When my parents would come to visit me at Boarding School or University, I was never wearing my own clothes. Cause girls share. It's a mystery that my dad still talks about and something my mom doesn't even consider. Because when I'm visiting my mom, chances are that I'm wearing her new ski jacket and she has on my new Lululemons.
What I'm trying to get at here is that there is a kinship among women that I don't expect boys to understand, just as there is bonding among males that I never will.
Yesterday, I had the pleasure of coaching at Joyride 150s Second Annual Women's Weekend. Charlotte and I led sessions on the XC Track to women of all abilities. When girls learn without boys, something different happens. I'm not sure what it is, but there's more love, more trying, more learning. High fives are replaced with squeals, okay there are still high fives, but no one is trying to hide the fact that what they are trying to do is making them scared. Knowing that the woman beside you is just as scared as you are somehow validates trying the skill in the first place, it turns fear to focus and determination and gives extra motivation if she gets it before you do. Because, while there is love, there is competition too.
At noon, the park flooded with the general public and returned to its male dominated status. And I realized at that moment, that as a beginner how intimidating that atmosphere would be. So a huge thanks to JoyRide for closing their doors this weekend to boys and opening up the sport to a few new gals!
