The Blackland Triathlon is a Labor Day tradition in the city of Plano, TX. As you may recall, Lord willing I hope to be a participant in this race next Monday while visiting mom in neighboring Murphy, TX. The distances are:
- Swim: 300 meters
- Bike: 13.5 miles
- Run: 3.1 miles
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| The pool we'll be swimming in. |
In order to improve my swim times, I've started doing 5 sets of 5 pullups daily.
I also got in my final pre-race run today in Farmville.
This will be triathlon #13 for me. Personally, I like to see the course before a race so that I can visualize myself out on the course and how I will cope with certain sections of it (the hills, for example), but it's just not possible for me to do this with this race. To be honest, I find triathlons incredibly challenging. I'm a good swimmer I guess, but that only makes things worse because I always feel like I should be faster in that leg of the race. As for the bike part of the event, there's a slim chance I will break any personal records as I will have to rent (and ride) an unknown bike from a store in Plano before the race. It's not about your time, I keep reminding myself, but you can't ignore the competitive side of your ego, now can you?
I will say one thing, however. Triathlons give you a crash course in gratitude, perseverance, endurance, patience, and the rewarding feeling of knowing that by God's grace you have pushed yourself hard, broken through walls, and come out victorious on the other side (even when you place last in your age group). These races takes us to deepest recesses of self-doubt and pain, but they also lead to the opposite reaction of pride and the exuberant happiness that comes after a race.
Sometimes when I'm in Dallas, I can feel Becky with me. I try to imagine what her reaction would have been had she been watching the race. I'd like to think that she would be proud of me.
I know how I will feel. I will be full of gratitude to God for such an amazing experience.