After my divorce, I decided I was only going to date athletes. My decision had nothing to do with body fat percentages or max bench press (although those factors certainly don’t hurt!). Nor was this decision dependent upon the man in question being some sort of professional competitor. In fact, I define “athlete” as anyone who regularly and passionately engages in sports or physical activity.
So, why did I limit myself to dating athletes if I didn’t care about the size of a potential partner’s biceps or the scope of his bank account?
Grit
All you have to do is watch the face of a runner in his or her last mile of a marathon to understand that athletes have grit.
It’s a big part of my vulnerability and why I strayed
This is one area where we differ. My husband was an athlete to the nth degree and competed in both individual and team sports. On many occasions he put his sporting life (which is one of his needs) ahead of other areas and responsibilities in his life. I do not agree that those attributes you listed naturally come to all people who are ‘athletes’. My belief is that it does not follow that a certain type of person (athlete / business person / quiet achiever) will have certain values because values come from within.
Having said that, I am glad that you have found a soul-mate that aligns with both your values and your interests. A great combination! 🙂
My last guy was a former football player and while he was faithful, he was also a racist, micro-managing jerk. But I’m sure there are terrific ones out there. 🙂
I enjoyed this story and appreciate all of the reasons you mention dating a athlete, though I appreciate a woman athlete which is a bit more challenging to find. Best Regards