My niece rowed at university, and won the ladies section of her first triathlon the other week. Yet at her wedding last year she had beauty and grace.
Sport isn't about grinding ourselves into the ground and breaking our faces and limbs. It is about health, fitness and celebrating life.
As we train we gain endurance, strength and skill, so although our sport is always hard we are ready to progress a little further.

Triathlon: there is a tough sport! The original one in Kona, running a full marathon on hot lava flats, then a 100 mile bike race. The only event of the Kona triathlon I'd have a chance of finishing would be the 2 1/2 mile swim. There is even a Death Valley marathon. Ugh. Just walking in blazing 120 degree sun sounds fatal! These athletes must have body fat in the 2 % range.