On 9 April, vegan athlete Fiona Oakes, 43, won the women's race in the North Pole Marathon in -28°C, breaking a course record by 44 minutes despite the worst conditions in the race's history.

Most of the off-court work I do is in part an insurance policy, which I hope will offset the damage I have inflicted on my body over 25 years, during which I have dragged the poor thing relentlessly around a glass box in to positions it was never designed to make.

The record I set was for the Enduroman Arch to Arc, a 290mile ultra distance triathlon that involves running, swimming and cycling from London to Paris. Before me, only 10 athletes had ever completed the challenge... It's a pretty tough nut to crack.

I learnt so much from my short time at the Powerade Sports Academy: firstly that sportspeople from all over the world are incredibly open, friendly and humble. Secondly that you can always find that little bit extra and thirdly I learnt so many tips on how to be a better sportsperson.

There are more than 10,000 athletes from 204 countries (technically, Olympic committees) competing in 302 events in 26 sports at the Olympics in London this summer.

It's that time of the four year cycle that Olympic athletes get compared to our more regular, familiar, stars. As comparisons go, it's hugely unfair. Predominantly it's footballers, but the prima donna attitude of other stars such as Kevin Pietersen has seen sportsmen in a whole variety of disciplines compared too.

On Monday morning, 6 August, at approximately five minutes past ten a 30-year-old Italian will take to the track to compete in her very first Olympic Games. To the ranks of media her name will just be one of many on a list. Indeed when I tried to sell her story to the British press, they didn't have room to tell it.

For the last four years, the superhuman athletes that will be competing this summer have been abstaining from any and all tempting behaviors in their quest for gold.

London is a great tourist destination and the Olympics have always added that extra appeal, for it highlights human skill and efforts. The spotlight is turned on London where the 2012 Olympics are being held. London promises to put on a great show.

We at the Women's Sport and Fitness Foundation believe that the London 2012 Olympics will be the best ever for women. These are some of the reasons why...

Scratch at the egalitarian sheen of the modern Games, however, and there lies a gaping class chasm. Figures from the Department of Media, Culture and Sport show that in the 2008 Olympic Games around a quarter of Britain's athletes came from independent schools, compared to just 7% of the population as a whole. Our elite athletes are elite in more ways than one.

The Village has demonstrated that it is possible to live in comfortable, modern accommodation and be more sustainable. We don't have to go back to living in caves or build houses made of straw. For London 2012 to establish this milestone for sustainable living is a major achievement to be celebrated.