Boy was it wet this morning Blog? Or was it wet?
Yes it was, yes it was.
Pouring down with water
Pouring down with water.
Oh dear me, oh dear me.
Soaking wet, soaking wet.
Splashing round in water,
Splashing round in water.
Oh dear me, oh dear me.
This morning was the final Fun Run at the Centurions’ monthly ‘5’ mile races. My granddaughter ran the Fun Run, accompanied by her mum, who then ran and won the ‘5’!!! Amazing that so many people can enjoy themselves in the cold and wet while I am as miserable as sin. At the presentation, my granddaughter was as pleased as punch when her name was called out and she found that she had won a plaque in the Fun Run for being 3rd in the overall series run throughout the winter months; her first ever award!!!! She was dead chuffed until a few minutes later when her mum’s name was read out because she had finished second overall in the senior women’s section!!! Déjà vu!!! Rewind twenty years and it was like watching my kids win plaques only to find their mother had won as well!!! Of course for me, the most satisfying aspect of all this awards’ business, is not so much the fact the family have amassed a stack of medals etc. over the years, but the fact that they still enjoy the competition and the training. So what happened to all their friends who were so good when my children were small??? I’ll tell you what has happened Blog. They have lost interest; that is what has happened to them. Their friends were probably a lot better than my two, but their friends were told they were good by their parents and the club coaches, whereas my kids could train if they wanted to or not. Relaxed. No hang ups please. They were allowed to have a laugh if they wanted.
A true story Blog, I kid you not. One of the club coaches must have had a couple of dozen girls in her group. Some were talented. The coach was always so desperate to produce a successful athlete; time and record every single step they take. One particularly talented girl was told not to associate with my daughter as my daughter ‘didn’t take her athletics seriously enough’! And Blog, who is the only girl in the group still competing today???
In another life, I was interested to find out the reason (s) for the dropout rate of young females from athletics. Part of this investigation involved a series of open ended questions answered anonymously by the target group. And guess what?? Blog I kid you not …. ‘BOREDOM’ … or words to that effect. One reply put her reason quite succinctly … ‘I know what training I will be doing this time next year; the same as I was doing this time last year.’ To précis … ‘no fun’ or ‘too serious’ were also offered as explanation. I had to go to considerable trouble to find a large enough sample of girls who had already left the sport to gain some insight. I found the results unsurprising. Observe down any club how unstructured the training set by the coaches seems to be over a given time (well to me looking in from the outside). Some athletes have been known to quip that the given session was conceived on the way down to the track. And the thought given by the great uncoached ….. ‘What are you doing tonight?’ or, for the more democratically reared, ‘What shall we do tonight?’
And now for a treat Blog ….. at last I have remembered to give you a quiz answer. An answer!!!! Are you excited Blog? Or are you excited?? .. the first of many if I remember to take my new memory pills. Ever so good they are. Really. Some bloke from Nigeria sold them to me on the computer message thing. I won a lottery at the same time. When the winnings arrive I will treat you Blog. Promise. I think I will treat myself to a pair of new running shoes now that my rib cage bones are healing so well. I got some pills for my ribs off the same bloke. …. Trudging? No way. … Jogging? Not on your life. … Running? You’ve said it Blog. Running with a capital ‘R’.
So
Photo no. 49:- Why is this Olympian and former world record holder shaking my hand? Or am I shaking his hand? Where were we? What was the occasion? Who is he?
The occasion was the launch of Manchester’s bid to stage the Olympic Games. It took place at Tatton Park … the launch not the Olympics!!! The athlete is Olympic bronze medallist and former world record holder for the mile, Derek Ibbotson. I first met Derek when I was 17 years old, two days after joining my first athletics club, Bingley Harriers ... and before my first Inter Club Cross Country Race. Derek ran for Longwood Harriers (which is in Huddersfield).
Colin
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