The Glass Slipper
Whether you are a runner, football player, skater, swimmer, or any number of other athletes, you will inevitably face adversity. The commonly used expression to define perseverance in sport is: Fall down 7, stand up 8. But I don’t necessarily want to talk about adversity. One of the largest decisions you can make as an athlete is the decision of what team you join (if that is something you value in your progression as an athlete). So, I want my farewell blog post to provide some advice to young and older athletes alike as it pertains to setting yourself up to be the best you that you can be.
I think most are familiar with the story of Cinderella and her glass slipper. When you are thinking about what you want in life, whether that is running related, work related, school, etc., we envision this Prince Charming – everything you desire. However, that glass slipper is only one size and, albeit, made of fragile sparkling glass. So, if you try to force your foot into that glass slipper, it will surely shatter or at least cause you pain and some discomfort before shattering.
In situations in life, like finding the right team to join in college (if that is something you are currently considering), do not shatter that glass slipper.
If it is the right fit for YOU, then your foot will slide in from the start.
If it isn’t the right fit, you’ll know from the very start that your foot is too wide/long/narrow.
You can try and compromise, but to stand tall and confident in your truest form, you need the right fit. Just because THAT one doesn’t fit doesn’t mean Dorothy’s ruby red slippers won’t fit either. Be patient. The right team for you will come in the right season of your life. The right team will slide into your life as easy as Cinderella’s foot into her missing glass slipper. Don’t be discouraged if what you thought was Prince Charming, isn’t. It just isn’t or wasn’t yours.
Ok – some may have found my glass slipper metaphor corny, but I think we can all agree that running shoes – like glass slippers – fit certain people and don’t for others.
What Happened Kate?
Well, short answer? Life. Glass Slippers. I fell in love with RDP. Not just the ‘team’ and running community, but the lifelong friends I gained. So, why did I resign if I loved the girls so much?
Just because I love the people, I also had to consider what I want in life long-term. For me, the glass slipper was just not the right fit for my life. I scrunched my toes and still managed to run multiple races and a whole marathon at the Olympic Trials, but scrunching your toes is not sustainable.
In life, you will have to make very difficult decisions – ones that can take months or years to mull over. You just want to make the RIGHT decision, but you have no way of TRULY knowing until after the fact. THIS was one of those hard decisions.
I am not one to QUIT or GIVE UP – so I want to shed some light on the decision-making process. I am not condoning quitting or tossing your hands up when things just get hard. Life is hard. Running is hard.
No – I am condoning self-awareness.
Know yourself and what you want out of yourself.
Ask yourself what your aspirations are.
Ask yourself what will make you genuinely happy and healthy in life.
Know when you are forcing your foot into a glass slipper that was never yours to begin with
When you have mastered mindfulness, you will know what things and people will make you genuinely happy in life. That is not me saying that I have my life planned out to a ‘T.’ This is me saying that I have enough self-awareness to consider what will set me up to be the best version of myself.
SO WHAT’S NEXT?!
You can’t get rid of me yet! I am still staying in Raleigh, but now as a college graduate. I am starting my PhD in Statistics at N.C. State this fall (2020) and will continue the full-time work I am doing for the Intelligence Community and D.O.D. as a researcher and data analyst.
Am I still running and training for competitions – 100% YES!
The joy I get from running comes from the running community (remember I said to seek out the things that give you happiness in life). I will storm the streets of Raleigh with others, die on Cemetery hill in Umstead Park, and run up Martin Middle hill every day to get stronger. I will still be proactive in the greater Triangle running community.
My running journey started in the 3rd grade, but I still have a lifetime of progress in the sport and even more people to embrace on this journey. I have several more races and Olympic Trials to compete in and even more miles to embrace all the amazing people like RDP and the Triangle running community.
So – this is not a farewell – and it is not even a ‘see you later.’
This is a hearty CHEERS TO NEW BEGINNINGS.
-K Sandy
How can you reach me?
Katesanborn413@gmail.com
K8_sandy on Instagram