Ancestry Traits

[rmstevens2]

Lately I've gotten some good and interesting trait news from Ancestry, although as an old-timer now who no longer engages in anything more competitive than eating more than everyone else, it does me little good. But anyway, it's nice to know and to think back to the old days. 

When it comes to athletic ability, according to Ancestry I'm "more naturally athletic". That jives with what I experienced in school in my youth. I was generally faster and stronger than most guys my age. Not bragging. It's just the truth. It was a blessing.

I'm supposedly a lot more competitive than average. That doesn't seem quite right, although I won't say I wasn't competitive at all.

When it comes to getting stronger, according to Ancestry I'm "likely to get stronger easily". That's definitely true. Most of my friends and I started lifting weights around the same time, in the summer I turned 15. I passed all of them up and was soon among the very few strongest guys in my high school. Again, I'm not bragging. It just is what it is, and now I'm a weak, tired old fart anyway. As they say, the older you get, the better you were.

I'm likely to have good hand-eye coordination. Yeah, that seems right.

I'm also supposed to have quicker than average heart recovery rate. Okay.

I'm likely to tolerate heat well. Good thing. I live in East Texas now. Heat is not something I enjoy though.

I'm likely to be able to hold my breath longer than average. My friends and I always enjoyed Mexican food. Its byproducts are well known. The ability to hold one's breath came in handy.

I am likely to be a high jumper. That is absolutely true. As a high school kid, though I am only around 6-1, I could stand flat footed under a standard basketball hoop, jump up, grab the rim, and hang from it. I could dunk a basketball. Otherwise, I was lousy at basketball. 

I am supposedly more agile than the average person. I think that was right for me as a young guy.

I'm supposed to have good balance. Again, as a young person, yes. Now, not so much.

I'm also flexible. Absolutely true.

When it comes to strength, "naturally stronger". Yeah, that was a blessing and true.

Ancestry says I have quicker reflexes. Well, yeah, I used to.

When it comes to speed, I am supposedly "faster when playing sports". That was true, also.

I am also "likely a sprinter". True again.

Interesting that when it comes to watching sports, I am "unlikely to enjoy watching sports". That is also absolutely true. I would much rather participate than watch, and I don't get much out of watching sports.

[rmstevens2]

I have a vague memory that not too long ago, Ancestry had me as some kind of long distance runner, which never seemed right, except that at one time I did run long distances, but never competitively. I just used to put one foot in front of the other and kept doing it for 12 or 13 miles at a time.

[Mabrams]

I noticed a new feature today, where I can compare my traits to 16 Olympians.

Not surprisingly, we dont have a lot in common.  Typically, we share less than 25% of our traits.

Although some of my Olympians, like Gabby Douglas, are "Less likely to be naturally athletic", just like me!!!

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Back in the day, I was a sprinter too.  I won a lot of races, when the other sprinters were of lesser caliber.  A best-of-the-worst sprinter. 

Actually, I was pretty good at the quarter mile.  An awkward distance, too long for most sprinters, and too short for most distance runners.  My niche.

[rmstevens2]

I think if I had had this information when I was in high school, it would have bolstered my confidence and inspired me to try harder. Oh, well. That was a long time ago. No one even had personal computers back then, and there certainly was no internet.