The phrase “run like a girl” is something everyone has probably heard once in their life. This phrase almost always has a negative connotation. To many, when someone says “you run like a girl” they most likely mean you are slow and weak. Why is the stereotype for girls? This societal trend can be explained by the common belief that girl’s actions are perceived as inferior to boy’s actions. My mission is to end this societal trend.
For those of you that do not know me, I am on the cross country and track team at Lynn University. Six days a week I wake up at 5 a.m. and I “run like a girl.” I challenge myself mentally and physically at the track, no matter the weather conditions. The most difficult part is not getting up early, or running in general, it is pushing my body to limits that I originally thought were impossible.
Running has put me through great amounts of painful trials and tribulations. There are many times I second guess my abilities as a runner. There are many instances that I find myself thinking, “why are you doing this?” On a typical day, running is never easy for me, but I learned that nothing good ever comes easy.
I overcome these difficult barriers thanks to the amazing women on my team that lift me up every day. When we work together everything starts to feel easier. There is something so comforting in the thought that we are all suffering together. This is the beautiful result of what happens when women come together and support one another.
Every day we strive to become stronger, more confident, and more positive. Some days we fail, while other days we thrive. No matter the outcome, each day is a blessing simply because we are all doing it together.
Now, I am not saying that my team and I actively think about fighting the gender gap while we “run like girls” every day at practice. However, when I look back at all our accomplishments, I see the that strength within us was built from our challenging sport.
Running, like many other sports, was originally made for men, so naturally women were prohibited to participate. Today, women like my teammates and I are redefining this stereotype. We are showing that to “run like a girl” does not mean weak, and it in fact means the total opposite. It means fast, strong, powerful, and determined.
So, yes, I do run like a girl, just try to keep up!