Monday, June 27, 2011

Guest Post! "I Suck At Sports..."

Today's post comes from the super speedy and adorable Margot who blogs at The Faster Bunny. Margot is not only fast, but funny... I love reading her blog! She just ran Boston this year AND is running the Nuun Hood to Coast Relay! Plus, I can really identify with this topic, as I am not a team sports person at all and running is the only thing I've really been able to do and do half-way well... I especially relate to her anecdote at the end ;) Enjoy!



I Suck At Sports :  My Tribute to Long Distance Running

You know some some people who are long distance runners but played every other sport in high school too? Give them a ball, a bat, a racket, or a freaking stick and they will MacGyver the bajeezus out of any sport?  

Yeah that's not me.  

Here's my story:  

I remember my last day of school in 7th grade like it was uhhh...16 years ago: A tiny girl named Katrina who was in my gym class signed my yearbook. 

"Margot...we might suck at sports but that's ok.  - Katrina"

Wait What? Suck at sports?? Honestly, I was a little bummed. This wasn't how I envisioned my middle school legacy. I could see my end of the year school award right then. Crowds cheering as I received "Most likely to not succeed at sports".

I thought back to our volleyball unit earlier in the year. How I literally never got the ball over the net, even in a serve, through the ENTIRE UNIT.  How my coolness level probably plummeted to a new low during that sport from the underworld.

And honestly, most of the other "ball sports" were similarly challenging for me.  Soccer wasn't as bad.  What I lacked in skill, I gained in aggression!  

However, like the stubborn girl I am, I figured, eh....surely I'll get on some team in high school.  So I tried out for JV field hockey.  

And I made varsity!!!

Hah.  Just kidding.  I didn't make the team.

Instead, I started running.  2 miles a day in my spare time.  Mostly just because I wanted to be skinny since I was a vain and insecure 15 year old.  About a month later, we ran the mile in the fall of my freshman year.  I ran it in 7:11 with almost no effort.  Not that this is anything that special, but I was surprised at myself.  My mom told me if I was going to run on my own time, I might as well join the cross country team. I told her "Are you crazy??  Those girls run like four miles a day!  No way!".

And then, I took her advice. I joined the track team.  I figured...we'll probably just race the mile every day... and that could be cool, right? 

On the first Friday of practice, it was raining.  I saw my coach after school and asked if practice was cancelled. I still remember the look of confusion and disdain on his face when he answered "No. Why would it be cancelled?  We run in the rain."

I think that's the moment I became a real runner.  

One that runs in rainstorms and snow.  Who has become addicted to the feeling of intense discomfort at the end of a race and nervous butterflies before. 

I ran every season after that in high school.  I was nothing spectacular, but I loved it and got a couple letters.  And no one wrote that I sucked at sports in my yearbook!

Since then running has come in and out of my life in various waves of seriousness.  I've never stopped completely, but developed a talent for running while hungover in my early twenties.

And yeah.  I love it.  Every run isn't great, but the overall result is awesome.  

Three marathons, a billion halves, and one running-ish blog later, here I am.  I could go on and on about what running has done for me, but let's just say it's a ton :).  

I'll leave you with this anecdote:

Last Fall, I went frisbee golfing.  My boyfriend remarked that I would probably be good since I was "athletic". I held back the laughter at this remark and promptly got my butt kicked by everyone playing.  

But that's ok because if we played a game on my field, I know I'd smoke these fools in a race.  

And I probably wouldn't even have to trip them.  

4 comments:

  1. I can totally relate I suck at sports- BIG TIME. I guess people assume I'm good at other sports because I run a lot? I definitely dissappoint, but ok with that. Haha. I, too, did NOT want to do cross country because "Two miles was too far." Who knew I'd run a marathon one day. Great post!!

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  2. I loved this post! I am terrible at sports too and have the track record to prove it. I have tried everything from ballet, soccer, tennis, cross country, and lacrosse and nothing seemed to stick. I was bad at all of them. Running is great though because it's just me and I feel like no matter how fast or slow you are, you can't suck at running as long as your legs are moving!

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  3. Love this story!! I am sure I have seen a running t-shirt that said "This is for all the girls who get picked last in high school sports" or something like that. Anyway running is the perfect way to say "in your face!!"

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  4. Love Margot's blog and love this post! I was the girl in school that could dance and play sports but HATED to run. I dreaded the mile test. Fast forward 14 years out of HS and I am now a marathoner. Funny how things change as we get older!

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