Go for the Gold!

Your whole life has been dedicated to the thrill of competition. You shed blood, sweat, and tears over your sport of choice, and rack up medals and trophies in your ongoing struggle to be stronger, fitter, faster, and better than the rest. Finally, one day you make it to the...

By Patrice Elizabeth Grell Yursik

July 17, 2008

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Your whole life has been dedicated to the thrill of competition. You shed blood, sweat, and tears over your sport of choice, and rack up medals and trophies in your ongoing struggle to be stronger, fitter, faster, and better than the rest. Finally, one day you make it to the top of the heap and are chosen to represent your country in the Olympics. You travel to a foreign land, compete against the best of the best ... and you win! OMG, you win! And there you are, standing on that elevated platform with your head held high. Forget bronze, fuck silver — you went for the gold and you got it. You return home in a blaze of glory, heralded by ticker tape parades, magazine covers, and Wheaties boxes. Then what? When the thrill of competition and athletic ability fade, what do former Olympians do with their lives? In the case of gold medalists Nadia Comaneci and Mark Spitz, they hit the motivational speaking circuit and encourage others to be how they used to be. You can meet these champions at a seminar titled Achieving Your Personal Best.

It will take place from 6 to 8 p.m. in the ballroom at the Mandarin Oriental, and admission, astonishingly, is free. Plus, all attendees will receive a complimentary consultation with a local Botox expert. Even athletes get crow’s feet, apparently.
Tue., July 22, 6-8 p.m., 2008

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