As a young girl finishing up my afternoon swim training session, once a week I would hang around by the pool side as my parents gathered with adults of all ages to start their Masters swim session for the evening. Sometimes I would stay in the water playing around watching them swim their laps as held my breathe underwater. Eventually this progressed in my teen years to joining the surf club and it only seemed natural they also joined after me and gained their bronze medallion, over the years I watched them learn how to paddle racing malibu boards, surf ski's, flag racing and beach sprints, and even woman's boat racing. I have come to appreciate that not all young people grow up with active fit parents whose friends liked to run and swim together. As I reflect on the influence of older active woman on my life, I realized that they always inspired me and left an impression "I wanted to one day be like them". When it came to doing my own bronze medallion exam, I recall Bryce who would have been in a her late 40's attempting for the 3rd time to meet the required run-swim-run time to pass. Her determination to accomplish this after her husband and son had for years been competing, set an example for me. I had not realised how my view of older women was shaped by their example, when it comes to my own view of myself as I have aged. I have been fortunate to be surrounded by women who love to move, laugh at challenges and without shame test their bodies in what they can do. There was a time in Surf Life Saving where it was said women were not strong enough to paddle ski's or row boats, these limitations have taken brave women to prove otherwise and our sports fields are richer for the role model they set for younger women. When you think about your own image what kind of reflection do you want to see, one of perfection or participation? Are you limiting yourself with thoughts like "I am too old to ......". maybe it time to take off the limits and learn to run your race of life well. #womenagingwell #embraceagingwithoutlimits
Photo Courtesy of Janet Craig @janetcraigphotographer, another inspirational women.
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