The Olympics won’t become another Millennium Dome fiasco

A lot is riding on this year’s Olympics. OK, so we’re all feeling the pinch of the recession, but it would be a hard heart who couldn’t get excited about the opening ceremony, which is being created and produced by one of our finest film directors, Danny Boyle. The cost of the ceremony itself has been a topic of heated debate, but as a showcase for all that it means to be proud and British, it could certainly cheer up a few of us.

Hopefully organisers will have learnt from the mistakes of another huge architectural showpiece, the Millennium Dome, both in terms of cost and lasting legacy to the country as a whole.


Image by: Stephen Jones

Built to herald in the new millennium, the Dome itself cost £700 million to build, but in the end much more was eventually ploughed into the project.  After a private opening on New Year ’s Eve, 1999, the original plan was that the venue would be open to the public for a wide range of exhibitions and events from 1st January until 31st December 2000, and it saw 6.5 million visitors through the doors.  Subsequent financial problems and lack of forward planning meant that, sadly, it lay unused for six years afterwards, until O2 reopened it as an events entertainment venue in 2007.

The Biggest Event in the World Needs a Big Welcome

Those who have worked to bring the Olympics and those responsible for the running of the event have bigger ideas though.

According to Sport England, growth in the sport sector has outstripped the economy of the whole of England over the past two decades.

A building project the size of a small city is being erected in London with ingenuously engineered PVC buildings, such as the gloriously quirky basketball arena. These are being constructed at record breaking speeds, ready for the influx of thousands of competitors.


Image by: Lindy Zubairy

London must take full advantage of these new facilities, a city still reeling from a summer which saw the nation’s youths take to the street with widespread vandalism and destruction can provide a legacy for youngsters in sport to funnel their energy into worthwhile character building activities.

The Value of Sport

I have always been a great believer in encouraging kids to take up sports. The focus that a sporting routine can bring to a child’s life is vastly beneficial.

We are used to hearing about kids overcoming adversity through sport in local news stories but unfortunately this is an exception. Yes, there may be fantastic facilities out there such as those opened by Lord Coe at St Marys University College, but they are only available to a small percentage of kids and there are only so many qualified coaches to really engage with them.
But through the construction of Olympic facilities, London will inherit a fantastic opportunity to grow a new generation of athletes.

Forever Blowing Bubbles

With West Ham's bid to own the stadium halted by legal challenges, they are still looking to utilise the Olympic park after the games have finished. Although a guaranteed turnout for matches is a very attractive and stable proposition for the Olympic committee and Lord Coe, perhaps the legacy should focus on athletics?

Using the stadium as a stop gap for a football club whilst they build resources to construct a purposely built venue is misleading to the claims of legacy that helped us secure the games in the first place.

Lord Coe said recently that "It is very important that we maintain a commitment to an Olympic legacy and to a mix of tenancies in there." Countless amateur and professional sports clubs around the country will be hoping this is not an empty promise.

The true test of the Olympic legacy will be measured long after the event has finished and its temporary structures dismantled.  Danny Boyle says that he is involving 900 local children in the opening ceremony, so that they will always have a connection to this amazing event.  By imprinting it onto their memories, he hopes that their involvement will help keep the place alive and real for them into the future.

Dan Izzard is a freelance journalist writing for Eurocell, who provide a superior range of composite doors and windows that can greatly increase the energy efficiency of your home.

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Five Top Rated Mountain Bikes - Post Injury Rehabilitation

Image by Getty Images via @daylife

Mountain biking builds strength and increases stamina. If you are recovering from an injury, mountain biking could be a good way to strengthen your legs, arms, and abdominal muscles in a fun setting. Most indoor gyms offer mountain biking settings on their stable bicycles to provide you with the same sort of workout without the demands of an outdoor biking trail. If you're ready to take the bike out of the gym, here are some of the best mountain bikes on the market today. Make sure you choose a bike that fits you well, and practice working the gears until you are comfortable with them before you go off-road with your new bike.

The following bikes are the best for off-road touring and for flat trails. They perform well in steep climbs and descents, but are not designed to handle more rugged terrain. If you are recovering from an injury, you should be avoiding that sort of riding until you recovery fully.

Trek Fuel EX 8

This bike has full suspension on both the front and rear tires so that it can handle almost any kind of trail comfortably. The aluminum frame sports a 9-speed gear box, and the bike is equipped with hydraulic disc brakes. You can find the Trek Fuel EX 8 in five sizes for men and one size for women. Experts and bikers agree that this is probably the best mountain bike you can buy.

Specialized Stumpjumper FSR Comp

This bike also has full suspension on the front and rear tires, with an adjustable shock on the rear. The adjustable shock makes it easy to configure the bike to handle different kinds of terrain, from climbing steep hills or cruising down the other side. The shifting mechanism is very smooth, and the bike is perfect for longer rides.

Santa Cruz Blur LT

The Santa Cruz Blur LT is a little more expensive than the Trek Fuel or the Stumpjumper, but biker reviews indicate that it is worth the extra cost. It is durable and comfortable, but it offers a high level of performance on the trail. This bike is especially good at climbing steep hills more easily than other bikes at this price range.

Pivot Mach 5

This bike is known for the amount of grip that the tires offer. It provides a sturdy, comfortable ride on all sorts of terrain. The only complaint about the Pivot Mach 5 is that it can become a little unstable on steep climbs. The comfortable suspension and responsive pedals more than make up for the bike's climbing ability.

Felt Virtue 2

This is a lighter bike that is known for its comfort on longer rides. The wheels and tires on the Virtue 2 are a little heavy, though, so you might do better changing them out for something lighter so that you can take full advantage of the lightweight frame. This bike is priced relatively low for the features and comfort it offers, which makes it an excellent deal.

Jessica Bosari writes about health for TherapistSchools.com. The site is an information resource for those seeking careers in the therapy field. They offer details about physical therapy careers such as physical therapist salary and schools.

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Five Things That Will Keep You Coming Back To A Gym

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Countless people join a gym, only to cease attending shortly after. Often this is down to them failing to check the facilities for those little things that will keep them coming back. But what are these things? Even something as small as the quality of the lockers and cubicles matter, but here are five things you should always look for prior to signing on the dotted line:

The Staff

The help and attention received from staff is vital in regards to keeping members motivated and returning. Ideally you want staff that know your name, and are encouraging and motivating – offering to design you a programme while working with you regularly to check your progress and change your programme around.

The problem is that a quick look around the gym is not sufficient to determine if this level of service is commonplace. Don’t always trust the word of your tour guide – often they are a salesperson on commission, and will say whatever necessary in order to get you to join.

So how can you find out if you’re going to receive the help you need, or are going to get ignored once the gym has your money?

When you’re in the gym itself take a good look around – what are the staff doing? Are they helping members with equipment and their workouts or standing around chatting with each other? Or are they simply absent from the room altogether? Also if you have a chance, ask a few current members about the level of service they receive and whatever you do, don’t be pressured to sign on the day – go home and read some reviews, in order to gauge a true idea of what will happen once your monthly direct debit is safely in place.

The Facilities

While different people want and desire different facilities, it is beneficial to have all the facilities you would like included as part of your membership. Therefore, if you really want a swimming pool, and know you would make more use of it than you would of the gym equipment, don’t be pressured into joining a gym-only facility simply because the price is cheaper or the talented salesperson convinced you to.

Also, if you know you’re going to be showering and getting ready for work or a night out at the gym instead of home, choose a facility that provides adequate lockers and cubicles, as well as extras such as hairdryers and if needed, hair straighteners.

In essence, before beginning your search for a gym, ascertain exactly what facilities you would like. This will make sure you don’t get roped in by a fancy starter package or a convincing salesperson and will actually get the facilities and service you’re after.

Quality of Changing Facilities

Whilst it might seem insignificant, the quality, cleanliness and overall feel of the changing rooms are vital if you’re going to keep coming back. Not only should the environment be pleasant, but there should also be adequate cubicles (for privacy) and secure lockers (for reassurance).

Location

The location of the gym is vital. If it’s too far away from home or work you won’t go – fact. So ensure you choose a gym that is either near to your home or place of work, or is on your way home from work. There is simply no point joining a gym that is located on a route you never take since the effort and expense involved in attending will mean you will very quickly find yourself heading for the television instead of the treadmill.

In fact, location is the one area that I would recommend sacrificing on facilities or service.

Class Schedule

While fitness classes aren’t for everybody, they do provide a welcome diversion from the possible monotony of the gym. However, classes are timetabled, and if they don’t fit into your schedule then as far as you’re concerned, they might as well not exist. Therefore if classes are an aspect of the gym that interests you, don’t just look at the range of classes available - look properly at the times they are on. If the times aren’t suitable it may be worth looking at other facilities that hold more classes or classes at earlier or later times in the day.

This article was written by Amy Fowler on behalf of Prospec. Amy writes on a variety of topics including gym facilities such as lockers and cubicles.

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