Elite athletes is the topic for my rant this day.... Do you know or have you ever talked with any elite athletes? I am not talking about getting an autograph at some point from your favorite sports hero, I am talking about having a conversation that goes beyond hello And how are you...
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| Great guy! |
I bring this subject up because very recently a person who will remain anonymous really ticked me off. Yes it does happen, I am human and I do get mad.
They [the guilty party] got on local television and talked about how they were an elite athlete and a with a fellow group of elite athletes, they were going to do something that had not been done before in our area.
The supposed reason for this event was because they had no races to compete in and they were raising funds for a child who was ill. Now please do not think that I am heartless! No chance, I would gladly do anything to help a child or a family in need. But this person has a slight history with me...
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| Another great guy! |
This elite athlete works out at the gym that I go to. I used to feel bad about working out next to this person because they were incredibly better than me. But than I learned that they had multiple medals to back up their speed on an Olympic scale. Quickly the shame I felt was gone and I wanted to see if they would be willing to help me improve my skills. Needless to say I asked and was told by the spouse that this particular person only trained younger athletes and those who had serious potential...
Ok, I guess I could live with that response. I am not exactly in my prime and my potential to become accomplished at this sport of triathlon was not an immediate or foreseeable thing.
So, why I am ranting on this subject. Because I actually have met some really incredible athletes in my short time in this sport. Actually world class athletes, people who have records and people who actually had the desire to say more than hello and wanted to know a little more about you and not talk about themselves!
When the television segment aired, I was miffed that this person spoke of how being an elite athlete and not having a race to compete in, was somewhat ashamed. Really... what about the world and the problems we are all dealing with...and what about all of the other “normal” athletes out there who are balancing life [family, work and workouts] and no organized races to speak of?
What about us?
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| The rat pack! |
What about the people who are not professional you cocky “elite athlete”? What about the people who work and train and manage everything else in the world so they can just compete in an event?
Well, the guilty party that mouthed off on television in their humblest way, made it sound like they had been in this sport for many years and were accomplished at it. In all truth, they had just gotten into the sport in the last two years and had not even competed in the longer distance races. But I guess that truth does not translate well on television.
I have had the good fortune of meeting some of the best athletes in our sport. I have never felt brushed off or inferior to them. They have always made me feel like I was special for even being out on the course with them.
Yes, there are assholes in our sport, those type A personalities who only think of themselves and put everyone else on the back burner. But at the professional level, I have not met them yet.
What I have met is people who care, people who are willing to uplift others and help them become better.
I found this Mark Twain quote “Keep away from the people who try to belittle your ambitions, small people always do that, but really great people make you feel that you too can become great”
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| Another great guy and incredible athlete |
Give me real champions any day of the week
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| Coach Lisa, another great person! |
The lesson, surround yourself with winners, people who are confident in their abilities and do not need to belittle others to make themselves better. Seek and find those types of people and you will always have a friend..... even though you might not be an “elite athlete”
Peace out
