

Sometime later there was another class discussion, this time about eating disorders, and fear overtook his mind and body. It made sense to Schommer, so he chose that path. He recalls a health class where his teacher presented a discussion on food choices, and encouraged his students to eat less processed foods and unhealthy fats, and more whole foods. “I was just slowly starting to enjoy things less. “I could feel the difference,’’ said Schommer. And as far as results in the athletic arena, there weren’t any. His body was changing, but not for the better. “I just couldn’t pin it down,’’ she said.Īs for Paul, his plans on becoming an athletic success weren’t exactly coming together. Moms being moms, blessed with that singular intuition, Doris Schommer knew something was amiss.īut sometimes, even those signals can become distorted. In a matter of weeks, 14-year-old Paul Schommer had become anorexic. “And it just kind of turned into this addiction that blossomed into something I never expected,’’ Schommer said. So he began to eat less and work out more which, on the surface, seemed rather harmless. “That was the first opportunity I felt I had to distinguish myself as an athlete among my peers,’’ said Schommer, who was also on the school wrestling team. So that day when he gazed at the weightlifters’ names and results on the board near the gym, he figured if he could drop a few pounds - pounds his body did not need to lose - he could get his name in a place that would make others see him as special. Back in middle school, he was convinced he would be most happy if athletics would be his identity. Now even the thought of that - world-class athlete - leads Schommer to a wry smile. And at this time, he was seeking financial support in his quest to become a world-class biathlon skier. Paul Schommer, the author of that letter, would indeed be considered a project. “I said to myself, ‘Do I need another project?’’’ said Keller. So he headed inside, settled into his favorite chair, opened it, read through it, and promptly put it back down on the end table. Depending on coaches' decisions and his results in his three races in Beijing, Schommer could partake in up to three more races.Schommer is guaranteed to race in three events: Men's 20km Individual (Feb.Depending on the format, the penalty can be one lap around a 150m loop, or a one-minute penalty added on to their time. For every target missed, the athlete is penalized.

ENDORPHIN WRESTLING TABLE MOMENTS SERIES
Biathlon combines two sports – cross-country skiing and shooting – into one race. Athletes race around a closed course carrying a rifle strapped to their backs, and stop at designated spots to shoot at a series of targets.
