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10 things retired athletes know that active ones don’t.
Ato Boldon’s advice for professional athletes.
By Athletics Weekly
March 28, 2011
Former world champion Ato Boldon posted on his twitter page a list of 10 sage pieces of advice for his fellow professional track and field athletes.
For posterity’s sake, Boldon was happy for AW to compile all 10 points here. “I put these out, not because I followed them all perfectly, not to preach, but because I didn’t in some cases,” said Boldon. “I had my time, maximize yours.”
10. Save some of all that free gear you constantly give away. It will end.
9. No one ever remembers the pain, but medals are forever. Push! No pro track athlete ever died from a workout. Post-career regret sucks.
8. No one from that shoe company you love so much loves you. Romance with no finance is a nuisance. The more in love you are, the less you make.
7. The competitors you think you hate so much now will be your friends when you are retired. Dont take it that seriously. Compete without hate.
6. Figure out what job you will do next, in early or mid-career, not post career. Few get to decide when they retire, most get forced out.
5. One day you’ll awake and won’t be fast anymore. Does your career define your whole life or existence? It shouldn’t! Have a life so you dont have to go get one after.
4. Make use of the best thing about being a track athlete – the travel. Years in exotic locales, but all you know is hotels and McDonald’s is pointless. Get outside, take pictures, learn something. Experience other lands.
3. Your career is infinitely more fun with a good training group. Choose your training group wisely. Chances are if you hate your career after, it’s because you hated your training partners, bounced around to several, or had none.
2. Europe can be wild and crazy and fun… and it can also shorten your career drastically if you are incapable of not acting a damn fool there. Euro “wine and men/women” have prematurely ended many a promising career.
1. Save your money like your life depends on it (it does) and make it earn more while you are earning a lot of it. And yes, get a pro to do this. “Your cousin who’s good with money” doesn’t count.
Follow Ato Boldon on twitter @AtoBoldon.
10 things retired athletes know that active ones don’t.
Ato Boldon’s advice for professional athletes.
By Athletics Weekly
March 28, 2011
Former world champion Ato Boldon posted on his twitter page a list of 10 sage pieces of advice for his fellow professional track and field athletes.
For posterity’s sake, Boldon was happy for AW to compile all 10 points here. “I put these out, not because I followed them all perfectly, not to preach, but because I didn’t in some cases,” said Boldon. “I had my time, maximize yours.”
10. Save some of all that free gear you constantly give away. It will end.
9. No one ever remembers the pain, but medals are forever. Push! No pro track athlete ever died from a workout. Post-career regret sucks.
8. No one from that shoe company you love so much loves you. Romance with no finance is a nuisance. The more in love you are, the less you make.
7. The competitors you think you hate so much now will be your friends when you are retired. Dont take it that seriously. Compete without hate.
6. Figure out what job you will do next, in early or mid-career, not post career. Few get to decide when they retire, most get forced out.
5. One day you’ll awake and won’t be fast anymore. Does your career define your whole life or existence? It shouldn’t! Have a life so you dont have to go get one after.
4. Make use of the best thing about being a track athlete – the travel. Years in exotic locales, but all you know is hotels and McDonald’s is pointless. Get outside, take pictures, learn something. Experience other lands.
3. Your career is infinitely more fun with a good training group. Choose your training group wisely. Chances are if you hate your career after, it’s because you hated your training partners, bounced around to several, or had none.
2. Europe can be wild and crazy and fun… and it can also shorten your career drastically if you are incapable of not acting a damn fool there. Euro “wine and men/women” have prematurely ended many a promising career.
1. Save your money like your life depends on it (it does) and make it earn more while you are earning a lot of it. And yes, get a pro to do this. “Your cousin who’s good with money” doesn’t count.
Follow Ato Boldon on twitter @AtoBoldon.
