Do you consider yourself an athlete?

RE: Do you consider yourself an athlete?

Former Member — Wed, 24 Jan 2007 14:46:58 GMT

I'm a stripper? :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: Do you think you're one? I won't ask if you eat them. :rofl:

RE: Do you consider yourself an athlete?

Former Member — Wed, 24 Jan 2007 11:39:10 GMT

I consider myself an athlete. I think one thing that separates athletes from the rest is their goals or reasons for training/working out/etc. - they train to improve (or maintain, as the case may be), rather than just to get or stay in shape. It's hard to define what makes someone an athlete, but goals are a big part of it.

RE: Do you consider yourself an athlete?

Former Member — Wed, 24 Jan 2007 11:11:32 GMT

Yep. You are what you eat. You are what you think. I'm a stripper? :rofl: :rofl: :rofl:

RE: Do you consider yourself an athlete?

Former Member — Wed, 24 Jan 2007 11:03:30 GMT

Yep. You are what you eat. You are what you think.

RE: Do you consider yourself an athlete?

Former Member — Wed, 24 Jan 2007 10:50:33 GMT

In the Philadelphia area, we don't have "athletes", we have "ath-el-etes". I don't consider myself an athlete yet, but someday....

RE: Do you consider yourself an athlete?

Former Member — Wed, 24 Jan 2007 10:06:06 GMT

I think there's a difference between going to the gym a lot and seriously training / competing in a sport. It's one thing to swim laps or to run for pleasure and another to swim in a meet or run a marathon. Both of the later activities take training, a focus on certain dietary things, and often extra activities like strength training. Does that mean those people who train at the level of a competitive swimmer or runner or cyclist and choose not to compete are not athletes? No, I don't think that's the case. I think the defining criteria for the athlete is someone who can compete at some level (masters, college, professional, olympic, whatever you call marathon level). Whether or not they chose to is up to them. This is an odd comment. Obviously, most people "can" compete, even if they are just going to the gym or swimming laps. Does the fact that you "can" compete make you an athlete? Or is there an athlete meritocracy? I work out pretty seriously and don't compete much due to time constraints. I consider myself an athlete. I think Donna's definition is pretty good. It seems like some people never compete, some only compete at big meets or in good pools, and some only go to Nationals. What is the rationale for that? Is it a time issue or preference issue?

RE: Do you consider yourself an athlete?

Former Member — Wed, 24 Jan 2007 09:58:09 GMT

I know people who are athletic and even though they don't compete, I view them as athletes, after all, they are people who can play baseball, ice skate, run track, etc. extremely well. I have been told by a man down here on the island that I am not an athlete, and he even went so far as to say I was an embarrassment to all athletes because I was so very old (57 when he told me this). My reply to him was this: I may not look like an athlete to you, but I am a swimmer and I proved it in the triathlon 1 mile swim that year placing 2nd out of all women and most of the men. Any person who engages in physical activity weekly, daily, etc., and continues with it, is both athletic and an athlete in my book, and as an athlete ages and continues to be athletic, they are true athletes. Because as body parts start to hurt a bit more with age and we continue in our athletic ways, this is a good indication of those who are athletes, competing or not. So, yes, I am a swimming athlete. Donna

RE: Do you consider yourself an athlete?

Former Member — Wed, 24 Jan 2007 09:20:59 GMT

I said no because I wouldn't want FlyQueen to think I was conceited... I think it's safe to say you're an athlete without conceit. Don't you have a meet soon? Although I don't think you need a meet to be an athlete... I guess having a goal helps train.

RE: Do you consider yourself an athlete?

Former Member — Wed, 24 Jan 2007 07:38:12 GMT

Very inspiring. Me too. Most people I know think athletes are either skilled kids, college athletes or professionals. But the above quote is much more optimistic. I said no because I wouldn't want FlyQueen to think I was conceited...

RE: Do you consider yourself an athlete?

swim4me — Wed, 24 Jan 2007 06:12:24 GMT

Any person who engages in physical activity weekly, daily, etc., and continues with it, is both athletic and an athlete in my book, and as an athlete ages and continues to be athletic, they are true athletes. Because as body parts start to hurt a bit more with age and we continue in our athletic ways, this is a good indication of those who are athletes, competing or not. So, yes, I am a swimming athlete. Donna Donna, I cannot believe someone would be so rude!!!!! :shakeshead: :shakeshead: You gave him a great answer and I hope you let that awful experience flow off of you like water on a duck. You have become one of my secret heroes and I am so excited about your upcoming swim and the training for it. Please keep us posted. I pray I am one half as athletic as you are when I am 57!!!:woot: :woot:

RE: Do you consider yourself an athlete?

FlyQueen — Wed, 24 Jan 2007 05:01:24 GMT

Donna!!! I'm glad you are back. The guy was obviously an idiot. He also sounds like he's sexist and ageist. He also must NOT realize what a great athlete you are. You should have busted out strories about the good old days with Schollander and Spitz ... ;)

RE: Do you consider yourself an athlete?

The Fortress — Wed, 24 Jan 2007 02:31:24 GMT

Yes, I am forever an athlete. Very inspiring. Me too. Most people I know think athletes are either skilled kids, college athletes or professionals. But the above quote is much more optimistic.

RE: Do you consider yourself an athlete?

Former Member — Mon, 07 Nov 2005 06:05:19 GMT

Yes, I am forever an athlete.

RE: Do you consider yourself an athlete?

Former Member — Sun, 06 Nov 2005 15:17:23 GMT

This athlete-or-not-an-athlete discussion has been very interesting to me. I am a person who possesses NO natural athletic ability whatsoever. I was always the brainy kid who excelled at academics but failed everything in the President's Physical Fitness Test. Now, at age 44, I'm STILL mad at my junior high gym teachers. If it weren't for them, I would have had straight A's in every subject every year from Grades 1 through 12. It's ironic, then, that I "found" Masters swimming at age 26 and have stuck with it, attending at least 3 workouts per week, for 18 years. And that I've swum in dozens of Masters swim meets and open water swims. Thanks to that total lack of athletic ability, I've finished last in my share of races. And I've frustrated a handful of coaches who have been unable to improve my freestyle. But you know what? I went to a new doctor a couple of months ago. As soon as she put the stethoscope on my chest and listened, she said, "Wow. You've got the heart of an athlete." So while I may not "deserve" to call myself an athlete, I do. I even describe myself as a "competitive swimmer". (Hey, technically it's true. I swim in competitions, don't I? I just don't mention the part about finishing last!)

RE: Do you consider yourself an athlete?

Former Member — Fri, 21 Oct 2005 15:47:27 GMT

I guess now that I have done a triathlon, I can consider myself a true athlete again. And my swimming times are beginning to drop down to more respectable times. Now if I can just get my running times down... :mad:

RE: Do you consider yourself an athlete?

Former Member — Thu, 20 Oct 2005 09:24:37 GMT

I guess now I'm a varsity athlete...but sometimes I still don't feel like much of one.

RE: Do you consider yourself an athlete?

Former Member — Mon, 08 Aug 2005 09:00:23 GMT

Of course Im an athelete, Im a Triathlete. :eek:

RE: Do you consider yourself an athlete?

Former Member — Wed, 03 Aug 2005 07:04:30 GMT

I am an athlete. Swimming has been in my blood since i was 8 years old (52 now). The (literally) spiritual experience i have when swimming tells me, i am where i was created to be. Also, to be an athlete merely requires "BEING" an athlete. There is a "beingness" to athlete. Hope this ain't too metaphysical but it is my belief. byefornow

RE: Do you consider yourself an athlete?

Former Member — Mon, 01 Aug 2005 12:10:04 GMT

I agree with hmlee's statement. I consider myself not because I compete, but because I could compete. And I probably will do so more often in the near future. I see a lot of 'amateur racers' (meaning Cat 2 and 3) while I am out riding my bike. I can keep up with most of them, and I suspect that most of the ones I can't keep up with are the Cat 1 boys (and women). Yet I have never done a bike race in my life. But riding 60-120 miles per week gives you the endurance base of a racer. Now if I can just convince myself to do more races.

RE: Do you consider yourself an athlete?

Former Member — Mon, 01 Aug 2005 11:53:35 GMT

RE: Do you consider yourself an athlete?

Former Member — Mon, 01 Aug 2005 09:56:37 GMT

I don't think you have to compete to be an athlete. I always considered someone who had an innate ability to be athletic. An athlete works at a sport talent/no talent competition/no competition. I compete, but consider my teammates who don't to be just as much an athlete as I am.

RE: Do you consider yourself an athlete?

Former Member — Mon, 01 Aug 2005 06:59:17 GMT

There should have been a place to answer "used to be." And, while we're quibbling, Jon Kruk was a first baseman, not a catcher. Cherub

RE: Do you consider yourself an athlete?

Former Member — Sat, 23 Jul 2005 05:13:42 GMT

I consider myself an athlete - as a chess player! - but not as a swimmer.

RE: Do you consider yourself an athlete?

Former Member — Tue, 19 Jul 2005 15:34:28 GMT

Originally posted by geochuck When I was young and went to the pool you had to step into a foot bath of chlorinated water. This was to kill athletes foot, I guess we where athletes before stepping into this water, I don't know about after. How to cure athlete's foot www.alive.com/.../index.php

RE: Do you consider yourself an athlete?

Former Member — Sun, 17 Jul 2005 05:19:09 GMT

To me somebody who's athletic participate in competitions. Since I don't, I guess I can only classify myself as "active".