Pete didn't take well to my effective 'rejection' of his invite to join Strava and 'watch' him train. Some of the words he used in his response included bastard, miserable, git, old...and one in particular which caught my eye...cantankerous. I was almost moved to take issue with this one and so googled it as some form of preparation for a robust defence. I have to be honest...he had a point. I had a good look at myself in the mirror the other day.
Not in a weird way, though by vocalising that here, it clearly is a bit odd, but my point is that I'm not sure I see someone who is 50 looking back at me. Running around in circles at training tonight, there is a child like euphoria when coach Tony gives you a well earned 'not bad, but could be better'. And that's high praise indeed. We are all working our arses off...and for what? Why do we want to run fast, then run fast again, then again and then another 7 more times round and round?
But when those words register in your brain, it feels like those times when your Dad or your teacher, on those rare occasions when a bit of praise came your way. You felt alive. With the passing of time, our elders are becoming increasingly few, yet it seems we still respond well to praise or acknowledgement, irrespective of our age or place in society. Living in California, I'd imaging Pete isn't short of new chums telling him he's 'awesome' and 'the man'. But I rather suspect he's missing us telling him he's 'a pussy, and 'is that it, is that all you got?'
As I re-read Pete's response, I see a different view now. It's good to share and seek tacit approval from your peers. Not that I still have any intention of signing up to Strava! Hell no. Training was tough tonight. Then we always say that, with deeper conviction than last week where we then believed that too was a tougher session than the week before. But the point is, there is a childish need or urge to tell someone about it, so that is what we do on the warm down, on the way home, at work tomorrow. Seeking approval, or just not acting my age?
