Bitten by a Dog

Today as I was trying to get out of the town, I rat terrier cross ran toward me barking. It didn't chase but went straight for the leg and bit me. I was enraged ! The owner was in the yard hollering for the dog to come back, but I have never known a dog owner's hollering to ever have made a dog come back. Actually, I think the hollering only inflames the dogs to more purposeful attacks.

The owner was confronted and I was shown where the dog had its shots. After many apologies from the owner, I left. But, my zeal for a great bike ride today was blunted. All that remained was the smoldering ruins of my anger.

Now to put all this behind me; recapture my soaring spirit; just give it to God and move on to "the race set before me."

Ya Gotta Believe

Swam a mile and a quarter this morning nonstop. Was going to do a 50 minute run this afternoon but it just isn't there. The past two training days have been great. Today, however, I am beat.

When the distances of my event are considered through this haze of fatigue, it seems impossible. 1.2 mile swim 56 mile bike and a half marathon run seems quite daunting. But I believe that the half Ironman is in me, to be nurtured and coaxed through training and somehow, race morning will find me fit for this challenge.

Singing My Song

Perhaps, I started back training too heavily from convalesence following rotator cuff surgery. For the last three days, I have been burned out and burned up. Today, I finally have the energy in my legs again. But, more importanly: I finally have the will and the "want to." Yesterday, I could not imagine finishing an olympic distance triathlon. The birds are really singing out there this morning urging me to add my own song of life into the world.

Positive Deception

Windy bike ride yesterday but I seemed to be going really well. In fact, my speed was really exceptional even going into the wind. Then I remembered that the battery in my bike computer had just been changed and perhaps it had defaulted to measuring speed in KMs? Sure enough. But, the strength of spirit instilled by this positive deception was still with me. I had begun to believe something greater about myself.

It was a reminder, yet again, that the quality of our performance, the quality of our lives is determined pretty much by what we believe is possible and what we believe about ourselves.

Perhaps the mistake in measurement on my bike computer was not a mistake at all but a vision of the possibilities God has invested in me?

Seeing the End from the Beginning

Last night I signed up for the half ironman. It is on. No more "maybes" and no more being tentative. If integrity is the willingness to keep promises, then so to the promises we make to ourselves. A financial commitment is a notary seal for me. The deal is done and now to the business of staying focused, committed,staying healthy, motivated. The goal is to find myself at dawn on the edge of Walter Long Lake on October 17th, fit mentally, physically and most of all spiritually for the day I have ventured for.

"Only that day dawns but to which we are truly awake." Henry David Thoreau

Failure Isn't Final

Last Fall I had completed 35 weeks of training for a half ironman when my Mother was hospitalized for an operation. Things went from bad to worse and when things leveled out, I had to have rotator cuff surgery. Now, with that behind me and my recovery almost complete, I have found the will to begin again. Today, I begin my training plan for the same half ironman I had to cancel last year. There is a song that goes, failure isn't final with the Father. Failure opens doors to start again. And falling only hurts for a season, and starting over brings new life again.

Today, I embark. My hope, my faith, brings new life again.

Staying the Course

Today, I was doing an hour plus training video on my indoor training bike. The video shows the clock counting down to the end of the workout. At about thirty minutes into it, I was tired and looking for a good place to quit plus a fool proof excuse to get me out of pushing through the last half hour of this workout. No excuse seemed adequate and while I pondered how I could get off this bike and still feel good about myself, I just kept going. And I just kept going on until the entire workout was done. Thank God, I was unsuccessful in finding something that would cover my personal weakness. Thank God indeed, for there are many times in training and in our faith walk that we want to quit and get comfortable and let our lives be controlled by our weaknesses. Thank God, He has the power to lift us up beyond ourselves to finish the course; to finish the training video.

"When you think you can’t keep going, you can. When you think God is not that big; He is - and bigger. When you think He can’t; He can; He will and more."

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