If you are tired of hearing about my sprint distance triathlon at the Ludington Lighthouse in Ludington, Michigan, too bad. I anticipate this physical and emotional high will wear off in a another day or two. Today, I didn't crawl out of bed until after 9 AM. This is very unusual and a sign that the euphoria is wearing off.
I learned so much about myself this past Sunday. I challenge each of you to do something you don't think you can do, something way outside your comfort zone. I am not suggesting for a minute that everyone do a triathlon of any distance, or a marathon. What you do has to be something that you will enjoy, but right now see as beyond your means.
Always wanted to do a personal Bible study, but don't start because you don't have time? Make time. Want to lose weight, but are afraid of failing yet again? Figure out what foods make you feel good, and which ones make you feel blah. Eat the good ones; avoid the blah. There are too many "diets" out there. You need to do what works for your body and quit treating yourself as an experiment. Want to be healthy? Exercise. You don't have to join a gym, bench press a couple hundred pounds or run a 6-minute mile. Have a bike? Ride it. Have feet? Walk. Have a Wii? Get off the couch when you use it. Just move more. Wish you liked reading more? Get a book that interests you. Start with a few pages a day. What begins as personal discipline can quickly turn into a passion, particularly when you notice you feel better, you've lost a pound or two, you've finished your first book since college.
I can guarantee that when you reach a milestone in your goal, you will have no regrets. I have no regrets about this triathlon. I could say I wish I had trained better, practiced those bricks that are transitions from one discipline to another, investigated the wetsuit scenario more. All of those things would have benefited me and my overall time. They also would have changed my experience. My experience, though, was perfect. It was what it was meant to be. It was part of God's plan. My heart was light. My mind was clear. I know this competition happened exactly as God wanted it to.
Believe it or not, I went swimming the day after the race. I completed 6 whole laps, a mere 300 yards in a heated pool. Why, you ask, didn't I take the day off? I needed to quickly remind myself that I can swim freestyle with my face in the water. I am not limited to breaststroke. I also needed to move in a shock-free environment to loosen up my muscles. It worked. It worked so well, I went back to the gym Tuesday.
I created a new workout for myself. Remember, I hate running. However, I need to do some running to help with cardio. I needed some weight training, so I created a circuit. Triceps, biceps, run a lap. Adductors, abductors, run a lap. Lat pull, lat raise, run a lap. Leg press, seated calf, run a lap. Step, run a lap. I ran each lap. By the time I was done, I had run half a mile. I didn't hate it. I found a way to run that I enjoyed.
Find a way to accomplish your goal and enjoy it. Achievements should not bring a sense of, "Glad that's over." They should deliver a euphoria that makes you want to continue -- eating healthy, losing weight, exercising, reading books.
Whatever you do, make sure you do it with God. Pray about it. Be still and listen to God's still small voice. Make sure your plan is in tune with God's master plan for you.
No matter what you decide to do, know that it can be done.
All things are possible with God.
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