Any Pentathletes out there....

I've sort of accidentally almost clocked up all the pentathlon disciplines - I can ride (well), run (slowly), swim (badly, but getting lessons!), fence (comically!) - so I just need to talk someone into giving me a gun!

Any other forumites out there interested in pentathlon? Come on, don't be shy!

Comments

  • I do all except fence, which I would be useless at because I have double vision and no proper spatial perception. (Guns only need one eye for target discipline)

    Interesting thought though. If you are serious, I can point you in direction of the bit missing from your 5. If you are an "undesirable" ie a nutter, Bodie and Doyle wannabe, dress in army fatigues, not serious, unsafe, cavalier attitide to risk, unable to listen to a range officer, or otherwise than purely sport/relaxation/peace and quiet motivated, you won't get past the front door of any reputable club though.

    Otherwise, it's fun, cheap and incredibly focussing and will go hand in hand with your cardiovascular training. Email me.

    DB
  • Jeeez - imagine the roof rack you;d need for all that kit !!
  • I don't ride :(
    Horse on roof rack?
  • I might be getting my sports mixed up but I'm sure Ironman Florida champ Bella Comerford (Scottish) competed in the modern pentathlon in some high profile games. She's now switched to tri though.
  • I don't have a car, or a roof rack... or much kit (sold fencing gear when I left uni as I was broke) - but even if I did, don't think Doris, my geriatric horse, would like travelling that way! She's not terribly cooperative at the best of times.

    DB - I don't think I'm a nutter.... well, not in a bad malevolent kind of way anyway. As for fencing - not sure how it would work with double vision, but it might be worth a crack. It's a lot of fun.

    I live in Oxford, and the uni has a big pentathlon club, but they do all their training during the day - which is pants for non-students like me who have to work for a living. Reckon once I've got the swimming sorted I might drop them a line though.

    Swimming lessons start Monday... could be amusing (for those watching)....
  • Roof rack?
    Just load the horse up.
    Then you would look old world cavelrey!

    Shooting can cost you a bit.
    Is pentathalon rifle or pistol?
    I have been to bisley to shoot, so just learn to fence and I could become wales only international! IE cos i don't think anyone is rich enough or inclined to do it!
  • Go for it MT! Am sure you could get lottery funding! Niche sports are the way forward....!

    I think it's pistol, but not 100% certain. At the moment I can only really afford to run and swim. Fencing was easy at uni as there was a club, and my ex was the armourer! Would be quite expensive to start now, but you can usually borrow kit from your local club.

    And as for the riding, it is expensive to learn - but you don't need your own horse for pentathlon. Everyone draws straws and rides a horse they've never ridden before. It's all sorted out by the organisers. From my point of view, this is a good thing as my horse is ancient, and is a bit mad.

    Bisley - doesn't that make you terrifyingly good....?!
  • MF
    I can ride. When my folks divorced I stayed with my godparents. They lived on a farm so i learnt to ride and shoot an airgun. Progessed to Army cadets and we had a very good shooting coach. So competed in the cadet 100 and bisley. Usualy came about 150 in the country out of all cadets. so not s**T hot shot but can hold my own.
    would fench buu not many clubs in south wales. Also about to fork out for a bike for tri. So a little skint.
  • I grew up on a farm too, hence having horses, but still being completely broke! We didn't have guns though, so never learnt to shoot. Once I've got the swimming sorted (this will take time, and patience, especially for my instructor) I'm going to look into it. I know there are a few clubs in the area.
  • I only used air rifles on the farm. Have gone back and used shotguns for clay but being so trained with rifles its hard to do! Also being a left handed shot is a pain as some stocks on rifles/shotguns are carved very much for right handers.
    Good luck with the swiming. Got to say the girl coaching me is brill. She is a mate so its free instaed fo £15 an hour.
  • I can most of the above too apart from fencing - would love to have have a go at a pentathlon once fit.

    I'm an excellent shot too - it's the only thing I've ever been any good at naturally.
  • Hi Toria! If you're interested in fencing, British fencing have a club list on their website:

    http://www.britishfencing.com/clubs_via_region.htm

    I imagine that if you're a good shot, you'd be pretty good at epee.

    Between us all we could make at least one good pentathlete!
  • i have thought about doing pentathon. I run reasonably well, ride well and swim well- these are also mt three favorite sports. I have done a very limited amount of shooting (target0, but as for the fencing, hmmm..........
  • I can put a fence up.

    Ah wrong fencing!
  • Happy - you're well on the way! Fencing is so much fun, and epee is the easier weapon to get your head around (although it takes a lot of work to be good at it!) as the whole body is target area. And it's quite theapeutically violent!

    My swimming is dire. I learnt as a child, and then didn't go for 10 years - and have somehow forgotten. I got pitying looks from small children last time I went! I start a 10week course of lessons on Monday which should help.

    I think it will take a while to get the skills sorted, but I'd love to have a crack at it.
  • I did modern pentathlon at university - it's brilliant fun, I don't know if there are clubs around post-university but everyone's a beginner in something so it's a really good supportive environment.

    Most people doing it are good at either running or swimming (and cr*p at the other), good at one of the other three (shooting/fencing/riding), average at the next and a beginner at the third.

    (it's pistol shooting btw MT - quite James Bond)

    - the riding's the best bit, it's based around jumping (fences), you compete at a neutral venue and you get about 2 minutes with your allocated horse beforehand to "tune in" to them and convince them to jump for you. If you mentally bottle for a split second before a jump, the horse knows and will stop. Feels terrific when you make it round.

    So if you get the chance, definitely give it a go!

    jezza
  • I think it sounds brilliant fun! I've always loved showjumping, although it must be a bit weird riding unfamiliar horses. I remember watching it on TV during the Athens olympics. They'd had horses brought over specially from Italy - most of them looked fairly nightmarish to ride. It is such a cool idea for a competition though. We didn't have a club when I was at uni - I don't think that much pentathlon goes on up in Scotland. I kind of wish we had now - but I'm still going to quietly work my way towards having a crack. It looks such a cool thing to do!
  • Last time I used a pistol.............
    A seagull got removed from the planet.
    Stupid thing landed on the top of the buts as I shot.

    I thought pistol was outlawed in this country? Thus the training abroad?
  • It was while I was watching Athens that I thought "hey, I could do that". Especially the riding & shooting parts.

    The running & swimming looks do-able too.

    Must cost a bit though.
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