RunningAHEAD - Topic: Define Athlete

Mendeldave

ultramarathon/triathlete

posted: 4/21/2009 at 4:50 PM

Fell into in a minor argument with a co-worker today. Some of us were discussing the Boston marathon and the athletes we tracked who ran it. And then atheltes in general. Someone said "Dave's the only athlete in the office" (I'm Dave) Then someone else walked into the conversation and said "Well So-and-so place softball --he's more of an athlete because that's a team sport, Dave just runs." The conversation went on, but nothing worth typing, really. I laughed, totally not bothered by this b/c the person who said it is an idiot in general. You hear things like that all the time, so whatever. I DO a lot more than "just run" but if I explained my triathlons to him, it would fall on dead ears. Also, I AM sponsored and I lead a team, and I coach, but whatever, dead ears. It wasn't worth arguing. Anyway, it did get me thinking... at what point would you call someone an "athlete?" The moment they step out the door on their first run (or whatever the sport is that they choose)? The moment they get "really" into it (very arbitrary I know)? When they race? When they get sponsored? When they're a pro? When it's a "real" sport like softball hahaha Something else? Just curious about people's opinions here

HTFU? Why not!

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DirtyGraceFlint

The Crap Whisperer

posted: 4/21/2009 at 4:54 PM
modified: 4/21/2009 at 4:54 PM

I spent a good portion of my life as a dancer (not a stripper) and was not considered an athlete by many...so lets just say I've always been unclear on what constitutes a "true athlete" by the general populations' standards.

Being the best tiny spec that I can be!

milktruck

an amazing likeness

posted: 4/21/2009 at 5:04 PM

An athlete is someone who participates and engages in an athletic endeavor. So move the discussion to trying to decide what is an athletic endeavor.... ...good luck with that.

_{Acceptable at a dance, invaluable in a shipwreck.}

xor

posted: 4/21/2009 at 5:04 PM
modified: 4/21/2009 at 5:05 PM

Well, I do think it has to involve a "real" sport. But there are team sports and individual sports. To be an athlete, I have to both 1) train for and 2) participate in the sport. If I just train, and don't participate, then I personally wouldn't consider myself an athlete because I'm just doing the training for fitness purposes. But if someone else considers her/himself an 'athlete' specifically because of training, then more power to them. I don't care. If I just participate on game day and I don't train, then I personally wouldn't consider myself an athlete either. I used to be forced into playing intramural softball in one of my corporate gigs. I was terrible at it and I never practiced. I just showed up, played right field, and grounded out a lot. Not an athlete. The fun is trying to decide what is and is not a sport. My view on that is that if alcohol improves your performance (to a point), it ain't a sport. Bowling and poker are not sports by my definition... although both have thresholds. Some beer makes me a better bowler. Too much beer makes me, well, a drunk shitty bowler. Ok then.

JimR

posted: 4/21/2009 at 5:05 PM

You take so and so's place in softball, then have so-and-so run a 10 miler, and each report back on the experience.

Ileneforward

#artbydmcbride

posted: 4/21/2009 at 5:05 PM

Anyone who 'trains'. Big grin

Runners run

JLeonard

Just Happy to Run

posted: 4/21/2009 at 5:06 PM

Great question! In the past I would have said that the sport that they are involved in would be the prime activity in their life. Pro or not. I don't think I'm so rigid in that self-defined definition anymore. I'm not sure where I stand though but attitude (as in healthy living) would be a larger part of it. Maybe that change in me is so that I can think it's possible that I could think of myself as an athlete one day even though you won't see me in the Olympics... Big grin

Jason

2010 Goals
• M PR (Current: 6:27:00) • HM PR (Current: 2:13:14) • 5k under 25:00 • 10k under 59:00 • Weekly Milage of ~25 miles

Matt2112

posted: 4/21/2009 at 5:10 PM

OK, I don't usually jump into these discussions, but since I haven't been running (or doing anything athletic) lately...and for no good reason either mind you, I figure I lend my completely unprofessional opinion. I think there is a difference between being athletic and being an athlete. I think you cross that line when you decide to compete. I'm not convinced you need to win, just compete...with an honest effort (biting my tongue to avoid commenting on professional athletes and "honest" competition) Training, rehearsing and exercising is great and can help make you a very fit and athletic person, but when you put that fitness, skill and athleticism to the test against others, that's when you become and athlete in my opinion. Just my 2 cents. Follow-up question...are all athletes athletic? Was Babe ruth athletic? He was a hell of an athlete and ballplayer...not sure. File this whole thing under the jogging/running category. It should generate plenty of discussion.

Trent

Good Bad & The Monkey

posted: 4/21/2009 at 5:11 PM

Nascar drivers and poker players on ESPN are athletes.

I'm running somewhere tomorrow. It's going to be beautiful. I can't wait.

Poor baby

C-R

posted: 4/21/2009 at 5:14 PM

Quote from Ileneforward on 4/21/2009 at 5:05 PM:

Anyone who 'trains'.

Quote from Trent on 4/21/2009 at 5:11 PM:

Nascar drivers and poker players on ESPN are athletes.

don't forget bowlers.

"He conquers who endures" - Persius
"Every workout should have a purpose. Every purpose should link back to achieving a training objective." - Spaniel

http://ncstake.blogspot.com/

celiacChris

3Days4Cure

posted: 4/21/2009 at 5:16 PM

Quote from Ileneforward on 4/21/2009 at 5:05 PM:

Anyone who 'trains'.

Agreed. I used to call myself only "sorta" an athlete, and my coach and some running partners corrected me pretty harshly. Athletes train. Kinda like the "runners run" philosophy.

Chris
PRs: 27:26 5k/ 49:52 5mi/ 58:17 10k/ 2:09:24 half/ 5:13:17 Full

Post-Bipolar PRs: 38:35 5k/ 1:09:34 8k/ 1:09:39 5mi/ 1:33:03 10k/ 3:20:40 Half

2022 Goals

Back to 10k

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rectumdamnnearkilledem

posted: 4/21/2009 at 5:21 PM

Anyone who doesn't have to pay for his/her gear. Wink

Getting the wind knocked out of you is the only way to

remind your lungs how much they like the taste of air.

~ Sarah Kay

Mendeldave

ultramarathon/triathlete

posted: 4/21/2009 at 5:42 PM

ANY gear? I don't pay for MOST of my gear, am I mostly an athlete? Cool

Wikipedia didn't help too much: An athlete is a sportsperson in a general sense or specifically a competitor in track and field athletics (track and field) events. Also, a person who competes in general sport competition. Pretty vague

HTFU? Why not!

USATF Coach

Empire Tri Club Coach
Gatorade Endurance Team

JLeonard

Just Happy to Run

posted: 4/21/2009 at 5:45 PM

Quote from Mendeldave on 4/21/2009 at 5:42 PM:

ANY gear? I don't pay for MOST of my gear, am I mostly an athlete? Wikipedia didn't help too much: An athlete is a sportsperson in a general sense or specifically a competitor in track and field athletics (track and field) events. Also, a person who competes in general sport competition. Pretty vague

That settles the question. Athletes are people who are pretty vague! Ok... next question.

Jason

2010 Goals
• M PR (Current: 6:27:00) • HM PR (Current: 2:13:14) • 5k under 25:00 • 10k under 59:00 • Weekly Milage of ~25 miles

zoom-zoom

rectumdamnnearkilledem

posted: 4/21/2009 at 5:47 PM

UA makes a shirt that I have come close to buying (even though I avoid UA's overpriced stuff on principle). It says Athletes Run. Big grin

Getting the wind knocked out of you is the only way to

remind your lungs how much they like the taste of air.

~ Sarah Kay

Define Athlete (Read 916 times)