Your sporting stories/achievements

An epic experience Longdogs.

Thanks for sharing:-)

Minx wrote

Racquet sports - I loved tennis but it didn’t pan out for me. It’s a rather embarrassing story but highlights the importance of a ‘proper’ coach.

That’s a bit odd, indeed. I must say, however, that I didn’t have a proper couch either. We just learnt by observing others and informed ourselves about the rules. It was sort of expected.
Riding a bicycle is great fun. I should have mentioned that I have been doing that since I was a boy and somehow took for granted that everyone can do it…:shock:

Upps, I meant coach of course…:wink:

  1. My parents couldn’t afford to buy one
  2. In my culture, girls were not permitted to ride bicycles on the streets - my parents were VERY strict

That’s still super cool Keezoy :cool:

Minx wrote

  1. My parents couldn’t afford to buy one
  2. In my culture, girls were not permitted to ride bicycles on the streets - my parents were VERY strict

That’s very interesting, indeed.

I saw on another thread that Carol had asked about the old format forum and a link was provided so I took a quick look down memory lane.

This was an interesting thread - if any of the newer members would like to share their sporting experiences, please feel free to share :grinning:

Horse sports.
Me on my brother’s horse Rene, middle horse. I didn’t win. :grinning:

I’ve still got that rosette. :grinning:

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My school sports achievement was in hockey and gymnastics where I was awarded full school colours which were sewn onto my school blazer.

I was goalkeeper in the school hockey team and wore my brother’s old football boots to kick most of the hockey balls away. :grinning:

That takes me back a few years! :grinning_face_with_smiling_eyes:

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I rowed bow in eights for the school which culminated at Pangbourne for the school to take the trophy cup. I also was an archer for the county in several competitions and also fenced with foil until lack of time brought that to an abrupt close.

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It would be great if you could share a pic :smiley:

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Wonderful Mags, any injuries?

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Oh my, very posh LD!

Fortunately no injuries, Minx :grinning:

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That’s good! A somewhere dangerous sport :field_hockey: for injuries.

That’s boarding school and it’s influence that has assisted me throughout my life. It opened several doors for me as time progressed.

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The hardest thing I ever did in my life was when I foolishly accepted a challenge to walk the Lyke Wake Walk. 42 miles across the North York Moors from Osmotherly to Ravenscar on the coast.
Its customary to start the walk at midnight, walk through the night, and part of the next day, just in case you get lost. It’s easier to find you in daylight, and you are allowed 24 hours in which to complete the walk and obtain a badge. Which is incidentally a coffin… :coffin:

I had walked a few long distance paths in the past, but nothing like this.
We struggled up steep hills and over sodden peat bogs, through the night and into the dawn.
It was no surprise when it started raining as the sky began to lighten. As enthusiasm began to wain, and the support vehicle looked enticingly warm and comfortable, I had made up my mind to perhaps give up the struggle at the next checkpoint.

With thirty miles covered we arrived at the next checkpoint and I felt great. The sun had pushed its way through the grey overcast skies and I was feeling warm and happy, apart from my cold wet feet. There was no way that I would not make it to the end, and after fifteen hours, collapsed onto the grass overlooking the North sea at Ravenscar…

It took me over a week to learn to walk properly again, but as well as being the hardest physical thing I had ever done, it was also the most rewarding, and for some unknown reason, I couldn’t get it out of my mind. So a year later, I did it again. I managed a further three crossings, which got increasingly easier each time, until one day in June 1983 I was dropped off at the start and ran the thing in eight and a half hours.

There was a race each year in July, and for the next ten years I took part every year managing to complete the run in six hours and a best position of seventh overall.
I went on to compete in many fell runs of of fifty or sixty miles, and even ventured onto roads where I completed 36 full marathons (including the Snowdon Marathon) and over sixty half marathons.
At 72 and after two heart attacks, running continues…
:running_man:

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Wishing you many more happy running years ahead!

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Playing rugby at school being able to walk off the pitch after a match I considered quite an achievement.

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Yes, it is an achievement. I was always worrying about my son when he was on the field.

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