Dawn Harper-Nelson: It's OK to Not Achieve Your Goals- R4R 283

Fans of track and field know Dawn Harper-Nelson as the gold medalist in the 100-meter hurdles at the 2008 Olympic Beijing Games and as the silver medalist in London four years later and at the 2017 World Championships. In 2018 she announced that she was retiring to start a family, but was back on the track a month after giving birth to her daughter, Harper. Dawn is an inspiration not only to mother runners, but to all women who want to pursue their dreams. Her bid to make the Olympic team one more time is chronicled in the new documentary, Hi I'm Dawn Harper-Nelson . "When I was pregnant with my daughter, I just had this moment when I thought, when she sees these interviews, I do not want her to say, 'oh, so wait, all of mom's dreams had to stop because she was gonna have me.'" It wasn't long after Dawn announced her retirement that she realized that "I still have a desire and I'm fine physically; I'm capable; I'm actually gonna go back." It wasn't just about her aspiration to keep competing, she remembered conversations that she and her friends had about how their own mothers had stopped pursuing their goals after their children were born. She didn't want her daughter to feel that she bore that responsibility. "I'm going to chase this dream, you know, and we'll see where it goes." Dawn resumed her training after Harper's birth in pursuit of a spot on the 2020 Olympic team. She says, "I'm happy that now we will forever have Hi I'm Dawn Harper-Nelson , where she can look at that and see herself and see me and know I included you in every part of it; even when I was at track practice, mama was thinking of you… so she knows,' oh, I was loved,' even when she's not in my presence." "I just feel like now it's an outpouring of support because women are like, 'I don't know if you have someone to support you, and I don't know you, but I'll support you.'" Something that helped Dawn as she returned to competition was the support she got from other women. She's always made a point of being supportive herself, reaching out to help other women, and sharing with them what she's learned. That mentality has allowed her to establish "amazing relationships," even with the women she defeated on the track. After a race, her competitors would come to her, wanting to talk about what had happened. "It was weird," she acknowledges, "but I was like, I'm doing something right where I'm leaving the door open. I'm not cocky about the win." "I love track and field… I just love to see the guts and glory that's been poured out, you know? So yeah, I'm going to be involved in track and field." Whenever Dawn really does retire from running, she knows that track will still be part of her life. After years of being interviewed, she may take her place on the other side of the microphone: "I've had some discussions with people about being in front of a camera and so I'm excited, because that means I'll interact more with my community." She recognizes that "I've been blessed with other gifts that I did not nourish;I did not feed. And so now it's exciting to feed those things and really step out on a limb." "Whatever your dreams are, whatever your goals are, they're valuable; they're worth it. Most importantly, you're worth it." Resources: Running Realized episode with Dawn Hi I'm Dawn Harper Nelson Dawn's Instagram Dawn's Twitter Thank you to Athletic Greens, UCAN, and Tracksmith for sponsoring this episode. AG1 is a simple and easy way to get 75 vitamins, minerals, and whole food source ingredients to help strengthen your immune system. It's simple to make and it tastes good! Go here to get a FREE year's supply of Vitamin D and five FREE travel packs with your subscription. Thank you, UCAN. I have been talking about them for years and they are my ONLY source for fueling while I am training and racing. And without fail, I have a product of UCAN every day, whether it is a Peanut Butter Chocolate Bar or their delicious Cookies and Cream Protein Powder. I am also excited to share with you a NEW product, a gel! It's fueled with Superstarch and ready to go wherever you are headed. Go here and use the code TINAUCAN for 20% off your order! Tracksmith is a Boston based company that truly cares about the quality of their running clothes. Running can be demanding on our clothes; they definitely go through wear and tear to where we may be purchasing new clothes constantly. Tracksmith designers work with the finest materials and keep you in mind as a runner, with spots for your keys, phone, and fuel. You can go here to check out my favorites! Go here and use the code TINA15, and Tracksmith will donate 5% of your purchase to Runners for Public Lands , and you'll get free shipping! Thanks for listening! We know there are so many podcasts you could listen to, and we are honored you have chosen Running For Real . If you appreciate the work that we do, here are a few things you can do to support us: Take a screenshot of the episode, and share it with your friends, family, and community on social media, especially if you feel that the topic will resonate with them. Be sure to tag us on Twitter , Facebook , Instagram If you are struggling through something a guest mentions, chances are others are too, and you will help them feel less alone. Leave an honest review on iTunes or your favorite podcast player. Your ratings and reviews will really help us grow and reach new people. Not sure how to leave a review or subscribe? You can find out here. "Thank you" to Dawn. We look forward to hearing your thoughts on the show.