496 Life Is An Ironman
If you’re reading this over your morning coffee I’m doing my Ironman. If you’re reading this after watching today’s college football games, I’m doing my Ironman. If you’re reading this after tucking your youngsters into bed, I’m still doing my Ironman. Lord have mercy.
I’ve mentioned often my goal to complete an Ironman Triathlon when I turn 50 – well today is the day! I started my 2.5 mile swim at 7:00am and if all goes well, I will finish my 26.2 mile run sometime around 8:30 tonight. (Sandwiched between those two events is a 112 mile bicycle ride.)
Actually, I started my Ironman several years ago when I swam like an anchor, couldn’t run a mile without by-passers calling 9-1-1, and a 10 mile bicycle ride was my equivalent of the Tour de France.
These last few weeks have been especially strenuous as I’ve been working on forest fires. I’ve had to train between long hours of driving a crew bus for fire fighters. Clothwoman brought my bicycle trainer out to the fire camp so I could try to keep my legs and butt in shape for today’s six and half hour bicycle ride. Those training rides in the fire camp were quite the attraction.
“Clothman,” my crew leader asked, “what are those?”
“This is my road bike and it’s setting on a trainer so I can keep in shape for my Ironman.”
“I’m not talking about those, I mean THOSE,” he said pointing wild-eyed at my biking shorts. “Hey boys,” he shouted, “Clothman is wearing Spandex and damn does he look good.” I’ve never been so delighted to see the dark of night descend. Speaking of the dark, that’s also when I had to do all of my running – often in heavy smoke.
Today’s swim may be difficult because I couldn’t swim for three weeks, all the nearby ponds and lakes were closed so they could be “dip sites” for helicopters working the fires. I could just see the headlines had I tried swimming: “Clothman Finally Found by Hunters: Investigators perplexed that his body was located in burnout 10 miles from his crew bus wearing only Spandex and goggles.”
Whew, an Ironman is a long perseverance in the same direction – just like life.
Nancy recently finished a year of chemotherapy treatments – her third time to treat the three totally different cancers she battled over the years. Talk about an Ironman! Jered was in his 17th foster home by the time he was 17. By 27 he had overcame his dark childhood, addictions and fear.
Jim just retired, again – his first career shortened by a work accident that left him a paraplegic. My aunt has cared for my downs-syndrome cousin for 50 plus loving years. Gordon taught 4th and 5th graders for 36 years. Clothwoman has put up with me for nearly 25 years. Living is an Ironman.
Paul, also quite the Ironman, poured out his life for God and said just before he died, “I’ve run hard right to the finish, believed all the way. All that’s left now is the shouting – God’s applause” (2 Timothy 4:7). God loves a long perseverance in the same direction.
I’m so excited that I actually made it to the Ironman starting line without giving up. My main goal today is to click my heals at the finish line. Wish you could be there; but hey, you’ve got your own Ironman to work on today don’t you?
|
|
