"There is something liberating about not
being afraid. Being afraid, but still doing it. Because if we wait until
there’s no fear, we’re going to be waiting a long time on the
sidelines."
Robin Roberts, as quoted from her appearance on 20/20 Friday night.
First off, it's interesting that my daughter is writing a paper about "bravery" this evening. I think this quote screams bravery. She wrote that when you are afraid to do something "to be brave is to DO that thing . . . for as long and as hard as you can!" Amazing how a 9 year old gets things!
While Good Morning America's Robin Roberts is not a runner, this quote is inspirational for runners and non-runners. She bravely faced down her fears and continued on despite being afraid. Not many of us can say we did that. That's bravery!
Robin, you are braver than most and you are stronger that you realize . . . that is inspirational! I'm still training for the Vermont City Marathon to support the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, and every dollar I raise will help patients like Robin. Brave, fearless, inspirational patients.
Robin had a form of blood cancer called myelodysplastic syndrome or MDS which meant she needed a bone marrow transplant. She found a match in her sister, who donated her own bone marrow.
I may not be donating my bone marrow, but I'm doing the next best thing. I'm helping make such procedures possible for more patients. That makes me feel like Robin's sister and that's a pretty good feeling. However, I'm not doing this alone; I have plenty of supporters. Some more vocal than others, but I do have plenty. Thank you everyone who is supporting me. I couldn't do this without the team I have in you. Have you joined the team?
So far, the training is going great. I'm running 10 miles on Saturday (see my next blog post for more on that). It's been fun getting back in shape and preparing for my next race. I'm also glad that I joined Team in Training. It is quite an organization and what they do to help cancer patients is amazing. Talk about inspirational! If anyone is thinking about running a marathon, triathlon, or another endurance event for a good cause, Team in Training and the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society make quite a team. Worth considering! If you have questions, or if you have done this before, post comments below.