Are You an Athlete?, by Mariah Burton Nelson

“Well, I work out,” they say. Or,

“I`m into fitness.”

“I try to stay in shape.”

“I used to be a tomboy.”

“I`m athletic, but not an athlete.”

“No, because I`m not very fast.”

Even today, when more women play sports than ever before, few women say “Yes, I am an athlete.” Why do I care? Because athletes walk with pride. They try new things. They persist in the face of doubt and defeat. According to research I conducted for Embracing Victory, self-identified athletes are more likely than others to feel bold and assertive, to enjoy competing, and to expect success. “Athlete” is a powerful word.

The dictionary says an athlete is “trained or skilled in exercises, sports, or games requiring physical strength, agility, or stamina.” “Trained or skilled” doesn`t mean gold medals. Athletes don`t have to win or even compete. Ordinary people who skate or snowboard or play junior varsity softball qualify. One sixty-year-old who told me she`s not an athlete chases soccer balls like a lunatic: lunging, laughing, then limping home grass-stained and exhausted and euphoric. The way I see it, this counts.

Let me introduce myself: I am an athlete. Swimming races with Mom before kindergarten. Backyard baseball with big brother until Little League said “no girls.” High school field hockey, lacrosse, tennis, volleyball, then the best sport -- basketball -- through college and the pros. Now golf, rowing, cycling, and a racing dive back into the cool waters of my first sport, swimming.

But even if some day I wake up too sick or disabled to move, I`ll still be an athlete. It`s part of my identity, as cherished as “woman” and “writer.” It`s an attitude that affects everything I do: how I treat my body, how I seek success. It`s also a way of life that lifts me and carries me through all my disappointments. When my knee aches; when my heart breaks; when my writing`s bad: I simply remember this promising thing -- I am an athlete -- and then I don`t feel so sad.

Welcome to Oxygen`s first edition of WeSweat.com. This column is for people who enjoy asking big questions, like: Arewe athletes? Are women winning yet? Why do sports matter? I figured this was a good place to start: with our bodies, our identities. I`ve got ideas for other columns (fathers, friendships, femininity, fans, money, injuries, coaches, courage, current events, book reviews, interviews, lots more), and I also want to respond to you: what intrigues you, what worries you, what you care passionately about. Write to me anytime, about anything.

Meanwhile: are you an athlete? How and when did you decide that? I`d love to know.

If you don`t feel like an athlete: Go for a walk, in your neighborhood or in your mind. Feel your thigh muscles carrying you forward, transporting you somewhere. Where? Who knows? Try saying, I am an athlete. See where it takes you. Report back.