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’ve always loved the outdoors, even though I grew up in the heart of Chicago. Eventually, I took a rock climbing class from the Iowa Mountaineers and got hooked. That was more than 20 years ago. I just got back from a road trip with friends. We didn’t get to the top of everything we tried, but we had a good time encouraging each other and keeping each other safe.
If anyone has ever faced a difficult terrian while they run, you may be able to relate to my experiences. I began running while I was in college to get in shape for the military. After graduation I continued to run onboard my duty station, which was a ship stationed out of Yokosuka, Japan. after giving a few marathons my best shot, i decided to dedicate more time to running, especially during long deployments where i could run hundreds of miles in, literally, the middle of nowhere. moving to my current duty station and living onboard a larger ship has afforded me the opportunity to run outside, around the decks.
The deck is made of a mixture of concrete and gravel, making it sharp and extreamly tough on the joints (and shoes!). the most unique aspect of running on a ship at sea is the constant rocking, pitching, rolling, jarring that forces you to adapt quickly to a moving platform. being from Colorado, i am used to running uphill, but i always know where the uphills are as long as i keep my eyes on the horizon. running on a ship, you never know when you will be running flat, uphill, or downhill. it is quite a ride! i would recommend it for anyone who loves rollercoasters and doesn’t mind replacing their shoes every 3 months:-).
I am a musician/composer, so when I was young, I spent a lot of my time playing piano and flute. I was usually in a dress or skirt, and I guess my favorite sport was kickball. I did not like gym class too much, and the only times I walked a great distance would be for marching band and in parades.
When I reached 30, I took up tennis, and 30 years later, I still play. Also at 30, I started working out in a gym, and enjoying the sense of accomplishment, and what it did for me in terms of confidence, strength and tone.
About 6 years ago, I discovered yoga in a unique way. I started teaching yoga to my special needs music classes, along with an occupational therapist friend, who felt it would be good for our younger students. We then developed a program, called Musical Yoga Adventures, combining specific music (I composed the music) that goes along with the routines (the o.t. created these). We now have a CD on Amazon, and our own website (musicalyogaadventures.com) where the routines can be downloaded. The kids at our school love doing yoga, and we have expanded our program to all the students there, as well as teachers and other students around the US.
It is great to see so many kids benefit from yoga, and…I continue to practice yoga, and enjoy focus, strength and flexibility, as does my o.t. friend. We find that so many people are gravitating towards the practice of yoga, because of its many rewarding benefits. And connecting music with yoga for easy learning creates a richer experience for all. Namaste!
I was shy and chubby at nine. Finding my way to horses and swimming rescued me from my introversion. I went on to try so many sports I cannot remember them all. I have a fondness for the years of tennis and swimming but I always enjoyed starting new things.
This lead me to be the first girl to run cross-county on high school, not all the boys were happy about this. I also helped begin the women’s volleyball team at my college. The only team sport I enjoyed. The solo adventure was, and is, my cup of tea.
For the last three decades I am a solo traveler, finding my way to the ends of the earth. These lessons come home to inform my artwork and my teaching. But I have never stopped being active.
After two decades of running I shifted to inline skating. For the last 19 years I find again, I am alone on the roads of the local. Skating feels like flying, which is how my running felt. But the knees, torn from volleyball decided to dislike the pounding of running.
But always in the back of my mind the quiet voice whispered….”yoga”. I knew I needed this but when was there time? Well time showed up and yoga began. And wonder of wonder miracles of miracles this is the best thing that has ever happened to my body. And funny I met my husband, a road biker, rescuing his body there in yoga class. Now we share the experience.
And my gift from him last year, a road bike, and so now I can fly even faster. Though my skates still have much of my time.
Today I am 50. I rejoice and celebrate the wonderful years I have had and the many to come. All the years of activity have helped me re-define what 50 really means. I am strong, fit, and weigh the same as in high school, and all this without taking up too much of my day.
There are paintings to paint, lectures to give, and students to love but there is always a bit of time for activity, even when there is snow on the ground my stationary bike in my studio is a great way to ponder a developing painting.
For my birthday I am putting away my beat up poor quality town bike. We have been to market and to work for many years. Today I pick up a new town bike, with bigger baskets and fenders. I can carry more and travel in the rain.
Onward to life, full of energy, and appreciative of the strong body I try to maintain. And it has carried my to the ends of the earth and back time and time again.
I am fortunate to have parents who kept me active most of my youth. Figure skating, downhill skiing, swimming, and volleyball were some of my activities. I tried gymnastics and dancing as well. I feel so grateful that my parents supported me in all of these activities–they both spent money to keep me busy and in equipment. Without these activities, I am pretty sure that I would have been more than the chubby girl I was.
I feel sorry for the girls today who are not active and already have serious weight problems.
I spent a number of years working on a Ph. D., so I gained weight and felt uncomfortable walking up stairs, going to the pool, or even going for a walk. After I finished my dissertation, I made exercise a priority. I wanted to make up for all of the time I had spent sitting in a chair!
Now that I am over 40, I spend a lot of time practicing yoga and hiking. I may not be as tight and toned as I would like, but I know that these activities keep my body and mind fit. Yoga makes me feel at home in my own skin–nothing else really gives me the same feeling of active calm.. Hiking gets me outdoors and forces me to think about the beauty of nature and how I am part of that beauty.
Only a small part of my sports story is about competition. Mostly the story is about doing what I enjoy and enjoying what my body can do.
My husband took his life in October ’05 after several years of what turned out to be a debilitating cocktail of mental illnesses. We had been separated for several months when he died and I was, by that point, fully immersed in my role as single mom to my 2 sons, ages 3 and 8. His death brought something out in me…a need to do something bigger, for myself and for others. INever would I have imagined that a tragedy would mark the beginning of a new life. I joined Team in Training the following spring and ran in the Nike 1/2 Marathon in San Fran that fall. It changed my life. The training, the fundraising, the mental toughness, the emotional escape, completing a feat that really was much larger than myself. I continued to do 1/2 marathons and to run. It was, and still is, my therapy, my release and MY TIME. I became a Certified Personal Trainer in March 08 and a Certified Spinning Instructor in May 08. I’m now back in school, almost 20 years after getting my BA, studying to become a Phys Ed teacher. I center my life around my well-being. I take care of myself so that I can better take care of my 2 wonderful boys, now 12 and 7. Everyday, they see their Mom go out for a run, lift weights, teach a Spinning class, or practice Pilates or Yoga in front of the tv. I encourage them to try any sport that catches their interest ~ and they do! My 12 year old son is now running and can’t wait for track season! And now, I want to share my passion for health, fitness and well being with other kids. From the tragedy of my husband’s suicide, I learned so much about myself. I live everyday to be a healthy, productive woman and mom! Thank you Title 9…for giving us all even more encouragement to be our awesome selves!
I’ve been a runner since I was about 13, but it wasn’t until I was 18 that I picked up a lacrosse stick and joined the lacrosse team in college. My roommate played and said if you can run, then I can teach you to run with a stick. We were a club team at first, that was until we discovered Title IX! We wanted to turn varsity but were hitting walls all over the place and were told that it wasn’t in the budget…than that little number IX came into the picture. We had a guys team and we read up about about Title IX and its significance!! Well, when we mentioned Title IX to the AD at my college, all arguements stopped. The next season we transitioned into a varsity, Division I MAAC team. From then on, I learned what it was to be really part of a team and what it was to rely on your teammates, that was 14 years ago and now I’m a high school lacrosse coach. The lessons I learned back then are the ones I teach young girls today. Perserverance and hard work are everything!! I love your catalogs and I look forward to them each month!!!
I have been engaged in sports my entire life and consider myself the first generation to enjoy Title IX. During high school and college, I ran cross country, indoor track, and outdoor track. Before age 22, I raced 5 marathons, including Boston Marathon, with a personal best of 3:15. Between the ages of 23-36, I raced triathlons, including several National and World Championships for women 30-35 age group and raced Hawaii Ironman at the age of 26. At the young age of 39, I started bike racing and upgraded to SW Cat 2 after one full season of racing. I have been fortunate to race on a semi-pro team, Sports Garage/Rio Grande, in 2006, which produced 2 nationally ranked female Pro riders. Over the recent years, I have place in the top 5 Best Amercian Cycling Association (ACA) All Around Rider (BAR) in SW Cat ½ and SW 35+ and currently holding BAR 1st place for SW 45+. I am pursuing career change to become a secondary Math teacher and have been juggling school for my teaching certificate while working full time and bike racing.
As a Registered Dietitian (who is also a food “enthusiast”), I have found that “minimal / moderate” portions & plenty of walking can be the answer for a healthy body & healthy mind. Finding time for the walk, ie; making it a priority, is essential. My husband & I squeeze in an evening walk a few times a week, & try to do a backpacking / day hike trip once or twice a month. I realize that for many, our busy schedules often get in the way. Until you choose to make “the Priority Shift”, weight maintenance & physical health will be a struggle. So, get out & walk & reduce your portion sizes. Simple! Be Well! PS: would be great to have the opportunity for sharing photos. Wendy L. Connolly, RD.
I was the typical tomboy growing up playing baseball, street hockey, football, b-ball etc. with and against the boys in the neighborhood. Organized sports for girls were just getting started while I was growing up, and I tried everything that was available including swimming, tennis, golf, softball, and b-ball, but it wasn’t until HS that I found my favorite, field hockey. I was very fortunate to have such awesome and passionate coaches who taught me not only how to become a great athlete, but also how to be a confident and ambitious person willing to go out and explore the world of possibilities. Playing field hockey enabled me to pay for college, be part of the first ever NCAA women’s championship team (1981 UConn field Hockey), and see the world by traveling to places like British Columbia, the Netherlands, and the Olympic Training Center in CO. Now I have passed on my love of sports to my two boys who play baseball, soccer, karate, and ski. In fact, thanks to my husband, who is also an avid sports fan and athlete, we ski all winter as a family, and swim in our pool all summer. Speaking of my husband, we started dating after he lost a bet that I would score more points for the girls b-ball team then he would for the boys at the tender age of 14. We have been together challenging each other ever since. We are both 46 yrs young and believe being physically active is more than a way of life. It is life for us and our family. Almost everything we do revolves around some type of physical activity. We both love your catalogs, and of course your merchandise. Keep up the great work of promoting sports and fitness as well as making quality sportswear.
Lisa Cropper, MA