Sunday, September 4, 2011

Why do we love running?

Making the choice for today's post was a little tough, been a busy weekend. But I went with the World Track and Field Championships in South Korea because ... well, because sometimes it's good to roll out the patriotism and Ireland was in there plugging away for the Olympics.

Derval O' Rourke qualified for the semi-finals of the 100m but then had to withdraw because of a calf injury. As someone who went through a string of left-then-right-then-left calf problems, lots of empathy for how frustrating it must have been to get so so close and then have to bail. We rely on our bodies so much in sport, it's difficult to accept when things just don't go right. And you just have to let it go and start again the next day or week or month or whenever that muscle decides to spring back into action.

But on a happier note, high jumper Deirdre Ryan set an Irish record at 1.95 and qualified for the A-standard Olympics.

And the 4x400m relay team placed 12th overall which the Athletics Ireland site says sets them up well for the Olympics: Marian Heffernan, Claire Bergin, Michelle Carey and Joanne Cuddihy (she was very unlucky earlier having made it to the semi-final of the individual race only to be disqualified for a false start, the pain).

I don't know how athletics is viewed where you are, but in Ireland it's one of those sports we love when the big races are on and then it fades off the radar until the next meet. And Hands up, I'm just as guilty of this as the next person. Running is fascinating really, all about freedom and power but so hemmed in by the rules we need to make sport function as a competition. Interesting. 

I know from reading your blogs that quite a few of you run seriously - what's the attraction to the formal competition side of things? 


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