To feel in awe of, inferior to and jealous of the Olympic athletes?

[toptramp]

Thaye are amazing. We have all been given a body but I feel so inept physically. I was shit at sport at school and it is something I regret because I went to a sport school but I just felt so intimidated by the super sporty types that I gave up.
And it's not about giving up is it? It's about trying yopur best but somehow I just shrank into myself on sports days etc.
I am stronger now physically than I have ever been due to the shred by Jillian Michaels but I am no athlete.
I really want my dd to love sport so I have introduced her to gymnastics, ballet and swimming already but while I would never force her to do sport I will strongly encourage it. It brings so much to people's lives. The athletes just seem so happy and briming with life and confidence. Real super stars.

This thread is a stealth thread about my scars about being shite at sport aswell as worshipping those who can!

They are inspiring... I need to get swimming lessons and learn how to do it properly!

I would like to be good at sport. But I'm less convonced that I'd like to be an elite sportsperson. It was interesting reading tge piece in the Times recently where various Olympians and Paralympians talked about their relationships with their bodies - on one level quite inspiring / uplifting but on another almost all of them appeared to accept that the demands of their support had pushed their body beyond its normal limits and that they would be reaping the long-term consequences before they hit middle age. I wouldn't see that as a good trade-off for the possibility of a few years at the top, but they clearly do.

I am in awe of them and admire them, but by no means am I envious of them... a life of several hours training a day, severely controlling what they eat, failures, sacrifice... Definitely not a dream career for a chocoholic who hates exercise, like me

I am in awe of them too. I found it wonderful to watch, the dedication they put in just to get those 10seconds on a podium, but even more how all the competitors have been congratulating each other.
There was an athlete (swimmer I think) who gave an interview and said she realised how much she took from peoples lives, from her friends, her colleagues and her family in order to pursue her goal, how it really is a team effort.
I can't wait for the Paralympics to start, that will surely be inspirational.

I used to coach a teenage girl, let's call her A. She used to partner girl B for races. Girl A had talent and used to perform really well - until she reached a level where she needed to train and she couldn't be bothered. She won fewer and fewer races and gave up. Girl B trained hard and has been racing internationally for a couple of years.
I asked A if she was jealous. Hell no! She taught swimming, was doing well in her a'levels, played county netball, had great friends and was loving life. Girl B trained, did homework, trained, complained on fb about people being noisy at 10pm when she had to be out training at 6 next morning, and occasionally got to leave the country in a red white and blue tracksuit.

I hated sport at school and was that fat spotty kid. I love the fact that my kids spend one day a month watching me race, and dd (3) hangs clothes on her radiator, telling me its her running kit. She comes running with me - she has the gps and we hold hands and run to the end of our road and back. It takes a minute or so and burns 2 calories.

Do I want my kids to be olympians? Only of they really, really want to and can do so without compromising each other or the family but I love that sport is part of their daily lives.

My uncle was captain of Bath rugby team in the 70s and played cricket for Somerset but neither of his two children are interested in sport in the slightest. They take after their very unfit mum. Strange how these genes skip generations!

I too am mostly in awe of the para olympians. They really put me to shame!

My partner is extremely fit and I am a lucky woman he is a cyclist, can average 22 miles an hour over a 20 mile journey and is in awe of Bradley Wiggins and Mark Cavendish. I think to be inspiring in sport is just about being the best you can be. And you will see that very clearly once the Paralympics kicks off.

Did you hear Bradley Wiggins yesterday after winning the Gold? He said "its never going to be better than this". Quite a perceptive and philosophical thought.

No disrespect to athletes, but it is also surely down to how competative you are, which in soem cases must be a personality flaw? As in goles example.

I took my degree because i wanted to be in the career that i am. I constantly update my knowledge to be able to do my job better.

I couldn't have that dedication to just winning a competition, tbh. You have to see the point of getting to Olympian standard.

The Para Olympics, is different, of course, in a lot of cases.

But consider Wiggins' position, MoreBera - he's (AFAIK) happily married, he has two lovely children, he's widly respected by his peers, he's just within tge space of a fortnight gained two of the top three awards in his chosen profession, he's beloved by his compatriots and has even won over the French, and women all over the UK are discussing on the Internet quite how much they would go there. It isn't really likely to get much better than this.

I don't really know any of these odd, socially defective athletes who have no social lives that mumsnetters talk about. And I know plenty of runners, cyclists, triathletes, swimmers, and equestrians. Well, maybe the latter...;-)

I know odd people who are not competitive athletes.

It really depends on what you're accustomed to. What you see every day is normal to you. I find it shocking that people don't exercise, don't look after their bodies, barely go outdoors. What I'm saying is that don't assume you stand for "normal" when others may look at you and see the exact opposite...

I have two young children and limited free time. I like to spend it reading and writing.

Expanding my mind is more important to me personally than muscles and speed. We are all different, but whilst I do enjoy watching sport and can appreciate the dedication and hard work the top atheletes put in, I am not in awe no.

There are people who I am in awe of but not atheletes generally.

I know exactly what you mean. I am so in awe of them too, so full of vitality and inspirational. However, I like you was not sporty at school but I am sporty now....I'm still no good at it but I DO it anyway, running, swimming, cycling and the wonderful workout with Jillian that you mentioned and as the years pass I am getting a bit better and more confident.

Most of us will never be anywhere near as good as the olympians we are watching on telly but we can all improve. I just set myself little goals and then maybe one big goal a year, sometimes I reach them sometimes I have a tough time and don't but I am determined not to give up.

Once you get active it makes you feel so good about yourself. Also, don't worry about what other people think of you if you are out running or whatever, it really doesn't matter and they may well be thinking "good for her, I think I'll go out for a run tomorrow too"!

I second everything that golemmings said, my DD (now 9) has been hugely keen to help me train and if I am doing long distances I pick her up for the last mile and we run it together. She is not gifted in anyway athletically (I'm not being unkind in saying that- neither am I!) but she has a go at it and knows that it is fun and it keeps you fit.

We Brits should be so very proud of all our amazing athletes and all the people responsible for putting on such a brilliant Olympics and its only half way through.

I have been inspired to do more sport and I'm 48.

DD (3) wants to join Gymnastics club, go swimming and buy a racing bike! she also wants to know when the Scootering starts!!

I am in awe of our athletes but not jealous. I'm quite sure they manage to have fulfilling lives, but there does seem to be masses of sacrifice and I'd rather have a balance than just spend hours day after day, week after week training at one thing.

And what I think must be the worst thing of all is what if you get to Olympic standards, but you are number 5 in the country and only the top 4 get taken to compete. I think that must be devastating, as must getting to the Olympics, being capable of getting gold, and then coming last. Lots of athletes seem to be fine with that and accept that they have still achieved something special, and so they should, but some are clearly so incredibly competitive that they are devastated (hell, some of them are devastated by a silver medal). I can't imagine living with that disappointment.

Cherries "Most of us will never be anywhere near as good as the olympians we are watching on telly but we can all improve. I just set myself little goals and then maybe one big goal a year, sometimes I reach them sometimes I have a tough time and don't but I am determined not to give up."

What a great quote. I think you will find you have more in common with top athletes than you think.

Sport teaches you a lot of things, beyond the specific skills. Granted, some people are just more motivated than others, and some people's talents lie outwith sport and in other fields. A lot of athletes tend to be Type A personalities, like Paula Radcliffe who has a First and is also married with 2 children. And then you get those like Bradley Wiggins who could quite possibly have gone down the wrong track in life but it helps to focus on something else instead.

I just think its nice to strive to be good at something in life, whether its sport or something else.

I am incredibly jealous of the abs on display by the girls doing the Heptathlon, shallow I know but true.

I think that in the past it was much harder to achieve elite level in sport as the funding and support structures were so woefully inadequate, so you really had to be single-minded and selfish to get there. It seems to me that now there is lottery funding, fantastic facilities and support structure it is more possible to fit even elite level training and competing into a "normal" lifestyle, if that makes sense?

and yes, cherries and geegees, the key to success in anything is strength of character, all the talent in the world is of no use without it!

Hi Adorabell - you are inspirational too, any tips welcome as this isone of my aims for DS tho fear may be genetic from reviewing my sisters' kids.

I admire athletes but like a mountain view - distant, out of reach and beyonf my understanding. Having been to the olympics I have just as much respect for the organisers . Had a tear in my eye for PUrhae and HUnter though - they are gutted.

PS My on-off relatonship with exercise is currently "off" due to sleep=priority. If anyone says exercise gives you mroe energy I will NOT be responsible for my actions

I really don't think it is a case of expand your mind or work out as one poster suggested - almost anyone can find time for the 2.5 hours cardiovascular exercise per week which is recommended, and other pursuits. I know a mother of two Consultant Anaesthetist who has run the London marathon

Don't forget the money. The Olympics used to be for amateurs only, but now that's been abandoned. For the few who do win medals the financial rewards are tremendous.
Bradley Wiggins is paid an annual salary of 1.5 million from Sky, and that's before his sponsorship deals.
Jessica Ennis can expect some very lucrative deals after her win. She's earned it of course.

Not necessarily, sally. Tim brabants won a gold and bronze at bejing, came home to find a job (he's a medic) and worked for 2 years with little training to earn enough to take 2010-2012 off work to train enough to qualify for this year's Olympics. He's racing tomorrow. His coach is a volunteer too. I can't believe they are the only ones...