Race Report CB & I Triathlon

It all seemed like I wasn't supposed to do the CB & I triathlon (500m swim-15 mi bike-5k run) in Woodlands, Texas this past Saturday. Friday, it looked like we were going to have race day thunderstorms. Then, in doing a final bike check, I find a sizeable slash on my back tire. I hate to do events on untried tire changes so after changing tires, I did a quick road check Friday. I kept wondering: Ok, now what next?

Next, it was raining when I dropped my bike off late Friday at the transition area. This all did not bode well.

Next morning though, it was just steamy; no rain. Great! The swim went OK though I took a shot on the jawbone from someone's elbow but it was a glancing blow. Things were looking better. The bike was just marvelous. I held the tempo and finished in about what I did three years ago on the same course. The run told the tale of my decreased fitness. Though it wasn't too much different than my other run times, it was worse than other times on this particular course. The main difference was the extent of determination and effort it took to just do average. Clearly, my overall fitness is not where it needs be just yet.

However, in that last mile, several runners, seeing my age of 67 on the back of my calf, congratulated me as they passed. One young lady passed and said, "67 ? Mister, you rock!" Another told me, "when I grow up, I want to be you." Bottom line was though, they were passing me as lots of folks were. Guess I am not fully ready to accept elder benefits and lower expectations just yet.

It was great at the finish with my family, my grandchildren along the sidelines cheering me on, taking pictures. What a day! Thank God I have lived to experience and appreciate those wonderful moments.

Challenge and Expression

Entering the water to ready for the swim. The water is a little cold. Be ready to brace myself against that. The swim course will be crowded with lots of physical contact. The course has a lot of yellow buoys and the turnaround buoy is the same color as the rest. Be ready for all that. It is a longer than usual run to the large transition area. Be sure to remember how I plan to find my bike in all that. The bike course is flat and fast but don't go out too hard and blow up early. Should I save something for the run? Forget the run! Kill the bike and gut out the run. Be ready for that.

And so it goes, the many decisionsm in answer to the many challenges of the event become an expression of the life within me lived well. Thank God for those challenges for they carry over into challenge and expression in other areas of life and become part of the indelible fabric of whom and Whose I am.

Land of the Free and the Home of the Brave

At the CB & I Triathlon in Woodlands, Texas this past Saturday, the thousand participants had gathered at the lake's edge for all the opening information and the race start. It was still dark with the sun coming up through the trees across the lake. The national anthem was sung as we watched the limp flag and stood hands to hearts in respect, with the sun coming up beyond the flag. It was a wonderful scene, a fitting picture of our hope embodied in the light rising out of the darkness; rising to illuminate our start, our day, our purpose and our allegiance to what we hold dear.

Have you ever had the feeling that in all the world there was not another place you would rather be? "Land of the free, and the home of the brave" Oh make that be true in me! I thanked God that I am an American.

Where Did That Smile Come From?

What a great run !! The tempo just built and built like a good movie and when it was over there was a joy and thankfulness that sometimes come with a workout well done.

Driving home in my truck, thinking of nothing important in particular, I noticed that I was smiling. At first I felt a little stupid and I wondered what folks that I passed must have thought about this old geezer grinning, going down the road. Then smiling even broader at my smiling, it sort of hit me. I am happy. I am at peace with myself, others and God. I am happy.

Presently, I have all kinds of dragons and demons to face, I didn't hit the lottery and I surely don't have near enough money. Everyone in my family is not healthy. Things are a long way from being perfect in my life, but God has given me reason to be happy; a reason to smile.

So if you see someone grinning to himself as he drives down the road, don't laugh. He just may be happy and it may just be me.

Feed the Spirit

There is a story some have heard about an old Indian telling the young Indian about two wolves: a bad wolf and a good wolf. The wolves are always struggling and fighting. The young Indian asks the old Indian which Wolf wins and the answer is "the one you feed."

My 95 year old Mother was asked by a doctor today whether she wanted a scooter or some more treatment to try to partially repair her bad knees. Without wavering she said "more treatment." She had the choice of resignation or to continue to "feed her spirit."

We all have that choice; everyday when the training gets tough, when the hill is hard, when the wind is in our face forever, when stuff hurts in a race and we just don't think we can continue to go forward: we can "feed our spirits" or resign to a lesser self. I think I know which choice God would be proud of.

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.