Dara just one the national title in the 100M Freestyle in 54.4 at the ripe old age of 40. Simply Incredible. :applaud: :woot:
If that's not inspiring I don't know what is.
You are such an elitist...some of us here can't afford nice toys as we are stay at home, non-dads who spend all our time trying to bash Title IX, working mom's, Rush Limbaugh-Alan Combs and glamorous/fast people that we are actually really just jealous of because we never were good enough...so some of us in middle age (not me) get tattoo's trying to relive what little glory days...but because we are so miserable in our pathetic lives we come here and try and be "understood" but end up getting PM's from the moderators about being political..so we really have no friends here either...but we'll still got to nationals and taunt each other and in some cases win beer bets because we really hate our families we can't afford for not letting us train full time and teach TaeBo...
OK..to much coffee...time to grab my (wifes) push mower and clean up the 10' x 20' piece of lawn we haven't torn out yet so we can find the dog bomb's.
Is it taper time yet?
Best post yet!!
Lesser sports, you might be right but in the pro ranks it's all about what people think, the flash, the bling, the cars, houses, girls, etc. They are obsessed with their image.
I think Sir Charles would disagree with this statement!!!!! :woot:
Certainly, you know that CB changed his opinion on this topic about a decade ago.
dorothy - again, be careful of slipping into a comparison of what she is doing to your average 41 year old person. She is a pro athlete, this is her job and basically has been her job her whole life. She is not you, nothing like you, other than being a mom and a swimmer. She has fashioned her entire existence around this one item. Because I play golf on the weekend doesn't make me Greg Norman (who is leading the Open as of this morning).
Was funny watching him when it happened.......
Certainly, you know that CB changed his opinion on this topic about a decade ago.
dorothy - again, be careful of slipping into a comparison of what she is doing to your average 41 year old person. She is a pro athlete, this is her job and basically has been her job her whole life. She is not you, nothing like you, other than being a mom and a swimmer. She has fashioned her entire existence around this one item. Because I play golf on the weekend doesn't make me Greg Norman (who is leading the Open as of this morning).
Unless you personally know Dara - do you know she has "fashioned her entire existence around this one item?" Sure she is going to her 5th Olympics. But she retired twice. The last time for 7 years. She raced cars. She was a media person (not focused on swimming).
Based on what I have seen - swimming is a big part of her life so far. But she has been married twice, surely traveled around the world, now has a child.
Hardly her entire existence.
You know for the past few days I've been reading the silly banter of doubting minds and it appears conclusive that many people prefer to be confused rather than living with crystal clarity. For example, I saw Dara swim fastest at 41.
I suppose it is easier to doubt, that would make Dara's accomplishements more tolerable, or even easier to relate to, something that might one day be possible for everyone... Never! Even if people drank a gallon of PED's every day, I DOUBT anyone could repeat Dara's accomplishments. Why? Because Dara has a gift, she is the greatest female sprint swimmer of all time.
What if a mesomorph like myself tried HGH or gene therapy?
DISCLAIMER: I am not saying that Dara is doing this.
This thread really needs the voice of reason. Lucky for you all, I have returned from vacation!!
You would develop huge, manly, freakish in fact, trap muscles...that is if you're truly a mesomorph. You'd get way more than definiiton. ;)
Usually, the use of steroids, genetics, diet, supplements and diuretics (sp?) are the key tools of the "bodybuilders" when going for ripped.
I don't know about HGH except it makes for bigger muscles, without other factors this would not alone bring such definition.
Anyone have a good shot of Dara's abs back in the day? I also see som Martial Artist gals in the 40's that have washboard abs. The core work builds and strengthens, stretching and diet shapes and defines them. In my limited exp.
It is a tough time for Dara. Ten years ago, before BALCO and the increased publicity surrounding doping in the Tour, we would have been more accepting. Another thing that hurts Dara is Dara. She is living an unconventional lifestyle for a 41 year old mother, is drawing attention to that fact, and is proud of it. If she was low-profile, got married right out of college, was still married to the same person, and had a couple of pre-teen or teenage kids, I think we might be quicker to embrace her. This is what society expects of a 41 year old woman.
here here and take away the right to vote while we're at it! Dammit if it wasn't for equality, I'd not have to compete with women for jobs that are men's work!
Man this is a great post Elise, I know what you're saying but if I said it seriously I'd get lynched.
It's a bit like the woman walking into the locker rooms at my Y "looking" for her son. I understand, but if I did it in the women's room, I'd be on the S.O.R. quicker than Dara Torres can race 50m Free!
And get married right out of college?!?! I've told my youngest it's illegal to get married before 30.
What are you, the matrimony police?
Yikes I got married at 21 and before college. Then again I do everything backwards! ;)
Dara is, hands down, the best speaker among our elite Olympians.
Yes, but has she stayed at Bill V's Olympian Guestroom? This is the test of a true Olmpian!!
:D
