Thought One: Watching the Olympics, why are the women’s outfits so much more revealing than the men’s? eg men have shorts that go to mid thigh and on very chilly days they wear cycling shorts under the uniform shorts. Women’s are much more skimpy whatever the weather. On occasion they look more like swimsuits that running gear. Will we ever see male athletes toe the line in their speedos? Could be an interesting topic for the Forum?
Thought Two: I had lunch with two old running friends, men I used to train with for hundreds of miles a year. They are much more involved with athletics club activity than I am these days. Although still more than slightly interested and just as obsessive about Clydesdale Harriers I no longer run, coach athletes nor get involved as an official or administrator. I asked them a question that another former athlete, this one now an administrator, spoke of a few weeks ago. It was about whether club members mix with each other as we used to do. They both confirmed what I had been told earlier. No they don’t. They told me that they don’t associate with each other off the track. A lot of the interaction off the competition arena is on social media. Even training schedules are dispensed over the ether. There were four of us who used to have a post-race dinner together (often at the Whitehall in Glasgow) other wee groups of particular friends would go for walks together, when Charlie Rowan performed for the Pantheon theatre club in Glasgow, we would have a busload or at least meet for dinner before heading to the theatre, we went to the Edinburgh Tattoo a couple of times. I know times change but even in the 90’s we had “largeish” groups go to the T in the Park at Balloch with some wanting to hear Runrig and others to see the Saw Doctors! I am told that there is no social life in any of the clubs these days. I may return to this one too!