Maybe it was just
Or so I, and the many other runners and cyclists I hung
out with, thought. Maybe it wasDallas ‘
“football-at-all-costs” mind set, plastic surgery, personalized
licensed plates, and glass buildings.
out with, thought. Maybe it was
“football-at-all-costs” mind set, plastic surgery, personalized
licensed plates, and glass buildings.
It was true what “foreigners,” what people
were sarcastically called when they moved toDallas
from other parts of theU.S. ,
saw. There are only two important things on Sundays inTexas ‘ gateway city: church in the morning,
and “The Game” in the afternoon. Or, as local legend says,
“There are two religions inTexas .
The other is football.”
were sarcastically called when they moved to
from other parts of the
saw. There are only two important things on Sundays in
and “The Game” in the afternoon. Or, as local legend says,
“There are two religions in
The other is football.”
The sixteen weeks of the sport has so permeated the
local culture that it appears in theDallas
newspaper 52 weeks a year, as well as on the local TV news. The pig
skin rules, unabated, with no end in sight. There is no battle for first place
inDallas ‘
hierarchy of events and new items. It is football, of all levels. Basketball
and baseball make up the second tier. Then it appears to be golf, NASCAR,
bass fishing/hunting, horse racing, soccer, and ice-hockey in the
third tier they way they show up in the paper and TV news. After that,
fourth tier running/biking/swimming might be so far down the list as to
be on the floor, or buried beneath it, in last place.
local culture that it appears in the
newspaper 52 weeks a year, as well as on the local TV news. The pig
skin rules, unabated, with no end in sight. There is no battle for first place
in
hierarchy of events and new items. It is football, of all levels. Basketball
and baseball make up the second tier. Then it appears to be golf, NASCAR,
bass fishing/hunting, horse racing, soccer, and ice-hockey in the
third tier they way they show up in the paper and TV news. After that,
fourth tier running/biking/swimming might be so far down the list as to
be on the floor, or buried beneath it, in last place.
This is not a good thing because of that mindset mentioned
earlier breeds other unhealthy, unnatural, and sometimes
illogical patterns of behavior such as neglecting the rights of others on
the road way.
earlier breeds other unhealthy, unnatural, and sometimes
illogical patterns of behavior such as neglecting the rights of others on
the road way.
Unfortunately, due to their status and the conditions and
locations fostered upon them by the City OfDallas government, runners and cyclists have
become rivals competing over the same basic rights afforded to neither. Where
they should be linked together in their common causes of traffic
control, facilities, and execution existing laws, they disrespect and
fight against each other for and on the same small turf allowed to them to
share.
locations fostered upon them by the City Of
become rivals competing over the same basic rights afforded to neither. Where
they should be linked together in their common causes of traffic
control, facilities, and execution existing laws, they disrespect and
fight against each other for and on the same small turf allowed to them to
share.
Even more worse is the respective sports have problems
internally as well. The two running stores servicingDallas (there are others, but they total a
small amount of the community pie) are bitter rivals that stop at almost
nothing to see the other fail. The same goes for the areas two bike stores. At
one point in the 1990’s if a runner of one store went to the rival store’s
event, it was considered an act of defection. The runner was brought
before the store manager, and if not fired from his position on the store
running team, then at least reprimanded and shunned by the rest of the team.
internally as well. The two running stores servicing
small amount of the community pie) are bitter rivals that stop at almost
nothing to see the other fail. The same goes for the areas two bike stores. At
one point in the 1990’s if a runner of one store went to the rival store’s
event, it was considered an act of defection. The runner was brought
before the store manager, and if not fired from his position on the store
running team, then at least reprimanded and shunned by the rest of the team.
has the reputation for being the worst place in the country to bike,
according to one of the cycling industries magazines. That behavior is also
reflected to runners and the running community at large, as well.
noted in other magazines as one of the angriest, vainest,
and unhealthiest, and as having the worst drivers. All those different
magazines, editors, and writers came to the same conclusions. When you
think about it, adding those things together, who would want to bike or
run there at all.
Nevertheless, where it was stubbornness or a genuine
admiration for their respective sport, the local cyclists and
runners persevere, despite the conditions, despite the odds. I use the word
“local” liberally because a large majority were actually transplants,
cyclists or runners from other areas of the country who transplanted to
northTexas
for college, a job, or relationship. As best they could, they
thrived, developing races, training groups, and places to train.
They created their own local champions, teams, clubs, stores, and
infrastructure. The aerobic scene in DFW is definitely 1980’s home grown.
admiration for their respective sport, the local cyclists and
runners persevere, despite the conditions, despite the odds. I use the word
“local” liberally because a large majority were actually transplants,
cyclists or runners from other areas of the country who transplanted to
north
for college, a job, or relationship. As best they could, they
thrived, developing races, training groups, and places to train.
They created their own local champions, teams, clubs, stores, and
infrastructure. The aerobic scene in DFW is definitely 1980’s home grown.
Dr. Kenneth Cooper’s world famous institute and clinic is
located just a few miles north of downtownDallas , amid streets filled with traffic and
stores for the well-to-do. He is credited with creating the running boom with
his book “Aerobics.” He has since created a sprawling campus on prime
real estate that is internationally known. TheCooper Aerobics
Center
standard for health clubs, despite the feeble attempts of other health clubs (a
fancy name for gyms to lure a higher clientele and charge a higher fee). But if
one wishes to join Dr. Cooper’s healthy society, one must first get on a
waiting list, and then pay dearly with cold, hard cash.
located just a few miles north of downtown
stores for the well-to-do. He is credited with creating the running boom with
his book “Aerobics.” He has since created a sprawling campus on prime
real estate that is internationally known. The
standard for health clubs, despite the feeble attempts of other health clubs (a
fancy name for gyms to lure a higher clientele and charge a higher fee). But if
one wishes to join Dr. Cooper’s healthy society, one must first get on a
waiting list, and then pay dearly with cold, hard cash.
Cooper especially influenced the world back in 1969 with his
book. However, despite being cited and referenced as the “Father of
Aerobics” world wide, he did little to filter down to the local
population’s way of thinking. Fried food, real butter, and lots of it, still
reign inTexas .
One only has to visit the annual state fair held inDallas to get a “taste” of what
passes as food, or what the dietetic society annually condemns.
book. However, despite being cited and referenced as the “Father of
Aerobics” world wide, he did little to filter down to the local
population’s way of thinking. Fried food, real butter, and lots of it, still
reign in
One only has to visit the annual state fair held in
passes as food, or what the dietetic society annually condemns.
Further, the number one activity isn’t an activity at all.
It’s watching the local pro, college, high school, junior high, and even Pop
Warner football teams, the bane of runners at those levels as well, loose.
It’s truly amazing to see how the local economy and productivity is influenced
by whether, say the Cowboys (Ugh!) win or loose, and play at home or away.
The NFL sees a spike in Super Bowl viewership (and related sales of NFL
gear) when the Cowboys, or “Da Boys” as they are affectionately
called by locals, play in it. Tortured runners and cyclists constantly joke
about using the main highways (75 Central Expressway, the north-south toll way,
I-30, and I-635) to train on during games because they are usually deserted. In
fact, if one wants to do anything inDallas
that normally involves a crowd, it is suggested to go during a pro football game;
dinner, movie, shopping, the gym, all are available without crowds or lines
during a Cowboy game. As stated earlier, this isn’t necessarily a good
thing.
It’s watching the local pro, college, high school, junior high, and even Pop
Warner football teams, the bane of runners at those levels as well, loose.
It’s truly amazing to see how the local economy and productivity is influenced
by whether, say the Cowboys (Ugh!) win or loose, and play at home or away.
The NFL sees a spike in Super Bowl viewership (and related sales of NFL
gear) when the Cowboys, or “Da Boys” as they are affectionately
called by locals, play in it. Tortured runners and cyclists constantly joke
about using the main highways (75 Central Expressway, the north-south toll way,
I-30, and I-635) to train on during games because they are usually deserted. In
fact, if one wants to do anything in
that normally involves a crowd, it is suggested to go during a pro football game;
dinner, movie, shopping, the gym, all are available without crowds or lines
during a Cowboy game. As stated earlier, this isn’t necessarily a good
thing.
During a Cowboy game, it’s not unusual to see life as we
know it come to a halt in Dallas as people, men AND women, crowd around TV sets
as if watching world history unfold. Maybe it’s the second coming of Christ?
No, sadly, it’s the Cowboys playing. It’s just football.
know it come to a halt in Dallas as people, men AND women, crowd around TV sets
as if watching world history unfold. Maybe it’s the second coming of Christ?
No, sadly, it’s the Cowboys playing. It’s just football.
It becomes obnoxious (even without Jerry Jones’ cowboy twang
and his plastic surgery pulled back face) drowning out other activities
while doing nothing to make the area healthier, or contributing to the welfare
of society. The sad part is seeing thousands of people being duped into an
empty way of being.
and his plastic surgery pulled back face) drowning out other activities
while doing nothing to make the area healthier, or contributing to the welfare
of society. The sad part is seeing thousands of people being duped into an
empty way of being.
It’s against this standard where the size of your SUV is
your status, runners and cyclists are regarded as geeks! Not man enough to have
played or watch a 100-yard game of grid iron. However, college
statistics show that those who participate in aerobic sports (running, swimming,
biking) have a higher average GPA than any of the big three sport’s
players: football, basketball, or baseball, with football having the lowest
scores. But there’s a bonus! As their GPA’s go, so does their discipline
problems reports the statistics. Ask any college recruiter for verification.
It’s also fact aerobic sport athletes work harder than team sports such as
football because they are year long sports, not seasonal like their team sport
doubles.
your status, runners and cyclists are regarded as geeks! Not man enough to have
played or watch a 100-yard game of grid iron. However, college
statistics show that those who participate in aerobic sports (running, swimming,
biking) have a higher average GPA than any of the big three sport’s
players: football, basketball, or baseball, with football having the lowest
scores. But there’s a bonus! As their GPA’s go, so does their discipline
problems reports the statistics. Ask any college recruiter for verification.
It’s also fact aerobic sport athletes work harder than team sports such as
football because they are year long sports, not seasonal like their team sport
doubles.
is a sprawling landscape of 1-3 story buildings and strip malls with too many
tanning salons, mapped over homogenized neighborhoods. From
is no difference between the neighborhoods, developments, and other pockets of
real estate. In fact, the only difference at all is only minor among the overly
rich in
Such is
sadly bland, without character or characteristics to set it apart. It could be
innocuous.
I arrived on Memorial weekend, 1983. The “US
Festival” played on the radio as I drove through states and into theDallas
never owned a pair of sunglasses before then.
Festival” played on the radio as I drove through states and into the
never owned a pair of sunglasses before then.