Women Who Win: Bridget Shanley
May 1, 2018
The D10's Women Who Win series, a collaboration with ADAY, introduces you to the incredible female athletes who take to The D10's playing field each year.
Meet Bridget Shanley of FINRA.
What does it take to prepare for The D10?
Carbs!
I am definitely not joking – we athletes need to fuel the furnace constantly to build muscle. But on a more serious note, preparing for the D10 requires a level of vulnerability that continuously pushes me out of my comfort zone in the best way possible.
Why is it worth it?
Carbs.
Hahaha--
No, The D10 family is unlike any other team I have had the privilege of belonging to in my life. The D10 requires a level of personal discipline and commitment that attracts extremely high caliber people that I am humbled to call my friends and teammates.
The women of The D10 not only show up for themselves each day at work, at the gym, and in their personal lives – they show up for each other and challenge one another to take it to the next level. These women lead by example and inspire me to be better in every aspect of life.
What did you mean by “a level of vulnerability”?
Successful fundraising takes heart. Donors need to feel the purpose behind their contributions. The best way to create that feeling of purpose is to tug at those heartstrings. Sharing why I compete and what it means to me helps donors connect with the mission of The D10. Beyond that, sharing my training experience shows donors how hard I am willing to work to earn their donations. However, vulnerability does not just apply to sharing emotions and feelings. On game day we athletes have to push ourselves to the point of failure, until we collapse from complete exhaustion. In The D10, failure means you left nothing on the field. There is no room to be self-conscious or hold back in this competition. The D10 ladies aren’t training to look cute - we’re training to smash goals to raise more money.
Has athletics always been a part of your life?
There is no greater feeling than pushing past the pain to cross the finish line or hit that last rep before collapsing in exhaustion. The endorphin rush is pure euphoria. Growing up, dance and sports continuously provided me with that high. After college graduation, I found a similar high in crossing the finish line of races. But like almost all of The D10 fam, I missed the camaraderie of a team, and the shared moments of glory when you achieve what once felt impossible.
Every early morning wake-up for sprints, late night lifting session, and every time I question my sanity during rows, I think about the little athletes sidelined by illness, eager to get back in the game. The D10 has given me both a team and a purpose. My training is no longer just to be faster or stronger, it is to help more children. I am more focused at work and more disciplined in my workouts because I know that by accomplishing more personally, I am raising more funds to help beat pediatric cancer.
To support Bridget in her Head-to-Head matchup in the 500m Row at this June's D10 NYC 2018, donate here.
