What’s your story?
Maybe you came to sport late.
You found it in the gym or the studio.
Maybe you discovered it early, on a court or a course.
Maybe it’s walking, maybe it’s running, maybe it’s dance or yoga or swimming or hiking. Maybe you found your sport when you saw your daughter transformed by that first athletic success and knew that your own transformation was out there waiting for you. Maybe you found it on your way to something else—a kid’s practice, a healthier life, a friend’s race. But no matter where each of our sports stories begins, we all end up at the same place, a place where we are becoming our own best selves.
Tell us your story!
Founder, Missy Park
I have no great story, but I decided to write anyway. I really admire people who have found what motivates them to be fit. I am still looking. I am a follower, not a leader and keeping motivated is hard for me. I love all sports, inside and outdoors, but I can’t seem to push myself. Give me a partner to keep up with and I can go forever. Hopefully soon I’ll find what it takes to push myself.
I played lacrosse in high school, but was always the last girl back from our long runs. I never in a million years would’ve considered myself capable of running more than 3 miles. Then my best friend was diagnosed with a rare blood disease and in my frustration over my inability to fix him, I found Team In Training – an arm of the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. They train you for endurance events and you raise money for the cause. I couldn’t cure my friend, but I could run for him and raise money for research that works towards a cure for these and other cancers. Today, I’ve run 1 marathon and 2 halfs with Team and am training for my second full. I’m now a mentor for the program and get to tell all those participants that say “I can’t do it” from first hand experience “You can!”. Helping people break down the barriers they build about what their bodies can do, all while helping cure cancer – WOW. There’s a reason to run! Go TEAM!
Thank you Title Nine for making clothes that fit marathon runner legs! If only we could change the rest of the female clothing world!
After 30 years of migraines working against me to become physically active and healthy, two years ago they finally gave me a break. I joined the gym, lost 20+ pounds, started running and bought my first road bike. Last Sept I ran my first ever 5K (in 38 minutes) after only 4 months of training. My road bike, thought, remains my favorite! This year I did my first 40 mile trip to Crested Butte and back. What a HIGH! I’m 59 and know that if I’m going to do something big, now is the time. I just signed up for VenusdeMiles the end of August in CO. I’m so excited and looking forward to riding along with so many other women who all have a story. I’m not a gonzo wonder woman…but a woman with long-lived dreams coming true.
I have this sense right now—thanks to sports—of how age has given more to me than it has taken away. So often people focus on the passage of time as being all about losing, doing less, and being less. I joined a gym this summer that focuses on Athletes; professional, college, aspiring Olympic Athletes. At first I didn’t feel like I fit in, because I’m a regular weekend competitor. But after a month, I realized that I bring a focus, desire and general mental toughness that I did not have when I was 25. I think you have to be careful what stories you tell yourself, and succeeding at physically and mentally challenging workouts definitely makes me say I Can Do More.
I’ve been an athlete ever since I was a kid starting out with tennis and soccer at 6 years old. I carried it through high school playing volleyball (tried basketball) and track eventually focusing on volleyball and playing my way through college. Running was always something I was told to do to stay in shape fo my sport. I hated it. After college, I stopped running because I could. I gained weight and made it through my 20’s playing co-ed rec soccer and co-ed (beer league) softball. I was married at 32 and had my first child 6 weeks before my 37th birthday. 35 lbs heavier from when I graduated from college an NCAA athlete, my wake-up call finally came through. I realized that it was time to get back to who I really was. Sports have always been my first love; whether I’m watching or playing. I started running again because I wanted to; not because someone told me I had to for conditioning. I’ve done mini-triathlons, 5k’s, 8k’s and a half marathon. I love Title Nine for inspiring me to get back to my true self and providing me the comfort to do it in. Missy, thank you for creating and finding a perfect place designed for women and sport!
I was born two months premature. The Doctor said yes you’ll walk, but you won’t run when I went to an appointment when I was just a toddler. Today I am 29 years old. I learned how to run on the soccer field when I was in first grade, and in fifth and sixth grade I ran a total of 125 miles. When I was in high school, I continued to run through the sport Cross Country. Toady I have completed 5k’s and I have set my sights high on completing a marathon! I look forward to crossing that finish line real soon!
My story is short and sweet. Growing up in the 60s it wasn’t considered cool for a girl to be involved in sports so like all good girls of that age, I got married instead. (BIg mistake) Through the 60s, 70s and 80s I did the partying thing while also raising a family. In 1991 I stopped smoking and started running. I ran off and on for years but when my daughter wanted to drop some weight after giving birth to beautiful twin baby girls, we started walking together every other day and then she gradually got into running. Eight years later we are starting our training in August for our 8th half marathon. (Of course we run lots of 5K, 10K and 15K while training) And I almost forgot…those beautiful twin baby girls have been running the kids races since they were 3 and they want to do a 5K when they turn 9 in January. Life is Beautiful!!!!!
I love Title Nine clothes! They go on all my adventures.
I just retired after 25 years as a police officer – special victims detective. Now I am on the Animal Care Team at John Ball Zoo. That has inspired me to travel to Australia twice and Africa once. Your clothes and bags went on each trip and held up beautifully through safari, hiking in the rain forest, and a mountain bike crash with broken bones.
I am devoted to cycling, preferably at least 30 miles per day. I got into it late in life, when I was about 42. Now at 45 I cant live without my bike. In fact, she lives in the house with me in my living room. Kayaking comes in second!
I grew up on the east coast in a really small town. If you didnt play softball, basketball or soccer – it wasnt easily accessible. Not to mention, the seasons dicatate the activity. I never really got into team sports. I did however, enjoy skiing and gymnastics which were, like i said, not all that accessible. I decided to pack up and move to S.F., CA 2 years after high school. I had never been here I just knew it would be an adventure. It was nothing that I expected it to be and everything I couldnt have imagined.
It was then that I was able to get involved in all the outside activities the west coast has to offer. Anything and everything was accessible – pretty much year around! Since then, and I have been here 18 years now? I have been actively involved in snowboarding, scuba diving, sailing, rock climbing and most recently (past 2 years) mtn biking, road riding and cyclocross racing.
The east coast just didnt offer all this or maybe it did but the location attitudue just wasnt there. Here the attitude is if you want to do it – than do it. You dont have to be an expert to do it – you just have to want to. So, I did and I love it. Now I encourage all that may be intimidated at first that they can too!
Additionally, i work for Fox Racing Shox, which is a company that manufactures shocks and forks for mtn bikes, atv, moto-x, etc…Its a real young, hip and “activity” based environment. I love it.
I always hated team sports, because as the smallest kid in the class I felt I just couldn’t compete. Out of fear that I would be a total nerd, my dad took me to the roller skating rink, and I found something I loved. In the early 60’s I met my first husband there; we switched to ice dancing, and we stayed very active until my late 30’s, when he developed health problems and we had to quit. I didn’t change my cooking or eating habits, and I before I knew it I gained over 40 lbs!!!
As we all know, “dieting” doesn’t work. When I had some health issues of my own, I joined a local gym, and made the commitment to go every morning before work. Combined with much healthier eating, the pounds began to melt away! One day the woman on the treadmill next to mine said ” I bet you would like running outside”. My reply was somehting about not knowing anything about it, but I was thinking “runners are crazy”. At her continued urging, however, I gave it a try. That was almost 10 years ago. At almost 61, I have run many 5 and 10 k’s, 9 half marathons, and I have no plans to quit. When ever I am asked if it is hard to stay in shape, my answer is always “no”. It is much harder not to!!
Jane Mielke
Meredith, NH