach), being told there are no more tickets,
I realized a few things.




1. These folks all have great connections, and a lot more money than I do, and they can't get in...maybe there really aren't any tickets.
2. Perseverance and enjoying the company of those your commiserating in line with is very fun and you can meet lots of new friends just standing in cues:)
*i did secure two GOLDEN TICKETS to swimming on Aug. 1-2. Look for the screaming tall blonde in the nose bleed section:)
Today there were a few notable inside thoughts:
1. Ussain Bolt not only runs fast (fastest man in the world!!!), he also walks fast. Newton's law in action. He opted out on slowing down for a pic:)








2. After many miles of searching for tickets around the Olympic village, I was struck with the magnitude of the task England undertook to create a secure environment for 204 countries athletes to compete in peace.
I concluded they hired the new generation of Jurassic Park engineers, along with Disney imagineers and created the ultimate cross between Alcatraz and the happiest place on earth:). You have to see this to believe it!!!
















3, Inside the OV (Olympic Village),..really happiest place on earth, the tension is palpable. If Cortisol (stress hormones) put off a scent, this place would need a methane digestion system to contain these levels. Everyone handles stress and management of their emotions differently under pressure. For example:
The Argentines women's soccer team stretch...




This Nordge-man stares out a window to de stress his hip flexors...




This Japanese Thai Kwon Do athlete, takes a different approach (I think this move has been contraindicated for 25 years:), but I kept that to myself!




My guys stretched out in a giant jacuzzi, and alternated it with ice baths. This was a great choice:)




I also had the honor of meeting the new Director of Sports Medicine, Dr. Juan Quiceno for all of Colombia Olympic Sports. He is designing a new high performance facility at 10,000 feet for their elite athletes. He is at the Olympics in the capacity of the supervising medical director for swimming, and boxing (maybe others..but we didn't discuss them:).

Interesting fact, Dr. Q stated "swimmers have more overuse issues than boxers.". So be careful for those of you being inspired by the Olympic swimmers looks, and tempted to take on the pool:)








We all had a bite of lunch...




...and set our sights on SOARING INTO THE NEXT EVENT!




Keep your eyes out for Omar Pinzon and Markus Rogan as they hit the pool Flying on this Wednesday and Thursday, Aug. 1st and 2nd. Weeeeee!
Signing out for now. What jet lag?
In strength. Love to you all,
Lee Brandon,C.S.C.S. Reporting to you from XXX LONDON OLYMPICS

Location:Stratford, England

DAY 2: Inside the Olympic Village: Answers For My Burning Curiosity

Maybe some of you have the same burning questions that never get answered!
For example:
I always wondered how hosting countries logistically managed providing services and accommodations to the worlds best athletes?
Burning questions like:
How do world class athletes find peace on the road in the midst of such an intense competition? Go to the balcony for a champions view, of course...

How do extra big and tall athletes with jet lag, actually sleep comfortably in a strange bed? I wanted to know their secret!
The answer: cute bedspreads and 18" foam bed extenders, of course:)




How can thousands of the worlds best athletes eat when the need to...eat what they want,...anytime they want...for free? The answer astounded me...

Here's an inside look at the Olympian Meal Hall.
Astounding inside view of this huge facility that is secure, open 24 hours, every type of food you can imagine, with food bars dedicated to creating flavors for every part of the world. It's like visiting the United Nations and doing a taste test of foods from 204 countries represented here in London. It is the size of a football field, with a staff to match. This alone is one of the greatest gastrointestinal feasts I have ever beheld under one roof. Truly astounding!
I don't know if any of you saw the end of the video and how USA 's food choice is exported as McDonalds. What shocked me more, we're the number of international athletes feasting there and re cueing to refill. Hmmmm...I would pay money to see those athletes in their 40's:). Maybe it's a technique we use to slow them down...not sure it's working:)
Here's how real champions fill up. This was not staged, and truly what we were eating:) (fish and every organic veggie we could load on our plate).




London weather delivered today it's thunderous furry:








And no day is complete without a view from the London Bridge in between the drops!

A special thank you: I have been blessed to meet the nicest, most gracious hosts. Thank you Renee and Uri SOLNITZKY and daughter Ani, for sharing your home with me and giving me the opportunity to come to London for the Olympics.




Tea and scones anyone?

Location:Olympic Village, Stratford. London

DAY 1: Lunch Inside the Olympic Village with the Royal Family

Day One inside the Olympic Village:
My "tube" commute is 1 hour to the venue.




The crowds were astounding.




Westfield Olympic Mall is immense, gorgeous and immense!




Holding "THE" Olympic torch was a thrill I cannot describe in words.

Upon entry into the venue, you see hundreds of flags hanging from the porches of their accommodations inside this gorgeous village.




Standing under the Olympic rings with Markus Rogan (Austrian, 2 time Silver medalist, 4 time Olympian) was a dream come true for me.




I feel like the Athletic United Nations. :) Me with my boys: Ricky Berens (USA), ?, Markus Rogan (Austria), Omar Pinzon (Colombia), Hiro (Colombia).




Queen Elizabeth joined the athletes and staff inside the village for lunch: follow the blue hat and outfit getting into her Rolls with Prince Albert just behind. Sebastian Coe ( Olympian and coordinator of the entire London Olympics) just behind him. Below it shows her getting into the car! Awesome!












Princess Anne (Queen Elizabeths daughter), joined us for lunch in the cue (only joking...she didn't have to stand in line).








In the weight room:




In the Olympic village weight room, we lifted, we stretched, turned on our core (using the Ab-Inforcer: our lights were on), fine tuned and balanced out the athletes in preparation for the event of their lives.




Omar Pinzon races tomorrow, look for him in the finals of the 100m Backstroke.




Markus Rogan races August 1st and 2nd in the 200m IM. Look for me on TV both days. I will be the tall blonde wearing red screaming:)








All systems are a GO. WE ARE READY TO RUMBLE!
No trip would be complete without getting arrested: these two nice Bobbies(police officers), I asked for directions gave me more than I asked for:). Boy, they are tough here in England!




This was a magical day. So much for Jet lag :)
Keep following me here and I will post pictures from behind the scenes inside the Olympic Village.
In Strength and Love, Dreams do come true. Never give up...never!

Location:Stratford, London: Olympic Village