I've left it a few days before writing this little paragraph. Bit lazy, really!
The last Sexarathon series race was held this year at Harper Adams University College, replacing the much-loathed Madeley Matchmaker 5km. The Madeley race had to go as the Court Centre Sports Centre has also gone. Sad in some ways, but probably not missed much.
It was a beautiful late blue-sky Summer's evening. The old and new buildings of the college shone out in the sunshine. Here and there groups of young people were gathering for small sports events on the fields, or out working on the crops (HA is an agricultural college).
Here and there the older people were gathering for the race.
We too got together in small groups, comparing injuries and expanding waistlines, checking on series points, avoiding eye contact with our deadly rivals (well, maybe not the last one), warming up, stretching, diving into the fields for a pee..
Being a lovely warm evening in the country, there was that warm, sweet smell you get from field crops.
We made our way to the start and the field of about 200 were soon making their way out into the countryside, along a narrow lane before turning out on to a wide and undulating farm track. There was a short road stretch before a half-mile in the woods and back in the way you came out. It was over as soon as it began, really. Nothing too strenuous, nothing too hilly.
It's a shame I couldn't complete the whole series due to injury but I'll be back next year, I think I might have a new favourite little race.
Thursday, 13 September 2012
Monday, 10 September 2012
Ageism in sport
The Olympics and Paralympics were very good. Very, very good indeed. Let's hope they do "inspire a generation".
But I've got a small point that's been niggling away for some time now.
Why aren't there any serious 'games' for older people?
Both the Olympics and Paralympics are about excellence, the Paralympics also about the triumph of the human spirit over adversity perhaps. But aren't these the same sort of arguments that can easily be applied to older athletes? Substitute "disabled" for, say "60-year-old"?
Some would say older athletes have had their day and should move aside and help the next generation. That's fine if you have had a fulfilling career but what about those who came into sport later in life, and what about those who don't just want to jog about or play badminton or golf socially.(I'm picking sports at random, don't take offence!!). Older people are often tough and resourceful, and can perform to a surprisingly high level. We can all be deadly serious about our sport. Many is the time I've had a sobering lesson in a 10k or half-marathon from a 60+ year old as they run me into the ground.
Youtube, and the rest of the media from time to time come up with stories about "100-year-old marathon runner" and clips of 80-year old sprinters, and they are all done very tongue in cheek. Turn it round, substitute "disabled" for "80-year-old" and it's not so easy to snigger or be as patronising.
UK Athletics is very ambivalent about older athletes. They are all very well getting involved in RunBritain, they are encouraged to get involved with coaching, yet when UKA realised they were paying for over V35 category medals in the FRA Championships they promptly backed out their support. This is not inclusive at all.
Similarly, we often get stories like this appearing in the press. Let's all have a laugh at the middle-aged blokes who want to get back on a bike. Mid-life crisis, blah blah blah.
Climbing off my bike on Sunday after another few hours in the saddle, looking at my sweat-stained kit (from Aldi) and my dirt and grit stained bike (£475 back in 2004) I'm not jealous in the slightest. If it gets more people on bikes, good luck to them.
Ageism really is one of the last frontiers. We should encourage older citizens to compete if they want to. We shouldn't ridicule them. We should look to follow their example. We should be inclusive to all in our society and we should be "Inspiring all of our Generations".
But I've got a small point that's been niggling away for some time now.
Why aren't there any serious 'games' for older people?
Both the Olympics and Paralympics are about excellence, the Paralympics also about the triumph of the human spirit over adversity perhaps. But aren't these the same sort of arguments that can easily be applied to older athletes? Substitute "disabled" for, say "60-year-old"?
Some would say older athletes have had their day and should move aside and help the next generation. That's fine if you have had a fulfilling career but what about those who came into sport later in life, and what about those who don't just want to jog about or play badminton or golf socially.(I'm picking sports at random, don't take offence!!). Older people are often tough and resourceful, and can perform to a surprisingly high level. We can all be deadly serious about our sport. Many is the time I've had a sobering lesson in a 10k or half-marathon from a 60+ year old as they run me into the ground.
Youtube, and the rest of the media from time to time come up with stories about "100-year-old marathon runner" and clips of 80-year old sprinters, and they are all done very tongue in cheek. Turn it round, substitute "disabled" for "80-year-old" and it's not so easy to snigger or be as patronising.
UK Athletics is very ambivalent about older athletes. They are all very well getting involved in RunBritain, they are encouraged to get involved with coaching, yet when UKA realised they were paying for over V35 category medals in the FRA Championships they promptly backed out their support. This is not inclusive at all.
Similarly, we often get stories like this appearing in the press. Let's all have a laugh at the middle-aged blokes who want to get back on a bike. Mid-life crisis, blah blah blah.
Climbing off my bike on Sunday after another few hours in the saddle, looking at my sweat-stained kit (from Aldi) and my dirt and grit stained bike (£475 back in 2004) I'm not jealous in the slightest. If it gets more people on bikes, good luck to them.
Ageism really is one of the last frontiers. We should encourage older citizens to compete if they want to. We shouldn't ridicule them. We should look to follow their example. We should be inclusive to all in our society and we should be "Inspiring all of our Generations".
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