--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: No, I've never competed. I did, however…" description: "\"No, I've never competed. I did, however, train in a boxing gym with a good coach beginning in 1993. I'd been writing about the sport for a dozen years ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4ac/katherine-dunn-2693_beginning_no-i-ve-never-competed-i-did-however-tra_553933.jpg" --- # No, I've never competed. I did, however, train in a boxing… ![“No, I've never competed. I did, however, train in a boxing gym with a good coach beginning in 1993. I'd been writing about the sport for a dozen years by then and wanted to know what boxers endured, what it felt like. I was too old to compete when I started, but I sparred enough to get a taste.” quote by Katherine Dunn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4ac/katherine-dunn-2693_beginning_no-i-ve-never-competed-i-did-however-tra_553933.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4ac/katherine-dunn-2693_beginning_no-i-ve-never-competed-i-did-however-tra_553933.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4ac/katherine-dunn-2693_beginning_no-i-ve-never-competed-i-did-however-tra_553933.jpg) > “No, I've never competed. I did, however, train in a boxing gym with a good coach beginning in 1993. I'd been writing about the sport for a dozen years by then and wanted to know what boxers endured, what it felt like. I was too old to compete when I started, but I sparred enough to get a taste.” [Katherine Dunn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katherine-dunn/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Describes learning about boxing by training and writing, despite age, to understand the sport’s demands. **In simple terms:** Learning by doing, even later in life. Key Takeaway Seek hands‑on experience to deepen insight. Themes learning age sports experience Mood reflective determined Type personal motivational When to use this quote - sports journalism - personal development - training programs Key Concepts practical immersion career curiosity Questions to Reflect On - What barriers have you faced when learning new skills? - How can observation complement practice? A Different Perspective Physical limits may restrict full participation. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Beginning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/beginning/) [Boxers Endured](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/boxers-endured-4605693/) [Boxing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/boxing/) [Coach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/coach/) [Compete Started](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/compete-started-4605694/) [Competed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/competed-603300/) [Good](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/good/) [Good Coach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/good-coach/) [Train](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/train/) [Ve Competed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ve-competed-4403294/) [Wrestling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wrestling/) [Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing/) ## Related quotes > [I've competed for so many years that I can go in there and have fun and do what I love, which is fight and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jose-aldo/i-ve-competed-for-so-many-years-that-i-can-go-in-there-and-have-fun/) [Jose Aldo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jose-aldo/) > [I'd be down to go to 135. I've competed most of my life at that weight.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/urijah-faber/i-d-be-down-to-go-to-135-i-ve-competed-most-of-my-life-at-that-weight/) [Urijah Faber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/urijah-faber/) > [I've said all along I've never competed with 'The Simpsons.' Not in my own mind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-cosby/i-ve-said-all-along-i-ve-never-competed-with-the-simpsons-not-in-my/) [Bill Cosby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-cosby/) > [I competed hard in the heat of the battle, and there were a few occasions where I played my best in the top matches.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rod-laver/i-competed-hard-in-the-heat-of-the-battle-and-there-were-a-few/) [Rod Laver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rod-laver/) > [“Sula never competed; she simply helped others define themselves.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toni-morrison/sula-never-competed-she-simply-helped-others-define-themselves/) [Toni Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toni-morrison/) > [Even before I competed in the Olympics, I always wanted to write a book.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabby-douglas/even-before-i-competed-in-the-olympics-i-always-wanted-to-write-a-book/) [Gabby Douglas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabby-douglas/) > [I competed in different places all over the world. I represented my country in the Pan-American championships.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alberto-del-rio/i-competed-in-different-places-all-over-the-world-i-represented-my/) [Alberto Del Rio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alberto-del-rio/) > [The Kenyans haven't done much in the last two games, in fact they haven't competed since 1972](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brendan-foster/the-kenyans-haven-t-done-much-in-the-last-two-games-in-fact-they/) [Brendan Foster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brendan-foster/) > [Without sounding too full of myself, with wrestling I felt like I was one of the best in the world and I competed at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christian-cage/without-sounding-too-full-of-myself-with-wrestling-i-felt-like-i-was/) [Christian Cage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christian-cage/) > [Every level that I have ever competed on, I have risen to the top.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheryl-swoopes/every-level-that-i-have-ever-competed-on-i-have-risen-to-the-top/) [Sheryl Swoopes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sheryl-swoopes/) > [I've never competed in powerlifting. But my goals weren't to be a powerlifter. My goals were to pack on size and get big, big,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kai-greene/i-ve-never-competed-in-powerlifting-but-my-goals-weren-t-to-be-a/) [Kai Greene](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kai-greene/) > [So many fighters have competed into their late age.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luis-ortiz/so-many-fighters-have-competed-into-their-late-age/) [Luis Ortiz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luis-ortiz/) > [I went from 185 lbs to 285 lbs, became a 7X Mr. Olympia, tying Arnold Schwarzenegger, and competed against the most determined and fittest…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phil-heath/i-went-from-185-lbs-to-285-lbs-became-a-7x-mr-olympia-tying-arnold/) [Phil Heath](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phil-heath/) > [The kids competed for a full 32 minutes. We want the kids to compete on every possession.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-davis/the-kids-competed-for-a-full-32-minutes-we-want-the-kids-to-compete/) [Eric Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-davis/) > [I have competed before empty stadiums a lot in my career.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-toomey/i-have-competed-before-empty-stadiums-a-lot-in-my-career/) [Bill Toomey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-toomey/) ## More by Katherine Dunn > [Though 'Fat City' was written long before cellphones or the Internet, its human apparatus is state of the art.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katherine-dunn/though-fat-city-was-written-long-before-cellphones-or-the-internet/) [Katherine Dunn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katherine-dunn/) > [A true freak cannot be made. A true freak must be born.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katherine-dunn/a-true-freak-cannot-be-made-a-true-freak-must-be-born/) [Katherine Dunn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katherine-dunn/) > [I think genetic research is a fascinating and fertile area.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katherine-dunn/i-think-genetic-research-is-a-fascinating-and-fertile-area/) [Katherine Dunn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katherine-dunn/) > [A boxing gym is a place where men are allowed to be kind to one another.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katherine-dunn/a-boxing-gym-is-a-place-where-men-are-allowed-to-be-kind-to-one/) [Katherine Dunn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katherine-dunn/) > [My own theory about the phlegmatic qualities and properties of the English is the mountain of pure white sugar hydrocarbons they consume every day…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katherine-dunn/my-own-theory-about-the-phlegmatic-qualities-and-properties-of-the/) [Katherine Dunn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katherine-dunn/) > [Sometimes we followed the crops, doing migrant labor. 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They affect flamboyant behavior and claim…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katherine-dunn/there-are-those-whose-own-vulgar-normality-is-so-apparent-and/) [Katherine Dunn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katherine-dunn/) > [Only a lunatic would want to be president. These lunatics are created deliberately by those who wish to be presided over.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katherine-dunn/only-a-lunatic-would-want-to-be-president-these-lunatics-are-created/) [Katherine Dunn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katherine-dunn/) > [In a really good, closely matched situation, the style of the boxer is every bit as explicit and specific to him as a painter's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katherine-dunn/in-a-really-good-closely-matched-situation-the-style-of-the-boxer-is/) [Katherine Dunn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katherine-dunn/) > [But the animation has become very good, and I think that a movie is not a book, and a book is not a movie.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katherine-dunn/but-the-animation-has-become-very-good-and-i-think-that-a-movie-is/) [Katherine Dunn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katherine-dunn/) > [I'd always been fascinated by boxing and became very engaged with it through my husband, actually. But I started to write about it because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katherine-dunn/i-d-always-been-fascinated-by-boxing-and-became-very-engaged-with-it/) [Katherine Dunn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katherine-dunn/) > [I thought that was actually kind of boring, that search for perfection.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katherine-dunn/i-thought-that-was-actually-kind-of-boring-that-search-for-perfection/) [Katherine Dunn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katherine-dunn/) > [American culture is torn between our long romance with violence and our terror of the devastation wrought by war and crime and environmental havoc.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katherine-dunn/american-culture-is-torn-between-our-long-romance-with-violence-and/) [Katherine Dunn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katherine-dunn/) [Explore all 154 Katherine Dunn quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katherine-dunn/) ## More Beginning quotes > [At the very beginning, I was a page at Letterman, and I freelanced for any place that would let me write any word. 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Let us give to God what belongs to him: the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paula-white/january-is-the-beginning-of-a-new-year-for-us-in-the-western-world/) [Paula White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paula-white/) > [In the beginning, if you look at those early label albums of the Chicks, we didn't write all that much. We had an A&R…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martie-maguire/in-the-beginning-if-you-look-at-those-early-label-albums-of-the/) [Martie Maguire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martie-maguire/) > [You need more than a beginning if you're going to start a book. If all you have is a beginning, then once you've written…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/you-need-more-than-a-beginning-if-you-re-going-to-start-a-book-if-all/) [Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/) > [When there is a mission before you, you see it from its beginning to its conclusion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jesse-white/when-there-is-a-mission-before-you-you-see-it-from-its-beginning-to/) [Jesse White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jesse-white/) > [When God made the world, all things began with him. Life, death, it all began when he said so. That includes you and me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/manae-poet-of-carisis/when-god-made-the-world-all-things-began-with-him-life-death-it-all/) [Manae Poet Of Carisis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/manae-poet-of-carisis/) > [From the beginning at Intel, we planned on being big.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-noyce/from-the-beginning-at-intel-we-planned-on-being-big/) [Robert Noyce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-noyce/) > [In the very beginning, Yelp started as a service where we really didn't think people would write reviews for fun. 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