Life and work has gotten in the way of my triathlon journey but I'm hanging in. I completed a sprint tri (COMBAT) on Saturday, May 28 under strict instructions from my coach to keep my pace well below threshold. He wanted me fresh for the Olympic race in Austin (CAPTEX) on Monday, May 30. His plan was flawless and I was ready for Austin, or so I thought. I never could find my form during the swim and by the time I exited the water, my heart-rate was way too high. The hills and wind were horrible on the bike. I kept repeating to myself that it was the same for everybody but I didn't listen to instinct nor my coach. I pushed higher than he wanted me to and by the time I got to the run, I was spent. I re-focused by using my time to encourage others and lift them up; it always helps prevent self-pity.
I am grateful that I crossed the finish line, even if it was 15 minutes slower than my expected time. As my coach keeps telling me, "It's not about the T-shirt, it's about the transformation." I also remembered my own words back in January (TRUST post) about sticking to the plan. The Apostle Paul wrote these words in 1 Corinthians 4:6, “Do not go beyond what is written;” a warning not to exalt man’s plan above God’s. Spiritually speaking, God has prescribed the exact training regimen and race instructions in His word. When our ego gets the better of us and we think we know better than Him, we are going to pay a price.
With God, as with triathlon training, we are always given a second chance. I will recover and refocus in preparation for the Redman HIM (half ironman) in September. My coach gave me an off week before that plan starts. I'm going to use this week to recover and refocus on keeping my walk with the Lord within His bounds.
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