She found herself opening up more than usual. About her routines. Her training mindset. The pressure to qualify for a major international event in the fall. “It’s like I only exist when I’m improving,” she said quietly one afternoon. “Standing still feels like falling behind.”
He nodded. “I get that. Different field, same feeling.” They started texting. Brief things—memes, food photos, the occasional check-in. One night, after a particularly rough training day, she mentioned she’d be skipping her workout the next morning.