Sunday, August 23, 2009

Tri-Utah Jordanelle 2009 - Chapter 5 - Lessons Learned

How is a Tri like life? Let me count the ways.....Insights from an exhausted, but inspired triathlete.

1. Encouragement - While calmly treading water and waiting for the horn to sound, all the ladies were talking to each other. At one point behind me, someone hollered out, "Good luck everyone! See you at the finish line!" Several calls of Good Luck went back her direction and then around to each other. I thought of that later in the day. I thought about the pre-existence. Did we call out "Good luck! See you at the finish!"? Did we send each other off to this big bad world with smiles, hugs, high fives, and words of encouragement? I like to think so. And if we did, what happened? Too many times we are quick to be critical and disparaging in our comments. Why didn't you? How come your aren't? You really should... You really shouldn't......Instead, of cheering each other on, oftentimes we find ourselves bashing, judging, criticizing and outright holding each other back. We gotta get out of that mode friends. We have to get back to cheering each other on and offering a whole lot more encouragement.

2. Support - In the swim portion, there were many support people. Lot's of Mr.Canoe's I call them. Just staying close by in case you needed them, but they were not allowed to help in any fashion. A swimmer had to complete the swim unaided or face a penalty or disqualification. Isn't life like that? We are here to do this journey for ourselves. No one can do it for us. However, we have lot's of resources at hand. People close by that we can call for assistance. Even if it's just to hold on for a second while I catch my breath. And then we can keep going on our personal journey's.

3. Seeing to the needs of others above our own - Splenda reported to me that in an earlier wave in the lake, a gentleman came ashore very pale, shaky and in obvious distress. Two fellow swimmers STOPPED to assist him. Remember this was a race. They gave up their precious moments in their times to make sure this man was okay. Once the EMT's reached him, they quickly hurried on. I witnessed a biker stop to help a woman with a flat. Who knows how many minutes that cost him. But I am inspired by their acts of unselfishness. They saw the bigger picture. They put themselves aside to care for the needs of another.

4. You never know what's around the corner - During the run portion, I mentioned hills. Well, one particular hill was not to be seen until you turned a corner and then there it was! No time to look ahead, see it coming and step up your game to tackle it. Isn't life like that? We just never know what is around the corner. We have to stay ready for anything. Both physically, mentally and spiritually. Some "hills" in life, we get the luxury of a glimpse or some sort of knowledge that it's coming, but others hit us blindly and hit us hard. We gotta stay on our toes and be ready.

5. A well balanced life - In a Tri, there are three portions. The swim, the bike and the run. One has to be prepared for all three. A participant HAS to train for all three. Life certainly is a balancing act. We need to keep all aspects trained and ready. Our physical selves, our mental selves and most importantly, our spiritual selves. A triathlon isn't a triathlon without all three portions. Our lives are more complete when we learn to balance our three selves.

6. Extra baggage can drag us hold us back - Okay, little TMI here, but when I started the run, I needed to poop. That just added to my already difficult situation with having jello for legs, and physically nothing left in me. Having that extra (I'm sure 2 lbs) of crap in my gut really did affect me. It's the same in our lives. If we have unrepented sins, hate, grudges, all those things will hold us back in our progression. Sure we might move forward but certainly not at a pace or gait that we are capable of. We need to unload that baggage so that we can our optimum selves.

7. Too often we are quick to judge others and ourselves unfairly - During the waiting period for the swim, Splenda and I both noticed a woman who seemed out of place. She was quite large, and instead of a wetsuit like 99% of the other participants, she was in a sports bra and swim bottoms. Though neither of us said anything to the other at the time, we both had the same thought "She seems ill prepared." Well guess what? She KILLED the swim. She did it, came out of the water as one of the first ones and seemed to be just fine. No wobbling around for her! We gotta stop the quick judgements of each other. You know, those judgements where we find others lacking?

By the same token, what about ourselves? Just as I was finishing the bike portion, I heard "on your left" so I knew I was getting passed. I glanced at the passer, and noticed that on his leg was 62 (age) and an O for Olympic distance. I.was.deflated. Not only was I getting passed, but by a 62 YEAR OLD MAN WHO JUST BIKED TWICE THE DISTANCE!!!! I came into the transition area and passed his station. I made the comment, "Wow, I can't believe I just got passed by a 62 year old dude! Man you rock, and I clearly suck!" He looked up at me, smiled and said, "Don't worry about it honey, I got DQ'd from the swim." Wha?? He didn't finish the swim? But you know what? I did. How's about we cut ourselves some slack once in awhile instead of the constant self destructive talk that we as women especially like to do?

There are lessons to be learned. Every day. All around us. We just have to look. We have to be in tune with our own personal spiritual self to learn just the lessons that we individually need. For me, I have come to realize that the adrenaline rush, the people I meet and the lessons I learn while competing in some event or another is the way I gain truth. Yes, I gain it as well with my organized religion, but I also think that life is full of opportunities to grow, gain knowledge, and become better people, if we will step and and take them.

PS -
My final stats (Sprint Division):
Total time: 2:05:27.59
Swim time: 32:04.187
T1 time: 5:01.884
Bike time: 54:24.412
T2 time: 1:54.341
Run time: 32:02.772
Roadkills: 26
26th out of 29 in my age division
172 out of 192 overall women
369 out of 401 overall participants (not counting DNF and DNS)
44 people either Did Not Finish or Did Not Show

Was it my best showing ever? Hardly. BUT, the lessons I learned today, will be with me forever, and really, that's what counts right? I can live with this.

15 comments:

Scrappy Girl said...

Wow! I am so impressed by this...not only your physical ability to do this type of activity BUT that you got so much "soul food" out of it. Great post.

tammy said...

Love.this. Love all your insight and analogies. So true! Why do we do it? Great lessons here that I need to remember too.

Devri said...

You truly inspire me lady, now if I can just get this flourecent orange thing off my leg!

personaly I loved the TMI... just saying.. lol

Jillybean said...

You are AWESOME!

LaurieJ said...

What great lessons! Thanks for taking the time and energy to learn them so I can learn from you :-)

I was just reading all of your posts and the open water swim makes me sick to my stomach. I have such a fear of open water! You are the bomb!

CB said...

I wanna be you when I grow up!! Seriously, I am just catching up on all these posts and my mouth is hanging open in awe of your accomplishments here. Love all the posts and stories and what this does for you personally. It is very motivating!
My favorite picture is in the post below where you are throwing your arms up in the water with your yellow cap on!! Awesome!!!!

Vanessa said...

I like #7. I need to really work on that one.

You totally rocked it! You are my idol. What a great accomplishment!

Shawn said...

What a great post! I STILL can't believe how amazing you are....

How awesome that you are able to do this! Wow, I am blown away....

Deena said...

Your number seven hit me hard. Definitely something I need to work on.

Plain Jame said...

I hate to be an echo but I seriously LOVED this - all of those hit home. It was awesome and I'm so glad you shared all of this with us. I really did think of you yesterday when you were probably swimming and "almost dying"...
Thank you thank you for being so BRAVE!!! You're awesome and inspiring!

Sue said...

awe-spiring..

It's worth every hard minute..Look at what you have accomplished. The body is truly an amazing thing.

The lessons you learn along the way "priceless"...


I wish I could compete in one sport.

You are my blog-athalon friend!! way to go♥

kado! said...

What perfect comparisons!

Hey...and thanks for sharing The Shark with me...even if only for a few hours! ;) ...now when will I be having lunch with YOU!??

Loralee and the gang... said...

Wow! I am in awe of you, lady! And I actually read all your posts about the race yesterday, and it all boosted me up! Thanks, it was a day where I really needed it. (but Sunday am, trying to get ready for church, and didn't have time to comment just then)
You deserve a good rest, and a garganchuan Chocolate Mudslide Brownie. From Gooeys at Dockside, the best dessert place in the whole wide world! Really, and it's here in Coeur d'Alene. Tempting, isn't it?
Have a good week.
:~D

Teri said...

WOW! This is my younger BFC? I am awestruck! Your determination, courage, guts and brains! To make it into a life lesson for the rest of us...you were and are at your top M! I am so pleased and happy for you!! Thanks you sooooo very much for sharing!
PS
Can
i have permission to use this for a talk someday? have to clean up the tmi part lol!
love you!

Terri Ferran said...

I heart you so much that you could pee in my wetsuit anytime and I would forgive you. I draw the line at poop, though.

You. Are. Awesome!