Let's Talk About Women
- joshuainegt
- Feb 26
- 3 min read
I'm writing this little blog post because I didn't want to let a 5-second locker-room comment take up space or overshadow a reason to celebrate.
Women in sports = progress!
Some fun facts...
The 2024 Paris Olympics achieved full gender parity for the first time, and this year's Winter Games in Milan were the most gender-balanced ever. On the court, the 2024 Women's NCAA tournament drew higher viewership than the men's tournament for the first time. Ever. The 2024 WNBA Finals were the most-watched in 25 years. Women's sports are now a $2.35 billion global industry, with revenues rising 240% in just four years. And the investment world is paying attention. Women's sports sponsorship is growing 50% faster than men's leagues, with 86% of sponsors saying their investment met or exceeded expectations.
But there's more going on than what's in the headlines. These other stories are being told by the women right next to us. The ones in our running groups and cycling clubs, running our local trail races, in the mountains, and at our finish lines. You know exactly who I'm talking about.
The friend you admire :)
She doesn't do it for the podium or the followers (although she might find herself on a podium now and again). But she really does it because she loves it, because something in her is compelled to lace up before dawn, clip in on a cold morning, and keep going when everything says stop. This is how she socializes, how she unwinds, how she keeps a routine, how she defines herself. The friend you admire is the backbone of women's sport. Quietly dedicated. Relentlessly consistent. Most of us know someone like this, and you'll see her in the mirror, too. Because you're probably more like that friend you admire than you realize.
The woman who breaks records
She's the one in the headlines, rewriting what's possible. The one who crosses a finish line and makes you think: I didn't know a human could do that. In 2024, Cole Brauer became the first American woman to sail solo, nonstop, and unassisted around the world. Jasmin Paris was the first woman to complete the Barkley Marathons - I mean, who didn't get weepy watching her run to the finish line and collapse in victory? Tara Dower set the overall fastest known time (FKT) on the Appalachian Trail in 2024 and an FKT on the Long Trail in 2025. Even without national news headlines, the woman who breaks records is out there, pushing limits, opening doors.
The woman who inspires
She's the woman you've heard of, and maybe seen around. She's making her mark, not by crossing finish lines first, but by making sure everyone around her feels like a champion. She's the one handing out encouragement, cheering the loudest at mile 20. The one who measures success not in finish times but in showing up, in community, in joy and self-love. She's the Queen who runs races in all 169 Towns in Connecticut; she's the one organizing group runs, bike rides, or mountaineering trips; she thrives on sharing her experiences with other aspiring adventurers. She embraces her influencer status, leads by example, and spreads positivity. Her enthusiasm is contagious.
All of these women are central to making women's sport not a competition, but a movement. And honestly, it's a movement you are probably a part of without even realizing it. So welcome to the celebration of women in sports! Cheers to you, to them, to all of us!
Go get it, bitches! (Woo hop!)
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