"Either good outweighs the bad or we forget the bad...." is a line from on old country and western song by Tom T. Hall. Looking back at my 30 years in endurance sport, the past has blurred to beauty. There have been no bad events, no bad experiences. Oh I have hurt horribly during some events, and I have disappointed myself countless times in my performances. But even the tough times, the disappointing times, breathe a smile upon reflection. It was all good.
And with that smile embraces a hopeful future of other events; successes and failures, disappointments and exhaltations. The best is yet to come. The pleasant memories are just that, but the future is before me, to be lived; and to join my collection of blurred, beautiful moments that make me smile. Thank you God.
Thursday, March 15, 2012
Thursday, March 8, 2012
Hill? What Hill?
That last hill is the worst on the course. Today, my ride begun in a misting rain that got worse and worse. By the time I was finishing the ride, coming to that last hill, it was a torrential downpour. However, there was something sort of exciting about it. There has always been a reluctance to go out in bad conditions, but once out there, it seems to become a kind of exciting adventure. A little strange maybe.
As I pondered these mysteries of my personal universe, a flash of light illuminated the dark sky. Lightning. Ooooh. Not good. But the thunder took a long time to make a sound. From the length of time of flash to thunder, the lightening did not seem to be that close. Moments later there more lightning, but now the times between the lightning and thunder seemed closer together. Without realizing it, I had begun pedaling much faster, even though my vision was limited in the half light and the pouring rain. I was rocking and rolling when I came to that last and worst hill. Suddenly, an extra bright flash of lightning crackling and sputtering all around, instantly followed by a terrific blast of thunder. Already going pretty fast, "shock and awe" found another gear inside myself. I popped over that hill like it was a speed bump. Hill? What hill? Hitting the flatter sections of the course, I moved so fast, I was afraid of hydroplaning.
Back at the truck, dripping wet, I revelled in a great ride. Wow! How did I do that? What has been going on here? The ability to perform like that had been in me all the time waiting for sufficient challenge and motivation. What else is down there buried in habit, laziness, misconception, and limited vision? What else is in there only waiting for lightning enough to be lived out fully, climbing hard hills in hard times; to revel in life and in a great ride?
As I pondered these mysteries of my personal universe, a flash of light illuminated the dark sky. Lightning. Ooooh. Not good. But the thunder took a long time to make a sound. From the length of time of flash to thunder, the lightening did not seem to be that close. Moments later there more lightning, but now the times between the lightning and thunder seemed closer together. Without realizing it, I had begun pedaling much faster, even though my vision was limited in the half light and the pouring rain. I was rocking and rolling when I came to that last and worst hill. Suddenly, an extra bright flash of lightning crackling and sputtering all around, instantly followed by a terrific blast of thunder. Already going pretty fast, "shock and awe" found another gear inside myself. I popped over that hill like it was a speed bump. Hill? What hill? Hitting the flatter sections of the course, I moved so fast, I was afraid of hydroplaning.
Back at the truck, dripping wet, I revelled in a great ride. Wow! How did I do that? What has been going on here? The ability to perform like that had been in me all the time waiting for sufficient challenge and motivation. What else is down there buried in habit, laziness, misconception, and limited vision? What else is in there only waiting for lightning enough to be lived out fully, climbing hard hills in hard times; to revel in life and in a great ride?
Wednesday, March 7, 2012
Wild Again
Would the shoulder hold up? Only 8 weeks from surgical repair of a severe tear in my rotator cuff, and I was doing the Athens triathlon. Just take it easy, roll on through, and just get it done. I had done this grand old triathlon many times, so I didn't expect any surprises. But there was one: I won first place in my age group-a first for me. And, I thanked God for the surgical success, the rapid healing, and recovery beyond my most bold expectations.
That was two years ago - though I have aged up - I am in much better condition, and am so looking forward to turning all the dogs loose on this one. I love this event. Perhaps, just being there; revisiting that comeback, I will recover and retain a certain amount of boldness in faith that gets mitigated somewhat in safe, predictable living. Perhaps, like the song says, "I want to be wild again."
Tuesday, March 6, 2012
He Is Us
This bike course used to be tough. Nothing has changed about the course or the landscape. Perhaps, it is my landscape that has changed.
Today, I took my truck in to be serviced, and while all that was going on I did the old bike route I have done occasionally over the years. It has some hills, it can be windy, and I thought it a little tough.
Today, it didn't seem that tough. The hills were not that steep. Even when a headwind came up, blowing 20-25 mph, the course still did not seem that hard; not as hard as I remembered on even on good weather days.
There was a good feeling about this ride to go with the good nastalgia. There have been gains if only in my thinking. Perhaps there are other things I might consider too daunting to try. Perhaps, there are other courses of action I consider just out of the range of my ability. Perhaps, I am my own number one limiter. Maybe, like the saying goes, "I have met the enemy and he is us."
Today, I took my truck in to be serviced, and while all that was going on I did the old bike route I have done occasionally over the years. It has some hills, it can be windy, and I thought it a little tough.
Today, it didn't seem that tough. The hills were not that steep. Even when a headwind came up, blowing 20-25 mph, the course still did not seem that hard; not as hard as I remembered on even on good weather days.
There was a good feeling about this ride to go with the good nastalgia. There have been gains if only in my thinking. Perhaps there are other things I might consider too daunting to try. Perhaps, there are other courses of action I consider just out of the range of my ability. Perhaps, I am my own number one limiter. Maybe, like the saying goes, "I have met the enemy and he is us."
Monday, March 5, 2012
No, Not Today
Today I am off. Perhaps I need an off day. Legs feel like jello and I am tired in my head. Almost two weeks without a day off, hitting the hills on the bike most days, it has all done a number on me.
And, this is probably the prettiest day of the year: perfect weather. All I want to do is rest, sit and listen to birds sing their excitement about spring; maybe doze a bit here and there for me. There are a thousand things I need to be doing if I am not going to train, but no, not today.
Really, shouldn't I be doing some overcoming, and go on with the training? No, not today. There is that "peaceful easy feeling" that must taken in and absorbed fully-recovery fuel. What a day! Thank you God.
And, this is probably the prettiest day of the year: perfect weather. All I want to do is rest, sit and listen to birds sing their excitement about spring; maybe doze a bit here and there for me. There are a thousand things I need to be doing if I am not going to train, but no, not today.
Really, shouldn't I be doing some overcoming, and go on with the training? No, not today. There is that "peaceful easy feeling" that must taken in and absorbed fully-recovery fuel. What a day! Thank you God.
Friday, March 2, 2012
Worship
It is going so well. This is only so vividly apparent and joyfully appreciated because of the recent hard times - times when things weren't going so well. To say I am grateful, doesn't seem to say enough. It makes me realize how important this lifestyle is to me. In a way, it is worship. No, I don't worship this old body. I am just an old no-talent geezer who has been blessed. No, this stuff is a kind of worship to me because in bad or good times, I feel close to God, out there. I don't know how or what. It just does. There is just something about sustained effort that moves me closer into the presence of God. I love being there. Tomorrow, some running, some biking-ah worship.
Thursday, March 1, 2012
Lost and Found
The front wheel has been missing since Decemeber 17, 2011. I had loaded the bike in the pickup but left the wheel leaning on the truck. When I got home, I realized I had left my wheel on the side of the road but a trip back showed the wheel was gone. It was a good wheel-worth over two hundred dollars counting the new Continental tire on it.
Today, March 1, 2012, I decided to go on and do two 20 mile loops instead of one. When finished I was about to load my bike when a car pulled up and a little man got out. He asked could he see my bike. Of course, I will brag on my bike to just about anybody, so I agreed. I asked was he going to buy one and he said, "no sir, is that a new wheel on the front of your bike?" I told him it was an old wheel I was using to replace the one I lost. He then went on to explain that he had found a wheel there a couple months ago. Everytime he went into town, he would drive by this site to see if a bike rider might be there, to see if it might be his wheel. He then told me to follow him on to his house, where he gave me the wheel.
What are the odds? This has to be a God thing. To think that it was a man with a heart like that, that found my wheel, that he was so determined to get it back to its owner.
The world is not "going to hell in a handbasket." There are good people out there, ready, willing and committed to "doing the right thing." My task, as I see it, is to insure that I am one of them.
Today, March 1, 2012, I decided to go on and do two 20 mile loops instead of one. When finished I was about to load my bike when a car pulled up and a little man got out. He asked could he see my bike. Of course, I will brag on my bike to just about anybody, so I agreed. I asked was he going to buy one and he said, "no sir, is that a new wheel on the front of your bike?" I told him it was an old wheel I was using to replace the one I lost. He then went on to explain that he had found a wheel there a couple months ago. Everytime he went into town, he would drive by this site to see if a bike rider might be there, to see if it might be his wheel. He then told me to follow him on to his house, where he gave me the wheel.
What are the odds? This has to be a God thing. To think that it was a man with a heart like that, that found my wheel, that he was so determined to get it back to its owner.
The world is not "going to hell in a handbasket." There are good people out there, ready, willing and committed to "doing the right thing." My task, as I see it, is to insure that I am one of them.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)