A Thousand Miles...

The view from my turnaround point

A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.

-Lao-Tzu

Chinese philosopher (604 B.C. - 531 B.C.)

I've spent a lot of time lately thinking about journeys.  When I did my first Half Ironman two years ago, I was struck by how much that race was like life's journey.  I had friends with whom I waited anxiously to start the race, even though we ended up moving at different paces once the race was underway.  I also met new friends along the way.  We shared a few miles together as we encouraged each other to finish the race as best we could.  I was inspired by some competitors along the way.  I'll never forget the competitor I passed with one leg.  She did not let her disability deter her from accomplishing her goal.  I was humbled by other competitors who passed me (including one 70+ year old man)!

But that experience is a lot like life.  In the pre-existence, I'm sure that we were excited to start life's journey with friends and colleagues.  Here in life, however, we may move at different paces.  We will also meet new friends during life's journey.  Some share our path for a short while before moving on.  Others we see only in passing.  And we are inspired by our friends and family (as well as others) along the way.

Baby steps...first run of the season
(I told you it was cold this winter!)

I'm preparing for my own journey later this month.  The California Half Ironman (i.e., "Oceanside") is coming up.  Three weeks from today to be exact.  I remember telling a friend last Thanksgiving that I had plenty of time to NOT prepare for the race.  It was funny at the time, but perhaps not so funny now.

Even though I live in Southern California, I feel like this past winter was long and cold and dark.  I managed to work out a little--mostly swimming (surprisingly even though it's an outdoor pool) and biking--but couldn't bring myself to run in the cold and dark of this past winter.

Luckily, I have some friends who have helped me start my "journey" to Oceanside.  To properly prepare for a race that will require me to swim, bike, and run 70.3 miles in a single day, I figure it'd be great to actually prepare by going a thousand miles.  That's not going to happen, but I have started this journey by taking some baby steps.

Apparently, Lao-Tzu's quote would translated more accurately as follows: Even the longest journey must begin where you stand.  This translation gives additional insights.  I can't cry about lost training opportunities.  I need to start where I stand now and move forward continuing my journey.  Much like life.  I can't worry about past mistakes, but I should (hopefully) learn from those mistakes and resolve not to perpetuate them in the future.

Today, I continued my journey to Oceanside.  I can't worry about the mistakes that I might have made over the past few months.  I need to move forward and not repeat those same mistakes.

So this morning I continued my journey by playing a basketball game (we won!) and then reffing a basketball game.  I even managed to put down a couple dunks.  (Kaari, I spared you by not posting any pics of this on FB or this blog!)  Maybe I'm not as old as I think I am sometimes!

Then I had a 10k run at noon and a light swim tonight.  My run today was notable.  It reminded me of how lucky I am to live in this corner of the world.  It was about 60 degrees, blue skies, light breeze, and I got to run along the ocean and out to the end of the San Clemente Pier.  I wasn't even sure where I was running as I had never done that particular trail before.  I simply kept running until I reached the end of the trail.  Then I went down onto the sand and kept running, staying just out of reach of the waves that washed in and out along the shore.  I ran to nowhere in particular, but once I turned around to head back the view (see above) was spectacular.  I could see all the way up the coast to Dana Point Harbor.  It gave me renewed energy as I completed the second half of my run.

Ironman Florida sold out in 1 minute--How in the heck did I get in???

I have goals for my race at Oceanside.  I'll keep those to myself right now.  I question whether they are realistic, but that's okay.  I don't want to settle.  Whether or not I reach those triathlon goals at Oceanside, I have to remind myself that this year's journey for me will ultimately end in Florida--not Oceanside.  So Oceanside is just a single step on that journey.

I have goals in life as well.  They mirror, at least in a figurative sense, my triathlon goals.  I really don't have any idea of the twists and turns that my life's journey will yet take.  I was reminded earlier today that exactly one year ago today, I was swimming in Kailua-Kona Harbor.  Things turned dramatic when I was caught in a rip current and blinded by a busted goggle strap.  But I finished.  And I expect to finish my journey through life as well.

A lot has happened over the past year, but I will probably look back a year from today and be surprised at the twists and turns my journey took.  Even though I still have thousands of miles to go in my journey through life, that journey will proceed a single step at a time.  I better make those steps count!