It’s almost a full group warming up these days… 8-10 women. It’s amazing (sometimes intimidating) how much talent and drive there is in the group.
I was part of a panel discussion last week. The topic was women supporting women, and how to lift each other up in sports and business. At talks like that, many times there is a question about how to reduce cattiness and competitiveness among women. In my experience, that isn’t the key question. For me, it’s how do I remain confident in myself, while also surrounding myself with successful, confident people.
I only get the urge to be gossipy, or want to find something “wrong” with someone else, when I’m a low on my self-esteem. And that tends to happen when I lose track of my personal path and goals.
Example from last week: For our Tuesday workouts, I am usually given a shorter set. This is because I run less mileage, and I’m relatively new to the program. Still, I don’t want to feel like the runt of the litter, and it’s easy to compare myself with training partners who seem so similar on the surface. We are runners! We are women! We are comparable!
But that is a trap. Just because we can wear the same sports bra, doesn’t make us the same. We are different people, different stories. Right now for me, feeling within myself on a 4.5 mile fartlek is progress. I want to keep pushing that up in distance, but I also have to acknowledge that that’s a big step.
And the more I clarify my unique path, the more I am able to celebrate the unique strengths in my training partners. The mantra I use to get in this mindset is, “I am me, and I love me some me.” Silly, but effective😬! Of course it’s easier said than done. I go through ups and downs in my confidence. But like anything else, it’s the progress that matters. 💋
Training Notes 