"Why Don't We Do It In The Road?" - Beatles, 1968
Did you happen to watch the London Marathon yesterday?
The Olympic games, last summer, came during a time when I was trying desperately to get comfortable enough with my driving over here to pass my driving test on the first try. Kelly Holmes' fabulous successes in the games, compared to Paula Radcliffe's unfortunate failures, became an important source of focus for me. I even told my Scouser driving instructor that I wanted to "do a Kelly and NOT do a Paula" when it came to driving exam day. And I managed be a Kelly after all!
Yesterday, Paula regained her position as a source of pride for Britain by winning the London Marathon. But she had a little "incident" during the race which has distracted the media and the public from her real achievement. Personally, I didn't think too much about what happened, figuring that such physical punishment on the body can certainly take its toll on the system...much less what "nerves" can do to a person's tummy!
This morning, on BBC Radio 5, the folks on the morning show were chuckling about how it might now be difficult to tell kids not to "use the toilet" in public (as they were so delicately putting it) when Paula Radcliffe did it on live telly. So I started thinking again about the admonition to not "do a Paula"...except that it now means something entirely different!
And it also gives a whole new meaning to shouting "Go Paula!".
Oops...shame on me!!!! I'm as bad as the British press!
Janet
posted by Janet @ 8:45 am
3 Comments
3 Comments:
Just wanted to stop by and thank you for visiting my blog. While here I've read quite a bit of your archives - I find your situation quite interesting. While I enjoyed my brief trip to London a couple of decades ago, I don't know that could live there on a permanent basis.
As a news/political junkie, I would like to hear your thoughts of British attitudes towards America and our president.
I had not heard of this incident at the London marathon. I'm assuming she found a porta-potty somewhere, and just didn't go in the middle of
the street. Wow! Imagine trying to go with everyone watching you!
Janet, although I don't recall who it was, I remember reading of an account of another runner in a very important race 'going' down her leg near the end of the race. Some dear volunteers threw water on her as she passed to try and wash her off. I also witnessed a runner on telly vomiting as he ran. Bless their hearts, they keep running. That is dedication and dogged determination to win!
Thanks for the comments, fdtate and donna!
fdtate: I'm afraid she squatted and did it in the road...hence my blog title. That HAD to be a difficult decision to make...as you said, with the world watching you!
donna: I vaguely remember that incident as well...was it one of the NY Marathons, I believe? I also admire the determination of those who push through those kinds of physical complications to finish a race. Good for them.
Janet
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