Olympic Memories

This week, the 2012 Olympics begin in London. Sixteen years ago, the world was coming to Atlanta when we hosted the Olympics.

The building where I worked then was two blocks from Peachtree Street, the Peachtree Street in downtown Atlanta, the final leg of the marathon.

A very hot Sunday morning, thousands of us lined up along Peachtree waiting for the marathoners to run by First, the police units rode by clearing the street. Small helicopters flew between the buildings with photographers literally hanging out the doors. We knew the runners were close.

Next, large trucks with stair steps on the back full of photographers holding cameras with extremely long lenses. And finally behind the trucks were the runners.

It was so exciting, like a slow motion film, as the crowds were screaming, waving their flags from Korea, the United States, from around the world.

And in a second, the first runners came by, still kicking high, not breaking a sweat on that steamy Atlanta summer morning. Good memories!