Duration: 2 minutesGender: NonbinaryAge: AdultGenre: Drama

Context: Rowan, the coach Lola hired for her first triathlon, admits that injuries are ending their running life and urges Lola to rest.

Rowan: And then you showed up in class.
I knew who you were from the start and the fact you didn’t leave class
That was
That was strength.
And you kept coming back and I was like god
She is either fucking fearless or scared to death or both
And I get that.
I feel a particular kinship to that.
But I’m still trying to figure out how to be strong like that.
You are one of the strongest people I know.
I mean that.
Intimidatingly so, sometimes.
Because you keep showing up for yourself and most people don’t do that.
But my strength?
This endurance?
This will fade.
I’ll replace it with a different kind of strength, of course,
But the body I live in right now as a runner will change when I’m not running
Maybe not drastically
But it will be different.
I will not be able to do the things I used to do.
The things I thought made me the person I am.
I am having a hard time with that in a way that isn’t flattering.
I am face-to-face with my own nasty ableist tendencies right now
And you came in with a root in what you can do
And I am losing what I love to do
But I’m not losing all the things I can do.
I just have to stop for a moment
And evaluate what I can do
What my body will let me do.
I need to rest, Lola.
You need to rest.
Because worth
Worth isn’t in what you look like
Or what your body can do.

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70.3