"Not A Real Athlete"?!?!

[Dianyla]

Wow, this thread has really blossomed into something amazing overnight! You gals are awesome!

Some person-specific replies:

And from his comments to you about him being an athlete and you not, sounds like he's a bit of a wanker (good old Aussie term! do you have that term in the US?)

Heh, we technically don't have that term here but my roomie is british and he has taught me well. Yeah, I would definitely call ManFriend a bit of a wanker sometimes.

• Do you schedule your training?
  
• Is that training specific and structured?
  
• Do you monitor your caloric intake and the ratio of macro-nutrients (aka carbs, protein, and fat)?
  
• Do you measure the amount of fluids you drink on a daily basis?
  
• Do you maintain your equipment and clothing so you can participate in your sport?
  
• Do you get enough sleep so you can ride?
  
• Have you read a book, watched a video, or taken a class to learn more about the sport of cycling?
  

velogirl, thank you for this list. I can answer yes to almost all of them (well, except for that pesky adequate sleep issue).

I also want to know what's he doing now that makes him a real athlete? Or is he a former athlete who just fondly remembers his glory days?

Veronica, you just hit it on the nose there. Other than the occasional tag-along on a bike ride (he drops me on very steep hills but on any other terrain I have to wait for him to catch up) and the occasional dayhike (where we're pretty evenly matched as long as I'm toting all the food) he really hasn't done much in the way of athletic endeavors since participating in team sports in high school.

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!

I totally agree! This is another part of the problem. He is quite slim (6'2" 150lbs) and has aged very gracefully and I think that this just reinforces his perception that an athlete (i.e. him) has low bodyfat and a non-athlete (i.e. me) looks more like a fluffy marshmallow zooming along on my bike (I'm 5'4" and 150lbs). I know I'm working much harder than he is to move the same amount of poundage down the road, and considering I can drop him that just highlights the difference in our physical fitness levels. So, yeah...

Sadiekate and Trek420 - I love those jerseys. Hmmm, I think I saw the Southpark one on the clearance rack just the other day, maybe I should go back and get it?

Kathi, sorry to hear about your ACL injury, those are very slow-healing. Sending Happy Knee Thoughts your way!

Everyone else who has replied, thank you! I agree that a good bop on the nose is in order for this bad doggy!