Freak vs Athlete

What do you consider constitues an athlete? Someone fit, healthy, dynamic, focused, driven...? I think of all these things when i think about an athlete. I consider myself now to be all of those things...and yet as a Figure competitor sometimes my Sport is questioned. But why? Like someone training for a marathon i train alot, consistently and with great intensity. I watch my nutrition meticulously - i eat a lot and regularly. I consume supplements to keep me training hard - even when my mind is telling me to stop. I become a social hermit because i know i need my rest for the next training day. I want to be the best that i can be and so stopping isn't an option and intense focus is a necessity.
So because i wear a bikini and heels, and not sneakers, on the day of my event - does that make me a freak and a little less an athlete?...
This got me thinking the other day when a client (who i adore - u know who u are!) said she supported me but just couldn't bring herself to come to my competition because it was, well, weird. Ok, ill cop that. The events themselves are a bit confronting. Tiny, hardened, muscular bronzed statues wandering around in a carb depleted fog, well, yea that is weird.
But i guarentee you the desire to go into that event and dominate is the same whether youre a runner, a tennis player or a bodybuilder. The mindset is the same - the exterior is a just a little different.
Somedays i actually get off on telling people what i do. When im feeling particulaly restless and cheeky, ill go into all the ins and outs of my sport just to see the 'Ooohhh' form on peoples mouths and the obvious raise of the eyebrows as they try and work out exactly what bodybuilding is and why i would want to do it. Other days - i can't be bothered going into the intricacies of the world of Bodybuilding. Most days, I'm ambivilent either way. For me, its just a Sport, and keeping fit all year round is a lifestyle choice.
Today was leg day from hell. Im 2 weeks into prep and today thanks to this workout im sore already (DOMS are not going to be funny in 12 hours time..)and hungry as all get out, and im tired. I know tomorrow im going to be in all sorts of sore muscle trouble, ill still be hungry and possibly even more tired than I am right now. And you know what? I'll do it all over again tomorrow because i love what i do.
Til next time xx