Heavy Athletics, tradition and the kilt - questions

[Martin Roy]

But my question is still, what brings you to X Marks? Did you come here looking for stuff about kilts and then found Alan's little corner of the forum? Did Alan threaten to toss you over a bar if you didn't join up?

Interesting question, Steve.

In all honesty I don't recall how I found XMarks - it could have been several years before I started throwing in 2010 or afterwards stemming from a discussion with Alan about throwing. My brothers and I have been having a Burns Night for about 15 years; my discovery of XMarks could well have happened during research for our annual party. However, it's fair to say I didn't really check it regularly until I began throwing and obsessively reading anything I could find on Scottish athletics. The posts by Alan and others in the Athletics sub-forum were something I followed for quite awhile before I finally decided to begin my own training log a few months ago.

Bottom line, I didn't find my way here looking for kilt info; I fall into the group of throwers who wear a kilt because it's the uniform. That is not to say, though, that I don't really enjoy the chance to wear a kilt. My regular response to the question, "Why do you throw?", is "It's a good excuse to put on a kilt." Nonetheless, I have browsed a number of the kilt-oriented forums and have learned quite a bit - mostly pointing out my myriad fashion faux pas when I dress up my Sport Kilts for Burns Night. Even though I may look like the red-headed stepchild next to someone who is perfectly appointed, I have just a much fun as they have and I can spontaneously recite the Address to the Haggis, with a decent accent, anytime and anywhere, with a minimal amount of prompting, better than most.

And, Alan doesn't threaten anyone about joining the forum; it's more of a persistent nagging sort of approach. But, I'm proof that his method works. In fact, I'm in the process of doing the same thing to my brother who needs to be logging his training right now. (Note to Garry: see how I did that? What are you waiting for?)

There you are, Steve. FWIW, my two cents.

[o1d_dude]

I found XMarks by googling a kilt question and spotted Alan posting here which led me to the Athletics sub-forum and now it seems like I'm a regular.

BTW, the kilt I throw in is not "the whole nine yards". It's a lighter-weight woolen kilt called a Casual Kilt that I ordered from Scotland back about 10 years ago. My first throwing kilt was a homemade thing I put together from a light weight woolen material in a random plaid pattern that I bought at Joanne's Fabric. The pleats are hand-stitched but I never found the hardware and straps which led to me buying the Casual Kilt. Aside from that, my kilt is now of the appropriate Tartan.

Growing up I never knew of my Scottish ancestry and didn't learn of it until I'd been throwing in the Games for a year or two. I always wanted to throw the shotput so that's what brought me into the sport. Once I learned of my background, I finally understood why bagpipe music had always made the hair on my neck stand up. The pipes call to the blood.

Now my purpose is to participate in the Scottish culture and pass on to the new lads how things are done. It's always good to be involved in something larger than oneself.

Throwing in the games is not something you learn from reading books. You learn it from other men who in turn learned it from those who went before. 800 Years of this tradition brings us to where we are today.

The ancestors are well pleased.