BBC - Olympics
An emotional farewell and back to reality
It is a fact of elite sport that you rarely get to choose the way you retire.
There are some who finish on the immense high of an Olympic gold, there are many more whose last moment of being an international athlete might be losing a selection trial, or finally giving up the battle against injury one morning in March.
Steve Redgrave is a name that will forever be associated with Olympic glory. Alison Knowles and Hester Goodsell were not names that even made it on to the Team GB list this summer, as both retired in the spring after winters blighted by illness and injury.
Everybody dreams of the fairytale ending but only a tiny number of people actually achieve it.
Proud and confused - but that's sport
I have been trying to write this blog for most of the last fortnight and what I have wanted to say has changed every day.
The logical part of my brain tells me I have got so much to be proud of. I am a two-time Olympian, part of an elite group. I won a silver medal at the 2008 Games in Beijing and have stood on the podium at three World Championships since then.
To then represent my country at a home Olympics is an indescribable honour. However, the emotional part of my brain leaves me feeling confused about London 2012.
How should I feel about coming fifth in the final of the women's eight? How should I feel about all that has happened in the last eight years, the incredible highs and horrific lows?
Broadcasting revolution of the digital Olympics
So the party's over, but the clean-up goes on.
While the past few weeks of the Olympics have been incredibly special, the work doesn't let up for BBC Sport. Alongside the huge network TV viewing figures we have seen unprecedented audience numbers for our digital services - and the challenge now is how we build on what we have seen in London for our week-in, week-out online sports coverage.
Big sporting events have traditionally been the catalyst for change in broadcasting - from the advent of colour TV to the introduction of HD - and I'd like to think what we have seen during London 2012 will have a bearing on how sport is covered in the future.
Other posts from our Olympics bloggers
London Olympics finally kick off
"How did the London Olympics of 2012 begin, Grandpa?" "In Cardiff, lad, with a toot on a whistle, and without a flame or cauldron in sight." "Whatever, Grandpa. What really happened?" For all the talk of opening ceremonies, flag-bearers and...
Hard work is done, time for nerves of steel
This blog comes to you from Lago di Varese in northern Italy, where we're putting the final touches to our preparation for the Olympic Games. We transfer to Dorney Lake early next week with the Olympic regatta starting on Saturday...
Digital quirk forces Freeview change
by Roger Mosey on 13:18 UK time, Friday, 20 July 2012
This blog's changing. As we get into Olympic Games-time it's going to be shorter, snappier and more frequent - maybe even daily when the action starts. What I'm going to do is pick up some of the main issues about...