Dear Young Megan

Dear Young Megan,

I see you, scared and ashamed and embarrassed and unwilling to acknowledge your awesome. You think because there are always others who are “more” that you are less. You think because other girls can run fast without seeming so out of breath, or can climb that rope without looking like an awkward untalented monkey that you aren’t an athlete.

runs like a girl

Let me tell you. You are. And don’t let your high school view of jocks cloud your desire to be an athlete. You want to be an athlete.And the only thing you will regret when you are older is that you didn’t acknowledge that and embrace it and be proud of your awesome sooner.

YOU are a multisport athlete. You aren’t a one sport athlete. You don’t have to be perfect at everything to be perfect. You are perfect in your imperfections. You are not the fastest or the strongest, but you are fast enough and strong enough and you work SO HARD. You have tenacity and mental toughness for days. You are so much stronger than you know. You want to give up. You never give up.

You may not think that you are brave because you are scared. But you are so so brave because you are always scared and yet you get out there and do it. You show up. One day, your heroes will be those that weren’t always the fastest, that didn’t seem to just be born with it, who weren’t given all the breaks. They’ll be the everyday heroes who are scared like you were, and just keep showing up. Who chip away at incremental improvements. Who put in the work. Who get out of bed when they would rather snuggle in. Who show up to get beat so they learn how to win. One day, you will see that you are brave and strong and fast and an athlete. And your own hero.

Finish line faces

Keep showing up,

Yourself