One of the reasons why I was keen to partner with UPS for the London 2012 Olympic Games was their commitment to helping deliver the greenest Games in history. As the Official Logistics Provider for London 2012, UPS is responsible for offsetting the emissions of all logistics operations supporting the Games.
Let's face it; the convergence of thirty million items could leave a dreadful carbon footprint. Luckily it won't. The first step in solving any problem is to quantify it, so UPS will measure the carbon footprint from all its logistical operations for London 2012.
UPS has been certified by The CarbonNeutral Company and their process follows the CarbonNeutral Protocol, the global standard for ensuring the integrity of carbon neutral certification programmes.
It's much less complicated than it sounds. In a nice clean nutshell - CarbonNeutral will help work out a credible, comprehensive and certifiable number and then UPS will take concrete steps to manage and mitigate it. Environmental Karma, if you will.
Now for the interesting par... To help offset their Games Time footprint, UPS has developed a few key environmental tricks. They'll be using a fleet of electric vehicles as well as state-of-the-art biomethane tractor-trailers. But how these vehicles are powered is only part of the story. They've also developed fancy vehicle telematics, a wireless technology that helps plan the most efficient routes, reducing idle time and fuel emissions.
But it's about the smaller, simpler things too. To avoid adding to London 2012
traffic woes, UPS will be trialling bicycle deliveries in London during the
Games. With initiatives like this, we're well on our way to the greenest Games
ever.
On the 27th July, London will open its arms to the world for the start of the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games. For us at UPS who have been busy planning and preparing since mid-2009, the final sprint to the finish line has begun
Preparations at the Copper Box, or the Handball Arena as it was known in its previous guise, got into full swing at the end of last year with completion of competition logistics for the Handball and Goalball test events which took place as part of the London Prepares Series in December. Both events were delivered without a glitch and offered an invaluable opportunity for us to fine tune each stage of our logistical operations ready for Games time, where we will be tasked with the set up and delivery of more than 6000 items over a period of 40 days into this venue alone. As Venue Logistics Manager, my role includes everything from scoping of materials and materials handling, all the way through to planning the crew that would allow me to meet the venue operational needs.
The fascinating thing about delivering an event of this scale is that each venue has its own unique set of logistical challenges. Come July, the competition stages for the Handball event will take place at the Copper Box, while the finals which take place a day later will take place at the Basketball Arena. As a team, we will have less than 12 hours changeover time to transform the venue from a Basketball to Handball competition space; everything from specialist equipment to competition flooring is required to change in order within a matter of hours. But we are prepared. We have been planning every aspect of set up and breakdown for nearly three years and I have every confidence in the team that Games time operations will run as smoothly as they did during the London Prepares Series.
For me, the road to London 2012 has not only been an incredible opportunity professionally, witnessing the Games being built from scratch right in front of my eyes, but also personally it has given me the opportunity to be part of something incredibly unique. When I came to the UK from Bulgaria and joined UPS in 2008 as part of their work-study programme with Anglia Ruskin University, working my way up the ranks as a package delivery driver, and then a sorter in our largest hub in Tamworth, I never imagined that today I would be instrumental in delivering the London 2012 Games.
In 2009, I was chosen to be part of UPS's District Olympics Team inLondonto work inside LOCOG to support on UPS's Olympic journey as Official Logistics and Express Delivery Supporter of the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympics Games and I have never looked back. The experience of being part of London 2012 is something that I am sure will stay with me for the rest of my life.
Our journey to London 2012 has been a marathon rather than a sprint but with so little distance left to cover, our activity has ramped up as we get ever closer to July. We will be approaching the finish line in no time at all and I couldn't be prouder!
Hi guys,
It's been a while since I've been in touch and told you all my news, so here goes! On the 11th of April, I had the opportunity to get together with Ben Ainslie, Louis Smith and Steve Rider (the three other UPS London 2012 Olympic Games brand ambassadors), for a packed day of filming and press interviews before the Games kick off. Because of our busy schedules and Louis and Ben's intense Games preparation, we've hardly had a chance to catch up, do some work and have a bit of fun of course!
We had loads to get through on the day... Press interviews, photography shoot and round table Q&A session, not to mention a poignant film shoot in front of a green screen - a bit tricky with Louis cracking us all up every two minutes!
For the Q&A component, the UPS team asked us to bring something small that meant a great deal to each. I decided on a set of tiny screw-in training spikes, the little thingabobs that I attached to my shoes to give them grip during training and competition. For something so small, they were absolutely vital to my performance on the day... Sometimes the smallest things really do mean the most.
The other ambassadors brought in some fantastic things too. Steve brought his very first official Olympic Games press pass! From the photo you'd never guess that it was from Moscow Games way back in 1980... He looks exactly the same! Ben brought the Union Jack flag he flew with pride after winning Olympic Gold for sailing in Beijing in 2008. Louis also brought a special memento from Beijing- his prized Olympic Bronze medal that he won in the Gymnastics pommel horse event.
Ben and Louis told us about all the ways they're training and preparing for the upcoming Games, which are just a few short months away now. Listening to them explain how excited (and nervous) they were made me think back to how I felt pre-Sydney in 2000 and how proud I felt to represent my country doing what I loved.
The good news is that I get to do it all over again at London 2012. With one difference... Instead of competing, I'll be trackside presenting! The hype in London is slowly and surely building and I can't wait for it all to unfold.
Chat to you soon,
Denise
UPS is making 30 million deliveries to London 2012. We are moving 1 million pieces of sporting equipment from A to B. When you stop and think about all the effort required behind the scenes to make this happen, you realise the level of responsibility we have to not only deliver the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games, but to do so in a responsible manner. To make good on the promise of hosting a truly sustainable London 2012, we are pulling out all the stops and bringing new technologies, processes and protocols to the UK.
An Olympic and Paralympic Games are the largest logistical peacetime operations in the world, and just as it is for the athletes, for UPS it's a huge undertaking which requires dedication, strength, skill and determination. We have been committed to sustainable logistics for a long time (with our first alternative fuel vehicle dating back 70 years, when we first used electric delivery vehicles in New York!) and we are now applying everything we have learned and the initiatives and products we have already put into practice to the logistics of the Games.
To do this we are using every possible delivery channel - bicycles, barges, and even walkers - to meet our logistical commitments. These are particularly effective methods of delivery in urban areas of congestion, and they reduce road use, city noise, and carbon emissions all in one!
When driving is the most efficient way to deliver items, we are driving eco-friendly; we are adding 10 biomethane diesel vehicles to our already 2,500-strong global fleet of alternative fuel vehicles, and these will be used to serve the Games. The Olympic and Paralympic Games mark the global launch of these biomethane diesel vehicles, which run on renewable energy produced from organic waste. This reduces the need for fossil fuels, as well as the emission of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere.
Nearly all our Games vehicles will also be fitted with what we call telematics technology. This clever piece of tech uses sensors to capture information about the vehicle, its route and speed. This allows us to optimise and improve on routes, reducing fuel consumption and therefore greenhouse gas emissions.
These are the main ways we are managing and reducing the impact of our London 2012 logistical operations. However where we can't manage it, we will mitigate by purchasing Gold Standard Carbon offsets in partnership with the CarbonNeutral Company. These offsets follow rigorous protocols and standards, and will results in UPS's carbon neutral delivery of millions of London 2012 items that we deliver.
London 2012 has accelerated the implementation of a range of new technologies across the UK, and these new vehicles and technologies will also remain in use long after the closing ceremony. Where sustainability is concerned, UPS are playing the long game, and these innovations will be a part of a valuable legacy for London and the UK in 2012 and beyond.
In early January 2012, the team participated in the London Prepares test event at North Greenwich Arena. And we did good! I'm so proud to say that we qualified as a full team for London 2012 for the first time since Barcelona 1992. Get in! And my teammate, Dan Purvis and I managed to win individual gold medals at the test event too.
It was definitely one of my cleanest routines to date and I was really happy with my performance. I think I've learnt and grown a lot over the last couple of years and I'm starting to feel the difference when I compete. It was an amazing experience competing at the North Greenwich Arena too. It made things feel very real. It was great to be able to do my routine under that kind of pressure knowing that London 2012 is going to be here in just six months!
Being at North Greenwich felt like being on a football pitch, everyone was cheering for us. It was great. That kind of support is going to mean the world to me, come London 2012. Everyone knows that football teams perform better when they play at home, why shouldn't we?
What made the test event even better was that I knew my mates at UPS helped prepare the venue for us. It's the first time I've had the opportunity to see and appreciate what they do. It was very cool. We could just focus on our performance and get on with it. Everything was in its place and you could feel that it was really well organised. It immediately relaxes you. It looked totally different too; it didn't feel like the same venue that usually hosts those massive concerts.
All in all, it was a brilliant event and it made the six months that lie between the Games feel very short. I can't wait to be there for the real show.
Speak to you soon,
Louis
[J1]They
have not qualifies yet.
Not only is Weymouth and Portland part of Britain's World Heritage Coast, it provides some of the best natural sailing waters in the UK. The site has already hosted numerous international sailing events so it's no surprise then that the harbour will be the venue for the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic sailing competitions.
So, how do sailing events actually work then? 10 medal events will be held with each event consisting of a series of races. Points in each race are awarded according to position. The winner gets one point; the second-places finisher gets two points and so on. The final race is called the "Medal Race" where points are doubled. Following the medal race the individual/crew with the fewest total points is declared the winner. Got it? Good!
Now that the technical bit is out of the way, we can talk about the fun stuff. As a sailing venue, Weymouth is brilliant. It's put me through my paces over the years and often has a sneaky trick up its sleeve. The topography and lay of the land provides a great challenge and I always enjoy a good battle out on the water. Weather wise, it's windy and cold! Luckily there's loads of hot chocolate back on land afterwards.
On a more personal note, sailing at Weymouth for the London 2012 Olympic Games means the world to me. I remember sailing there as a youngster and it holds a very special place in my heart. The sailing academy at Weymouth has grown and developed with me. As the venue became more established and respected in the sailing world, so did I. We've helped one another become who we are today, and for the London 2012 Olympic Games to be held there, feels like it's all come full circle.
I can't wait to sail for a home crowd and see how my competition handles the venue I've come to know and love. After the Games, the sailing academy will benefit from the state of the art facilities left behind. The legacy of Weymouth is very important to me and I hope the young guns of today will have the same opportunity to learn, grow and shape their futures there just like I did.
Speak to you soon,
Ben
Over the years I've learned that preparation for big events is crucial and that "failing to plan is planning to fail".
To ensure that every sporting events goes off without a hitch during Games Time, my friends at UPS helped deliver a series of test events in and around London in the lead up to the Games. The series was an ideal opportunity for UPS to test operational time frames as well as bespoke logistic strategies developed for each event.
From Road Cycling, Equestrian and Sailing to BMX and Basketball and Gymnastics, the team has delivered more than 8 sets of test events to date, using what we call the 3 T's - teamwork, timing and tailor-made solutions.
With BMX and Basketball, the team had to stage two complex events at once. During the Road Cycling event, they had to lay and clear the roads before London even woke up. In Greenwich Park, the team turned an equestrian area into a complete modern pentathlon setting - in 48 hours!
In January, the team delivered the Gymnastics test event at the North Greenwich Arena. Not only did they manage to set up the arena in time but the whole Team went on to qualify for London 2012 for the first time since Barcelona 1992! And if that wasn't enough, my fellow UPS ambassador, Louis Smith won Individual Gold at the event too.
Speak to you soon,
Steve
Last time I chatted to you about all the things I've been up to. This time I thought I'd share with you some of the stories of what my fellow UPS London 2012 ambassadors and I have been doing with the team at UPS.
In honour of London 2012, UPS employees are contributing 2,012 volunteer hours to the Games and we've been helping them achieve their goal - and having some fun along the way too. The employee volunteer program is important to UPS for a number of reasons. Firstly, it's a chance for us to help inspire and encourage the team; an opportunity for them to bond, and lastly, it's a way of helping the wider UK team feel a part of London 2012. And this is what they did:
My fellow ambassador and Olympic young gun, gymnast Louis Smith visited the UPS Call Centre in Nottingham, met the team and gave them the opportunity to ask some burning questions. In short, his favourite music is reggae, he loves chicken, rice and peas, and if he weren't a gymnast he'd be a singer!
Then it was my turn to roll my sleeves up and get my hands dirty (literally)! With the help of Louis and a team of enthusiastic UPS employees, we helped clear the St. James Churchyard Garden in Piccadilly, London as part of the rejuvenation of the space as a legacy project.
Last but not least, as part of the Get Fit For 2012 campaign, adidas invited all the London 2012 sponsors to compete and battle it out in a series of events. The events included football, squash, badminton, swimming, volleyball and even Sumo wrestling. Thanks to dedication and team participation, Team UPS beat Deloitte, Visa, BMW, adidas and won the Inter-Company Challenge!
With the Games just a few months away I'm looking forward to adding a few more hours to the pot and seeing what the team has me doing next!
Speak to you soon,
Denise
As the clock struck midnight on New Year's Eve, I've no doubt there were plenty of people who reacted with surprise at just how quickly our Olympic year had come around.
But for those of us on the London 2012 logistics team, there was certainly no such surprise. We have been focused for many months on delivering the best Olympic and Paralympic Games yet, always with an eye on that immovable deadline - 27 July 2012.
With just 150 days to go until the opening ceremony, our preparations have stepped up several gears.
We have now completed live testing of our logistics operations at a host of London Prepares test events, with only a handful of venues left to go. Because these events have been live competitions with athletes, organisers and spectators all involved, it has really enabled us to scrutinise every link in the logistics chain, as close as possible to real-life Games conditions.
Most recently, we organised the logistics, installation and break-down of the gymnastics events at the North Greenwich Arena. The event was particularly poignant for us as we got to see first-hand our UPS London 2012 Ambassador Louis Smith captain Team GB's gymnastics team as they successfully qualified for the London 2012 Games.
It was fantastic to see Louis' hard work paying off, and served as a reminder to our team of the rewards to come for completing our own London 2012 mission.
The other great thing about testing logistics at live events, is that any event will throw up challenges you hadn't previously planned for. For us, this is crucial, because it allows us to test the flexibility and adaptability of our processes and, if necessary, re-examine our contingency plans.
A great example of this was our experience during the road cycling test event in the summer of 2011. It took place on the same weekend the London riots occurred, and so at the eleventh hour our team was required to secure all the road barriers we'd deployed over nearly 11 miles of road. We worked around the clock over the weekend to complete the task, and it was certainly a tough challenge to undertake. But as a result, we now have much better contingency plans in place should something similar happen during the London 2012 Games.
This is really what good logistical planning is all about - being ready and prepared to tackle the challenges you can't always forecast.
Or as Donald Rumsfeld once put it, you have to plan for the 'known knowns, the known unknowns and the unknown unknowns'.
It is a mantra I've certainly come to appreciate as we enter the final stages of our London 2012 preparations.
Last time we got together I told you about my diet and training programme, but I haven't really chatted to you about how I got into gymnastics and managed to
turn something I loved into a real career. People always ask me how/why I
became a professional gymnast in a country where every little kid wants to be a
famous footballer. Most kids get a football/tennis racquet/cricket bat to play
with; no one ever gets a pommel horse!
I loved football in school but eventually I got a bit bored of it and wanted to try something new. I remember my mum saying I couldn't focus on anything. Then
she came up with an idea - she'd take me to a gymnastics club in Huntingdon and
see what I thought. And, I loved it! I was only 6 years old but something about
gymnastics grabbed me.
It was the only thing that kept me focused and interested (and off mum's walls.) I
loved the repetition and trying to get something perfect. I loved that it wasn't easy and I really had to concentrate to get the routines right. Then I watched the 1996 Olympics on telly and thought to myself - "Wow, let's go there and do that."
My mum drove me back and forth down the A1 to the gym 6 days a week for more than 10 years. She's the only reason why I'm here today and I owe it all to her. She's been by my side for 14 years. She's helped me through the hard times,
like training through a painful injury. And she's been there through the good times too, like two Gold and Silver medals at the Commonwealth Games and one Olympic Bronze. One of my highlights was having my mum by my side in Beijing.
She traveled half way around the world to support me, having barely been out of
Peterborough before!
My coach, Paul Hall, has also been there since the beginning. He helped me win my
first title when I was 14 and we've worked harder and aimed higher ever since. With the London 2012 Olympic Games just around the corner, I want to make my mum proud and give her a bit of "pay back" for driving me to the gym and back more than 3000 times since I was 6.
Speak to you soon,
Louis
People often ask about my exercise regimen and the kind of training I
need to do to be fast and powerful on the water. As a youngster I realised that you need a powerful core to sail, so I've always concentrated on that part of my body the most. When I changed to Finn Class, I had to gain 15 kilos to handle the physical demands of a bigger boat.
Sailing is a gruelling sport. You're basically pushing water out of the
way for your boat to move through. You're pulling down sails, and then putting them back up, all while rocking the boat to propel it forward.
It's simple - the more effort you put in, the further you go. Just like
in life. So understandably, training for sailing is different to many other
sports. Doing loads of weights in the gym doesn't prepare your body in the same way as sailing. So when I'm at gym, I focus on cardio and aerobic exercises. Cardio is important because I need to maintain, lose or gain weight depending on the demands of my next regatta. It helps to be heavier in a breeze and lighter with little wind. So when I'm preparing for a regatta somewhere windy like Australia, I do heavier weights with fewer repetitions and vice versa. If I'm going somewhere still and calm like China, I'll do more reps with lighter weights and avoid the pies.
Not only do I love giving my body a challenge and seeing the results, I am
passionate about different kinds of sports fitness. Last year I joined
the Harlequins (Premiership Rugby Club) for a training session and to see how we compared physically and mentally. I love rugby so this was a great opportunity to learn more about the demands of our sports and of course - have a laugh. The session tested our individual aerobic fitness, ball handling, muscle strength and decision-making ability. It wasn't easy but I had a brilliant time and I'm looking forward to incorporating a few things I learnt into my pre-Olympic training programme.
I hope that gives you a bit more insight into what I do outside of the boat to perform at my best.
Speak to you soon,
Ben
When UPS approached me last year with the opportunity to represent them as one of their London 2012 Olympic Games Ambassadors, I was pretty excited. Back then, I didn't know much about UPS and logistics, all I knew was that they had loads of brown vans all over the show! But getting to know the team has been great and I've learnt a few things along the way too.
But what I didn't know was that UPS would help me when I found myself in a massive fix (in the middle of Mexico)! Recently I was in Cancun, Mexico, attending a Warm Weather Training Camp as part of my London 2012 preparations. It wasn't long after I arrived when I realised I was missing something, my mobile phone was gone and I had no way of reaching anyone back home.
Because I live in the UK, I needed a sim card from my home country so I couldn't just buy one there. I managed to get hold of my agent on the Wednesday who got me a replacement and shipped it via UPS. Then disaster struck, the plane that my new phone was on experienced a mechanical delay and was stuck in the UK.
Fortunately for me, UPS loves logistics. Apparently they were able to implement a contingency plan that put my phone on another flight from the UK that went directly to the U.S. 24 hours later my new phone was safely in my hands in Cancun and I was able to work hard and carry on with my training camp.
Speak to you soon,
Louis
Until recently I've never given a thought to how the temporary studios that I've strolled into over the years have been built or equipped. But teaming up with UPS and discovering what they'll be doing to deliver the Games in London has given me great insight.
If anything, I had only remotely considered the equipment that affected my personal broadcast responsibilities, but UPS is responsible for moving a whopping 400 tonnes of broadcast equipment to the Games. Everything from TV cameras, lenses and tri-pods to camcorders and cables for thousands of photographers, sound engineers, technicians and presenters from all over the world.
Over the years there has been the odd moment that prompted my admiration. I remember in 1992, our state-of-the-art broadcast scanner was at Silverstone, in the heart of the television compound, amidst about thirty miles of cable. Once the broadcast was over, I said farewell to the director, left the scanner and drove north to Muirfield for the Open Championship. Admittedly I stopped on the way overnight
and had a leisurely breakfast the next morning, but when I arrived at Muirfield
the giant scanner was in the compound, rigged and ready to go - well before I
was!
At the end of the Open I was on a tight schedule. I raced home, packed a new suitcase, made a few calls, did half a days work at television centre then flew to Barcelona for our Olympic coverage. I beat the scanner into the Barcelona compound by less than ninety minutes.
I'm looking forward to watching similar logistical miracles with UPS - especially because they will be achieved with a sense of routine and no drama whatsoever. I have a feeling that watching UPS deliver the Games may overtake my impressive Silverstone scanner memory!
- Steve Rider
When I retired from professional sport I thought life would slow down slightly, but if
anything, my weeks are busier and even more chaotic. There's no such thing as a
typical week for me anymore. Training for up to 6 hours a day, everyday used to
provide more structure to my time. Now that my time has freed up, I am able to
do more with it.
From filming TV programmes and representing various brands, to speaking to young people and politicians - every week is different. And that's the professional side of things! I'm also a mom, a wife and a very proud London 2012 ambassador. I have to be ruthlessly organised and plan everything ahead of time. Having a strong
and supportive team helps enormously, a little bit of delegation goes a long way.
People have heard a lot about my sporting "bests" over the years but there have been so many personal "bests" that I'm equally proud of. My wedding day and the healthy birth of my children are daily reminders of how blessed I am.
Presenting to the IOC in the bid to host the 2012 Olympic Games was a tremendous honour. It was followed by an anxious wait, but I will never forget the moment the
final announcement was made.
These are the memories that stand out and bring me great pride and joy, and make all the busy, chaotic weeks more than worthwhile.
Speak to you soon,
Denise
In the lead up to London 2012, my training schedule has intensified and at the moment we're training hard and ironing out all the little creases. I have a day off now and then but it's difficult to sit back and relax when you think that while you're tucking into a bag of salted peanuts, one of your competitors could be in the gym getting fitter and stronger.
On a training day, I usually start with a warm-up that takes about an hour. I focus on stretching and general conditioning. Most of the time I use my own body weight for this but occasionally I'll pick up a free weight or two. Then I do about 3 apparatus sessions with different combinations, focusing on the ones I'll be using in upcoming competitions.
Afterwards, I'll have a break and enjoy a good healthy lunch. After my break I'll do exercises that help with my individual elements, these include loads of handstands, push-ups and lift ups. I do lots of mid-body stuff to help strengthen my core and improve my posture.
Some training days are hard and you don't feel as strong, but you just have to work through them and try to not let them get you down. Mental strength gives you physical strength when you need it most.
Being a professional sportsman and Olympian is hard. But it's the dedication and the will to get up and train that eventually gets you there. You can be a naturally gifted athlete but without focus, discipline and self-motivation you will never be a true champion.
Speak to you guys soon,
Louis
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