Running

Last week I wrote to you about Ila heading to the Junior Olympics in North Carolina. I sent you the email from North Carolina because I got on a plane right after we dropped her off and headed to an Airbnb so I could surprise her at her race the next day. And boy was she surprised! 

I packed light and headed to the arena the next morning with all of my belongings in an oversized purse my friend Byrd gave me for my birthday. She owns Trintage next to our Lenox store and it's one of my fav places to shop. I hid under my umbrella to protect myself from the rain and from being made by one of Ila's teammates. Her event, the 3000 meter, was one of the firsts of the day. 

Here I am trying to stay dry with my travel bag in tow. All the seasoned track moms knew to bring their things in one of those clear plastic backpacks or purses. I did not, but I miraculously slipped through security anyway.

Ila was the youngest of the seven teammates competing. Throughout the season, her coach has been working with her to be more aggressive at the starting line. Historically, she's allowed others to pass her, fearing falls and being too assertive. During her race, she demonstrated remarkable progress. She started strong, even leading second place for 50 meters short of the first lap. Completing 7.5 laps in total, Ila fought hard during her final 2.5 laps. Her efforts resulted in a 9th place finish in her heat and 25th out of 32 overall, with a time of 13:32.96.

Here she goes around the track!

Running is a beautiful sport that teaches the importance of running your own race. Each competition offers an opportunity to level up and apply new skills to future races. While the Olympics remind us that only three athletes can medal in each event, the mere act of competing is an achievement in itself. We hope that as Ila reflects on her race, she comes to appreciate this truth. Although she seemed slightly disappointed with her placement, we saw a sense of pride in her performance. 

Her courage and determination make us so proud.

Stepping onto any competitive stage can be daunting, but our girl rose to the challenge. We're excited to watch her continue to grow in this sport she loves. Running not only brings her joy but also teaches her valuable lessons about herself and life. Her journey is just beginning, and we can't wait to see where it takes her.

We both cried when I surprised her. Here she is with her coaches after we both composed ourselves.

In the spirit of running, I am running out of town very early tomorrow morning to learn more about an industry that I will be investing in this year. These projects will tap my existing knowledge of building out and operating brick and mortar food stores. The opportunity fell in my lap last fall and I’ve been learning more about it since. I’m completely freaked out about what lies ahead because the stakes are much higher but the reward should be as well. 

Life and running have so much in common. They can both be physically and mentally painful when you’re pushing yourself to expand in new and exciting ways. But, no matter the outcome, you always get to apply your learning to the next project or race.

The best and bravest thing we can do is show up to compete.

Petrushka
Your Local Ice Cream Lady & Life/Business Coach