Sport & Exercise
We've tried to keep reasonably fit while we've been here in
China, but it's been hard. The weather can be unbearably hot and often the best
time for exercise is first thing in the morning - not when either of us are at
our best! In addition, the lack of family support for child-minding purposes is
a factor. And running in the streets is an interesting experience - at least it
seems to be for the locals! You need a thick skin not to be put off by all the
staring. Because of this, Al has even developed a penchant for track
running...quite handy, as the College athletics ground is literally 10 steps
from our front door!
Al wearing his sand leg weights, donated to him
by one of the College gardeners (left/centre). One lap was enough!; Lesley sweating buckets on a run
up Radar Dome Hill - 1860m (right)
Monday morning exercise for all College students.
The pop music alarm call starts at 6:30 am and the flag-raising (this time with
martial tunes) is at 7 am.
Exercise is a part of everyone's life, including all the College pensioners
whose favourite exercises include walking backwards and tai qi.
Simao Teachers' College Sports Day, December 2006
Sport's Day opening ceremony (left); English
Department team with standard bearer Billy in front (centre); closing ceremony
(right)
In 2006 Ali found a race to
enter! Despite being twice the age of everyone else he put
on a decent showing in the 3000m - a bit less hilly than he's used to! At the
finish he was supported (whether he liked it or not) by two English Department
boys (lying in a heap on the ground is out of the question!) and given two
drinks - one of green tea, the other saline solution. He now holds the veteran
record: 12'52''! The PE Department compete in the same events but when it comes to prizes they
have their own category. Being chosen to take part in an event (for which there
are qualifying heats) is a great honour for students.
Womens' 1500m track event (left); No 14, a PE
Department student, won by a massive margin (centre); a vet entrant in the 3000m
(right). Note the great honour they bestowed by giving Ali the No.1 race
number...
Mens' 100m
Mens' 4x100m relay
Edie feeling optimistic for next time - it's a biannual event (left); look at all these statistics
- they take it all very seriously. A new record was set in the 3000m (9'46'').
Orienteering
We have not seen much evidence of O-activity in
China! Instead, basketball, volleyball, football, fishing, badminton and
line-dancing seem to be more popular in Simao. Perhaps the best place to spot
weird looking men (and women) running through forests in their nylon pyjamas
would be in Hong Kong or the outskirts of Beijing? Having said that, there are
countless amazing looking O-forests in China and we've heard that there was a
club in Kunming (now defunct) who organised events around the provincial capital.
Have you checked out the film "House of Flying
Daggers"? There are some bamboo forests in Sichuan which would have the
Scandinavians crying with jealousy.
However, we have organised a number of small
events around campus for students using a homemade map, homemade control flags,
and needle punches bought in Beijing. Have a look at our STC
Orienteering Club page.
See the Chinese
Orienteering Association website for...not a great deal of information.
LEAF-go-VSO
