"Not A Real Athlete"?!?!

[Pax]

Seems lots of folks get derailed by "definitions", some think an athlete is a paid professional, others think golfers are athletes, still others think if you don't have a sub 3% body fat level you can't be an "athlete".

I figure if I drag my voluminous butt around for 20+ miles while enduring a bike seat wedgie the entire time...I'm an ATHLETE!

[Brandi]

My dh would never argue this issue with me. As a matter of fact the other day when he rode with me he said that i was much stronger on hills then I used to be. And my recovery time is like nothing now. I get to the top take a minute and I am ready to go again. I almost think your bf was being rude. But he's a guy they don't always say what we want to hear like in the movies you know?

[Kathi]

I didn't think of myself as an athlete but a guy at the gym kept calling me one. I didn't understand until I found this on the internet back in 1997. It's from gogirlmag.com and was the Go, girl! Credo.

Ask a 12-year old boy, and he'll probably say a multi-million dollar endorsement deal. A high school jock will tell you that making the game-winning touchdown or sinking that final dunk makes him an athlete. And the wise old men at Webster's explain that the word athlete is originally from the Greek athlein, meaning "to contend for a prize."

That's not what an athlete really is.

An athlete is someone who's not afraid to try something new. And keeps on trying even if she fails the first time.

An athlete is some who takes joy in movement. Who knows that she always feels better after her workout than she did before. She enjoys that first trickle of sweat because she knows that the reward of stretching won't be too far behind.

An athlete is someone who knows that you don't have to be on an organized sports team to be strong, to have enthusiasm, or to be a winner.

And most of all, an athlete is someone who enjoys the rhythm of oxygen flowing through her body, welcomes the quickened beating of her heart during a workout, and know that her efforts to make her body stronger make her mind stronger, too.

You are an athlete. You are dedicated to improving your health and ensuring that your life is not only longer, but better.

Congratulations! With your remarkable combination of emotional and physical strength, you are an athlete.


Thank you for reminding me of this. I'm 1 week post op from ACL surgery and am very limited with my activities. I've been injured since mid Jan. no biking, skiing, etc. and don't anticipate being able to ride again until early June.

I'm going to keep this posted in a visible spot so when I feel discouraged or impatient I will have a reminder of why I ride, ski, hike, etc.