cheerleading

Our Mantra. But really, how can you keep calm when you’re covered in glitter?

Feather Boas. Tiaras. Shirtless buff men. Champagne. Roses. Bling. Oh and PINK. Hot Pink. Like Everywhere.
Bachelorette party? Chippendales Review? What happens in Vegas…?
Nope.
Try, Half Marathon.
Where the terrain is flat and fast, and the runners are all Divas.

Welcome to the Diva Half Marathon, Long Island. Tina, Our Friend Cindi and I ran this baby on October 7th, 2013. Yes, I am finally getting to the recap. Yes, I have time now that I am tapering for the New York Marathon. And No, this may not necessarily be my last glass of wine. (Hey. Just being honest People. Just bein’ honest.)

Having run this half marathon before, I can tell you, every time I have run it, it has been a blast. And not because it’s the prettiest half marathon in the Tri-State area. (Ummm. No.) The course? Flat and fast. The scenery? Uh. Concrete Jungle Chokes an Awesome Park in the Middle of Long Island? Christ. You run past Nassau Coliseum. After a New York Islanders Game. On a weekend. There were still orange and blue clad Islander Tailgaters milling around doing keg stands in the parking lot when we ran by early in the morning. You do however wind up running a lap in Eisenhower Park, which is this awesome greenspace within a urban landscape. The park is huge. It’s a nice retreat.

So what makes this race great? The medal is insane. Anything rhinestone encrusted with a spinning diamond that you can put your race picture in, wins hands down. It’s bling on acid. Champagne at the finish? No beer here. No, no you heathens! Divas are civilized. We sip champs at the finish. Shirtless, ripped men who hang those insane medals around your neck? Totally objectified. (But honestly, I’m not complaining.) Tiara station? Here I was thinking I was reaching for water at mile 11.5. Instead a High School Cheerleader slaps a tiara on my head and throws a hot pink feather boa around my shoulders. Who needs water after that? {Thumbs pointing at chest.} Not this Diva! I’ve clocked my fastest half marathon time at this race, and even that isn’t what makes it great.

What makes this race great is seeing women of all shapes, sizes and colors, RUNNING. And rooting for one another. All together. And shouldn’t we root for one another? Think about it. How often in our adult lives do we root for one another? I’m going to go with rarely. (And I’m a goddamn cheerleader.) And that’s sad. It really is. For so many women, this is their first half marathon. This is their Everest. These women decided that being comfortable was not where they wanted to be. So they grabbed their best friends, set a goal, and ran for it. Along the route? Spectators! Tons of kids, husbands, partners–all cheering for their Diva. Cheering for your mom as she runs a half marathon is just plain awesome. Such an example. I love that.

And Tina, Our Friend Cindi and I? We may have looked more “Corporate Challenge” than “Diva”, but trust me: We bleed GLITTER! We empower one another! To me, that’s what Running Like a Diva is all about. Empowering, not competing. We are women, not girls. We are happy, laughing, cheering, pasta eating, wine swilling, fast as all hell, Divas. To the core. And I love that the most.