....girl power

Yogis,
It was just as I remembered. The buzz of excitement from finishers and families. The table with plain bagels, bananas and sweets. Lively music, booths with info and activities and of course the medals around the necks. The after event of a race.

This time though it wasn’t me wearing a medal or eating bananas (although I admit to sneaking a bite of bagel.)  I haven’t run a race in probably twenty years now. We were all there to cheer on my 7-year-old granddaughter.

This was her second mini kids’ triathlon.

I was shocked when we arrived at the school to see hundreds of people already there. This was a big, well-run event to raise funds supporting families of children with pediatric cancer. Kids from 6 to 14 were milling around in swimsuits waiting for their start time.  

We were welcomed by Abigail with a wide smile and big hugs. She was ready….and looked confident and adorable!

A few minutes later the skies opened up to pouring rain.

Abigail, though, did not blink an eye. Her group lined up and she walked through the rain with the other girls and jumped in the pool. And they were off….. A bike ride and a run later she ran past us and through the finish. Beaming.

Now she did not know any of the other kids. She had only seen the school once yesterday when they dropped off her bike. She wasn’t talking about winning or beating anyone. Abigail was simply ready to do her best. And she did with ease.

Women’s sports have been in the news a lot lately for many different reasons. Today I witnessed its importance and the power it offers these young girls. The inner strength and courage it can help to build.

I never had interest in team sports but picked up running in high school. I don’t remember it even being offered earlier back then. And it has stuck with me to this day. It is part of the sense of who I am and what I am capable of.

My heart was smiling watching her run through that finish line.

Girl power,
SARAH