8th Training Week - Ironman Texas 2020 - Up Is Where My Hope Is

It was a week of benchmarks.  This last week I had my longest run of the year, the biggest week in hours of the year, and my longest swim of the year. There seems to have been some stepping up in fitness recently.  I am blessed by it.  And, this blessing is part of the journey.

It is not a given that there will ever be another journey and I intend to be extra sensitive to all the ups and downs and truly savor the little and big things from this experience. There is a peace in it all this experience that hasn't been here before as if to say, if I were to die now, it would be with a contented smile.   I am so richly blessed in that I can acutely sense God's presence in this endeavor and have truly reached that point where I can say "nevertheless, not my will but Thine be done," and mean it.

Oh, it will get scary at times around the corner.  I know that.  But that makes me smile too.  There is a line from a song that says, "when it's scary, don't look down."  No, look up.  Up is where my Hope is.

(Age 75, Eating Plant-Based  (no animal, no eggs, no dairy) for over 3 years now)

6th Week- Training Ironman Texas 2020- Failed Restraint

Taking it easy has never been easy.  I tried and failed a bit at that this past week.  It was supposed to be a much lighter week for a bit of recovery before more ramping up.  But, after 3-4 days of that, I wanted to turn all the horses loose.  My son and I did a bike ride together on his birthday.  It was supposed to be a recovery ride. It was and wasn't one.   There were times it all got loose and I had to rein myself in.  I told my son that restraint is difficult sometimes, but necessary.  Such is life. There is a time for everything under the sun.   Surely after years of this philosophical bike riding with me, he wouldn't want to ride with me much anymore.  He is a glutton for punishment, I guess.

Win or lose at this Ironman business, I am enjoying this journey;  like when I was riding with my son, feeling great on a downhill, standing up, not pedaling, the wind pouring across my body.  I thought, no, there is no place on earth I would rather be; no other person I would rather be.  I am a child of God on an arduous yet beautiful journey.

(Age 75, Eating Plant-Based  (no animal, no eggs, no dairy) for over 3 years now)