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The Olympics Serve to Inspire!

Written on September 14, 2008

I don’t know about you, but I am still mourning the end of the Olympics. Two weeks of witnessing athletic excellence was almost more than I could handle. Many late nights of watching athletes compete, made getting up in the morning my personal Olympic event.

For me, simply climbing a flight of stairs with grace is a challenge yet these Olympians flew through the air with such ease I wonder if they ever worry about what happens if they fall? My hunch is they don’t think about that.  To watch those lean bodies bend, flip and balance without hesitation challenges my mind, “How DO they do that?” And what about the parallel bars and the way the gymnasts slam their underarms during their transition moves? I found myself reaching for sympathy ice packs! 

Watching the Olympics certainly encourages the mind to dream about the possibility of being an Olympic athlete, but I’m quickly brought back to reality when my knee barks simply because I’ve overdone my short runs for the week. But one can’t help thinking “just maybe” when watching athletes like 41 year old Dana Torres compete with athletes 20 years her junior; proudly giving those “kids” a run for their money.

Never being an athlete on that level, I’m not able to understand the type of dedication that goes in to their training. The most athletic thing I ever did was run the Chicago Marathon for my 40th b-day and between you and me, not sure if I’ll ever do it again. I’m glad I did it, but my body is still paying the price. Which brings me to the marathon runners, they float. Those athletes breeze through a marathon like most people walk a mile. I’d have to be resuscitated if I kept up a pace like that and it would be on mile two! Yeah, there is something incredibly special about watching those athletes perform.

Between the mental toughness and physical prowess of those athletes I remain in awe. However, for most people simply walking around the block is an Olympic event. Olympic athletes are trained (and in some instances paid) to be great. We are paid to be healthy, though it’s not a monetary payment, it’s the payment of a better quality of life and perhaps a bit of an extension on that life. Regular exercise is prevention against the diseases that result from an idle body and the dividends it pays are pretty generous.

Although you may never compete in athletic event, don’t let that stop you from finding an activity to be passionate about. That passion results in a better, stronger, healthier, and happier you! And the best part, there are no judges to determine your performance, it’s all you!

I am counting the days until the next Olympics! Congratulations to all of the athletes that made their way to Bejing! Medal or not, the dedication and commitment to their sport, their country and to one another was truly inspiring. Maybe I’ll consider kicking up my running distance this week.

Trainer Tip: According to an article in the New York Times, consumption of monosodium glutamate, or MSG, the widely used food additive, may increase the likelihood of being overweight, a new study says.