Since I had the idea to chronicle this goal to run the Olympics, I’ve been at a loss with what to call it. Olympic running? Olympic dreaming? Olympic scheming? Things like that already exist, or just weren’t memorable or catchy enough. Nobody cares if you dream of the Olympics – everyone does. As I began to plan my next trip – London – it came to me. The Fake Olympian.

I’ll never be a true Olympian. I’ll never have the opportunity to represent my country in an international sports setting, but my love for the Olympics remains strong. I’ve loved the Olympics since I was a child, and have followed them over the years. When given the opportunity, I’ve used school projects to further my interest. In seventh grade, we had to choose a year and create our own Time magazine. I chose 1972, just so I could create a magazine about the 1972 Munich Olympic Games. Years later, as a super senior at Cal State Fullerton, I created a press kit for the United States Olympic Committee in my public relations writing class. I love anything and everything about the Olympics. When the Olympics come around, you’ll pretty much find my just watching TV, just so I can see all Olympic coverage. And I mean everything. Curling? No problem. Love it. Qualifying rounds of volleyball and table tennis? You better believe it. One of my favorite things to watch is the marathon. No joke.

The deep history of the Olympic Games leaves so much to learn. However, I found this video to start to help get you up to speed!

The Olympics have definitely changed over the years. From the first modern Olympic Games in 1896 to last year’s Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, one thing stands out. Commercialization. While commercialization definitely plays a bigger part now, the Olympic spirit is still the same. People from all over the world aspire to be an Olympian. Take away the commercialization, and it still evokes the same fire or desire as before. There is just something about representing your country at the Olympics.

I’m doing this for myself, and I’m doing this for the history. I won’t be a true Olympian, but this journey to travel all the Summer Olympic sites makes me some kind of Olympian. I call myself the Fake Olympian.