Runnin’ and Gunnin’

While visiting my son recently he took me out to a Trap Shooting range. He owns a couple of shotguns and he thought it might be fun for me to learn to shoot. I had tried shooting Skeet a year or so ago, with little success. Other than that the last time I had a rifle in my hand was during Basic Infantry Training in 1971.

What surprised me was that there is a culture surrounding the sport of trap shooting just like there is a culture surrounding the sport of running. There is a trap shooting community. I had no idea.

Standing there waiting for the first clay pigeon I had a very familiar feeling. The feeling was that I didn’t belong there. The feeling was that everyone KNEW that I didn’t belong there. I didn’t look the same as they did. I wasn’t wearing the right clothes. I didn’t have all the fancy gear. I was just a guy with a shotgun in my hand trying to do something I had never done.

Take away the shotgun and you’ve got the same experience as the early days running and racing. I knew I didn’t look like a runner. I knew that especially after the gun went off I didn’t look like a runner. It seemed like everyone else bolted from the starting line while I sort of meandered out on to the course. I felt out of place. I felt like at any minute I would be asked to leave.

It never happened, of course. The running community was welcoming and supportive. No one judged me. No one made fun of me. No one made be feel like I didn’t belong. In fact it was quite the opposite. Every other runner seemed to be eager to make be feel welcome and at home.

Put the shotgun back and you’ve got the same experience I had at the shooting range. The young man working the targets was calm and informative. He explained the rules, the safety regulations, and committed to helping me make sure that I didn’t do anything stupid.

The big difference between the running and shooting was that I actually had an aptitude for shooting. Go figure!

I don’t know why I have to continue to relearn the lesson that most people are good people and the most people are eager to help. It was certainly true in the running community. It’s always seemed true in the motorcycling community. It seems to be true in the shooting community.

I don’t know why I have to relearn the lesson. But, I’m happy that I had a chance to learn it again.

Waddle on,

John and GS 650 twin

John “the Penguin” Bingham, Competitor Magazine columnist Author, The Courage to Start, No Need for Speed, Marathoning for Mortals and Running for Mortals.

Have a question for John? E-mail it to thepenguin@johnbingham.com.