by EM RUSCIANO
When I was a kid I was a gun track athlete.
Yep. I refuse to cut my tall poppy teenage self down. It’s just how it was.
I trained like a possessed work horse and reaped the benefits of that. I won my first national title at the age of ten and continued to be the one of the best hurdlers (and best high jumpers for a period of time) in the country for my age group.
That all ended around the time I turned 18. I was competing at the state aerobic championship (Grand Father Ted affectionately called me the “over-achieving little shit”) and managed to tear both my hamstrings while completing some aggressive high kicks. You know, the ones where they throw their legs up in between outstretched jazz hands, all while smiling maniacally.
After that, my athletic career came to an abrupt halt as torn hamstrings (we’re talking nearly off the bone) and stress fractures in the spine (from over training) are basically impossible to come back from. This also killed off my dream of a Sydney Olympic berth.
For 15 years I busied myself with other things. Giving birth blah blah, Australian Idol blah blah, radio shows, giving birth again, oh and getting married blah blah. All of that was just a build up, the support act, the ENTREE to me making my magnificent athletic comeback. And now it has happened.
Top Comments
I loved reading this Em. Good for you!!
I have coordination of a dead chicken so sport was never my thing. I was last picked every time and tried so hard to master simple skills like serving a tennis ball or hitting a volley ball over the net.
As an adult new in a country town I new I had to try sports to meet people. So I had a crack at hockey. Lowest division and still so utterly crap- I loathed it as the coach screamed at me and humiliated me all the time. Not fun- just flash backs to school.
My poor daughter has inherited my total lack of sporting prowess but we go to little athletics and she comes last by a mile in everything. She doesn't care mind you and has a ball. I personally hate Little Athletics. So many people. So many rules. McDonalds Sponsorship emblazoned on my childs body. being so close to all that athletic stuff fills me with dread. And the waiting- All that sitting about waiting. Life skill skill I guess.
Your first line about having the coordination of a dead chicken made me laugh.
thanks for that.