I Just Love Overcomers

Read a most inspiring post on one of the blogs I follow: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/EverymomToIronmom/~3/oAUTFOlceGw/does-it-matter-why-we-run.html In that post it talks about the joy and inspiration of those who "finish." The folks out there, pushing themselves to start, pushing themselves to continue, pushing themselves to finish, overcoming personal obstacles, overcoming circumstances, overcoming self-perceptions, overcoming physical limitations. These folks are winners; heroes! Can you guess? I just love overcomers! I love them so much that I want to be one too. Having been at the back of the pack for most of my 32 marathons, I have seen some trench warfare with the self out there in those last miles. I also love first timers, and hopefully been help and inspiration as I coached and ran with some folks doing their first. I remember running with my friend Ken on his first marathon. Half way, he was done, I thought. He told me to go on and he stopped-I thought to go to his vehicle. Coming back in my own vehicle on my way home, there in the street, a couple miles yet from the finish line, was Ken still plodding ever forward, ever forward. I couldn't believe it ! Well, Ken http://kenstreaker.blogspot.com/ has gone on to finish 60-70 marathons, some ultras, and has completed 20 marathons in the past six months, some on the same weekend, some on consecutive weekends. Oh yeah, Ken is 70 years old or will be very soon. Henry David Thoreau wrote something to the effect that it isn't how good your behavior is that determines whether or not you are truly good, but it is the amount of evil you had to overcome. I think the same is true here. Generally, every one out there, gutting it out to finish, has overcome their own set of demons to get to that place. And when I watch these heroic finishers, I wonder what price they paid, what all they overcame? It makes me mist up. Did I tell you, I just love overcomers.

Officially Dead

Well, the journey I started toward the goal event is officially dead. Somewhere in the midst of the training for the goal event, life happens. Can't say I didn't see it coming but now that it is final, it has tinges of sadness, a sadness like when you have a great dream, then you wake up to find, it was just a dream. That goal may be officially dead, but I'm not. Within me there are other dreams to dream; dreams to bring to light; other roads to take, on these miles of the journey.

Enduring People

It didn't happen this morning, like planned. The medical procedure for which I had lived on liquids for a few days, and finally fasted for, had to be moved to tomorrow. Hang on a little longer, just a little longer. Yeah, I have heard that phrase many times in my endurance sports journey. Hanging on is, in a way, what we do; what we teach ourselves. And, I think it is a good skill to have practiced. Sometimes life is about hanging on just a little longer. And perhaps, even then,  something comes up, something goes wrong, and it is hang on a little longer time again. 

My view: the world needs more enduring people. Someone once wrote that "the world won't end with a bang but a whimper." I think enduring people will try to make it end with a bang; at least for themselves.

Life in the Fasting Lane

I am hungry. For the past two days, I have been scaling down on food consumption leading to today's fast. Tomorrow, I am having a procedure done (a medical test) that requires this. It comes at a good time because fasting has been on my mind as something I should so again. In the past, I have fasted and been in prayer for someone going through illness or surgery or before really life-changing decisions. In earlier years, I have been hungry for extended periods of time, but I didn't volunteer for it like in fasting. For me, the fast sort of settles things out, and gives self-denial and personal discipline some well-needed exercise. Things just don't go rocking along, business as usual; I see through "hungry eyes." It gives me some idea, however limited, of what some in this world go through on a regular basis. It brings me to believe that self-denial, is within my power, and gives personal endurance a refresher course. And how about a workout, an event, anytime we push ourselves beyond ourselves: isn't that a sort of self-denial; a fasting; a fasting built on faith toward a purpose? I have found that the platform of prayer and fasting is good place to make good decisions, because it ultimately brings me closer to God. With the liter of the world stripped away, it is easier to see more clearly His plans and purposes. And, I have grown larger by making myself small.

Struggling to Grow in the Shady Ditch

It was trying to grow in the shady ditch along the highway without success. The wisteria was just a scrub plant, an offshoot of the larger, looming parent wisteria climbing through the trees above.

Dug up, cut off from the parent plant, planted in the open in another soil, it somehow survived. Then watered and fertilized, cut back somewhat, it began to grow. The branches were trained, the weeds were kept away and it flourished.

This spring, the beauty that was always possible in the plant in the shady ditch, burst forth to enjoy its day in the sunshine at last.

Are there lessons in that or what?

Are the Waves Really That Bad?

That morning the flag at the hotel was stretched out, flapping vigorously in the wind, and it wasn't even daylight yet. Oh my ! Still in the dark at the race site, the wind blew vigorously and I could hear the waves on the lake shore. Am I going to die today? If the waves are too bad, I am not going out there. If I get out of the water alive, I could get blown off my bike: scary, intimidating, the sounds in the dark.

Somewhere between dark and full daylight, I began to come to myself. Did I come this far to fail without trying? Are the waves really that bad? The wind will be rough on everyone out here, not just me. As soon as it was light enough I was in the water; just had to know.

It wasn't that bad. Yeah, there was a little rolling here and there, some bi-lateral breathing here and there, sighting wasn't as easy as on smooth water, and the belly of the waves took me down occasionally to the weed bed, where I snagged on a few weeds.

Getting out of the water, I was on, and probably had a smile so big that all anyone could see of my face was teeth. Yes ! I can do this! Looking back, I realize that right there, I won my race

Thankful for the Chance to Fail

For me, a continued state of mindless mediocrity is a living hell. Of course, what might be exciting and challenging for me might be pretty boring to lots of folks. This is to say, I know I don't have all the answers, the perfect life, the only right and true way to live. But I do know what is right for me. I just know there is more to all this than performing life's chores and responsibilities in a prompt, timely manner; to always be the good soldier in this campaign called life. The "restless warrior" down there, yearns for more, and I guess that is where endurance sports helps fill the void. Sometimes I think I have let myself get too tame. Over the years I have had some great adventures, done all kinds of somewhat risky, crazy things and I have written about them. When I go back to read or edit these pieces - yet again - I get the urge to take it outside once more; to get that picture back. I really like that person that was a little crazy sometimes. A line from my personal mission statement reads: The life God has chosen me to live is to be an adventure. I know that is true as surely as I know I am here. Yeah, I think I am ready for the season. My first triathlon is May 7Th, and I have already decided to line up in the middle of the front of my swim wave: knock it about a bit. I have already decided to bust my lungs for a bike PR on this fast course where I set my previous PR. And if I take a beating on the swim and blow up on the bike course, I will be so thankful for that chance to fail. And if I succeed? Ah, I am smiling already.