Getting fired up to train for the Dipsea

This time of year is always very happy for me. This is the time of year that my friends and I train on the Dipsea trail, the famous 7-ish mile route from downtown Mill Valley over Mt. Tam to Stinson Beach. This year the race celebrates its 100th anniversary. It is the second oldest footrace in the US, only the Boston Marathon has been run more years. This will be my 20th running, would have been 23 except for pregnancy with my oldest daughter (I planned the second one better), a knee surgery and an ankle surgery. So I'll do my 20th on the 100th.

And with any luck, my daughters and my sisters will be able to do it too... the most wonderful kind of family affair.

Something transforms within me when I start out with my friends here in my driveway, do a slow warm-up to downtown, gradual pick up to the bottom of the stairs (673 steps?), then slip into that awesome feeling that occurs when you hit your stride on the trails. We lose ourselves in the spirit up there.

There is a peace I find in long-distance running on the trails that really centers me. In the midst of so much exhilarating activity that is vivoGS, this is where I have my best thoughts. My most important thoughts. I'm able to put everything into the right perspective and solve problems that I may not have even known needed solving.

This is a transitional year for my little family. My oldest girl is leaving for college in August, following her own dreams. She's as independent as I am, as her dad and I raised her to be. She takes me with her in her heart, I hope, and I will be in her heart as she returns to the soccer pitch after acl surgery last August. She is stronger than ever for the experience, and her dad, sister and I are proud to watch her go and make her mark on that team in Chapel Hill.

My girls play with all their heart, every play, every day. We know of no other way.

vivoGS is the culmination of all of my experience, my passion, my dreams for all teenage girls and young women everywhere. We are working to hard to make it relevant, helpful, engaging and important. Stay tuned as our team takes it to a new level of interactivity. We've learned alot from this beta and direct feedback from the girls; now it is time to apply it.

Wow, that Stanford game showed some kind of heart. Who says the girls' game isn't exciting?

Hey, girls and young women. We're building this site for you, your teams, your buds. I want to hear straight from you what you feel you need as a young athlete. And what you want.

We created this company b/c we feel like girl athletes are still not given the respect they are due. Nor do you have all the information at your fingertips that you need to be successful.

We want to show you other athletes across the country, introduce you to one another, and enable you to learn from one another. And have some fun too.

We're considering specific apps and games and functionalities that will let you pick the content that most interests you. Where to get all the stuff you need to play, answers to questions about health, nutrition, recruitment, all of that too. Or maybe you want to know all the news on college women's basketball or soccer or whatever your favorite sport is.

The Cold Stones of the internet, for teenage girls just like you. We're building a way for you to pick what interests you most. Do you need a reminder on your cell phone to ice your ankle? To drink electrolytes and eat right after you play so you don't get a headache?

Should we take our site into facebook? Would that make it easier for you to get the info you need and want? To check in with your teammates about the game tomorrow? To chat about your coach who isn't very supportive (aka being a jerk).

Tell me. I'm all ears. I've loved sports my whole life, and I bet you do too. Vivo means "I Live". We know you love and live for your sports.

Yours truly,

ML