I go to Marketa’s gym classes, and I’m pretty sure sometimes she’s trying to kill the class…well at least me. I admire her strength, although it’s a tad annoying to watch her look effortless with the exercises while you’re panting for breathe and trying to resist imminent collapse.
Anyway, I really wanted to know what it felt like to be in her body, and look like an Olympian. The Olympian body part is my personal opinion, but it turns out I’m right, and she WAS working towards going to the Olympics!
ON THE OLYMPICS
What sport were you hoping to go to the Olympics for?
I was hoping to be on the Handball team for Czech Republic, and then the US team.
Why Handball? Is it like Volleyball?
No. It’s like water polo on the ground. It’s the 2nd or 3rd most famous sport in Europe, except Americans don’t know that.
Why didn’t you go to the Olympics?
Long story short – I was 19 and not a permanent part of the Czech team, and then I moved to the US. I had high hopes of being on the US team but then I got into a life altering accident and my hopes and body were crushed.
What was the accident?
I thrown off the back of a motor cycle. We were going 100miles/hr and I wasn’t wearing a helmet. My face and body were crushed.
Did the driver survive?
No. Just me. I was rushed to the hospital and it took many operations and rehab to get me back to my new normal.
WOW! So it wasn’t your time. And you STILL look like this?
Yes. So I know people can make a come back.
So after the accident, no more Olympics?
No. That was it for the Olympics. I was 27, and already getting up there in age, and then my body was ruined. I was done. On the upside, I married the guy I was with and had a daughter because of it.
So what sport do you play now?
Now I love tennis. I play doubles.
Ooohh! So you and Serena in a match up then?
Yes! I would love to just be able to return her serves!
ON BEAUTY
Do you think you’re beautiful?
Yes.
What do you tell your daughter about beauty?
Good question. I do tell her that she’s beautiful but I try not to be shallow about it because she’s heard that she’s beautiful since she was a baby. I tell her that she’s beautiful but don’t count on beauty taking you everywhere. You have to have something to offer and then let the beauty help you and be that extra step. You’ve gotta make sure that you’re smart too.
What did you hear about beauty when you were growing up?
Not much. But I think this whole boy image has to do with my dad treating my that way.
Like a tomboy?
Yes, and I embraced it. But my sister is kinda struggling with it now…
How?
As in thinking of yourself as not feminine enough when you were growing up. My sister and I were both solid, and strong, and athletic, but I guess I never thought that athletic could be feminine…even though I think my sister is a lot more feminine than I am.
But athletes can be feminine…
All I had to do was put on a dress. But I think growing up in the sport that we were in(Handball)…I remember I had a team mate who liked to put a skirt on and she was almost made fun of. So it was WE girls who kinda created this environment that… you were almost expected to be this tomboy jeans girl…and always makeup…but dressed in jeans and a baggy t-shirt.
You wore makeup? But makeup is feminine…?
Yes, we always wore makeup. It’s not that we weren’t women or girls, because we were very boy crazy and the whole deal. But I think for women in sports they embrace their style differently. Basketball players wear longer pants and they don’t want to be in short shorts, where as volleyball players are sexy as heck. It’s just their style. It’s not that handball players didn’t want to be sexy, or have the body to be sexy, but we had a certain image…sort of…and who created the image…I don’t know…but I think that shaped me.
So where’s your sister’s struggle then?
She embraced “I’m gonna put on a dress” way before I did, but I think it’s the feminine part of the whole thing that’s a learning process. I had my first handbag at 26, and my first pair of boots at 35.
Wow! And dresses?
I’m still not a dress girl, but I do have my tennis skirts!
Which you’ll challenge Serena in!
You’re really into chokers. You even wear them to work out.
I don’t really like chokers, but I have a scar on my neck from the accident and the choker hides it. Plus, I have a long neck…
ON FITNESS
What should we be doing to get to our fitness goals?
I would say that 99% of people that I deal with, including myself, can do so much more than they think they can. I find very few people that I can say “you’ve reached your potential”.
So we can all be doing more…so that’s why you try to kill people on Fridays? (The class is a HIIT class with boxing elements)
LOL! Do I?
Yes, and yet people keep coming.
The Friday class is good because you work out hard, yet it’s fun. I put a lot of time into the music because it makes a huge difference, and adds energy. If you’re bored you tend to think you can’t do it and you don’t push yourself.
Yep, the music makes a huge difference, especially with the lose of breathing thing!
Lastly, your butt. You should do a whole instagram feed dedicated to it!
LOL! No.