fear again

i've noticed myself counting everything lately.

it takes...

...twenty three one thousands to fill up my big water bottle from the cooler
...seventeen one thousands for my cell phone to turn on each morning
...about three one thousands for me to open an envelope
...and seventeen one thousands for me to empty a full bladder

if you find the last one offensive, i am sorry, i just wanted you to believe me when i said i was counting everything. i can't help it. i wonder if it is because i am stretching more lately, and counting that each time.

in other news, i am looking at another triathlon to tri (cute, i know) as i know that i will need a tangible goal to work towards if i am going to keep up this shape i am in.  there is another sprint triathlon the end of june that is only about an hour and a half-ish away from here.  but i am hesitant, i am afraid of doing worse than my first one.  there is something about setting a high standard that's well... scary.  it would be easy for me to go the rest of my life and be happy to call myself a triathlete because heck, i am!!  but on the other hand, if i enjoyed the first one, why wouldn't i want to at least try it again and even attempt to improve? therefore, i am telling myself that this fear will not control me or my next tri. so there.

scripts

i don't have a difficult time writing a commercial, it's when we want this commercial to be different from the other ten million already produced that causes me to take three days to write a fifteen second script.  that's where i'm at now.

be thankful

My shampoo bottle this morning said...

"100% vegan, gluten free, healthier than your average breakfast" 

  ...well maybe it didn't say that last line, but okay.

A couple things I learned in church on Sunday that are still with me... be thankful for fleas... girls often marry men who remind them of their fathers, and that's why momma's cry at weddings :)  He actually had a lot of marriage jokes - it started to make me question if marriage was so terrible that you just had to do something to make yourself laugh.  But back to the fleas.  He told a story of the morning Corrie ten Boom and her sister were taken into the concentration camp.  They had been reading 1 Thess. 5:18 as a family,

 "In everything give thanks; for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus."

Not long after that, they were essentially being led to their death.  As her and her sister were placed in their 'holding chamber', they were completely overrun with fleas.  Remembering their morning devotion, they struggled to be thankful for even the fleas.  They encouraged one another by singing and praying and soon noticed that none of the guards were coming to stop them.  Because of the fleas.  I've grown up knowing that command but really struggling to believe that when God says, "everything" He really means it.  I mean, how can you be thankful for your car breaking down and you having to pay for major repairs.  How can you be thankful for that individual who just treated you like dirt?  This story really touched me and I pray that I will remember it every time I don't feel like being thankful in all things.  I also need to remember that I may not always see results from this, I may not always be allowed to see what my thankfulness has accomplished, but I do need to obey.

customer service

So on my way to the dentist this morning I started thinking again about how I should change dentist offices to one closer to my work rather than driving out of my way, but that idea died the moment I walked into the office. Not two seconds after I had signed in, the dentist's wife, who is my dental hygienist, came out to bring me into the room and the first thing she said to me was, "contrats on getting third place in your age group at the race this weekend!"  I was shocked!  Then my dentist peeks his head out of another room and said the same thing!  Apparently they were there with some friends and heard my name called and recognized it as being me!  Now, that will make a pretty big impression on anyone, for the dentist who sees you twice a year to remember your name and be excited for your accomplishments without you even having to tell them about it.  They've got me sold.

In other news, my history class is finally over and with that goes studying... I found both to be extremely unenjoyable this past semester so I am incredibly thankful to have them behind me.  Now I can focus on the business.  I'm getting ready to start my first project, which is a documentary for another small business owner in town.  He asked if I could produce this for him and in return, he would help pay for necessary equipment that would help me start my business.  It's all pretty exciting, but it definitely has it's stressful points as well. Right now I'm also trying to iron out a name.  I'm looking at Keeping Time Productions... or MW Productions - specializing in preserving your family narrative.  I'm leaning towards the second one, any opinions?

Angel's Race Triathlon - Race Report

May 1st, 2011:  I set my alarm (plus my two backup alarms) for 5:45 Sunday morning.  It was May 1st, the day of the long anticipated Angel's Triathlon Race.  On this day I would officially become a triathlete.  Before this, I was just a semi active, not so dedicated, runner.  I woke up a little early that morning because I didn't feel like I had done a great job preparing the night before... even though I had... I just felt like I hadn't.   I went downstairs and took a final look over my three neatly prepared piles.  Pile number one - swimsuit, goggles, swim cap...CHECK.  Pile number two - helmet, bike shorts, jersey with gels in the pocket, towel, socks, cycling shoes...CHECK.  Pile number three - running watch, ITB band, hair band, running shoes... CHECK.  That's everything!  This was going to be such a different race experience.


PRE-RACE


I arrived downtown Lynchburg a little after 7 a.m for my 9:33:45 a.m. start time in the pool. With there being 400 racers they had lined us up by our projected swim times.  That put me at number 310 (sounds pretty slow) and gave me a little down time. After finding my slot in the transition area and setting up my bike, I went in search of my time chip and markers.  Since you can't really wear a traditional 'bib number' when you swim, they mark it on your body with permanent marker.  Also, since this race is called the "Angel's Race", they also write the name of your 'Angel(s)' on your arm.  I returned to the transition area with my race number marked on my left arm and on top of each of my knees, my age on my calf, and the names "Annie", "Arie", and "Jud" on my arm for my three grandparents who are no longer here with me.  I decided to make them my angel's for this race, not because I believe they are my guardian, advice giving angels, but because I am a part of their legacy; I am who I am today because of God honoring decisions they made while on this earth, and I am so proud of each of them, as I hope they would have been proud of me.  Back in my area, I carefully laid everything out again and imagined exactly what I would need to do after each sport to prepare for the upcoming one.  I hear it said all the time that transition is the 4th sport in triathlons.  You are still being timed so you need to be as organized and as minimalistic as possible - even if that means running in those oh-so-(not)cute padded bike shorts.  The transition was filled with excited racers, some I recognized from training groups I'd been a part of and some I'd never seen before.  Men, women, college students, and even young children crowded the area which from a distance, almost looked like a bicycle disaster zone but upon a closer look, was actually very neatly organized by each participant.  We all listened as the race co-founder encouraged us and thanked us all for our participation.  We listened as he got choked up remembering the young girl's life and the death that sparked the start of this race nine years ago.  Then we listened as our nations anthem was powerfully sung to mark the beginning of this race.


SWIM


By the time my turn came to hop into the pool, I was ready, and that felt great.  My supporters (Dennis, Annetta, and Miranda) had arrived to cheer me on and I had some friends in line near me that really helped calm my nerves.  I hopped in and after a good luck handshake from a man I believe to be one of the co founders of the race, I was off.  Swimming down one lane, then back, pushing off the wall into the next lane and doing it all again...through six full laps.  Adrenaline was pumping, one person tapped my foot to pass me and I vowed to not let that happen again.  I swam hard and passed at least two people before getting out and running out to transition.  It wasn't until later, I realized that was my first 300 meter swim with no rests, competition can be such a mental game.


TRANSITION # 1


I honestly don't remember much from this transition, it was such a blur.  I remember being thankful that someone had advised me to bring a bucket to sit on, whoever thought of that was a genius; no more trying to balance on shaky legs. I obviously remembered to do everything I needed to because I was running my bike to the mount line before I knew what was going on.


BIKE


My legs and shoulders were stiff so I stretched as rode across the bridge away from downtown Lynchburg.  I had ridden the course a number of times in training and I was so thankful that I was familiar with it.  It was a beautiful course along the river.  I passed a couple people shortly after beginning and I was feeling good.  I drank some electrolyte drink and remembered to keep sipping on that.  When you're on a bike for an hour you have a lot of time to just think. I started wondering how I got on my bike.  It was like that feeling you get when you drive somewhere and don't remember actually driving there.  For some reason my first thought was if I had my shorts on the right way, I did.  Then I had another frightening thought, 'I don't remember grabbing my bike off the rack, what if I took someone else's!?'  Thankfully that fear was unfounded as well.  I was to the turnaround point (on my own bike with my shorts on correctly) before I knew it.  Halfway done with the bike and other than my stomach being a little upset, I felt great.  I kept stretching my legs whenever I had a downhill and spun, on my lowest gear, up the final hills which, yes, were the steepest hills in all of Lynchburg.  I made it to the dismount line and was able to run back to my spot.


TRANSITION # 2


Again, I was super thankful for my 'chair' and incredibly grateful that I had taken the leap of faith and boughten quick tie laces for my running shoes.  I literally slipped my feet into my shoes, pulled the cord and I was ready to roll.  My hands were shaking so bad, I couldn't have tied anything anyways.  I strapped on my knee band and ran out as fast as I could.


RUN


Is this really it?  Am I to the last sport of the race?  It seemed a bit unreal, almost as if I had missed something... not that I really wanted the swimming or biking to last longer, but what if they had a fourth sport? What if you had to play a game of corn hole in the middle of these races, wouldn't that be great?  I'm sure the only reason they didn't have us do that is because they couldn't come up with a name for a race with four sports.  Yeah, that's it.  Anyways... after running a mile I looked at my watch and I was running just under an 8 minute pace which is pretty fast for me to start on so I slowed down just a little to try and reserve some energy for the last mile.  I chatted with a few people I passed along the way and was really thankful for all the volunteers out there cheering us on, they were amazing!  I was even called someone's "SHE-ro", that was new.  This was another out and back course so I turned around after a mile and a half and headed straight back for the finish line.  There were a couple pretty steep hills in the last mile which made it extra difficult to appear energetic, but seeing the finish line and hearing the cheers is always a wonderful way of finding that extra strength you're body has been hiding for this moment.  I crossed the finish line and that was it... I am now and forever more a triathlete.  So, when's the next race?