Day 1: Olympic Torch Relay

Sunday 1st July, that was my 'Moment to Shine'. I was fortunate enough to be nominated as one of 8,000 Olympic Torchbearers from across the world.

In the morning I put on my white tracksuit, which closely resembles white pyjamas! Fortunately it was dry and sunny outside. I set off to the torch relay HQ which was at Warwick School.

Here I got signed in, and then met a few of the other torchbearers, including Jasmine Morris pictured here with her Union Flag nails.

We were given a quick briefing, the main message of which was keeping the Olympic logo on the torch to the front! Not much health and safety faff which was rather refreshing.

Then it was off onto the coach which would be taking us to our drop-off point, which was filled with all of the torches were were going to use on our relay! Mine's in there somewhere.

The journey to the first drop-off point was quite exciting itself. This was the first time we had chance to see all of the crowds that had gathered to watch the relay. There was lots of waving! You can just see Oli Wheeldon in the bottom right of the picture.

Our very first torchbearer was Charlotte Moore, she was nervous and excited to start her stretch in Warwick.

Whilst on the bus it was a great chance to have a chat to other fellow torchbearers, here I am with Athens Olympian and medalist Georgina Harland.

The crowds in Warwick were phenomenal, and once out from the town and along Myton Road, it was turn for my stint. I jumped out of the bus to great applause from all the people who had come to see the torch. Also there were my family, who had made the trip up north from Devon, and a load of players from my frisbee team, the Leamington Lemmings (pictured), plus many other friends.

It didn't take long before I was mobbed by people wanting a closer look at the torch, and once I started handing it around, there were around 100 people wanting to hold it!

Another quick briefing from a steward on a mountain bike, a procession of coaches pumping out music and then you could see the flame approaching. It was Carina Haley (pictured) who was running with the torch towards me, she lit my torch, then, as they say, it was my 'Time to Shine'.

I was somewhat sceptical about the event to start with if I'm honest, but once I saw all the smiles on the faces of those who had came out to watch, cheer and wave, particularly the children, many of which had made their own torches, I too felt the Olympic Spirit!

I was well looked after by cheery police officers.

There were lots of flags...

...and lots of waving.

After 300m of waving, waving and more waving, it was the end of my leg.

The BBC Torch Relay coverage commented:

"Big smiles and a big kiss for Luke Hillson who is handed the flame by Carina Haley. And judging by his fit running style he clearly hasn't eaten much of his Mum's amazing cake"

As it happened, I was the very last person to run in Warwick, before the flame made it's way back onto the bus, before driving to Leamington. They use the flame to light a miners lamp to do this (pictured).

Then it was back onto the bus, a huge round of applause from the other torchbearers who had already done their leg. We then followed behind the next legs of the relay, congratulating each one as we picked them up.

Driving through Leamington Spa on the bus was almost as much fun as running with the torch itself. I also conducted a second interview with BBC Coventry and Warwickshire, speaking to the rather delightful Vic Minett. The Parade was packed with people who had come out to see the torch, and also took great pleasure in waving to a coachload of torchbearers!

After we had finished the Warwick-Leamington Spa leg on Day 44 of the 70 Day relay it was time to return to the Relay HQ, where we were given our torches to keep.

A quick snap of all the local torch bearers, then it was time to catch up with friends at the pub!

We went to The Moorings for a pint (Darling Buds!) in the sunshine. However, it seems it's not possible to go to a pub in white pyjama's with a shiny gold stick and not attract lots of attention. Within about 2 minutes, the whole of the pub were out in the beer garden getting a photograph of themselves with the torch. Naomi Brook, who was responsible for nominating me for the relay, was shaking a Cancer Research collection tin around the pub. The generosity of everyone was somewhat overwhelming, we're yet to count up the amount raised (TBA) but there were as many notes going into the tin as there were coins!

Overall it was a thoroughly enjoyable day, which was topped off with watching the Euro 2012 at a friends house drinking Brains Bitter and eating chinese take-away.

Thanks to all who came out and supported all the torch bearers on the relay, and an even bigger thanks to those who kindly donated to Cancer Research UK. As you'll have probably seen on this blog, the torch has continued on it's own relay, visiting sports clubs and school groups!

And many days and miles later, we get this...

That's my flame (apparently!).