What are we actually capable of?

[horizon]

Does it matter?

All I'm concerned about it enjoying it.

No, it shouldn't matter to you but it does matter hugely. We operate socially and culturally and messages we give each other about our potential either gets people on the way to fitness and health or leaves them on the sofa. As a society we need a sense of what is possible, reasonable and normal: if one man can cycle LEJOG in a couple of days then people's peception of being unable to cycle to the local shops is obviously flawed. We need to be able to look a young person in the eye and ask what's wrong in cycling to Brighton from London; or an older person and suggest a twenty mile ride. Or I to myself and ask why I don't regularly do hundreds if other people of my age can do 150 milers. It's all a matter of perception and the sense that we are capable of so much I find exhilarating..

[Vorpal]

People are capable of amazing things. We are always pushing the boundaries of what is possible.

If you want to know what we are capable of, read the Guiness book of World Records. And then assume that someone, somewhere is capable of exceeding one or more of them, and probably will someday.

I admire the dedication it takes to break records like that. Especially speed and endurance records. I read a newspapare article about a Norwegian woman who wants to ski 100 km in under 27 hours.

Even if I thought I might be capable of such a feat, I wouldn't try it. It takes too much time and hard work. I'd rather ski for a few hours on Sunday and have some cake and tea afterwards. And when the snow melts, it'll be on my bike, instead. I want to enjoy it.

[horizon]

If you want to know what we are capable of, read the Guiness book of World Records.

No, I want to know what we are capable of - the ordinary man, woman and child. But what the record breakers do tell us is that our own imagined limits are absurdly low. The problem though is that people might think that these exceptional human beings are just that and that there is nothing to be learnt for oneself.

But I very much agree with you that we might not want to push ourselves that far - the problem is knowing what is reasonable and possible.

[Vorpal]

If you want to know what we are capable of, read the Guiness book of World Records.

No, I want to know what we are capable of - the ordinary man, woman and child. But what the record breakers do tell us is that our own imagined limits are absurdly low. The problem though is that people might think that these exceptional human beings are just that and that there is nothing to be learnt for oneself.

But I very much agree with you that we might not want to push ourselves that far - the problem is knowing what is reasonable and possible.

Many of the people with records *are* just ordinary people.

I think there is a great deal to be learnt for ourselves. My idea of setting a big goal and pushing myself to achieve it is very different from someone else's. Each of us has to learn for themselves what that means, if they have the desire to do so.

Some people don't even want to contemplate it, and that's fine, too.

[horizon]

I think there is a great deal to be learnt for ourselves. My idea of setting a big goal and pushing myself to achieve it is very different from someone else's. Each of us has to learn for themselves what that means, if they have the desire to do so.

Some people don't even want to contemplate it, and that's fine, too.

I was told decades ago that a reasonable distance for an adult is 60 miles in a day. Living in Cornwall, carrying gear and planning tours for the children attenuated that somewhat. But that is something that can be accomplished within a normal lifestyle - it isn't a big goal. We can tell people - Oi get moving! It isn't fine IMV. (I know that's controversial ).

[Marcus Aurelius]

It’s all about your own perspective. There’s no way I would do what Steve Abraham is attempting, it’s taking the whole distance riding thing to a whole different level, not one I’ve got the time or inclination for personally. The question of could anyone do it, is a much more difficult one to answer. For me personally, I know I can ride 230 miles in a day, I have done in the past, but I know I would never want to do that for a whole year, I’d probably have had enough after 1 week. Fair play to anyone who wants to go to that extreme level though. I think it was George Mallory, who when asked why he had bothered climbing Mount Everest, answered “because it was there”. That sums up the differences quite nicely.

[Cyril Haearn]

People are capable of amazing things. We are always pushing the boundaries of what is possible.

If you want to know what we are capable of, read the Guiness book of World Records. And then assume that someone, somewhere is capable of exceeding one or more of them, and probably will someday.

I admire the dedication it takes to break records like that. Especially speed and endurance records. I read a newspapare article about a Norwegian woman who wants to ski 100 km in under 27 hours.

Even if I thought I might be capable of such a feat, I wouldn't try it. It takes too much time and hard work. I'd rather ski for a few hours on Sunday and have some cake and tea afterwards. And when the snow melts, it'll be on my bike, instead. I want to enjoy it.

How did little Norge win so many medals, more than Germany? Is there a big asthma problem there?

[Vorpal]

Norway invests lots of money in grassroots sport. About 1/3 of the local equivalent of the lottery fund goes into sports, and most is grassroots. In addition, local councils spend on sports facilities, and community buildings that include sport facilities. Something like half the population belong to the main sports association, and 75% of kids regularly participate in sport. I don't know any Norwegians who don't do something active. So even though the population is relatively small, there is a big pool of potential athletes to draw from. Also, people who participate or have kids playing in organised sport are generally expected to volunteer some of their time to help. They have rotation lists for who's cooking the waffles or hotdogs or whatever on game and pratice days, who washes the training vests, etc.

I don't know anyone who has grown up in Norway (over the age of 5) who hasn't tried skiing, curling, orienteering, cycling, swimming, skating, bandy (like ice hockey), handball, football and various other sports. Anyone who has interest is encouraged to carry on with it, and because it's well-funded, poor kids get as much chance to succeed as those from families in middle and upper income brackets.

That is Norway's secret to success.

[horizon]

I think it was George Mallory, who when asked why he had bothered climbing Mount Everest, answered “because it was there”.

He might have said it but never climbed Everest - he died in the attempt (though some people do believe he may have succeeded and died on the descent).

BTW your 230 is great - that's what I mean.

[pete75]

How did little Norge win so many medals, more than Germany? Is there a big asthma problem there?

Don't know why you're picking on Germany - Norway only won more minor medals than them. It did win a hell of a lot more than the UK though not to mention the USA and Canada.
Is asthma a problem for sportsmen anyway - Team Sky seem to do quite well even though their top riders have to take medication for the illness.

[pete75]

I think it was George Mallory, who when asked why he had bothered climbing Mount Everest, answered “because it was there”.

Axiomatic - he could hardly have climbed it if it wasn't there.

[Marcus Aurelius]

I think it was George Mallory, who when asked why he had bothered climbing Mount Everest, answered “because it was there”.

Axiomatic - he could hardly have climbed it if it wasn't there.

From an interview, "Climbing Mount Everest is work for Supermen", The New York Times (18 March 1923); on being asked why he wanted to climb Mount Everest:
"Why did you want to climb Mount Everest?" This question was asked of George Leigh Mallory, who was with both expeditions toward the summit of the world’s highest mountain, in 1921 and 1922, and who is now in New York. He plans to go again in 1924, and he gave as the reason for persisting in these repeated attempts to reach the top, "Because it's there."

As you can see, he did try to get all the way up on 3 occasions. 2 ended in failure, but he lived to tell the tale. And he never made it back alive on the third attempt, so in actual fact, he did climb it, and he was there.

[Marcus Aurelius]

I think it was George Mallory, who when asked why he had bothered climbing Mount Everest, answered “because it was there”.

He might have said it but never climbed Everest - he died in the attempt (though some people do believe he may have succeeded and died on the descent).

BTW your 230 is great - that's what I mean.

He did climb it, on three occasions, whether he made it to the top, was never proven.

From an interview, "Climbing Mount Everest is work for Supermen", The New York Times (18 March 1923); on being asked why he wanted to climb Mount Everest:
"Why did you want to climb Mount Everest?" This question was asked of George Leigh Mallory, who was with both expeditions toward the summit of the world’s highest mountain, in 1921 and 1922, and who is now in New York. He plans to go again in 1924, and he gave as the reason for persisting in these repeated attempts to reach the top, "Because it's there."

[pete75]

From an interview, "Climbing Mount Everest is work for Supermen", The New York Times (18 March 1923);

Bit of a misnomer - Superman would have just flown to the top.

[Cyril Haearn]

We can do more and more, equipment gets better, there is a psychological aspect too
Climbing **Chomolungma** was hard, but has got easier and easier
I would prefer Foel Gwenllian, one meets fewer people there