Day 1 - And so it begins

October 30th (aka Day 1), and I’m in Calgary for work when I get the word that “you made the Globe!”. I’d been contacted by the Globe and Mail earlier in the week for a quick interview about having been selected as an official Olympic Torch Bearer for the 2010 Winter Games in Vancouver. The reporter, trying to get her story in for an upcoming Torch Relay feature section started the conversation by asking me “So, what does it mean to you to carry the torch?” A hokey question if you ask me. So I start talking to her about the Olympic spirit and my past involvement with the Games and the Movement and how it’s an honour and a privilege. And as I think I’ve given a great answer about being involved in something monumental, the interviewer chimes in and asks, “Ya, but what does it mean to you?” So I thought, “did you at least listen to my answer?”. I go on to explain that I’ll be carrying the torch somewhere between Sault Ste Marie and Thunder Bay, and though it will be a trip, it will be worth every second. Not knowing the geography of Northern Ontario, she asks how far the drive from Sudbury to Thunder Bay would be, so I explain that I’d rather drive to the airport, and fly there. “Ooooh, I guess it’s going to be really cold”. Toronto reporter indeed. So the smart ass in me cracks back that I’d have the flame to keep me warm… and presto – there’s my quote in the Globe. Ah well, at least I got a mention beside Shania Twain. I wonder what it means to Shania.

That hokey first question keeps coming back to me though. What does it mean to carry the torch? It touched down in Canada yesterday and began its nation-wide trek across this great country of ours and I have to commend the national media for the attention it has given the start of the relay. I had chills reading through the Globe’s feature, while I was at a conference, appropriately in the home of the Flames - Calgary. They didn’t stop when I returned to my hotel and saw it covered all over the t.v. And then I start thinking of what this really does mean. I’m not Rick Hanson or Cindy Klassen or Simon Whitfield, or any of those great Canadians being mentioned as confirmed or possible torch carriers. Neither is Shania I guess. I’m a guy who has loved sport since birth and who has been a fan of amateur sport and the Olympic Games forever. My family has always been big fans of the Olympics and all the schools I attended throughout my youth continued to pave the way for my interest and involvement in sport. It’s afforded me countless opportunities. It’s developed lifelong friendships. It has taken me all over the world. It was the basis for my university education in Sports Administration, and was also my first area of employment after finishing school. I’ve met athletes and coaches, organizers and administrators from all over this planet who all have this unifying theme tying them all together. I’ve gotten to see first hand the excitement of having a role in the Olympic Games. There’s a vibe that’s unexplainable. There’s a passion that every person from every country that’s made the trek to the Games in the air that is incomparable. The passion resonates to everyone’s home country across the world. That passion was formally ignited yesterday in Victoria.

I didn’t luck out and get the Sudbury leg of the relay, though I can hardly speak poorly about my luck with this whole experience. I’ve obviously been the recipient of great fortune with how this has all worked out. I’m pretty sure that my Nona, or my mom’s aunt, both who passed away over this last year, but both who were loyal fans of the Olympic Games provided me some help with the matter. These are the two who, nine years ago, at the youthful ages of 71 and 81, watched countless hours of Olympic coverage while I was in Sydney and swore they saw me on t.v. I told you I came from a sport-loving family. I have no doubts they made some type of deal with the big guy upstairs, or with Jacques Rogge for that matter. I still haven’t received word of where exactly I’ll be running, though my trusty Globe reporter gave me the scoop that she heard it was near Wawa. So who knows, maybe it will be me, the giant goose, and Chris Simon.
I’m not sure what I’ll write about specifically over the next ten weeks but thought this to be a good way to bring people together, like the torch relay, to not only talk about my chance to bear the Olympic Flame but to provide an opportunity for others to be a part in my journey to Day 66. I’m not expecting many of my friends and family to be able to make a trek to Wawa or whatever stretch of highway 17 I’ll be running, but I do hope that everyone can follow along via this blog and have a little bit of fun with me.
I’m generally a pretty low key type of guy but I’ve come to the realization that this is huge. This is very special, and I’ll do my best to share the experience so it can be special for you too. I guess that touches on what carrying the torch will mean to me.

“I am feeling very Olympic today”
- Sanka Coffie, Cool Runnings