Retirement Announcement: Ann Titone

1424794.jpg Someone very close to me once said “one of the hardest decisions an athlete will ever make is when its time to walk away, most of the time they make the wrong decision and live with the regret forever”
You see, though I got started in this sport late in life at the age of 31, I was all in from day one, with over 25 shows within my first 2 1/2 years and another 15-20 shows over the eight years… I was on a mission!
That being said, chronic past injuries from my car accident years ago, (everyone should know the story) once again began rearing their ugly face 2 weeks before the 2014 Olympia. But I did as any other athlete prepping for the world’s most prestigious stage would do, I put it on the back burner. After the show it was suggested by some close to me that I should consider retiring after 2014 Olympia and go out with a 4th in the world placing.
However, in my heart of hearts I couldn’t grasp the concept of walking away from everything I’ve known day in and day out for the last 8 years. I didn’t have the warm and fuzzy feeling that I had fulfilled my goal of bringing the best me to stage and so…
I pushed forward.
I competed at the 2015 Arnold Classic and because I let adversity get the best of me, I did not bring my package from the previous year’s Olympia in and I slipped from a 4th place in 2014 to a 5th place. Following the Arnold Columbus I was supposed to compete in the first ever Arnold Classic Australia, a compete dream come true! Sadly, my body didn’t feel the same way as my heart and I left Columbus on a one way trip to the emergency room in St Louis due to dehydration and the kidney stones. I never made it to Australia.
This is when those special people surrounding me stepped in with a highly suggested plan to take the summer off and do a show into the Olympia. Reluctantly, I agreed and did such.
Though it was considered my off -season all I was concerned with was being better… I knew I could and so…

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