Over the past 11 years I have coached and worked with all different levels of athletes; from beginners to advanced, and everyone in between. The one thing they have in common is they are all athletes. Some of them say to me that they are not an athlete, but that is where I disagree. Everyone that takes time out of their day to train for a physical challenge is an ATHLETE. It may be to train for a race, to be fit, to lose weight, or just to train for life. Whatever the reason they train, that physical effort makes them an athlete.
One thing that fascinates me is to see what someone can accomplish and what they are capable of achieving. Some people come to me never having done any endurance sports before, but seem to have a natural talent. There are those who have been doing triathlons for years, but didn’t start until later in life and were never athletic as a kid. Everyone falls into a different category and how they should be coached is unique, which is always fun and challenging for me. I want to push people to see what they are capable of and to find out what results they can achieve. The excitement when someone hits a new pace, a new weight loss goal, or just feels better and stronger than ever before, is so rewarding. Most people do not realize what they are capable of and can’t imagine doing something they have never done before, but with hard work week after week, it just happens. The body can do amazing things and naturally progresses whether you realize it or not. Some people may be naturally gifted and genetically inclined, but at the end of the day, hard work will always pay off and get the results. I’ve seen it a hundred times; literally!
It takes guts to put yourself out there day after day, regardless of weather, how tired you are, and the stresses of everyday life. You are setting an example for everyone around you that it may not be easy, but it is possible to reach your goals with hard work. So next time you wake up at 5:00AM for a workout or spend your lunch hour at the gym, it is safe to call yourself an athlete, because that is exactly what you are.
