Pride Games: Track & Field

As you are all probably aware by now, I am into my running. A couple of weeks back while having a gander on the interweb, I came across the Pride Games website.I noticed that there was a 10k race organised, unfortunately it clashed with a Cancer Research one that I was already planning to do. So as an alternative and to try something different I thought I would try the track and field event, which are being organised by Open Athletics.Now taken into account the last time that I did athletics of any sort was when I was at high school, in which I tended to always come last, I was only doing this for a laugh. Unfortunately, turns out that I had no one who wanted to have a laugh with me. I wonder why?

Not being comfortable with new people (yeah really, I was quite anxious about actually going on my own. To be honest, I was close to forgetting about it, but after a successful attendance at a running club I knew I would be able to do this.

Within 5 minutes of arriving I was chatting and having a laugh with people there, so I really had nothing to worry about.

When you arrived to register, you are asked what events you wanted to partake in, but as day progressed I did start to put myself down for more.

First part of the morning was coaching sessions, where I originally concentrated on javelin, as this is what I intended to do. After a bit of playing around I thought I would go and join the group on what I thought was the long jump coaching session. Turned out to be the triple jump which is something that I have never done before but got the hang of it quite well.

After a bit of lunch it was then time to get the competition started. Here was how I went around the track and did the events:

Throwing Events

Hammer

You are kidding right? I didn’t take part in the hammer competition. I just had visions of me swinging it into the back of my head

Discus

Wasn’t originally going to do this, but thought why not. Threw an impressive first through and an ever better second one. Unfortunately, the latter was disallowed because I stepped out of the front instead of the back. Oops!!!

Distance: 17:80 metres
Position: Silver

Javelin

I loved Javelin (I did at school). First throw was good, and my second was awful and disallowed (and also hurt my shoulder), but it was the third one that went the distance.
Distance: 23.94 metres
Position: Silver

Shot Putt

Don’t make me laugh. Just looking at the shot putt, I realised I would more likely drop it on my foot than get it to a reasonable distance.

Jumping Events

High Jump

After having a little practise where I ended up trapping a calf nerve meaning that my leg hit the bar and smacked me across the head, I made the decision that I would not partake in this event. A wise one me thinks

Triple Jump

I have never done this before today, but I seemed to take to it quite well. Even so that the coach kept on calling me the expert!!!

Distance: 9.17 metres
Position: Silver

Long Jump

At school I was awful at long jump, and I aint really competition material either, but both jumps were impressive and actually surprising good

Distance: 4.94 metres
Position: Gold

Track Events

400m Hurdles

Again another event that I have never done again, and had no intention of doing it however somehow did. I can guarantee that it never gonna happen again.

OMG, the pain was unbearable. As there was five individuals doing the race, but only four sets of hurdles set out, they split it into two heats. I was placed into the heat with the most experienced and eventual winner.

I did however get the whole way round without knocking over a single hurdle so for that I was happy.

Time: 1 min 22 sec
Position: 4th/5

1500 Metres

Not having long to breath after the first event, I was told that the next was starting. And from the moment we set off I was struggling. It was that bad I was on the verge of quitting, however I persevered and finished.

Time: 6 min 2 Secs
Position: 7th/9

200, 400, 800 & 3000 metres

Feeling like sh*t I decided that I would sit out these events and watch from the sidelines.

100 metres

After a good breather, I decided that I would do the 100 metres. As there was 11 of us in total (including 1 female), it was done over 2 heats and was quite pleased to come third in my heat

Time: 14.67 seconds
Position: 5th/10

4 x 100 metre relay

This one was just for a laugh, and to make it fair you weren’t allowed to pick the team this was already done for you. I decided to do the 3rd leg leaving the fastest of the team to do the last stretch.

The first leg we were really behind and caught up slightly on the second leg. I was able to to catch up even further on the third leg and the final we rook over and came third.

When doing the award ceremony it has us down as 4th, but one of the runners slipped and let it known they were last and then we got our medals.

Time: 1 min 1.39 seconds
Position: Bronze