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 was always picked last, or not at all for dodge ball and red rover on recess….rarely made it off the bench in high school basketball or volleyball…watched two younger sisters who played varsity in every sport….
I have finished a half iron man triathlon and two marathons!!! Yeah baby, who’s not settin’ the bench anymore? The only thing holding me back is my own fear of trying. I am not afraid to try (or tri). I can do it. I have done it.
One of my favorite sayings…”On your left.”
I’m a jack of all trades master of none type of sport enjoyer. I came to sports late as music was my thing. I live in Tahoe now and love rock climbing, yoga, hiking, back country skiing, swimming, spinning, and chasing my kids! I love camping, music festivals, playing my guitar and singing.
My new thing is spinning. I work out everyday at my fitness center at work at 6:00 am. Over the past year, I have built up a friendship with 3 other women. Our fitness center has a fantastic spin room, however, they do not offer classes in the morning (when we are there). Well, we all decided that we were going to spin anyway…I bring the tunes…we all bring the fun!
My sport is sea kayaking. I came to it a little late, age 51 to be exact. After 32 years of marriage my husband decide to “go his own way”, and I inherited his kayak as he wouldn’t use it in Tucson. Wanting to make lemonade from all the lemons I was left with, I rented a place on the coast of Maine, invited a few kaying friends, we had a lovely week even though none of us knew too much about kayaking. Since then (5 years now) we’ve all gotten a lot more serious about safety, we go farther, and just generally this sport calls into play a lot of skills I had from other past sports like hiking/backpacking, sailing, bicycling, etc. The whole thing has been very healing for me. My ex-husband (we’re buddies again, I highly recommend forgiveness) actually seems a tad jealous now that it’s been successful. My friends all look forward to the trips. We have several women in our group, too, for whom the sea kayaking has been a tremendous confidence and self-reliance builder. Those of us in middle age were raised a little differently than you in your 20’s and 30’s; we need to work at this!
Because I was a swimmer in the 70s, I was one of the original recipients of the Title Nine initiative. Being on swim team in middle school, high school and college enabled me to learn how to listen to my body and build up my body. Athletics has also given me the confidence to know what I want (and what I don’t want) in my job and in my life, and to stand up for it.
When I was a kid on swim team I never knew about the battle being waged for sports programs for girls. I’m sure glad for it though, and I think it was the right thing to do.
I just got done doing the bike bicycle ride across Iowa, so sports has obviously stayed with me into my 40s and I’m hoping it will be with me into my 80s and beyond!
Linda Shaffer
I have always loved the water and swimming. I took scuba in college and became addicted. Then, I found underwater hockey. I have played in regional to national tournaments. I think you need to re-introduce a two-piece with a string tie bottom to understand the riggors of uwh.
This summer, I took up sailing. The quick-dry shorts are fabulous. I am always layering for warmth and love some of the Horny Toad tops.
Thanks for the sale at the Fair Grounds in MN.
Sport? Like I do it for fun, fitness, health, happiness? Baby, this is life! As a professional scientist (of the earth variety) in Alaska let’s just say that lifting weights (rocks) climbing the stair master (hiking) and water sports (2-4 week stints on 180′ survey vessels grabbing rocks from the bottom of the ocean in the Aleutians) is a days work! Walking the dog (3x Iditarod runner), biking to a local cafe (which includes carrying the bikes along a creek under a highway overpass) and gathering (berries!) and hunting for food (fresh seafood sold at the local Farmer’s Market or fresh caught!) are a way of life! Cross country skiing by trail light, waiting for a moose crossing, and sore shoulders from filleting fresh fish all equal a good day! There’s no such thing as “work clothes”, “dress casual”, “black tie” – if it won’t last at least a season or two, keep me warm (even when wet) or allow the searchers to find me in the woods or the drink (i.e. brightly colored) I don’t need it! It’s a damn hard life, and I wouldn’t give it up for anything!
I’ve always been into the active outdoor lifestyle – camping, hiking, biking, kayaking. My story, though, revolves around my hair. I went gray at 25 and after dying it for 15 years, I decided I had had enough with the chemicals. I researched how to “un-dye” and many ideas required years of cutting adn reverse-dying to fully make the switch. Instead, I let the gray grow out as much as I could handle and then I got a trail-convenient buzzcut the day before leaving on a trip to thru-hike the Long Trail in Vermont. One month, 272 miles, and very few mirrors along the way, my husband greeted his newly gray, extremely fit wife at the end. I’ll always remember that look on his face when he first saw me – priceless!
This will be short and, well, very sweet. I had wanted to run, so I did, albeit uncomfortably. I can’t even remember how I ended up at the titlenine website, but when I did I found the leapfrog bra. I wasn’t a super large chested woman, just hated the bounce. When I read that you could jump without bouncing I knew it was the bra for me. I ordered like 12! This was at least 15 years ago, and I’ve turned many the woman onto the leapdrog since then. Running isn’t my only thing, but thanks to a certain bra, it’s something I’ve been doing for some time now. THANK YOU.
T.
Having been raised in a small town in NW Colorado, 50+ years ago, there were no organized sports for women. To find myself in athletic endeavor at 60 is fun, amazing and sometimes painful. I just completed my first (and second) century bike rides this summer. Hiked my first 14teener last summer and am about to do three more. I dance every week with the greatest joy. What an amazing engine is the body.
Yoga is what allows my body and my mind the flexibility to acomplish what I accomplish.
I love your catalog and am inspired by the stories there.
Polly