Being a Cheerleader

Many of this blog post are about me pursing my dreams to realize my potential as runner.

Funny how this dream came to me later in life when I enjoyed running even as a teenager. I never wanted to run competitively until now. It is funny at 38, many people think they are done dreaming and pursing something that 20s years old do.

Made me think about how in high school, I had always wanted to be a cheerleader but had no formal training like all the girls on the squad had. I had never taken a dance class or gymanstics class. I never went to cheer camp like all the girls had done for several summers. I just really wanted to be a cheerleader. I was in my senior year and decide to tryout. This would be last chance to be a cheerleader. Most of the girls on the squad had been on the squad for several years and had the background of dance/gymanstics. I remember practing my routine for hours on end before tryouts. I would stay up in my basement for 2-3 hours at a time rehearsing and trying to do things like eagles and pikes as I had never done them before. I would practice my splits for hours while watching TV trying to get my legs to lengthen. I showed up for tryouts with my best attitude. I remember the coach asking me if I would be open to be JV or did I just want varsity. I just wanted to be a cheerleader and didn't care which squad I was on.

So in my senior of high school, I made the JV cheerleading team. I was beyond happy and I remembered loving cheering at games. I was the loudest, most excited cheerleader on both squads and got to do something I had always wanted to accomplish. I didn't care what others thought of me being on the JV squad. Looking back at this accomplishment, I am very proud of myself for giving it a try when it didn't seem possible and not letting the fear of what others may think from accomplishing and doing something that bought me immense joy. I am sure at the time there were plenty of naysayers - it was high school but never did I let that stop me.

So in my late 30s, when it would perfectly acceptable to let my dream float past me, I will not do that. I will use the same mentality that propeled me to be a cheerleader to that marathon win one day!