Sweating Pink for a Great Cause

You may have noticed by the link in my sidebar that I was recently chosen as a Sweat Pink Ambassador (or you may not have, if you don’t notice those types of things. That’s okay.) Our mission statement, from the Fit Approach website:

“We believe that kicking ass is best done in pretty shoes. We’ve learned that real women sweat, and sweat hard. We know that assertiveness, strength, and ambition are the ultimate feminine qualities. We concede that sometimes it takes hours to get ready, but we’re also no strangers to just rolling out of bed and going. We’re convinced that we run faster in pink shoelaces. We believe in pushing ourselves, and we believe in giving ourselves a break, too. We’re all about the rush of endorphins and the thrill of the challenge. We’re all for looking great and feeling even better. We’re committed to finding our best fit, and making it stick. “

I was excited to be selected, because that pretty much describes me. Yes, I wear makeup to the gym. Yes, I call my running clothes “outfits.” Yes, I have a 3:16 martathon PR. Yes, I can hop down right now and give you 25 pushups. On my toes. I sweat pink, baby, and I’m proud of it.  That’s why I was chosen as an Ambassador. I sweat hard, play hard, and try to inspire those around me to do the same and to achieve their best selves.

And now, I’m even more excited because I’ve joined the Sweat Pink Race Program! I will be part of a group of people rocking the pink at races and other fitness events, spreading the word (and the pink) in local communities. I’ll have a chance to meet up with other Sweat Pink ambassadors and race program participants, plus, because I’ll be sporting a very cool, very pink tech shirt, I’ll have random strangers cheering me on. Oh, yes, they will!

Sweat Pink Race Program Gear

There is swag! In addition to the shirt, participants receive buttons to share, a drink pink wine glass, and, of course, pink shoe laces.

The best part of all, though, is that we have the opportunity to raise money for a very good cause. Fundraising is not a requirement of the Race Pink program. There are no minimum or maximum levels. But, we do have the opportunity to have fundraising page. We voted on the charity of choice, and the winner was…

…Girls on the Run! I was super excited to hear that because I think that Girls on the Run is truly a life changing program for girls. Through training for and running 5k races, young girls ages 8-13 learn so many things: leadership, responsibility, self-esteem, teamwork, and so much more. That spirit is what drives me to coach high school runners, what spurs my friend Molly Thorpe to work with at-risk students. And it is what inspired GOTR founder, Molly Barker, to start Girls on the Run back in 1996.

If you have not heard of Girls on the Run, please take a moment to check out their website and their mission and vision statements. It is a worthwhile program. If you feel inspired to donate, here is the link to my fundraising page. Or, if you’d like to participate directly as a coach, volunteer, or running buddy, click here.

So, if you happen to be at a running event and see an athlete wearing a Sweat Pink tank or shirt and pink shoelaces, give her a cheer. She’s spreading the word, rocking the pink, and sweating pink for a great cause.

You’ll find me next at the Vista Half Marathon on August 11. They have a 5k and a free kid’s race too. Plus, Alan is announcing, so you know it’s going to be fun! Vista is in North San Diego Country, so it is a great option for anyone from San Diego or Orange County looking for a great race.

How do you share your love of sports and/or fitness?