Not Just About the Wrinkles

With Summer here, and long swim/bike/runs on the schedule I wanted to talk about the sun. Wanted to talk about the importance of sunscreen. So this is what I brought up to Kristie & Rebecca, little did I know that they were both cancer survivors both having dealt with skin cancer. Once I found out I was shocked and awed. Along with being bloggers here for TRI.MOTHERHOOD, they are also my collegues in the coaching world and most of all fellow mothers.

I'm vain. Thats all I can think of when I think of wearing sunscreen. I dont want WRINKLES. I will tell you right now by the time I am 50, I am pretty sure I will probably have had what Cindy Crawford calls "preventive botox". Though I am still young, I can see the effects of the sun on my skin. I see the 6 different tan lines I have between my swimsuit, bike shorts, and tri-top. I look at those tanlines and think of hard work, think of the hours I have spent outside training.

You see I think of all these things, instead of thinking of how too much sun exposure can not just give me wrinkles but it CAN LEAD TO CANCER.

I've ran the Nike Womens 1/2 Marathon twice. The race course is COMPLETELY purple. TEAM IN TRAINING rule that race course. While running one cant not look at the back of the race singlets: SURVIVOR, IN MEMORY of, BATTLING. Though the Team runs for Luekemia & Lymphoma, I saw more skin cancer survivors than anything. Both times I ran that race I cried. Here I am worried about damn wrinkles....Since this blog came live about a week ago, I've thought of my skin differently. I am about the same age that both Kristie & Rebecca came aware that they both had cancer. I'm 26 years old, and now JUST waking up to the importance of sunscreen. Total wake-up call.

There are 2 things I would like to ask of you.
1.) PLEASE WEAR SUNSCREEN
2.) Get checked, check yourself, be aware.

Both Rebecca and Kristie have posted great posts with tips. Check them out. CHECK YOURSELF OUT. Remember its not just wrinkles you are protecting yourself from.