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Triathlete “Just Average”? - Unthinkable!
Here’s a reprint of a post from “The Fire Inside“, a blog by Lana, who has gone “all in” with her triathlon training for the 2008 Ironman Florida. Posted here with her permission, it’s an inspirational writing about how training and racing keeps us from the dullness of “the sidelines”, and celebrating the journey of Ironman over the resume tick. It’s really worth a read:
It All Becomes Clear
I have come to the conclusion that there is not too much in life that a good 20 mile run can’t fix. Make that a 20 mile run in the fall…when it’s cool, but not cold. The air is crisp, but not dry. The sun rises and shines brightly, but it does not scorch. The wind swirls, but it does not rage against your momentum.It is a great day to be alive.
In the course of the 3 hours and 3 minutes it took me to cover 20 miles on foot this morning, I resolved the past 3 to 4 weeks of aimless wandering and struggling to find purpose in the many miles I’ve volunteered to put my body through. I miraculously regained the focus and zoned clearly in on the goal. I saw it. I fixed my eyes on it, and I remembered why this was such a worthy goal in the first place.
Ironman is not some current line item being checked off of my Bucket List. I’m not “doin’ it to say I did.” I’m not doing it for the M-dot ink. I’m not doing it for your recognition or acceptance. I’m not even trying to inspire you; or my kids.
You really want to know why I’m out there? Why I chose to go all in, to bet it all and sign my 2008 life away to a one-day event that happens to fall on November 1st, 2008? Why I get up at 3 a.m. and run in the dark, and why I drop the kids off at school and ride my bike until it’s time to pick them up again, and why I slip back out of the house at 8 p.m. to get the swim in before bedtime?
Because I have learned that if you don’t actively take a stand against it, the nature of the world will ever so slightly dull your senses, soften your will, and limit your amazing, natural born capacity. It will lie to you. It will beat you down. You will forget who you are, and at the time you least expect it, it will throw you a curve it knows you won’t be able to hit. You won’t see the beauty of the sunrise because you’ll be asleep. You won’t feel the stillness of night because you’ll be engrossed in reality T.V. You’ll opt out of that game of tag with the little one because you can’t catch your breath. You won’t take a risk, because you might fail. You won’t enter the event because you might not win. You won’t consider the unthinkable because You. Are. Just. Average. You will lose the magnificence and beauty, the combination of uniqueness and grandeur that The Creator formed you with in His. Own. Image. You will walk the rest of your days on the Earth wondering who you are and why you are here. You will stand on the sidelines and hide from The Coach when you think He’s about to call your number to go in the game. You won’t experience the pain of coming up one second short, but you also won’t feel the exhilaration of coming back against all odds. You might not get knocked down or skinned up, but you won’t know the gratification of pulling yourself back up and finishing with respect. You won’t ever know what you could’ve done or who you could’ve been.I knew that the journey to Ironman would strip me of the unnecessary baggage I clutter my life with, and it would get all up in my face to show me again who I really am. I knew that it would force me to shut-up for once, to stop complaining and stop making excuses and just watch, listen, and learn. Somewhere, amidst the neurons in my subconscious, I knew that I would be left with no other choice but to accept that
“I AM FEARFULLY AND WONDERFULLY MADE.” ¹
Whatever it takes, that I may be able to spend my days on this earth in celebration and appreciation of this truth, I will do it.
Ironman, you’re mine.
¹Psalm 139:14(NIV): I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well.
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Lindsay Brown Benefit Triathlon - Racing Colorado Review
Photo from The Good News Blog
Not an official review, but I managed some info on this first triathlon at USAFA. With over 130 finishers, there was a good turnout for an innaugural, late Colorado triathlon season race. This sprint triathlon (swim 750 meters, Bike 14.69 miles, Run 3.1 miles) offered an indoor serpentine swim, a challenging course, and of course the beauty of the Air Force Acadamy campus.
Celeste of The Good News Blog posted about the race and her performance. She references a difficult course “… I think they made it a point to make this a very challenging course… and they put a killer hill in the 5K, oh yeah, and they made you run on soft trails, I felt like I was running in quicksand.”
The inspiration for the event was provided by Lindsay Brown, a Cadet and intercollegiate swimmer who was killed in an auto accident. Just prior to her death she had written a note: “It’s time to get out of my seat and get going!“
Colorado Runs Before The Candidates Run
Okay, so we’re talking about a whole different kind of running. Both Obama and Palin are coming to Colorado to visit us on Monday. As far as I know, they’re not involved in any of the real running the rest of us will do.
Lots going on this weekend. Just a few of note: Harvest Moon, Farmers 5k, Roadkill, Octoberfest, Sombrero Ranch, and El Grito. Brectobercross starts of Cyclocross for the weekend, and for those more casual riders, the classic Tour de Fat. Check the brief RSS event listings in the column to the right, or check the full calendars at RacingColorado.com. Save some energy for Monday so you can either support your candidate or grill their opponent - or just go to work like the rest of us…
