Comeback Race...and a surprise

It took longer than I thought, and the race was shorter than I thought, but I did it! My return to racing is official. The Caribbean Sounds 5K was this past weekend here in DC. Back in May, it poured rain on the day of the Northern Virginia Girls on the Run 5k, and one of my girls didn’t make it out. I promised to run a 5K with her this summer as a “make up” race so that she could earn her GOTR finisher’s medal. This young lady is just a sweetheart, bubbly and energetic.

We found this race and got ourselves signed up. Believe it or not, I was actually nervous for a 5K. Nervous! Apparently that’s what happens when you’re still 17lbs above pre-pregnancy weight and not in any regular workout regimen. Who cares, it was going to be fun regardless, right?

And it was. Short race, so not much to say about it. Short doesn’t mean easy, though. The race was in Rock Creek Park – gorgeous. First half, literally was all downhill. The return, therefore, was straight up. Yeah the occasional false flat, but basically all uphill.

We weren’t really in any true hurry – Girls on the Run is about doing your best, not winning or being objectively fast. So, we kept a consistent pace and chatted, and walked a few times during that last mile or so when this GOTR felt she needed to catch her breath (truth be told – I did, too!).

Expecting her parents, Stuart and baby Riley to be cheering for us at the finish line we were surprised to find them off to the side chatting and reading the paper. It turns out that our GOTR’s best 5K time ever was about 47minutes…and we’d just done this in 34:15 so they weren’t even looking for us yet! She was SO excited and proud of herself, and I’m just as proud of her.

Results were posted today, and as a fun surprise for me…I actually placed 3rd in my Age Group! Now, with a time in the 11min/mi range, clearly this wasn’t a competitive field, but I’ll take it any day!  Better even than that though, was the sweaty hug and kiss I shared with my sweet little Riley at the finish line.

Girls and Sports - evidence is there of its benefits

While STILL awaiting the arrival of my own daughter, some interesting reading from Monday's New York Times

As Girls Become Women, Sports Pay Dividends


By TARA PARKER-POPE

Almost four decades after the federal education law called Title IX opened the door for girls to participate in high school and college athletics, a crucial question has remained unanswered: Do sports make a long-term difference in a woman’s life?

A large body of research shows that sports are associated with all sorts of benefits, like lower teenage pregnancy rates, better grades and higher self-esteem. But until now, no one has determined whether those improvements are a direct result of athletic participation. It may be that the type of girl who is attracted to sports already has the social, personal and physical qualities — like ambition, strength and supportive parents — that will help her succeed in life.

Now, separate studies from two economists offer some answers, providing the strongest evidence yet that team sports can result in lifelong improvements to educational, work and health prospects. At a time when the first lady, Michelle Obama, has begun a nationwide campaign to improve schoolchildren’s health, the lessons from Title IX show that school-based fitness efforts can have lasting effects.

Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 required schools and colleges receiving federal money to provide the same opportunities for girls as they did for boys. Relatively few students, male or female, participate in intercollegiate sports. But the effects in high school were remarkable. Just six years after the enactment of Title IX, the percentage of girls playing team sports had jumped sixfold, to 25 percent from about 4 percent.

Most research on Title IX has looked at national trends in girls’ sports. Betsey Stevenson, an economist at the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania, has taken it a step further, focusing on state-by-state variations.

“I looked to see what it means to add sports to girls’ lives,” she said. “How does it change things for them?”

States with large boys’ sports programs had to make bigger changes to achieve parity than states with smaller programs. Looking at the state-by-state statistics allowed Dr. Stevenson to narrow her focus, comparing differences in sports participation with differences in women’s educational and work achievement.

So her study untangles the effects of sports participation from other confounding factors — school size, climate, social and personal differences among athletes — and comes far closer to determining a cause and effect relationship between high school sports participation and achievement later in life.

Using a complex analysis, Dr. Stevenson showed that increasing girls’ sports participation had a direct effect on women’s education and employment. She found that the changes set in motion by Title IX explained about 20 percent of the increase in women’s education and about 40 percent of the rise in employment for 25-to-34-year-old women.

“It’s not just that the people who are going to do well in life play sports, but that sports help people do better in life,” she said, adding, “While I only show this for girls, it’s reasonable to believe it’s true for boys as well.”

Another question is whether Title IX has made a difference in women’s long-term health. In a carefully conducted study, Robert Kaestner, an economics professor at the University of Illinois at Chicago, compared rates of obesity and physical activity of women who had been in high school in the 1970s — as Title IX was taking effect — with similar women from earlier years. Controlling the results for other influences, like age and changing diets, Dr. Kaestner was able to tease out the effects Title IX had on women’s health.

He found that the increase in girls’ athletic participation caused by Title IX was associated with a 7 percent lower risk of obesity 20 to 25 years later, when women were in their late 30s and early 40s. His article was published this month in the journal Evaluation Review.

Dr. Kaestner notes that while a 7 percent decline in obesity is modest, no other public health program can claim similar success. And other studies have shown that even a small drop in weight can lower risk for diabetes and other health problems.

There is still room for improvement. Today about 1 in 3 high school girls play sports, compared with about half of all boys. And participation varies widely by state, according to Dr. Stevenson’s research. Southern states like Alabama, Louisiana and Tennessee still have big gender gaps, while Northern states like Maine, Minnesota, New Hampshire, Pennsylvania and Vermont are closer to parity.

“While we have more girls than ever before, we still have far more boys playing sports than girls,” said Nicole M. LaVoi, associate director of the Tucker Center for Research on Girls and Women in Sport at the University of Minnesota. “The research clearly states that when anybody, boys and girls, are physically active, they can reap developmental and health benefits. But we haven’t reached equality yet.”

Girl Power

I spent 6th-12th grade attending an all-girls school, and never exactly excelled at fitting in.  As a result, I found myself throughout high school, and even into college and law school, bashing feminists and pushing against anything with a women-centered agenda.  No real reason, other than to rebel ever so slightly against an environment that I was less than happy in. 

And yet, twenty years later I find myself deeply involved in and thinking about the empowerment and opportunities for young girls.  My first exposure to Girls on the Run brought me to coaching, which has now brought me to a position on its Board of Directors.  I find myself in awe watching the girls I coach grow and learn and eventually mentor each other, wondering who they will be and if the lessons I'm trying to impart will still be making a difference when they are 12 or 15 or 20 years old. 

When I got my coaching certification a year ago, I did so with the idea of using it to help me continue to support and encourage my girlfriends and family to get involved in the sport of triathlon.  The name Tri for Joy reflects one of my primary reasons for participating in this sport -- the joy of achievement, the joy of hard work, the joy of the finish line. 

At the same time, I'm now sitting here waiting the imminent arrival of my own daughter - something I thought I'd never say! This is a reality that makes these issues even more personal and even more important to me, and it's something that Stuart and I talk about a lot.  How will we raise a daughter who embodies all those qualities that are so important -- strength of mind and body and character, self-confidence, kindness, compassion.

This week, my brother was in town attending and participating in a Sports Philanthropy Forum hosted by USA Today newspaper.  While there, he learned of a new initiative by the Nike Foundation to focus investment in projects across the globe that specifically target and benefit adolescent girls.  I wish I knew how to insert videos directly into my blog, but encourage you to watch the two short clips here on their website -- The Girl Effect and I Dare You.  

It's a movement, and it's spreading. 

Girls on the Run takes on a whole new meaning

Nearly halfway through this adventure called pregnancy.  No need to publicly share photos of me quite yet(!), but we had some exciting times this morning at the ultrasound.  Despite my absolute certainty that this little guy was a boy, turns out he is a SHE!!!  So, we are now officially expecting a DAUGHTER in February.  wahoo! I'm excited and scared and overjoyed and nervous all at once. Is that even possible?

So, when I took my pups out for individual evening walk/jogs tonight to give myself some extra distance, it truly was girlS on the run as my baby girl and I checked out the trail.  Pictured here is the happy dad-to-be and a profile shot of his little girl.  Bring on the pinks -- but none of this sissy frilly pastel stuff.  I want fuschia.  I want raspberry.  I want visual cues for my strong and healthy and active child to know her self-confident place in this world!

Vote for a Girl on the Run!

I don't know her personally, but Bailey is a member of Girls on the Run in Washington State. She is also a finalist for this year's Youth Achievement Award, presented in conjunction with ESPN's Espy Awards. You can vote for her once per day between now and June 15th.

Vote early vote often....what a great opportunity for Bailey and an incredible public awareness opportunity for Girls on the Run nationwide!

http://promo.espn.go.com/espn/specialsection/kelloggs09/

The Lessons of Susan Boyle

As I was reading CNN.com this morning, I came upon a commentary by Peter Bregman about the “Britain’s Got Talent” performer, Susan Boyle. When I finally broke down and clicked on the You Tube link last week, I found myself overwhelmed. There’s been tons of news coverage over the last few weeks, but reading his column today, I think he summed up very eloquently my thoughts. I’m condensing and excerpting the pieces of it that touch me the most (you can read the entire column here).

“Susan Boyle, who recently performed on the U.K. television show "Britain's Got Talent," has captured the world's attention …. She wasn't painfully ordinary; she was amazingly extraordinary. The audience immediately jumped to a standing ovation and stayed there until the end of the song. The YouTube video of Susan's performance has, as of Tuesday, received more than 35 million views…..

But there's something else Susan Boyle awakens in us as we watch her come out of her shell: our own selves. Who among us does not move through life with the hidden sense, maybe even quiet desperation, that we are destined for more? That underneath our ordinary exterior lays an extraordinary soul? That given the right opportunity, the right stage, the right audience, we would shine as the stars we truly are?

That promise underlies most successful advertising campaigns: the desire to transform from caterpillar to butterfly. Maybe if you buy that (fill in the blank), people will see you for the sophisticated, cool, gorgeous, talented, lovable person you know you really are. But in our less desperate moments, we know we can't purchase that transformation. Although Susan Boyle became an overnight sensation, hers was not an overnight transformation. She's been practicing singing since she was 12. In her case, overnight was 35 years.

It's easy to admire Susan. But it's far more interesting to be transformed by her. "There is grace," a friend recently wrote to me, "in being molded by your own gifts."

To allow yourself to be molded by your own gifts takes courage. You have to be willing to stand there, exposed and authentic, while the audience rolls their eyes at you and sneers, expecting failure. And then, of course, you have to fail, laugh or cry, and keep going until, one day, they stop laughing and start clapping.

But you can't do it alone….If we're lucky, we have parents who encourage us. Nothing really replaces a mother or father who believes in you. But even if you don't have parents who believe in you, it's important to have someone. Someone you trust, enough that when they offer criticism, you know it's to draw you out more fully, not shut you down even partially….

Susan Boyle is a phenomenal role model for all of us, not just because of her talent or her courage or her perseverance or her supportive friends. She is a phenomenal role model for us because she is us, in all our awkward ordinariness and amazing extraordinariness.”

To me, Peter Bregman captured what I was feeling but unable to express as I watched the video and found the music sticking in my head the rest of the day. Whether we dare to dream big or simply just survive the day-to-day of our offices, classrooms, neighborhoods and worlds, we need courage. Courage, plus the love and support of those around us, lets us move mountains. Maybe not immediately or in hugely visible ways, but bit by bit moving ourselves closer to the person we want to be.

This week with my Girls on the Run we talked about standing up for ourselves, expressing our own feelings, and learning how to evaluate and make good decisions. Heavy stuff for 8 and 9-year olds. But listening to their reactions to the games and questions I posed, they seemed to get it. It’s scary to be yourself, to refuse to surrender to the will of the cliques around you, and to learn to listen and trust that little voice inside. And yet they were articulating that they know it will only get harder as they get older, that the choices will be even tougher. My hope for each of them is not that they will be guffawing in the audience, but instead on the stage of life with their heads held high and the joy of living a real and honest life shining through them.

And the season begins

My first triathlon is still a little over a month away, but my first race of the season was this morning. We've done the Cherry Blossom Ten Miler for the past four or five years. The last two years I pushed hard, and achieved a PR both times - even if last year was only by a measly 3 seconds. This year I was truly approaching this as a training run.

We biked to packet pickup yesterday, and now I understand why I've never headed to the Tidal Basin to see the cherry blossoms. The crush of people was absolutely overwhelming. Thousands of people, cars in gridlock. Bikes were really the only option, it would have taken hours to drive down there. We didn't even bother to stop and snap the requisite romantic photo under a tree - we just wanted to get out of there.

No neighbors to run it with us this year so Stuart and I caught the metro together at 6:30. We were both sporting our Girls on the Run hats, and ended up talking with a woman about how to start the program at her school in Falls Church. A few others standing near us were listening and one apparently works with a fellow Board member. Mission accomplished before the race even started -- to raise awareness of the program and generate some interest.

It was a picture perfect morning to run a race. Beautiful sunshine, temp right around 50 at the start, and the cherry blossoms were in total bloom. Stuart and I were in different waves, so as is our tradition, kissed each other goodbye and promised to be safe and healthy. I took a quick picture before he slipped away.

The Girls on the Run theme continued, as the woman I coached with my very first season was just a few places behind me in the porta-potty line! It was great to see her and chat. And then I was in my corral. No heart rate monitor, just a promise to myself that this was not a race. It was a training run for the Kinetic Half.

The gun sounded and I was off. And almost from the start I was in my own world. I'd say more than half the field had iPods, even though they were forbidden, so there wasn't much conversation anyways. I watched for Stuart the few times that the field doubled back on itself, but never did see him.

The first mile I hit at 10:04, good but frankly not slow enough. I dialed it back a tiny bit and kept moving. But one after the other, the miles still hovered around 10:30. I could live with that as a solid mid-distance aerobic pace! Guess all those tough =PR= runs are paying off. My posterior tib started acting up around mile 5, but good karma came to my rescue. A woman about 8ft ahead of me dropped her sunglasses. Almost without breaking stride, I picked them up, passed them to the guy between us who handed them back to her. And miraculously the pain subsided for awhile!

But I realized today that the best way to stave off the discomfort is to run off-road. Whenever possible, I ran on the grassy berms instead of the road. Thank goodness Hains Point was the last three miles of the race instead of the first three. Running on the grass made a huge difference in my ability to keep moving. I walked two water stations for about 20 seconds to grab water (it warmed up quickly this morning) and stopped once to stretch. But before I knew it, I could see the Washington Monument and passed that 9mile point. This was a training run, so I didn't increase my speed but just kept steady as I crossed the finish line and slowed to a walk. 1:46:13. I'm happier with that than I was with last year's PR where I felt like I'd worked so hard for just three seconds. Today showed my aerobic pace has increased. If I can hold that for 13.1 miles in May, I'll be so stoked!

I hopped the metro home - coincidentally the same one Stuart was on just in a separate car (he'd waited at the finish line for me, contrary to our initial plans). A short while later, our "showering optional" post party meant a house full of sweaty estrogen as a number of our awesome running female friends came over for sandwichs and plenty of salty and sweet treats.

A relaxing afternoon, followed by 45minutes of lifting at the gym. Time for a shower, dinner and a good night's sleep before tomorrow's swim. If today is an indicator of 2009, and I hope it is, I'm in for a good year!

Taking Risks

One of the things I just love about Girls on the Run is watching these girls challenge themselves. Sometimes it’s the physical – running further or faster, and eventually completing that 5K. But just as often it’s taking the mental or emotional risks that allow us to grow as people. On Tuesday as our session wrapped up Lily [names changed] mentioned to me that she had never led our team cheer at the end of practice. I told her to remind me on Thursday. Now, Lily is in 3rd grade and might be the most quiet and shy child I have ever run across. She has a beautiful smile, but even her body language shows how much of a struggle it can be for her to speak up and engage with others.

Well, today's session was about gratitude and being thankful. We went around the circle and each girl had to say something about the person on their right that they were thankful for. One of the fifth graders noted that she was thankful that Lily was one of those who was quiet and respectful of others, and never talked when other people were talking. The day’s workout is often a challenge for the girls because it is a silent run. Unlike all our other practices they may not talk or run with anyone else. It's about using the quiet to think about things we're grateful for, and to see what comes into our mind when life around us is calm.

So as our workout was starting Lily mentioned to me again that she hadn't led the cheer. I asked her if she was sure, because it meant she'd have to yell to get everyone excited. I also told her that I knew deep inside her was a big loud voice waiting to come out, so she should do the run and think about if she wanted to. Fast forward to the end of the session. We all gathered in a circle for our cheer and I said "ok, Lily’s leading us." She looked at me for a long second, and I could see her gathering her strength and courage. Taking a deep breath, she started - "gimme a g. gimme an i. GIMME AN R. GIMME AN L. WHAT DOES THAT SPELL? (girls) WHAT DO WE DO? (run) WHAT DOES THAT MAKE US? GIRLS ON THE RUN!!!" She did it! Her voice was loud and strong. You could see afterwards that she was both relieved it was over, but also bursting with pride.

I was just so proud of her. This was clearly such a huge risk for her to step out of her comfort zone, and she succeeded so totally. It was a beautiful moment to experience. I could relate to the feeling, and it’s one I crave. The absolute scariness of attempting something new. And the complete joy at knowing you’ve conquered another fear, another barrier. There are those days right now where life is so chaotic, where the business side of managing GOTR is stressful. And then there are these rewards that remind me why I love and believe in the empowerment that Girls on the Run brings to its participants.

Business Development, Fundraising, and Asking for $$

Convincing other people to give you money is a special gift. It's a gift I clearly don't have. It's probably why I got peanuts as an allowance as a kid, and why it took me almost two years to have the courage to lay out the case to my boss for a pay raise. It's best not to think of all the money I didn't earn dueo to my inability to just ask for it.

That weakness is now challenging me in not one but three different important aspects of my life. First, and ironically right now the least important to me, is career-wise. I say least important, because it's the one that I have the least ability to affect right now, so I don't spend a lot of time worrying over it. My firm's career model is such that to make the leap from Associate to Senior Associate you absolutely have to have a "business case". That is, you have to know how to do business development, and in fact already have done quite a bit of it such that you are responsible for a team of more than just a few people generating more than a few million dollars in revenue. All well and good for those who are great at it. Not so much for those of us deemed high performing in functional delivery, but lacking in that ability to approach the client to produce new revenue streams. In theory, the firm is apparently considering revising the people model, as its called, because they're starting to lose some of us to the government and other firms because there's essentially a ceiling to advancement -- both for those of us lacking that skill, but also because there's only so much space in the client environments and not everyone can have their own business. You need some people to actual do the actual work of delivering services!

Anyway, so that's the first area. Second now is Girls on the Run. In addition to the normal effort to gain sponsorship for the race, the Board acknowledges that this year is the right time to undertake a concerted fundraising effort to help the organization continue to grow at its currently accelerating rate. Our Race Director does a fantastic job of getting race sponsorship, but the Board will be taking, I believe, a larger role in the broader fundraising effort. I'm committed to this program, and as a result, in my current role absolutely need to learn and be comfortable with approaching individuals and businesses and advocating on behalf of Girls on the Run of Northern Virginia. We've identified this as one of our top three priorities for the next 12months, and as president, my active participation and leadership in this is critical.

And finally, as it relates to triathlon, there's the whole coaching thing. Friends and family are convinced that I could actually make some money if I wanted to register Tri for Joy as a business. Yet, I continue to feel as if there's so much I need to learn, what's a fair and appropriate amount to charge people for the expertise I already have? At what point do I feel as though I'd be giving folks their money's worth? And, of course, the challenge of not wanting to charge those same friends and family. So do I charge friends of friends? Do I advertise and charge those strangers who approach me? Again, my reticence to place monetary value on my worth, or the worth of organizations important to me (GOTR, my firm, my nascent coaching "business") means dollars I'm losing every day.

How do people do it? I'm impressed by those in sales as a career. Pharmaceutical sales, computer sales, wine sales...just to name things that friends do for a living. It's a skill I'm learning, like so many others these days, because it's just too important not to.

Getting Back in the Groove

After a great start to 2009, January ended with a whimper. Girls on the Run of NoVA is going through some staff and Board transitions, which is always both a scary and exciting time for any organization. As of the 8hr(!) Board meeting this past Saturday, I'm now the Board President. That culminated a week in which I put in probably about 25hrs of GOTR-related time on top of my normal job.

Throw in a quick trip home to see my very ill Granni, and other than Thursday's =PR= run, my body was almost forgetting how to sweat. Yes, I've kept up with the 50 Days of Core, which ends on February 13th, but most of the last week was about remembering to throw down a quick 25 half-asleep crunches before climbing into bed.

After spending yesterday in the cardiac ICU, my alarm went off this morning at 3:45 so that I could catch my 6am flight back to DC. Stuart picked me up at the airport, and fortified by a pre-flight mocha and post-flight vanilla latte, I managed to survive the workday. Getting home I was SO tempted to bag a workout and take a nap. But, my first tri of the season is only three months away. Waiting until April to be serious won't cut it. What do I want to accomplish this year? Am I happy being average? Maybe even if I bust my tail I'll still be middle of the pack, but have I really truly given my all in the past four seasons of triathlon? Then the question is, what am I waiting for? I need to stop dreaming and, like Nike says, Just Do It. The last week or two of GOTR shows that I have the available time, and the self discipline....if it's important enough to me. So, is it? That needs to be the million dollar question as I start to think about 6am workouts. Soon enough the light will come and rides to work will be possible. In fact, I think we're there....I just again need to get in the habit. Winter's not over, but my time for excuses really is.

So buoyed by the near 50 degree weather, I threw on a long sleeve t-shirt and some capris, and Nick and I did an easy 3miles as the sun set. We then tacked on an extra mile walking the neighborhood with a very happy Joe and Ally. Nothing long, or even too terribly taxing, but an acceptable slide back into a routine for now.

What a Week

Somehow, 168hrs have gone by since I last wrote here. I say somehow because life feels like it's at breakneck pace right now - if I had the time to write, there's lots to say. Lots of stuff at work, which is good. I mean, if you have to be there for 40-ish hours per week of your life, it might as well be productive time, right? I've had my share of jobs/projects where, due to my efficiency or just the project itself, I spent way too much time twiddling thumbs, dreaming of how I'd be spending that time if I weren't stuck at a desk for an arbitrary amount of time.

On top of that, the days are ticking until I officially assume my role as president of the Board. It's mean interviews, meetings, strategic planning, and EMAILS beyond all comprehension. Seriously, like 50 a day. In addition as an example, I had a meeting Friday after work, one yesterday afternoon, one today, and a conference call tomorrow night. Luckily, as I get to know individual Board members bit by bit, overall it seems like a good group of smart, passionate people to be working with. I don't expect this tempo to last, but while it does it's definitely going to challenge my multi-tasking and self discipline skills!

Surprisingly, I've actually managed to fit most (not all) of my scheduled workouts in. Enough that I feel like I haven't totally slacked. 2 swims, 2 bikes (including a 2-1/2hr spin session this morning), 2 runs, 2 strength sessions and 7 days of core. That's right, happily I'm still on track for the 50 Days of Core challenge. When the abs reach the breaking point, I'll dial it back to a simple 25 or 50 reps for a day or two...basically enough to keep the streak but still have a recovery day. I'm not sure I'm seeing a change, but I can definitely feel things happening under all that "adipose tissue". And, maybe it's just a placebo effect, but my swimming seems to be improving, too. My stroke count is dropping and I at least feel faster when I'm in the pool.

All is good. Few complaints. But apologies to readers for an even less introspective set of posts than prior....time for deep thinking is probably one of the victims of my current schedule.

Stay warm....eight weeks until the official start of spring!!

A Surprising Run and a Surprise

Saturday afternoon I waited until the temperature had reached the warmest part of the day -- warm being relative since it was only 21 degrees. Nonetheless, I wanted to get a run in, so I put on fifteen layers of clothes and headed out the door. It was too cold for Nick, so just me and my iPod. I told Stuart that my goal was somewhere between 5 and 8miles, but that I expected it to be very slow and much of it would likely be walking.

Living right off the trails, I can head in virtually any direction and get a decent workout in. My plan initially had been to do the 5-mile "Columbia Pike" out and back, and then if I felt like it head in the other direction for the 3-mile "Van Buren" out and back. As I headed towards Columbia Pike, I suddenly got nervous that I was biting off more than I could chew, and took the detour for the 5K "Bluemont Trail" out and back, figuring that I could do 6miles if I also went to Van Buren. But when I returned and could have turned right towards the shorter run, I realized I was feeling good, so headed left to continue the 5-mile route.

Slow and steady I jogged along, and after completing that 5-mile loop (now 7 thanks to the Bluemont addition), and decided to start towards Van Buren and see what happened. But after a few minutes, I realized the sun was setting, and that while I could have done a 10-mile run, 8 was probably sufficient and so turned towards home.

EIGHT MILES!!! And it felt great! I haven't run that far since the half marathon with Erin last October. Not quite as far as the time that coach called for, but still the longest run I've had in ages. I'm paying for it now, though. Once I thawed out and came down from the runner's high, I realized last night how sore I was from that jump in mileage. Not sure how today's bike session will go as a result, but I'm feeling good.

Before that though, I need to pull my yummy pumpkin muffins out of the oven and prepare for a Board committee meeting. The other surprise is that, as of yesterday morning, I am the new president of the Board of Directors of Girls on the Run of Northern Virginia. I'm excited and honored to have the role, but also a bit overwhelmed as this is a critical crossroads in the organization's growth. And a 10am on a Sunday meeting is a pretty good indicator of that.

What a Difference A Day Makes

Yesterday, I was feeling unhappy and less than fit, so somehow it was only right that a different perspective on the world today revised my thought process for the time being.

First, today was our end-of-the-season Girls on the Run party. It's always hard to say goodbye to these girls, even if it's only for a few months until spring season. They are funny and sweet and sincere. I value each of them for their joy and innocence and ability to just be. This year I made sure to take lots of pictures at both the race and the party, since I want to always remember how important they are in my life. We even managed to get a decent one of almost the entire team.

But it was also rewarding because I got to hear another story about how the lessons we are imparting are actually sinking in. One of the mothers sought me out to tell me something that happened at soccer practice a few weeks earlier. This mom is about my height/weight/body type and her daughter is a beautiful, hardworking, athletic, smart girl. Anyway...mom tells me that there are a few soccer moms with their team who are fairly tall and thin. Well, her daughter a week or two ago turned to her and said "You know, Mom. Those women really shouldn't be that skinny. They don't look healthy. You and me are just the right size that we are supposed to be." Mom said she was just floored and at the same time so grateful that her daughter had such a strong healthy body image of both herself but those around her.

Once the party wrapped up, I raced home to change clothes and get to the Thursday night Potomac River Running women's group run. It's pouring down rain tonight, with flood warnings out and a chance of snow by morning, so I considered bailing. But I decided this was a chance to build some character and so off I went. Three of us showed up, plus Jess the "rabbit" group leader, and the "caboose" staff member, whose name I'm unfortunately forgetting right now. Not the 10 to 20 women who are normally there -- so we all started the run feeling tough for being out in the cold and rainy night. We all started out together, and I knew that I'd be the one with the caboose, but decided to try and hang with the lead group as long as possible. She was cool with it, and assured me that I could set the pace and she'd be happy to stay with me. They started to drop me at about the .75mile point, but when we hit the 1-mile mark, the caboose and I realized we'd just run a sub-9:00 mile!!! Remember, my normal run pace is about an 11:00+ min/mile, so somehow I was seriously moving!! At that point I said let's just run like this until I blow up, see how long I can sustain it and keep the front group in view.

A little more than halfway through the 4.3mile run I notice that the caboose is actually lagging behind me. Turns out she's getting over being sick, and her normal healthy pace is a 9min/mil, so I was close to dropping her!!! Now that's never happened before! For some reason, I was holding this crazy sub-10min pace. So, we dialed it back, kept running and finished strong. I was encouraging her in the same way that she had for me three weeks ago. We finished and high-fived each other, giving mutual thanks for kicking each other's a$$ and keeping each other motivated. At one point I said to myself "gee, how much faster would you be if you were ten or fifteen pounds lighter". And then I had to remind myself that I was already getting faster -- that while being healthier physically would be nice, I could be fit without being a size 4. I ran faster and stronger during totally miserable weather for one of the best runs I've had in months. It was the reassurance I needed that I am an athlete. I am strong and capable and able to push my own comfort zone. Now to just survive the winter without my amazing GOTR girls to remind me that I am as special as they are!

Things I Like and Things I've Learned

It's hard to believe that my fifth season coaching Girls on the Run is coming to a close. The girls at Jamestown Elementary are beyond amazing. They are funny and kind and strong and compassionate and they're all becoming darn good runners. Thursday was our last practice before the season-ending Reindeer Romp 5K, and I asked each of them to write down the answers to two questions -- "What I like about Girls on the Run" and "What I learned at Girls on the Run". The rest of this entry is written by my 20 wonderful, sweet and very very special girls.

Jamestown Girls on the Run Final Thoughts
December 2008

WHAT I LIKE ABOUT GIRLS ON THE RUN
“I like to run and I like to be part of a team”

“How we all encourage each other and help when we need to. How our coaches push us when we are discouraged and they help us gain self confidence. It turns you into a better, valuable person.”

“We make friends and learn about ourselves, bullying, values, paces, feelings and running.”

“That you can run in different paces and learn more about you!”

“I enjoy running and learning new things and helping each other out.”

“That my coaches always support me on the last side when I sprint.”

“How we learn to push ourselves and everyone is special in their own way. And no one is better than anyone else.”

“The coaches, the nice teammates, games and (sometimes) running.”

“Having the coaches and teammates be there to support each other.”

“That we learn to push ourselves and try out best.”

“I like that we are encouraged to do our best. It’s a fun way to do exercise and learn about being healthy and strong at the same time.”

“It’s educational and fun at the same time. You make lots of lifelong friendships (until you go to different schools).”

“Fun games and lots of running.”

“It’s learning to respect things in life.”

“The waking up early and running.”

“It was fun to play the games as a group.”

“Running a lot”

“You run a lot! I like to run! I feel free and wild!”

“What I like about Girls on the Run is that we play fun games that have to do with running.”

“That you can run and good friends are on my team and meet new people!”

“I like to run and I like to be part of a team.”


WHAT I HAVE LEARNED AT GIRLS ON THE RUN
“I have learned a lot about myself and about my teammates. You don’t need to be pretty to have friends.”

“What I have learned at GOTR is to pace myself while running.”

“That running is not a race. Girls can do anything they set their minds to.”

“Not to gossip. To respect.”

“About communities and helping people”

“I learned how to pace so I’m faster in my total time.”

“To run without stopping to rest. Rest at the end!”

“Never gossip.”

“Pacing, trying your best, and you don’t need water to run a race.”

“It’s not just about how fast you can run.”

“The valuableness of friends, honesty, community service. How to make yourself a better person. Pros and cons and of course…running!”

“I learned how to run at my own pace, and how to treat the earth better.”

“Pacing myself.”

“I have learned a lot about myself, other people. Speed doesn’t matter. How to have fun in different ways and how to keep your body healthy.”

“I have learned that speed doesn’t matter but your pacing does! And I’ve learned how to deal with problems, for example with “I feel, when you, because, in the future”.

“It is not all about running, it is about making it.”

“That you ALWAYS have to believe in yourself no matter what.”

“We learned how to push ourselves in running and not to gossip or do anything mean and to treat yourself and others with respect.”

“To pace myself and not be as much of a person who doesn’t run.”

“Everyone goes at their own pace and we’re all different in good ways.”