What is this forum about? One guys thoughts..

[Alan H]

Well, it started out being about the Heavy Athletics events at the Highland Games. However, I see no need to limit it to that, though I would guess that will be the primary activity listed here. I kind of figure it like this....

If you regularly do an athletic endeavour that you train for, and at least some of it you can do in your kilt, then tell us about it here.

So that sort of brings up the question..."what's an athletic endeavour"?

I guess that the two qualifiers could be...

1.) "I train for it".
2.) something about the activity involves wearing a kilt.


I personally would include ANY regular training program in here, including general weight loss or fitness programs as long as SOMETHING about it, has SOMETHING to do with kilts. "Something" could be as simple as "I want to lose twenty pounds so that I fit into the kilts I bought ten years ago".

This is tough because obviously Highland dancing is athletically challenging and some of the dancers train for it pretty darn hard. Personally, I think that any dancers who physically train for dancing (not just practicing steps, but physical strength and endurance training) want to post here, they're more than welcome. Ditto for activities which are obviously strenuous, but might not normally be thought of as "athletics". Backpacking comes to mine. If you TRAIN for it, post about it here!

Now, this is important. I AM NOT THE ATHLETICS FORUM MODERATOR. I am just Alan H, X Marks member who just-so-happens to post on the athletics forum a lot. So this is my idea and nobody elses. I have no "say" in what gets written about here. I just happen to think that the array of sports that popped up in the "2012 Goals" post was outrageously cool, and want to encourage more of that.

I think it would be great to include more sports and athletics into this forum, and not limit it solely to the Scottish Heavies.

Thoughts?

[Alan H]

USING XMARKS TO LOG TRAINING WORKOUTS

I post over at http://www.nasgaweb.com and regularly...even religiously, post my lifting and throwing workouts over there. When GGGP and ecklarkhb started throwing and posting here a bit, I ramped up my workout logs here on X Marks.

Logging my workouts has been a GIGANTIC motivational tool for me, and from the number of people logging at NASGA, it seems like it's a good tool for a lot of people. I can't emphasize this enough, it's been a game-changer for me.

Why not use this forum as a training log?

The only caveat that occurs to me about logging in the athletics forum here, is doing a strictly weight-loss log that doesn't incorporate any exercise in it. Hey, I'm all in favor of staying trim and active, and if logging what you eat helps you, then by all means go for it. I'm just not sure that this forum on X Marks is the place for that. But that's just me, eh? However, if you log exercise workouts AND diet, and when you're done with your three month program of diet AND exercise, you go do a timed walking race in your kilt, then dudes and dudettes, that seems spot-on to me....why not log here?

Just my two cents.

[BoldHighlander]

Well, it started out being about the Heavy Athletics events at the Highland Games. However, I see no need to limit it to that, though I would guess that will be the primary activity listed here. I kind of figure it like this....

Now, this is important. I AM NOT THE ATHLETICS FORUM MODERATOR. I am just Alan H, X Marks member who just-so-happens to post on the athletics forum a lot.

Alan, this is not (I'm sure) what your looking for but I just wanted to say that while I do not participate in Heavy Athletics (lower back issues) nor read all postings in this sub-section of XMARKS, I do truly enjoy reading yours (& others) various posts about your training & achievements in athletics (as well as others), just as much as I enjoy watching these events at Games in person.
(I just wanted you to know.)

So having said that I have no dog in the hunt, but will be watching with an interested eye to see how this develops.

Cheers!

[auld argonian]

Maybe this just grazes the periphery of Highland events but I wish that longbow archery was a regular part of the Games and that us "little guys" could participate in it as a separate event. No way I'm going to toss a stone much larger than a housebrick and you're not going to get a crowd for the mini-caber while the proper big-@ss caber is being tossed later in the day (wives and girlfriends excluded).

Still, be nice to do. I understand the liability issues, though...they used to have the chicago games right next to a golf course..."Omigod! Some guy just got shot with an arrow on the fourth green!"

I had to walk the Chicago Kilted Run (a lousy 3k, no less) this past year...hope to be able to actually RUN it this year. Not tossing a caber but certainly doing a bit of self-improvement to get there...

Best

AA

[GoodGirlGonePlaid]

Well, I probably shouldn't being reading this "fitness and diet" post while having a (lol) glass of wine and chomping on popcorn but...

There's a half marathon/ 5k next weekend. I think I'll participate, I've never run with others. This thread tempts me to do it kilted. Do lasses ever run these kilted like the men do? I guess we'll see.

Ok bragging right here: at the gym on Fri, I hit the lat pull down and the chest press after 2 different men (a little older than I, rather fit) and DIDN'T need to change the weight! Grrrrrrrrrrrr, I'm strong!

I just added 2.5 feet and a 10ft 2x4 to my practice caber. I haven't tossed it yet, but all that hammering and duct taping was work!

[ccga3359]

It's about guys getting their rocks off.

[Rab]

GGGP we did a race last year where we tried to get everyone kilted, it was a 28 mile trail run on the west highland way and I think we had around 35 (both lads & lassies) all wearing kilts of some sort.

I've been wearing a kilt exclusively for all my races since Sep 2010, so think thats been about 10 times now.
I enjoy watching the heavies and over here quite a lot of the highland games also incorporate track style running events, hill races and even cycling so dont see anything wrong with opening things up as I do enjoy reading about the heavy events.

[eclarkhb]

I personally like the idea of including other kilted sports...seems interesting.

[Detroitpete]

Alan, et al,

I think this forum is big enough to encompass any and all kilted athletic endeavors. We caber throwers can still discuss our activities and others can discuss theirs--of course, pictures and videos are always great! Hiking, dancing, running, you name it--I agree with Alan, if you train physically for it and it involves wearing a kilt, I'm fine with, and eager to see to posts.

[Alan H]

It's about guys getting their rocks off.

Now, now, Grant. GGGP is a girl. This is a gender-neutral sub-forum!

*cough*