What would you do?

[Grant Lamontagne]

This is a conversation topic on a chat group of Megan's friends, and I thought it might be fun to do here as well.

Your country needs you- someone on the Olympic Team is unavailable and they need you to step up.  No one expects you to get to the podium, but you have to do better than last place. 

What sport(s) are you choosing?

For me, I was thinking shooting, or bobsled.  Yes, my busted ankles will probably hamper the take off, but my ample mass should help us pick up speed on the way down. 

What sport(s) do you think you can manage to not come last in?   

Def

[AzteCypher]

That would be archery or shooting for me.  I pretty positive that I'd do better than last.

[RF52]

I would be absolutely last if I would go up against anyone qualified for the Olympics, even sports I have had years of training in.
Thankfully I'm not in that situation

[Vidar]

Hm. Winter olympics and team sport I might have a shot in the curling team. Mostly because the others would be good and do the strategy, and I might manage to handle a brush on skates with training. Maybe. Alternatively some short distance variation of speed skating - someone always seem to fall properly and quit / get disqualified. So if I can manage to stay on my feet and finish chances are someone would be behind?

Summer olympics. Not sure how many if any have to quit running distances so that is likely no good. Road cycling likely some fall and quitters but I doubt I could even finish. Mountain bike again likely quitters, but I'm certain I would be one of them myself. I guess rowing is it - someone capsize at times so if I can avoid that there might be hope. (It helps if they capsize a few times to make sure!)

[Farmer X]

Probably shooting. If I had a left-handed rifle, even better. (Firing an open-sighted rifle is one of those things I do left-handed.) Forget anything track and field. I only run if my life is in danger.

[Grant Lamontagne]

Hm. Winter olympics and team sport I might have a shot in the curling team. Mostly because the others would be good and do the strategy, and I might manage to handle a brush on skates with training. Maybe. Alternatively some short distance variation of speed skating - someone always seem to fall properly and quit / get disqualified. So if I can manage to stay on my feet and finish chances are someone would be behind?

Summer olympics. Not sure how many if any have to quit running distances so that is likely no good. Road cycling likely some fall and quitters but I doubt I could even finish. Mountain bike again likely quitters, but I'm certain I would be one of them myself. I guess rowing is it - someone capsize at times so if I can avoid that there might be hope. (It helps if they capsize a few times to make sure!)

Well, if you show up for a curling match in skates you may be the one disqualified!  I don't know how you guys curl, but here in Canada we don't wear skates while curling because it gets in the way of the drinking and curling!

Def

[Grant Lamontagne]

Probably shooting. If I had a left-handed rifle, even better. (Firing an open-sighted rifle is one of those things I do left-handed.) Forget anything track and field. I only run if my life is in danger.

Megan also shoots left handed, despite being right handed.  She shoots rifles, pistols and bow left handed.

As for running, if her life is in danger she does that but with no effort needed since I can't run, she has plenty of time to get away.  I'm not going down without a fight!

 

Def

[Farmer X]

Megan also shoots left handed, despite being right handed.

I'm a cross-eyed shooter. A scope helps compensate for my strong hand and strong eye being on opposite sides of my body, and I'm decent with a handgun (though my stance may look a little funny). I figure I'd only be firing a shotgun if my target was close.

[Vidar]

Well, if you show up for a curling match in skates you may be the one disqualified!  I don't know how you guys curl, but here in Canada we don't wear skates while curling because it gets in the way of the drinking and curling!

Ah, I knew I needed some training. Better start with the rules it seems.

Maybe the sprint cross-country skiiing instead then? Of all those people eagerly trying to win some often push their way ahead too much and get disqualified. Or they miss a turn and end up in some nearby safety net or some woods. And some fall and or break their equipment, but  I doubt that would help as they would still be way faster!

[AzteCypher]

I only run if my life is in danger.

Only way I'm running is if you're dangling some tacos or some twinkies in front of me. 

[G-Dizzle]

Target shooting for me, most likely. Can’t think of any of the other summer events that I would be a quality contributor in. I have always wanted to try Curling though.

By the way, what is with USA not even placing in any of those events?

[styx]

weightlifting and shot put for the summer olympics. maybe curling for winter. to be fair if smurfing how half of the sports included shouldn't be, i'd be a shoe in for the podium

[Syncop8r]

For me, I was thinking shooting, or bobsled.

Not kayaking?

[Grant Lamontagne]

I thought seriously about kayaking, but there are really only two types of competition kayaking and I'm not much good at either.

There is straight up racing, where the boat is thinner than the paddler and is either rowed like a boat or the paddler is on one knee and does a full body stroke.  Both require short bursts of extremely high energy as they are like sprinters.  That is not me, nor is it the type of paddling I'm used to.

Then there is the whitewater slalom, which is where they navigate a course and try to make it between marker posts as they go, just like a slalom in skiing.  This requires lots of power prolonged over a few minutes.  Not the burst as above, but sustained for a few minutes.

That is also not what I do.

Now, if they had a cross country rally type kayak event, where the paddlers have to cover a lot of distance, portage etc, then I'd possibly be in the running.

Although as I haven't had my boats in the water for a few years now, I'm not sure if I could even compete in that anymore.

Def

[pfrsantos]

I'd go in for the Special Olympics, but can't promise not to be the last, regardless of the event...

 

[styx]

don't be so hard on yourself. I haven't lifted in a while so my technique would leave a lot to desire. but there is always somebody who bombs out, nerves get to people and doming is a persistent problem. that's what i'd be banking on to not be dead last.

so there is probably something you're at least mediocre at where under performing other competitors might help out

[pfrsantos]

don't be so hard on yourself. I haven't lifted in a while so my technique would leave a lot to desire. but there is always somebody who bombs out, nerves get to people and doming is a persistent problem. that's what i'd be banking on to not be dead last.

so there is probably something you're at least mediocre at where under performing other competitors might help out

Thanks, old boy. You may be right. Come to think of it, ever since I can remember, my parents and other relatives awlways said to me: "Oh my God, how can you be so mediocre?!"

 

So, yes, I might give it a try! Maybe the equestrian events. I'd probably go for Jumping or Cross Country, but only if the rider wouldn't use spurs.