I imagine many people grow
up wanting to be their sporting heroes. I have admired and wanted to emulate
dozens over the years: Mike Teague, Jonah Lomu, Daley Thompson, Curtly Ambrose,
Nigel Benn. I would have happily swapped places with any of them. Except, of
course, I lacked almost all of the pre-requisites to be a great sportsman. Firstly,
dedication. I like playing sport, but I should think Olympians are created from
greater training regimes than two mile runs with a rewarding ice cream to finish.
Secondly, actual sporting ability. I love playing cricket, but if I exchanged places
with James Anderson, test matches would never finish as I bowled endless but
enthusiastic overs of aerial wides and no-balls skidding past third slip.
Thirdly, hugely unrealistic expectations. I remember lying in bed as a fourteen
year old planning a training regime that would see me play for England in four
years’ time. Simple as that. Draw up a list of exercises, do some mental
preparation, and there you have it. Or not as it turned out. I did play for the
county twice, but as far as I remember that was mostly down to the rest of
Cambridgeshire being injured. Otherwise, a sporting career of many lowlights.
Luckily, imbued with a ridiculous
optimism, this year I will watch the Olympics with renewed enthusiasm, watching
for that event that my aging frame can still win. Maybe there is a discipline that
requires nothing more than a bit of enthusiasm and some moderate practice? After
all, Cool Runnings was based on a
true story.
Dude - shooting. From experience (of you) I feel that could go somewhere.
ReplyDeleteI'm currently in training for Rio 2016 in the archery albeit mentally at present
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