Once again, I'd like to thank everyone who has sent me good wishes before, during, and since the triathlon on Sunday.  Many people have said to me how inspiring my completing the race has been to them (more here on my thoughts about that).  I've had two incredibly inspiring moments recently that I wanted to share with you.  First, as I was walking back to pick up my bike after the race, wearing my Team in Training shirt, a woman stopped me and said, "Go, Team!"  I smiled and thanked her.  But then she said, "No, thank you."  She then turned to her daughter, who was probably about 12 or 13, standing next to her.  "She's a leukemia survivor.  Thank you for raising money."  "Absolutely," I replied.  "My pleasure."  As exhausted and sore as I was, that one moment made me realize that I had done something incredibly worthwhile in addition to giving myself a physical challenge. 

I also received an email from a reader, who has apparently been reading my blog for some time, but who has never commented. She wrote to tell me that my life has been inspiring to her. "[Y]ou have some amazing adventures and it has helped me to read about you and given me the courage to take some leaps when I would have stayed home instead.  I saw on your post that you did another triathlon and that you had so much encouragement from your readers that I thought I'd send you a quick note and tell you that I also think you are helping others to live a better life."  It's hard to describe how that makes me feel -- I was really quite shocked, but pleasantly surprised.  I do push and challenge myself sometimes, but I have never once thought that it would have an impact on someone else -- but I am so happy to hear that it did. Both of these experiences reminded me that your choices can have an impact on others, and in these cases, a positive one.