Beyond the Finish Line: Pouring Into the Next Generation

Victoria speaking at the Run for the Future panel.

On Wednesday, August 5, I had the opportunity to join New York Road Runners for Beyond the Finish Line: Women Breaking Barriers, a panel celebrating 15 years of the Run for the Future program.

Since 2011, Run for the Future has empowered New York City high school girls through a free six-week summer program centered on running, wellness, and mentorship. Being in a room filled with young women immediately reminded me why experiences like these matter. When I was growing up, the mentors who encouraged me to see more for myself were instrumental to my development. Having the opportunity to be on the other side and pour into the next generation felt incredibly aligned to my own journey.

I was joined by NYRR Director of Content Production Yvette Hollingsworth, New York City FC Director of Design Kylie Woyat, and Run for the Future alumna Angie Vidal Hernandez for a conversation about leadership, career pivots, navigating challenges, defining success, and what it means to believe in yourself.


Victoria with fellow panelists.

It was wonderful to be alongside other NYC women leaders who support the incredible work of New York Road Runners. Despite our different paths, so much of our advice came back to similar themes: Stay curious, use your voice, be willing to pivot, build relationships, pay it forward, and don't count yourself out.

We also talked about the progress women are making across industries and the incredible rise of women in sports. From the growing visibility and investment in women's basketball and soccer to more women stepping into positions of power and influence, there is so much to be hopeful about. During the panel, I shared that women's sports may be described as “having a moment,” but women athletes have already been doing the work. The rest of the world is finally catching up.

What I appreciated most about the event was how engaged the Run for the Future participants were. Their natural curiosity was inspiring. When we opened the floor for questions, they asked about careers, mentorship, making difficult choices, and how to know when it is time to change direction. It was a reminder that mentorship doesn't always have to happen through a formal relationship. Sometimes sharing your experiences openly can help someone else imagine a path they may not have considered for themselves.

One of the most personal moments for me was sharing advice from my late father. He would always tell me, “When you believe in yourself, you can conquer the world.”

That belief has carried me through so many parts of my life, including running. When I first joined the New York City running community, there was far less diversity than there is today. I often felt insecure because I didn't see many people who looked like me, and my body didn't look like what I thought a runner was supposed to look like. When my father passed away, I decided to run my first marathon in his honor. Those doubts resurfaced throughout training, but so did his words. I believed I belonged. I believed I could do it. That belief carried me across the finish line of my first marathon in under four hours.

It felt especially meaningful to share that story with a room full of young women who are building their own relationships with running, and beginning to imagine what is possible for their lives.

I left feeling incredibly grateful to New York Road Runners and Head of Youth Direct Service Programs Sheila Gordon for inviting me into this conversation—also to the women I shared the panel with, and especially to the young women who showed up ready to listen, learn, and ask questions.

Running has given me so much over the years. To have the opportunity to use both my experience in the sport and my professional journey to pour some of that back into young women was incredibly meaningful.

Run for the Future is about more than running. It is about giving young women the confidence, community, and support to believe in themselves and what is possible for their lives. I know firsthand how powerful that belief can be.


Run for the Future participants and panelists.
 

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