RunningAHEAD - Topic: At what sport(s) are you a natural?

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rectumdamnnearkilledem

posted: 3/12/2007 at 10:09 AM

Running doesn't come easily to me...well, not running for long distances. I have good endurance, but I am SLOW. For me I can either run a short distance fast (was an OK sprinter in HS and probably would have been pretty good with better coaching/training) or a long distance slow. There is no long and fast for me. There likely never will be. I'm not built like a distance runner and have no aspirations of ever finishing near the top for my age/gender. That's OK. I like the process of the long run and race and how healthy I am. The runner's high ain't bad, either. But if I lived in the mountains and had regular access to a ski slope I have a feeling that I could be a VERY good alpine skiier. The first time I had on a good pair of rental skis (and by 'good' I mean sharpened within that season) I discovered that my relatively large, strong thighs are really useful for something! One day of lessons and I was solidly on blue slopes in CO. Unfortunately downhill skiing is a very $$ sport and there really isn't much in the way of good skiing very close to us, so it's not something I am able to do more than maybe 1 day every few years (haven't been skiing since before DS was concieved...he's now 6). I used to dream of living near the Rockies and being able to ski a few times every year. I'm a good archer, too...which is pretty much wasted, as I don't hunt. Tongue

k

Getting the wind knocked out of you is the only way to

remind your lungs how much they like the taste of air.

~ Sarah Kay

Crabby

Dog-Love

posted: 3/12/2007 at 11:05 AM

When I was a teenager I got blue ribbons for the standing broad jump. I tried it recently and was shocked how tough it is! I'm not a natural skiier although I ski all the time. (Pretty cheap in Juneau). My kids are naturals but I have a keen fear of falling. I am a natural SCUBA diver and water girl. And I can hold my breath really well so snorkeling is right up my alley. In fact breath-hold diving is great cross training for running.

Run like you are on fire! 5K goal 24:00 or less (PR 24:34) 10K goal 50:00 or less (PR 52:45) HM goal 1:55:00 or less (PR 2:03:02) Marathon Goal...Less than my PR (PR 4:33:23)

reneemc

posted: 3/12/2007 at 1:23 PM

Really, I am a natural channel surfer. And if aimless wanderings around the neighborhood were a sport I would totally kick ass. I am actually pretty good at basketball, but the teenage boys don't like to let me in their pick up games.

2008 Goals

Run 1250 miles

Get down to 135!

Break 5 hours in the NJ Marathon

jEfFgObLuE

I've got a fever...

posted: 3/12/2007 at 1:30 PM

Quote from zoom-zoom on 3/12/2007 at 10:09 AM:

there really isn't much in the way of good skiing very close to us

Hey what about Mt. Holly? Wink

On your deathbed, you won't wish that you'd spent more time at the office. But you will wish that you'd spent more time running. Because if you had, you wouldn't be on your deathbed.

clhagan

posted: 3/12/2007 at 1:46 PM

I was a natural at softball. I had a .440 batting average when I was around 14!

---- Cynthia

jEfFgObLuE

I've got a fever...

posted: 3/12/2007 at 2:05 PM

If marching band were a sport, I'd have to go with that (and at Michigan, it sure felt like a sport -- we practiced as much as the football team!) Otherwise, I guess it's running, because success at the hand-eye coordination stuff has generally eluded me. I could get down the court fast, but miss the shot. I could get open, but drop the football.

On your deathbed, you won't wish that you'd spent more time at the office. But you will wish that you'd spent more time running. Because if you had, you wouldn't be on your deathbed.

kooky2003

Now that was a bath...

posted: 3/12/2007 at 2:12 PM

It has to be running. I have always liked doing repetitive things for very long periods of time so endurance running is a concept right up my street. I was rubbish at most sports in school and I haven't tried any in later life. I'm pretty good on the xbox though. Claire xxx

jlynnbob "HTFU, Kookie's distal tibia"

Where's my closet? I need to get back in it.

Scout7

posted: 3/12/2007 at 2:17 PM

Quote from kooky2003 on 3/12/2007 at 2:12 PM:

I have always liked doing repetitive things for very long periods of time... Claire xxx

So....many....comments.....GAAAAHHH!!!

kooky2003

Now that was a bath...

posted: 3/12/2007 at 2:27 PM

Oops - didn't see that one coming!

jlynnbob "HTFU, Kookie's distal tibia"

Where's my closet? I need to get back in it.

zoom-zoom

rectumdamnnearkilledem

posted: 3/12/2007 at 3:11 PM
modified: 3/12/2007 at 3:12 PM

Quote from jEfFgObLuE on 3/12/2007 at 2:05 PM:

If marching band were a sport, I'd have to go with that (and at Michigan, it sure felt like a sport -- we practiced as much as the football team!)

As much, if not more, I'd bet. My son is obsessed with the movie Drumline. My brother was also in marching band (at Northwestern), so it's definitely something I would encourage. Much less risk than contact sports, too, but still requires every bit as much physical fitness, as well as artistic skill and hard work. Smile

Oh, and Go Blue! k

Getting the wind knocked out of you is the only way to

remind your lungs how much they like the taste of air.

~ Sarah Kay

laura25

posted: 3/12/2007 at 3:47 PM

I've always been a natural skier. Probably because I learned when I was 2 and a half. I swear, I fall less on skis than I do walking around. I also was a really strong swimmer and raced and won most of the time when I was younger. High school made me too modest to wear a swim suit and I dropped the sport. I've been thinking about taking it up again though, I always loved the water. Running is not my sport. I am not very fast, and never will be. I love it, but I'm not out to ever win anything.

Mississippi

posted: 3/12/2007 at 3:57 PM
modified: 3/12/2007 at 7:51 PM

I guess I have to say running --- I started running in 5th grade after friends told me that I was fast and nicknamed me Speedy. I didn't try anything else but I wish I would have. I ran all seasons of track and cross country. I stopped running from 1989 (when I graduated high school) until 4 years ago. Now I run and I play soccer. Soccer is fun but I'm finding that I'm not as good as I want to be. My 11 year old daughter can play a hundred times better than I can. I can get to the ball first but then I once I get there I'm not talented enough to get the ball to go where I want it go. If the ball is passed to me I play hot potato, I panic. I can't kick worth anything. My daughter's coach has been trying to help me, but it's hard to improve with just one soccer game a week and no practice time. But I won't give up. Big grin

Michelle

zoom-zoom

rectumdamnnearkilledem

posted: 3/12/2007 at 4:04 PM

Quote from Mississippi on 3/12/2007 at 3:57 PM:

Soccer is fun but I'm finding that I'm not as good as I want to be. My 11 year old daughter can play a hundred times better than I can. I can get to the ball first but then I once I get there I'm not talented enough to get the ball to go where I want it go. If the ball is passed to me I play hot potato, I panic. I can't kick worth anything.

I loved soccer, but only played in a co-ed Summer league with one game and one practice/week. I had the same problem. Most of my teammates played at least one season in school and even a couple played year-round with indoor leagues. It's another sport that I probably would have been better at with more time and better coaching.

Getting the wind knocked out of you is the only way to

remind your lungs how much they like the taste of air.

~ Sarah Kay

SpinDr

posted: 3/12/2007 at 4:16 PM
modified: 3/13/2007 at 3:57 PM

I have a saying that seems to be true for any sport I have ever tried. "I am good at everything, just not great at anything". Hockey , Snow Skiing, Snowboarding, Waterskiing, Motorcross, BMX, Baseball, Basketball (however I am 5'6", so..) Racquetball, Swimming, Running (now I would not say I am good, but heading in that direction), Skateboarding, Skydiving (ok, you jump, you pull a chute, you land..), SCUBA Diving (yep, Navy Diver), Volleyball ( back to the 5'6" thing again, but I do ok) plus a few others.. So bottom line I am never picked last for a team, but seldom picked first.

Mississippi

posted: 3/12/2007 at 4:51 PM

Skydiving ---- NEVER. The Soaring ride at Walt Disney World was more than enough for me!! Blush

I would love to play hockey but my husband said it's a guy thing. I still think it looks fun. Skateboarding - I can't even Ollie - but I can sit on the board and coast down the street. Truly the best way to have my 12 year old skaterat son deny that I'm his mother! Big grin

Skiing...Well, when I was 14 I went skiing and I wore a corduroy coat - the ski lift attendant joked that he was going to charge me for how much snow I was taking off the mountain!! Since I fell about three billion times my coat was caked with snow - my older brother didn't warn me to not wear corduroy - he laughed so hard at the sight of his snowsister. I missed school the next day on account of not being able to move!! Falling that many times took it's toll. Waterskiing/Scuba diving - No way, the sharks will get me. I am TERRIFIED of sharks. Don't even put Jaws on my tv.

Michelle

At what sport(s) are you a natural? (Read 2014 times)