confessions of a swim, bike, run guy (old guy)

Jim May 16th, 2008

i just got a drink of OJ from the fridge. when i got some ice from the freezer i saw all the Styrofoam cups filled with ice. right now on the chair next to where i’m sitting there are four tubes of cream: Tendon Rescue Cream, IB-Relief Cream, Flexall Plus, and Extra Strength IcyHot. the theory is, if you strain or injure something in one of the three triathlon sports (swimming, biking running), you just take a break from the one that injured you, and focus on the other two. unfortunately, i’ve got an MCL and groin strain from biking, a left foot and sciatic nerve issue from running, and swimmers ear and swimmers shoulder from swimming. that’s why i need a lot of Styrofoam cups of ice in the freezer. thankfully, none of these injuries are severe and i’m sort of managing them the best i can as i keep training.

which begs the question, why do i do this? i really don’t have a very compelling answer. it’s like the Forrest Gump thing when one day he started running and couldn’t stop. likewise, one day i started running…then biking…then swimming…and here i am with four tubes of cream.

i’ve gone through a few different phases. at first, it was interesting and ego-gratifying to be fit and in good shape. people noticed. but then that got old and i didn’t really care anymore what i looked like or how much i weighed or what my waist size is, blah, blah, blah. then i went through a phase when i was mesmerized by the idea of becoming a “triathlete.” like it was achieving some sort of superior status. but then i started to see just how difficult and grueling it was, and the “honeymoon phase” of wanting to become a triathlete swiftly ended.

i’ve enjoyed the people i’ve met, the experiences i’ve had, and the bonds i’ve made as a result of swimming, biking, and running. i’ve enjoyed testing and pushing the limits on how far and how fast i can swim, bike, and run long distances. i’m not even that good at any of it, but i still enjoy it and like improving. photographers find God at the end of their lens, and people experience God and Life in and through so many different expressions. likewise, there is an aspect of this for me riding a hill, running a city street, or in the water. there’s life all around, expressing itself in so many different ways.

(photo by Blacknell)

what is it like for you now?

Jim May 15th, 2008

so, there’s the shedding religion or religious detox phase. sure, things pop up here and there that you deal with but for the most part you are past the anger and bitterness and disillusionment. you discover the freedom of knowing God in the wide open spaces. not check lists of do’s and don’ts, not a fear-driven and performance-based “relationship” with God. so, it’s not so much that you see different things but you see things differently. you’ve tasted freedom, being love is real to you, and you’ve discovered a transcendent peace. Jesus Christ has become more central, but being a “Christian” no longer interests you. and the journey continues on…

what is it like for you now living free? how has it changed the way you think or how you see others or what is important or what you feel inside or the way you do life? maybe it’s “big things,” maybe it’s “little things”? are there really “little things?” maybe it’s things others can see, maybe it’s mainly what you know deep inside yourself. do you see life differently? has your whole understanding of God changed?
what is it like for you to be living free? describe it. is there a short story that would illustrate it?
(photo by zoo gal)

12. What is your favorite sports movie of all time?

Jim May 13th, 2008

if you’re a baseball fan, you likely know the guy on the left next to me. if you’re not a baseball fan don’t worry about it; i’m not encouraging you to become one. sports have been a part of my life off and on in one way or another over the years. and so i took the bait when i was recently asked to elaborate in The PFB Sports Survey.

by the way…in terms of sports movies…last night our family watched The Greatest Game Ever Played; great movie/involves golf/true story.

if you got what you wanted (would you have what you desire)

Jim May 11th, 2008

over at TED, i listened to this presentation, Why are we happy? Why aren’t we happy?

i thought it was an interesting exploration of happiness. what can be learned from this or how does it perhaps expound in a different way what we know deep inside?

the photo above was taken by zoo gal, and is part of the 100strangersproject.

lead with your elbows

Jim May 8th, 2008

so, it’s thursday…swim day. after about an hour of slogging through laps in the YMCA pool, i noticed a woman had come over to the side and was waiting for me. hmm…i thought to myself, “this should be interesting.” she was probably in her sixties and had been doing water aerobics on the other side of the pool. so she was waiting for me and when i got to her and stopped she said, “i’ve been watching you swim for a while. are you training for a long-distance swim?” i said, “well actually, i’m training for a half ironman.” she responded, “yes, i figured so. i’ve been watching you, and if you led with your elbows, and extended your arms further on your stroke, you would go twice as fast with about half the effort. this will help you in endurance swimming.”

i thanked her and began doing as she instructed me, and it worked! i was gliding through the water faster with less effort. she gave me a thumbs-up when i looked back over to see if she thought i had it. i was so grateful. she was such a kind woman, and she cared enough to take the time to share what she knew to help someone else.

it got me to thinking…what if we approached every person in life with the assumption that they know something of value that we don’t. also, seems like the “divine nobody” thing happens as each of us is willing to share with others what we have learned from our own journey. for example, maybe you know someone who is being hindered by bitterness as they go through religious detox. maybe you experienced this yourself and learned something that could be helpful. like the sixty-year-old woman, perhaps you have opportunity to say in kindness, “i can you are going through the shedding religion part of the journey. i couldn’t help but notice you are getting especially stuck in this one place. can i relate! here’s what happened with me…”

(photo by zoo gal)

The Life Not Worth Living (and a revolution of hope)

Jim May 6th, 2008

i’ve got a few posts going that i hope will jump in on, but i wanted to toss another one into the mix. i write an article for Relevant that relates to what we toss around here on the blog. here’s the link.

also, i was sent a copy of the music CD, Songs For A Revolution of Hope, Vol. 1 which was a collaborative effort with The Restoration Project. i have listened to the CD several times, and it was extremely meaningful. both the music and the message stirred something deep within me.

yeah, the pic is from the Country Music Marathon. i survived the half marathon…barely. i’m going to try and ride a Century on May 24. sometimes you look to strange things for motivation. for example, i’ve been telling myself that if she can do the full, i can do the half :-)

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