Philosophically Speaking

I'm obsessed with track & fieldthese days. It's the essential thing in my life. It's not the only thing, however. An athlete is a complex being as is everybody else. To define myself only as a person who can run, jump and throw, would put me in a very dangerous position, indeed. Too many things can go wrong. And if something goes wrong with my sport (and I came close and will come close again) I still have a full and satisfying life. I have a family, a career, other interests. In fact, there are many interesting topics that I feel I should be investigating. If something should end my career as a multi-eventer, I would be fly-fishing tomorrow, in kayaking next week, is swimming in a month, in tai chi next year… ah, life is just too short.

More important than a business career or a life of an athlete are personal relationships. True happiness can only be found in personal relationships. It does not need saying that happiness is the most important thing in life. It's my first priority. Logically, relationships must be of higher priority than athletics. My training program should not take me away from my loved-ones if I'm needed there. It should not deprive me of the time and opportunity to have close relationships with other people. Difficult? Most difficult for me. Nah, almost impossible for me, to tell you the truth. No, I do not see myself as a "tabber", a person who suffers from TAB ("Type A Behavior") disorder.  Nevertheless,  I aspire to be among the best in my age group. I want to be among the best in the world. Still, I keep reminding myself that there are higher priorities than my event(s).

Well, I choose a sport that attracts intelligent people or so I've been told. Middle distance running and combined events requires organization, planning skills, discipline in all aspects of training and life. I loved middle distance running and now the combined events, be it at the top or in the middle of the heap. And I will successfully handle the triple priorities of people, business career and running. That said, pentathlon and decathlon have replaced the middle distance. Talking about organization, planning skill, discipline in all aspects of life as a middle distance runner, I now have to multiply my efforts. Still, it also multiplied my fun factor.

Mens sana in corpore sano.