Friday, March 5, 2010

Guest Blogger

I thought i would take a page from my incredibly talented kick butt friend and fellow blogger Leslie and ask a few of my athlete friends to talk about sports and themselves. I checked in with a great friend and fabulous Runner, and I meant it with a capital R, Lisa. Lisa, Leslie, and I all ran together once a week and fully enjoyed the running and the conversation. Lisa is a seriously committed runner and i admire her greatly for that and for her parenting skills. She is truly a woman to look up to. I asked her to write something for the blog today and here is what she wrote. Thanks Lisa.


One transformational and memorable moment for me as an athlete was when Tonya, Leslie, my daughter Carly and I ran the Seven Sisters ridge (I believe that is what it is called) 4 or so years ago. Here's why:
We were a group of women supporting each other with a common goal that was challenging and wicked FUN!
We were out in the woods: quiet, peaceful, beautiful.
It was a pivitol experience for Carly, exposing her to the fact that she is capable of more than she imaged and has taken that spirit into her adult life style. Actually when we talk about that day she says it changed her life and how she sees herself and what she is capable of.
It was a bonding experience between me and my friends, people I have only felt love and support from and for, and deepened the bond with my daughter.
In challenging situations,the truth of who you are is revealed. On that day strength, friendship and pure goodness was revealed for me. Can you get any better than that?
Thank you Tonya and Leslie for the gift of this experience.


Tuesday, March 2, 2010

it feels good to kick a**



As Silly as it may seem, those of you who know the power of the words spoken to me today will understand, it made my day. I was running up one of local mountains, hills to you west coast ladies, and as i was running up i met another woman doing a side step down in the snow. She looked great, athletic and strong. She looked at me shook her head and said,"You are hard core woman!" I smiled and said thanks. Maybe she knew that her simple words made my run 10 times easier and way more fun, maybe she didn't but i owe my early March attitude shift to her. I had been contemplating my lack of hard core-ness recently and wondering if i would ever see it again. Maybe i will never believe it entirely myself but having another woman athlete tell me just is excellent!
It feels good to kick ass! Why? I am not sure, i think there are myriad of different reasons for different people. For me currently i think it is validation that life is still long and bountiful. That i have so many more opportunities to do things with my body even though my children are growing up.
Today i was having tea with a dear friend and she was talking about having an emotional reaction to watching the olympics. Her reaction was based on her pre kids devotion to skiing and that she has not gotten on a mountain nearly enough and hasn't had a chance to tear it up in a long time. We immediately made plans to spirit away a few hours from work and children to ski our butts off. It changes everything that feeling of freedom and strength.
The pictures above are of Skinner Mountain in South Hadley, and me right after running up and down it. If you look a little to the left you will see the Summit house up there looking small. It was beautiful and completely quiet up there today.
Here is an invitation to anyone reading this to tell their transformational moment to me. I would love to hear them.