Last week, before we lost power, I was watching the Olympic swimming trials.
Besides convincing me that I should learn the breaststroke (oh, how my swimming teacher will laugh), the trials reminded me of an email conversation I had with a former beach volleyball pro.
Really, I know a former beach volleyball player. Of course, I knew her when she was well into her second career of career counselor.
It was probably in 2004. I was telling her that as much as I liked the Olympics it was so hard to watch them because I couldn't imagine doing what these athletes do.
She agreed, but pointed out ed that 99% of the population can't do what athletes can do. And she mentioned a story at the time about an Olympic hopeful who just missed the Games and killed himself.
I watched this year, noticing the fractions of seconds that separated success from also-rans, and I understood a little more what she was referring to.
I guess I can imagine what swimmers do (at least backstrokers) and dressage riders, and how hard it is.
But track and field? How do you stand, let alone run or jump or throw something? Even beach volleyball is mind-boggling to someone with no dexterity.
I'm sure I'll watch the Olympics this year. I am also sure it will make me sad.
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2 comments:
I like watching Olympics. The athletes take care of their bodies, and appreciate health.
It's the normal everyday people running that get me sad. I want to say to them, "Do you know how lucky you are that you can run? Without thinking , with no serious effort???" You don't know what you got till it's gone.
Yeah, it makes no sense. I just want to be able to try to do Olympic things.
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