You both are totally, dead on, correct.
@
Hermes, all I have done this past season, since Worlds last, is concentrate on sprint. My numbers and physiology say "pure sprinter", Coach has told me that for a long time. I talked with one of the coaches at VSC, well complained a bit about how I'd lost my abilities to do just about anything other than sprint, and he was non-plused and essentially told me a great athlete finds their best sport and builds that. Other aspects will suffer. They have. The weight control issue has become out of control. When I crashed and broke all of those ribs, I gained ten pounds and only managed to loose eight of that gain. Yes, I am stronger than I have ever been, as in ever, however it's only been worth .7 of a second, because my weight has gone up in proportion to my strength, so my power to weight is essentially the same. My jump has slowed a bit, I am not as quick off the line as a smaller, equally strong, athlete is (Lan). Yes, sprinting, the all out maximal effort it is is VERY hard on my body. I have a vision of literally tearing myself apart every time a I throw down a huge sprint effort. And, let me tell you, I have never felt my body feel as bad as it does after a 500 Meter effort. That speaks to something.
Speaking to @
Heathpack's point, was it worth it? Worlds won't answer that, because there is just no way I can compete with a top tier athlete five to twelve years younger than me. I'm looking for PR's, maybe a record somewhere, but that's all I can hope to do. In the intrinsic sense, I've done about all I can there. I can only tell myself "it's about the small victories" so many times. That's about used up.
After Worlds I'll consider directions. Mountain bike? I don't know, maybe.
Thanks, you two!