Is Racewalking a sport?
August 22, 2008I seriously thought this would be a blog dedicated to design, really I did. I had big hopes for this blog, but so far I’ve not had real motivation or time to write about anything! But as I sit here writing, it’s 5:30am (EST) and so I’m somewhat incoherent while writing this...but I found my motivation in...Racewalking!
The Olympics
I love, love, LOVE The Olympics! I seriously can’t get enough of it. I’ve literally tried to watch as much as I can. My favorite is the USA Basketball “Redeem Team”, which is no surprise to anyone that knows me. But I’m also loving the Swimming. Phelps just blew us all away, didn’t he? So, as I woke up this morning around 5am or so, I figured I’d check out what I missed last night as I dozed off early. Looks like the USA Men got a gold in Beach Volleyball to match the Ladies from the previous night. That’s just awesome! Unfortunately the USA Women’s Softball team went out on a sour note losing to Japan 3-1. Their record was so crazy good, the Olympic higher ups were basically looking to close the sport because they were unbeatable. Don’t even get me started on the Women’s Baton Relay team. Put some glue on that baton and QUIT DROPPING IT!!! Regardless, it has so far been an exciting Olympics.
And then this morning I come across something called “Racewalking” which, unless I hadn’t heard the announcer, I would have probably called it “Extreme Mall Walking”. They seriously look like those people you see in the mall at obscure times just making loops of the mall...not buying anything...not even window shopping. They’re just there exercising. Now I wonder if these people are truly “mall walkers” or are they future Olympian “RACE Walkers” just training indoors. Maybe there’s an indoor version of the sport I’m not aware of either. Then I wonder what these people walk like when they’re not racing? Are they natural speed walkers or can they slow down to a normal pace like the rest of us? I digress.
My point...
Up until this point in my blog, I was pretty convinced that is wasn’t a sport in my book. But as these Racewalkers make their way down the final stretch, 31 miles I believe the announcer said, they enter the stadium filled with people cheering. Tears are streaming down the racer’s faces. Tears. That’s when it hits me...this really IS a sport. Now, I’m not saying I fully understand what motivates these people to get into this weird walking sport. I just think that walking 31 miles is definitely not looping around the mall a few times. It’s dedication. Somehow these racewalkers have tapped into something that motivates them to get out there and be the best they can be. So as a designer, I can understand that and relate to that and actually use that as a segway to say that maybe this blog is design related after all! Regardless of any lesson that should be learned, these racewalkers’ motivation has helped me motivate myself to blog this early morning, and for that I am thankful.
And now back to bed.
-R
