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My son developed asthma as a lad when a competitive swimmer (only at local level). But exercise made his asthma worse, even with drugs. One time he actually sank in the pool! I agree with elle, though I understand some asthmatics have won gold medals. Good for them. meh!

I've just seen that the area for possible thunderstorms seems to include Oxford. Please.......

Hi, Rusty!
I have been talking to my cousin for the past hour!
All is well with the family...but she, too is not liking the heat!
And the fire on Winter Hill has been causing a lot of concern.
I do not know that specific area...but I am told Winter Hill is quite near to Rivington Pike...
I have been hiking around there in my youth!
I take your point about possible corrupt Sporting officials, taking bribes to alter test findings.
What a shame that Sport in general should be so spoilt by corruption.
But we have discussed all this before, haven't we?
I do not think there will ever be an acceptable solution?



Hello, Ros!
Yes, I remember now your saying about your son developing asthma when young, after swimming.
Does he still suffer from it now, as an adult?
I was fascinated by your ending the post with "meh"......we were only talking about that the other day!
I had never come across the word /term before!
I hope you don't get a thunderstorm!
Although rain alone might be nice?

Hello, Elle!
These moorland fires are a concern.
I am sure I read that some are being started deliberately.
Sport will never be clean, Elle.
There will always be cheats.
We watched the athletics this afternoon.
How many of those athletes are taking drugs, do you think?
Be quite a few, I'd say.

Hi elle. I got the idea for meh from here. I like it! I think my son had asthma long before he did competitive swinmming (which he started at 7), but no-one told me! After sinking he could never give 100% and stopped. I was pleased. I don't think a mile as a warm-up at 6 am is any good for anyone's school work, or indeed mother's temper! I don't think he has it now, and never did badly.
Good for your daughter not to run- was the race not cancelled? It was 86 degrees here at 5 pm.
Because I don't have animals I wouldn't mind a thunderstorm. No rain forecast for a week.

Hi, Rusty!
Oh dear! I know that I am probably not being realistic, and that no doubt you are right... but I so hate the idea that some of these "young hopefuls" we saw competing today, might well be on drugs!
To me , the prospect clouds the sport.... I find I can no longer look without a jaundiced eye!
And Wimbledon coming up tomorrow......
Will drugs be prevalent there, too, do you think?
Although, apart from the odd exception, I think we have heard less of drug taking in the tennis world?
Incidentally, have you heard that Andy Murray has now withdrawn from taking part at Wimbledon?
He feels that he is not yet ready for five set matches.
Sensible , maybe?
I hope Novak's health stands up to the challenge.
Although I have to hope for another win for (my hero) Roger Federer!



Hello, Ros!
No, I don't think the race was cancelled ...but cannot swear to that.
I was just relieved that my daughter decided not to take any unnecessary health risks.
Btw, I know what it's like fitting in those swimming training sessions / matches into school life!
Both our daughters swam for the local Swimming Club - a very well know club that ranked high in competitions.
Our younger daughter also played water polo at match level.
We spent a lot of time staring at water!!

Hello, Elle!
Yes, some of those athletes will be on drugs.
It happens in every sport.
Even sports like archery and rifle shooting, where some take drugs to stay very calm and keep steady while firing at the target.
There will be drugs at Wimbledon, too.
Some sports do not "appear" to have problem.
But look at Rugby. Some of these players are unnaturally enormous.
They are on something.
I suppose Andy knows what is best for him.

Hello Elle, Ros and Rusty!!!

Just heard a couple of (far away) rumbles of thunder, and it is
raining quite hard at present.
We should have thunderstorms on and off for the next couple of days,
but temperatures will still be above 25C, though with a breeze.
Then back up they go! Well it is Summer!

Like you Elle and Ros, I fail to see how someone asthmatic can
possibly tackle any sport, but perhaps particularly cycling, when
you think they climb mountains anywhere between 1500 metres and
2000metres high! There is less oxygen in the air at this kind of
altitude anyway, let alone when taking part in a sporting event such
as this!

Wasn't there an athletic Olympics somewhere at a fairly high
altitude, a few years ago? I seem to remember athletes getting
there earlier than needed in order to get used to training that
high - Did I dream it?

As for the appeals Rusty, I would like to see a regulation by which
only one or two appeals should be allowed to each team - to avoid
just this repetition of claims by Team Sky, and possibly others at
a later date.

Hello, Pigale,
No, you did not dream it.
It still goes on.
Training at altitude, it's called.
Some athletes/cyclists even sleep in oxygen tents.
It benefits the blood somehow and the athlete can go faster for longer.

PS - Yes, Rusty, rugby players (not all of them but quite a few) take
steroïds, and some are reported to suffer from the heart later on
in life for having taken the drugs for years!

As you say, no clean sport any more, just clean sport people who
remain faithful to true sportsmanship.