Encouraging Others

Was out last night at a triathlon event - Mirinda Carfrae was in town before Trimania, and had a casual Q&A in support of World Bicycle Relief.

(As an aside: WBR is a great organization, changing lives with $135 bomb-proof bikes. That's less than most of us spend on chamois cream. Go drop some loot for a great cause at worldbicyclerelief.org)



In a side conversation, CJ and I were talking about encouragement - specifically, how life-changing encouragement can be. His job - which is owning and running a successful business - came because he was encouraged to start racing bikes. My future was changed when a friend suggested I could do well in med school.

And on a smaller scale: how nice and energizing is it in a race when some stranger cheers?

Maybe this is all just a different take on the 'Pay It Forward' theme, but it sure is nice to see others realize their potential and make their dreams into goals into reality!


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The One Piece of Advice

"Wear sunscreen.
If I could offer you only one tip for the future, sunscreen would be it.
The long term benefits of sunscreen have been proved by scientists, whereas the rest of my advice has no basis more reliable than my own meandering experience... " Baz Luhrman

I'm sure we all remember this song - came out about 15 years ago. But how many of us remember sunscreen every day?

Guilty. I don't always put it on. You know, a quick 5k, why bother?

The reason why was driven home a few days ago: took care of a healthy triathlete, late 50's, who had a malignant melanoma that had spread to the brain. The first sign? A seizure because of the masses in the brain - note the plural.

The treatment for this patient? Palliative at best.

Worst part? It's preventable.

And we are all at risk from our outdoor life and activities.

(If you want a graphic image on this, look at my finish-line pic from Kona. I am still branded on my right thigh - 5 months out.)

Make it a daily habit. Put on extra before training, reapply often. Make it a habit like your RoadID and pre-workout nutrition.

Your family will thank you.

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