Every morning on my way to the pool, I always miss the light at the intersection of  Hwy 89 and Squaw Valley Rd.  This usually upsets me because I am the only car on the road and there is no reason to be stopped. Today while sitting at the light, which is obviously on a timer, I sat and stared at the Olympic torch and Olympic rings at the corner. It made me think about the athletes that live in our area and the competitive environment that I live in.  On any given day I come in contact with amazing athletes.  Just up the road from the torch is one of the best training grounds for elite winter sports athletes in the country if not the world.  Lake Tahoe has long been synonymous with the Olympic tradition. This past Olympics our home town sent close to a dozen athletes to Vancouver and we were not disappointed.  They brought home 3 silvers and 1 bronze.  That is incredible!

Just in my time at the pool the other day. I came in contact with our USA swimming coach Debbie Meyers.  Debbie won 3 gold medals in the 1968 Olympics.  That same day I shared a lane with Par Arvidsson, who won a gold medal in the 1980 Olympics.  Without  leaving the pool area I had seen 2 more locals with 4 gold medals between them.

Along with these better known Olympic athletes, my home town is brimming with adrenaline junkies and endurance sports enthusiasts.  These are the athletes that I am really in awe of.   I am not just talking about winter sports either.  Our town is a perfect training ground for world class mountain bikers, ultra marathoners, triathletes, road bikers, rock climbers, alpine climbers and I am proud to say a marathon swimmer.

A few days ago I ran into a friend at the grocery store. As I was standing there talking to her about kids, school and general Mom stuff, I realized that I was talking to a woman that had summited Everest.  Just your average Mom that does above average adventures at the top of the world, no less. This is what it is like in my home town.

So today on my swim I pondered where I fit into this place with these people. I know that my liquid adventures to most are above average but when I stand with my fellow local athletes it makes me feel average. I couldn’t think of a better way to keep a balance in my life. The bar for athletic achievement is so high here that it forces me to have my ego in check at all times.  It also reminds me to go for the gold or as I like to say Dream it! Swim it!

One Response to “Feeling Average”