The most incredible 300 metres I've ever run
Today I got the chance to run with the Olympic flame in my home town of Aberdeen.
My moment to shine was over three hours ago and I have thought of nothing else since. I mean that literally - every conversation, every email, every waking moment. My paper is unread and my breakfast hardly touched.
How can someone running through the streets with a big shiny stick have that effect not just on me but on the tens of thousands who come out to see it in every town it visits. That must be down to the magic of the Olympics. It's proper magic - the kind that can turn something ordinary into an experience of a lifetime.
Bryan Burnett running with the Olympic Torch in Aberdeen, 12 June 2012.
The Torchbearers uniform has always reminded me a superhero outfit and that is appropriate. When you are standing in the middle of the road in your shiny white suit, holding aloft the golden torch then you feel totally invincible. It's almost like you are drawing strength from the flame.
When you run with it you are aware of all the voices shouting you on, all the kids clapping and cameras snapping but there are moments when you feel like its just you and the flame.
It's odd because although in some respects it's over in a flash, at other times during my run I was able to gather my thoughts and reflect on the notion of the torch relay and what it stands for on a wider and much more personal level.
At one point I looked up at the flame and thought about the fact that this was the same flame that came from Greece and will be the same one that will inspire our athletes on the eve of the London 2012 games.
That was the moment when the importance of this torch relay hit home.
The atmosphere on these routes has been well documented over the last few weeks. It's not hype. It really is as exciting as they promised it would be.
All Torchbearers are led out on a shuttle bus around ten minutes ahead of the convoy. Even the shuttle bus was drawing cheers and waves from the crowd. We waved back of course like some 20 strong royal entourage. We might have been up since 5am for our briefing but some of the crowds had been there since not long after that.
For me one of the best bits of the torch relay is that ability to get into different communities and inspire everyone about the Olympics.
Thousands of people are lining the routes every day and sometimes they have no idea why they are there - they just want to be part of it. In Aberdeen the council estimate that 40,000 people came out just to be part of it.
I am honoured to have been allowed to play my part in it. I have spent the past decade running in races of every description. However I could run 3000 miles and none of it could come close to the 300 metres I ran this morning.
Listen to Pass It On... with Bryan Burnett from 1810 on 12 June to hear more from Bryan about this incredible experience.
Comment number 1.
At 12th Jun 2012, Helen Milne wrote:I'm from Aberdeen but have lived in Olympia for over 35 years.To see the flame which I saw lit in Olympia on 10th May arriving in Aberdeen yesterday was incredible.The reaction and enthusiasm of the people is amazing - folk at the side of the road waving madly as the torchcam van passes by.I hate to admit it, because it sounds really pathetic, but I sit in front of my computer screen waving back!My adopted country is in a really bad way at the moment and gets a lot of stick in the international press but the torch is one good thing to come out of Greece.All the best to London for the Olympic Games - if the torch relay is anything to go by it'll be fantastic.
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Comment number 2.
At 12th Jun 2012, Madmacfaeclydebank wrote:I thought blogs were taboo with you lot?
Jeez, you ought to make up your minds!
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Comment number 3.
At 14th Jun 2012, henri hannah wrote:Yeah, i like this blogging thing... pass it on ...I think it could catch on.. how about a 'Bryan's blog' for Get It On?
The old one is much missed out here in the ether.
regardez youse
henri
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Comment number 4.
At 14th Jun 2012, DC wrote:This blogging lark is a great idea! Can we request songs too?
DC (having pan fried mackerel for supper)
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Comment number 5.
At 15th Jun 2012, dale_kelvin wrote:well done!! what was your split times?
missed it in glasgow, missed it in fort augustus, missed it in inverness.
however heathrow beckons and its all cranking up.
cheers frae the dale.
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Comment number 6.
At 17th Jun 2012, Scotch Get wrote:Ìý
Ìý
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Comment number 7.
At 18th Jun 2012, Madmacfaeclydebank wrote:Welldone FishThing, that'll put them in their plaice... should they care to read it ;-)
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Comment number 8.
At 18th Jun 2012, Madmacfaeclydebank wrote:BTW I wonder what JZ makes of the current situation & "Notthegetitonblog" campaign against one of his own?
Come to think about it... is he still in charge? On reflection, he withdrew himself from the public face of his empire just as fast as GIO closed their blog!
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