MANX WEATHER

HERMES DIARY

Hermes is the son of Zeus and Maia. He is Zeus messenger. He is the fastest of the gods. He wears winged sandals, a winged hat, and carries a magic wand. He is the god of thieves and god of commerce. He is the guide for the dead to go to the underworld. He invented the lyre, the pipes, the musical scale, astronomy , weights and measures, boxing, gymnastics, and the care of olive trees

Saturday 23/07

We decided to take a whistle stop tour of London to fill in the 6 hour wait for the plane taking us to Rhodes. No problems checking in or with security at Gatwick. Wendy Christian & family turn up as we wait in the queue. Then Tommy Eccles and Stuart Cregeen and families turn up so the camp followers are all here.

Sunday middle of night 24/07

Nice meal on the plane (Thompson's) Put watch 2 hours forward. Fly into Rhodes long wait to pick up our bags then a 45 min coach ride to our Hotel Esperides Beach Hotel in Faliraki.Check in nice room fall a sleep and miss breakfast.

Sunday 24/07

The biggest shock is the heat as you walk outside the Hotel it just hits you. It's a chill out day by the pool catch up with some sleep and re-charge my batteries. Only I spend most of my time in the pool to keep cool. The food at hotel is superb everyone tastes are catered for – Supermarket on site 3 pools, water slides, internet corner. Spot on

Monday 25/07

Good English breakfast, jump in taxi with Stuart Cregeen and his boys and head out to the track.

BIG SHOCK – it looks like they just started to get it ready – work men all over the place – No steeplechase water jump (they said it will be there by Friday) No cage or markings on the grass, the stands are being built as we watch. Go back to hotel and put pictures on the web.

I watched the fire show on the Hotel grounds before I retired to my pit.

Up and out touring today in air conditioned jeep some of the bays and views are stunning around Rhodes. Had a swim in the sea near Lindus and lunch in a tavern. The people here are very friendly and helpful I keep explaining were the Isle of Man is. The rest of our group stayed round the pool, Tom & Linda Eccles toured Old Rhodes Town.

EVENING. THE TEAM IS HERE all a bit tired but no problems, A box of kit is missing but turns up later. Peter Mac looks like he has been here all summer I look like a Lobster and he a Greek god.

Our first team training session at the track just drills and try out a few bits of equipment. Team are all fit no injuries the Orkney team also at the track training. Many can't believe the heat. The Track is being repaired and built at great speed the cages are up and the Shot putt circles are laid.

During the day the athletes relax around the pool and during afternoon heat they play games team building. The Half-Marathon team have been round the course, Sam Cowen is very worried about the heat, Gail Griffiths has a niggles her calf is sore. Andy Fox hire's a car no other way he can support the team he needs transport.

Two training session today first one at 9 at the Rhodes Track, I decide to train my group at the Hotel in Tennis Court at the time they will compete. No problems all fit and well.

I then go off exploring shops in the town and have lunch out, back for 4 so that I can help get the team to the Stadium.

Just do a few laps to warm -up when I notice Ben Brand with a problem he has a shooting pain in his calf, sent to the stands for ice pack and then it's straight back to the Hotel for Andy Watson to start work on his injury. Fingers crossed we caught it early enough to sort out, Ben is very upset and in tears. Many of the team are showing problems the track has a very thin layer of tartan on a concrete base so it like running down the road.

The team returns to the Hotel to be weighed and have massagers. I go out Greek dancing? yes I did.

Quite day today only the throwers try to see if they have a circle to throw from. Half - Marathon team up and out on the course a few problems for Kevin Loundes with his stomach but better today. Andy Fox will probably run in the Half as back-up for the boys. Most of the athletes are keeping out of the sun between 2 and 4 and having a rest.

I went down into the sea and joined the fish it was like swimming in my son's fish tank only thousands more fish.

The last good session before we start everyone but Ben Brand had a short workout today. The Tri-athletes arrive no rooms for them but look in good shape.

I them go off and do some fell running (climbing up hills) to see some ruins (could not find Paul Jackson) but founds some dated 27BC.

Back for the spectacular opening ceremony it's a pity more effort was spend on the sports venues that this part of the Games.

As I update the Half- Marathon team are having breakfast it's 7 am here 5 am at home.

Half - Marathon today. Four newcomers and an OLD GIT just think that two years ago Loundes, Gumbley, Griffiths and Cowen did a bit of running to keep fit now look at them. The day belonged to the Old Git (Andy Fox) he was fantastic and a great credit to his adopted home land.

I spent the rest of the day touring.

1500 straight final and two very young athletes Rachael Franklin and Gemma Astin. They set new PB's with times that would have taken a medal in Shetlands. Very poor officials at the High Jump Final this completly put Sean Cregeen off he was very upset but is young enough to learn from it his day will come. Final event of the night and John Halligan did us proud ran a well judged race and then took to the front with 600 to go brilliant to win the Steeple Chase and set a new PB.

After a long day on the Track and with some odd results, John Halligan runs the best Steeplechase race of his life to win us our first Gold medal and restore some confidence back into the team. The standard of competition is far higher than Shetlands our results show that both Gemma Astin & Rachel Franklin would have won medals in Shetland but finished 5^h & 6^th.  Many of athletics produced PB’s in there efforts to the reach finals and at the end of day that is all we could hope for.

In between the heights of the morning and the evening track finals I visited Butterfly Valley absolutely in creditable millions and millions of butterfly well worth the visit if in Rhodes. After the Track finals on Monday evening I return my trust Jeep to the hire company.

Tuesday 2^nd July

A fantastic day for the Isle of Man Rachael Franklin & Nicola Cooil start the ball rolling both qualifying for 800 final on Thursday, Rachel Kelly makes the 100 hurdles final with a new PB.The 4 x 100 Ladies cruise into the Final followed by the Men. Ben Brand passes a fitness test and could yet run in 4 X 400 final on Friday. 

That evening Phil Riley breaks the Island record for Long jump (6.92) Gemma Astin runs incredibly well in 5000 for someone so young. Rachael Kelly improves her PB in the 100 Hurdles final but fails to pick up a medal. Louise Kneen and Charlotte Christian struggle in the Shot Putt. The 4 x 400 men make the Final the biggest talking point of the night is the officials the ladies 5000 is in chaos as they don’t know who has ran what, no time for Gemma (which is probably a new Island record) The men’s 5000 also turns into a farce the long jump officiating is also very iffy. I have seen better at Young Athletes meeting by unofficial parents helping out.

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