To be a (M)Athlete

I have never been an athlete. Sure, I played sports as a kid, running track, playing soccer, basketball, among other things. Other than a brief stint as a rower freshman year of college, I never really spent that much time in the pursuit of physical prowess. I was generally encouraged to pursue excellence in the classroom over excellence on the field, and I was happy with that. To be honest, I am lucky. I'm naturally pretty thin, and I build muscle relatively easily, so my appearance was always more athletic than the reality. I prided myself in being more fit than most of the American population, and that was always enough for me.

Now, however, as I consider my future, and the jobs I want to do, I am forced to consider the possibility that I might have to become, gulp, and athletic individual. Not just some person who walks a lot, or can run a mile, or can carry her groceries 10 blocks home, but an athlete.

In the past few months I have been slowly adjusting myself to this realization. It is no longer enough to be good, I've got to be one of the best. I've got to join that group of people who you see each morning sweating in out on the track, trail, or in the gym. The people who can say that running, biking, swimming, lifting, spinning or whatever they do, is not just a hobby, but a part of their life. I never understood what that meant, but now, I think I'm beginning to slowly see. Being in shape is one thing, but being in good shape, marathon, triathalon, athlete shape, thats a whole new ball game.

I'm not sure I'm ready, nor do I fully understand where the mystical line is. When, exactly, do I go from mathlete to athlete? I guess, like many things, its a process. And one day, I just might wake up and say, "today is the day." But until then, I'd best go to bed, 'cause I've got to run in the morning.