This is a great topic of discussion for us.
When does working out and training for an event take too much time away from family?
Is it different if your spouse isn't a swimmer or athletic?
How does your spouse feel about how much you train each week?
What comprimises have you made?
2011 WSJ Article:
A Workout Ate My Marriage
Exercise Can Set Off Conflict About Family, Free Time; Errands vs. English Channel
What's funny is I trained with Jordan (featured in the article) on Thursday July 5th, 2007 at Asphalt Green in NYC, he gave me a ride back by my hotel which was pretty close to his office. Very nice guy.
I think it really, really helps when your relationship is based on similar values and financial management. I don't think it's absolutely necessary that you and your significant other be athletes, but that you have activities that follow the same path and agreement of time & effort involved (daily schedule), and resources spent.
I can see compatibility with other activities as well. My mother-in-law shows flowers - roses, iris, dayliliies. I've helped her for some of the competitions and it is every bit as competitive as any sport. She's pretty much asked me to leave or be quiet, which I found really funny because she was "in the zone" and getting her game face on. I laugh at myself because it would have been along the lines of her coming to my swim meet and trying to carry my bag for me, or constantly asking who's who because everyone has the same black colored kneeskin and is about 5 10 and 140 lbs. (Yes, those flowers all look alike to me!) (And i'm actually 5 8 1/2 but the optical illusion is that I am taller! hooray!)
And if you aren't in alignment for the template of your life, then it's even that much more exacerbated (sp?) when you have kids. I don't like hearing parents complain about the other parent and how they "aren't supportive" of the ways their kids are raised. It usually is a difference in their core values to begin with.
I think it really, really helps when your relationship is based on similar values and financial management. I don't think it's absolutely necessary that you and your significant other be athletes, but that you have activities that follow the same path and agreement of time & effort involved (daily schedule), and resources spent.
I can see compatibility with other activities as well. My mother-in-law shows flowers - roses, iris, dayliliies. I've helped her for some of the competitions and it is every bit as competitive as any sport. She's pretty much asked me to leave or be quiet, which I found really funny because she was "in the zone" and getting her game face on. I laugh at myself because it would have been along the lines of her coming to my swim meet and trying to carry my bag for me, or constantly asking who's who because everyone has the same black colored kneeskin and is about 5 10 and 140 lbs. (Yes, those flowers all look alike to me!) (And i'm actually 5 8 1/2 but the optical illusion is that I am taller! hooray!)
And if you aren't in alignment for the template of your life, then it's even that much more exacerbated (sp?) when you have kids. I don't like hearing parents complain about the other parent and how they "aren't supportive" of the ways their kids are raised. It usually is a difference in their core values to begin with.
