What I'm about to talk about is, unfortunately, not a new trend. But, I suppose, with the rise of social media, it's become more and more popular. And, more and more disturbing.
We all know that professional athletes train more than regular folks. We all know that their livelihood relies on their physical ability to perform on a daily basis. We all know that with a fleet of doctors and physical therapists and trainers and coaches and nutritionists and chefs, they are well taken care of and looked after.
But, we also know that they are asked to ignore common sense on a regular basis. "Oh, you fell off your bike at 55 mph, shattered your helmet, got road rash on 60% of your right side, and may have a broken finger/wrist/shoulder/back.... suck it up, keep going... we NEED you."
Quite simply, the glorification of athletes "pushing through" injury MUST stop.
Between football player's brains turning to mush and them being downright thrilled about the possibility, to describing a cyclist finishing the three week Tour de France with a fractured vertebrae in his back as "gusty", we are NOT setting the right example to young people (or ANY people) who enjoy competing in sport.
The number of times that someone has said to me in the last year that I'll race bikes again is crazy.
No. I. Won't.
I'm not even sure that I'll RIDE bikes again.
What about "I'd really like to be able to walk when I'm 70" don't you understand?? My health in the long term is more important than winning $20 at a local bike race while my back undergoes even more permanent damage. As it is, I have no doubt that before I die, I'll have my vertebrae fused together. A disc as damaged as mine can only take so much wear and tear before it will simply give out like a wet paper towel being loaded with marbles.
But, this is where we are... people are more vehemently denying football concussion studies than Trump in a room full of climate change scientists.
Parents of young kids would rather indulge their desire to have the next Payton Manning in their home than give a crap if their kid can count to ten after he's been tackled by a 250 pound 12-year old 36 times.
But, in a world where we pay athletes $93 MILLION dollars a year (not including winnings and endorsements) and we pay teachers $30,000 (and then claim that they don't deserve it!!)... how can we expect anything different??
You only get one body, folks.
Use it wisely.
2 comments:
Nicely said Sarah! I look back now on my racing days and wonder what the heck I was thinking!
I think it can be best explained in the immortal words of Mark Cavendish who said about cyclists (and sprinters in particular),
"You know that thing in your head that says this isn't a good idea? We don't have that."
Post a Comment