Monthly Clan Cian Spotlight
Bethany Owen
How did you first get into competing in the Highland Games? Did that come before or after joining Clan Cian?
"So, funny story that! My first non-throwing Games was Pleasanton, and I went with friends, dressed up as a wench. I'd done Renn Faires before, but this was my first Games. I had a chance to watch the athletics, and I didn't even know such a thing existed! Fast forward several months and I am in the waiting room of my chiropractor's office. I see a gentleman wearing a Tshirt from Pleasanton! Being the annoyingly outgoing person I am, I comment on it and start a conversation. After asking what he did, he said he did the athletics. I said I saw that and it looked like fun! He said, "Well, you're a big girl, you should try it!" I have a track and field background, so I Figured, why not? I joined him and a couple others at the local high school field, tried it, and was hooked. My first official Games competing was then Campbell, and that's also where I was introduced to Clan Cian."
How much training do you do to get prepared for these events? In your opinion what do you think is the toughest event?
"In the beginning I probably did throwing practice 3 days a week. Now I lift 2-3 days a week and throw once a week. Adulting makes it a lot harder to get time in. Saturday mornings are usually the only time I can get out to the field. This year, with COVID and all, it was cold turkey, but I've been practicing again for about 6 weeks. I've found each event tougher at some point. I think caber, weight for height and sheaf are the hardest for most newer throwers. For hammers, stones and weights, there are analogs with track and field events, so they have at least seen something similar. And most people don't have the room or equipment for those events. You can pick up a stone of about the right weight anywhere, but it's kind of hard to find a perfect log!"
You mentioned in November you'll be competing in the Master's World Championship. Will that be held at a specific highland gathering or is that it's own thing?
"Well, this year is a bit of a wild card! It was supposed to be held in Moncton, BC, but with COVID and all, it was moved to TX. Last year it was in Tucson, AZ, and was associated with their annual festival. 3 years ago it was in Iceland, and it was all athletics, no festival attached. So I've seen it both ways. I think it's going to be at the Austin Celtic Festival (I checked with my friend in Austin to see if I could crash at her place, and she said she's been to that faire before and it sounds like it's that one).”
What's your favorite thing about the highland gatherings themselves unrelated to competing, any fun stories that stick out to you?
"The people I meet are by far the best part of the Games. One of the coolest was meeting The Mountain a few years ago! And watching him set some new records! One long time friend named her son after (I bawled like a baby at that honor!). I've seen multiple generations of families come through to compete, watched little kids grow up to be wonderful young me and women, then start families of their own. It is such a fantastic group of people, it's one big extended family. I feel like I can announce on FB that I am travelling to anywhere in the country, and an athlete I've met will meet me for dinner, if not offer a place to stay. And I have done the same.
I think one of my favorite memories is when I Was diagnosed with cancer and had to miss a Games I signed up for in TX. About 2 weeks after, I received a tshirt in the mail, signed by all the athletes wishing me a swift recovery. Spoiler alert, I cried again..."