Tomorrow it's time for another bike ride. I'm not a cyclist who wants to do running, I'm a runner who likes to do cycling.
Biking the 52-mile Virginia Capital Trail during Covid last year.
I have found that running involves a different motor skill set from cycling. And believe me, my legs know the difference. With cycling you work your quads differently and you're not blowing out your knee joints as much with the high gravitational knee force you get while running. Cycling, I'm told, is also great for weight loss and general conditioning.
As I have often said, I want to get to the starting line of my next marathon as fit, fresh, and healthy as possible. Especially for a newbie runner like me, cross-training (cycling, walking, hiking, swimming, etc.) is necessary to keep me from overtraining as a marathoner. I think it's great training to have one or two rides a week. If you're not totally dialed into the sport of running, why not consider cycling? I do both and I personally find that they complement each other nicely. Cycling is a great aerobic workout and you can get your heart rate up for long periods of time while not pushing into the red heart rate zone. It's also a way to build generally strong quads.
At 69 I am cycling better than ever thanks to the advice of Rob "the Bike Guy" in Wake Forest. Of course, I prefer running because you can do it almost anywhere with limited gear, it's super time efficient, and it works your cardiovascular system in a slightly different way than cycling. That said, having cycled for the past couple of years, I feel that my cardiovascular health has improved no end. In short, cycling without a doubt can make you a fitter and faster runner.
Onward and upward through the highs and lows we runners endure!
Today's run was a casual out and back at the local trail.
It was just me, the Lord, and this little guy.
Don't know why I'm lookin' so serious here.
I think it was during the time I was pondering the significance of the present imperatives in Rom. 12:2 (a passage I was studying this morning in my Bible time). Anyway, I am so thankful for my blessings and grateful that I can get outdoors and enjoy God's creation. So far I couldn't have asked for a better week.
Having spent the day on campus I am ready to engage in some YouTube viewing -- you know, surfing at Pipeline, or the finish line at the Hardrock 100 mile race out in Colorado. I love watching videos in the evening, especially when I'm tired and need some mindless entertainment. But I'm never happier than when I'm reading a book. Allow me to introduce you to one -- an old friend, if you will, that I met in college back in 1975.
Yes, this wasTHEtextbook I had for beginning Greek at Biola -- you know, the class I lasted a grand total of 3 weeks in before dropping. "Chase and Phillips" it was called by some students (and "that horrible textbook" by others). It was a Classical Greek textbook designed for one semester at Harvard but, since Biola wasn't exactly the Harvard of the West, students took two semesters to trudge through its verbose, garrulous, pedantic pages.
By chapter 2, you felt like somebody had smacked you over the head with a 2 by 4. Here you're introduced to Greek accents, which means you have the joy of learning terms that nobody can remember and nobody understands, terms such as oxytone, paroxytone, ultima, penult, antepenult, paroxytone, proparoxytone, perispomenon, and properispomenon. In that chapter the authors actually had the gall to write, "These terms, though formidable, will save much laborious periphrasis." Well, sirs, I'll tell you what else will save much laborious periphrasis. How about I just drop the class??!!
Dave Black is the exact opposite of a natural-born language learner. That's why I love this book. I love this book because it reminds me of how close I came to missing my calling in life. I almost changed my major from Bible to Christian Ed like everyone else who couldn't handle the rigors of proparoxytones and antepunults. But in what has got to be the irony of the century, yours truly -- ye olde drop-out Doofus, the language imbecile -- was hired to teach Greek from this very textbook exactly 2 years after he had dropped the class. Today I teach, not because I want to, but because I have to. It's what I am. I know of no other way to live. Despite my absolute lack of language acumen, I found myself on a career track that has brought me incredible joy and satisfaction in life. Today I can say the same thing about running. The heart and soul of running is fighting through adversities, pushing hard, and being determined. I haven't forgotten the triumph I felt when I finished my first marathon 5 years ago. Nor have I forgotten the absolute thrill of entering the classroom for the first time as a teacher in 1976. Chase and Phillips, I owe you everything. Because of you, my life changed. Your book helped me to hone my craft as a teacher. You taught me what to do and what to avoid doing in the classroom. You reminded me that Biolans were not Harvardites, and that they needed a textbook that was written for kids from Hawaii. (Hmm, didn't a kid from Hawaii eventually write that book?) Greek isn't all about suffering and pain and going hard and pushing through. If you're going to stick with it, it better be fun. It's impossible to be unhappy while digging into the Greek New Testament on your own.
Friend, if something is worth doing, then it's worth doing now. Don't wait for tomorrow. If there is a goal you want to achieve, start working toward it. How completely amazing is it that a 69-year old man should have come so close to missing what became his life's calling? It goes to show that your background doesn't have to be a limiting factor in going after your dreams.
When I told a friend of mine that I had done the run-swim-run in Virginia Beach last Saturday, he asked, "Did you finish?" I wanted to quit at least a hundred times. My finishing time was slower than most. But what I lack in talent I make up in tenacity and pure stubbornness. Whatever you're facing in life today, it's completely normal to feel bad. But whining and bellyaching won't help matters. Instead of complaining about how difficult life is, focus on what it's going to take to get you to the finish line.
Remember: It's not about perfection. It's about relentless forward progress. Just ask my buddies Chase and Phillips.
What did I learn by swimming in the open ocean last Saturday in Virginia Beach? The first and most important lesson: You have to stay relaxed and comfortable during your swim. Not being comfortable while you're breathing during a swim is probably the most self-defeating thing you can do during a competition. Then, be sure to blow bubbles out of your mouth as soon as your face enters the water after breathing. Don't hold your breath. Relax and have faith in your training and your stroke. Finally, find your pace. Once you have found it, you can turn it up a notch if you want to. But don't try and swim as fast as everyone else. Let them be them and you be you.
So how did I do? I have to admit that I started the swim leg of the race uptight. I was worried about the distance, about the current, and about the waves. I was also frazzled because I had never done an open water swim before in a race. It took me a while before I could relax to the point where I would exhale as soon as my face re-entered the water. My tendency was to look up to see where I was. But when I discovered that I could reliably follow the more experienced swimmers for direction control, I could relax. Finally, once I found my rhythm it was smooth sailing for the most part. I had heard that you should count from 1 to 10 repeatedly while swimming. I did this mental trick and it worked wonders. As long as I could keep counting to 10 I knew I would be okay. I didn't need to kick exceptionally hard because of the buoyancy of the salt water. I just remained focused on my breathing, taking consistent deep breaths in and out. 1 to 10. 1 to 10. 1 to 10.
One thing that helped me greatly was the presence of lifeguards on paddle boards along the course. Occasionally one would ask me how I was doing. Just knowing that help was nearby if needed was an incredible confidence booster. In the end, I simply concentrated on three things: A calm spirit, a regular inhaling and exhaling pattern, and a relaxed stroke. Pace didn't matter since I wasn't in the race to compete.
Swimming in the ocean is so NOT like swimming in a pool. I am told it gets easier with experience. I hope so.
In exactly one month -- August 19th to be exact -- the new fall semester begins on campus. Fellow teachers, God values the hard work you do every day. I once heard someone say that teaching is CRAZY:
C = Care for your students. Speak with your students. Listen to them. Let them know that you care. And for crying out loud, answer their emails promptly.
R = Real world examples that relate to your students' lives. Keep classes relevant. Understand the issues and pressures your students are facing.
A = Actual experiences in your life that relate to your topic.
Z = Zeal! Make your classes energetic and interesting. Add some vigor to your rigor.
Y = You. You make the difference in the classroom. Remember, Jesus said that we become just like our teachers (Luke 6:40).
I would add:
Be yourself. (Your best self, of course.)
Enjoy the ride.
Teaching is a wonderful calling. Education liberates us from the prison of ignorance. It finds its glory in sharing and serving. This is the kind of teacher I want to be. These are the kinds of students I want to raise up. This fall I'm teaching Greek 2 and Advanced Greek Grammar. If I teach well, I will create a household of grace filled with happy Jesus followers who love and serve him with their whole heart.
If we are to love each other like Jesus loves us, then we have to understand the little letter called 1 John. This book is all about fellowship -- sharing the burdens of life, making them easier for everyone to carry. "We must love one another," said Jesus. It's true. We really must.
Here Karen Jobes reminds us that the book of 1 John probably originated as a sermon the apostle gave to his congregation.
That would explain the lack of any mention of the author at the beginning. The focus is not on John, it's on Jesus, "the life-giving message." Can you imagine for a moment what it must have been like to have heard, IN PERSON, the apostle John himself as he spoke the opening words of this letter:
God's message of life was alive when the world began, and yet I myself have seen him with my own eyes and have listened to him speak with my own ears. I have touched him with my own hands -- this "Word of Life." He who is life from God has been shown to us apostles and we guarantee that we have seen him. I am speaking about Christ, who is eternal life. He was with the Father and then was revealed to us.
Let me repeat: we are telling you about what we ourselves have actually seen and heard, so that you may share the fellowship we have with the Father and with Jesus Christ his Son. And if you do as I say in this letter, you too will be full of joy, and so will we.
None of us is perfect, and we need each other desperately. Yes, we will fail each other. We will disappoint even those closest to us. We must look at our church family and see their value before their failures, must forgive and forgive and forgive. In this, we are merely demonstrating the mercy shown to us by Christ.
I can totally get it when people say they don't like to run, especially when you have to get up early in the morning. I mean, who wants to see sunrises like this one?
Of course, if you've ever been to Virginia Beach you recognize this as the one-and-only Neptune statue (aka Poseidon). He's supposed to be the god of the sea and the protector of those who venture out on her. Much good he did today.
As you know, I was in Virginia Beach to participate in the 22nd annual Allan Stone Memorial 5K and Run-Swim-Run. Allan Stone was a Navy Seal who was tragically killed during a training exercise. Today he was honored along with other Navy Seals who died in the line of duty. Officiating were these two Naval officers.
The one on the right, by the way, is a Navy Seal chaplain and was educated at Dallas Seminary -- and has taken classes at Southeastern! Before the races kicked off, we took a few moments to honor the dead. Here you can see family members -- spouses, parents, children -- of those we were remembering today.
The names of their loved ones were spoken aloud, along with the names of all the other Navy Seals who gave their final measure of devotion for country and home. I don't think I was the only one who got choked up while their names were being read. Then the Seal Parachute Team landed on the beach just as the singing of the National Anthem came to a conclusion. More teared-up eyes.
Before the race, the head of the Virginia Beach Volunteer Lifesaving Squad briefed the swimmers.
He made it sound like the swim would be a piece of cake and assured us that we'd be swimming with the current. Sadly, he was wrong on both accounts.
The races started with the Team Hoyt 5K. In case you don't recognize that name, Team Hoyt is named after Dick and his son Rick Hoyt. When Rick was born with a diagnosis of cerebral palsy, the doctors advised his parents to institutionalize him since they felt there was little to no hope of him ever leading a normal life. But Dick and Judy Hoyt had other plans. In 1977, Dick participated in a benefit run for an athlete who had been paralyzed in an accident. Dick pushed Rick in a wheelchair. Afterwards, Rick said to his father, "Dad, when I'm running, it feels like I'm not disabled." That was the beginning of a father-son racing career that topped 1,300 races, including 6 Iron Man competitions. You can read the story here.
Team Hoyt Virginia Beach carries on this beautiful tradition. Here was their race start. GO RUNNERS!!!
After that the non-swim 5K began.
A few minutes later the rest of us walked down to the water's edge to begin a 1K run on the beach, a 1K swim back to where we started, and then a 5K race. To be honest, I went into the race with a sense of fear and trepidation. I mean, swimming for over a half mile in the open ocean? Really? I was surprised by my feelings since I am normally a person who loves to push the boundaries of the possible. After all, wasn't I born and raised in Hawaii? Hadn't I been a life guard and swimming instructor in California? Hadn't I surfed all my life? True. But since 1998 I've lived in Nelson (landlocked) Virginia, and if I did do any competitive swimming it was in a pool. Furthermore, hadn't we been told that we'd be swimming with the current?
When the run on the shore began I held back, hoping to save my strength for the swim portion of the competition. Sure enough, when we back-of-the-packers entered the water, the current seemed to be with us. But about half way I noticed I was barely moving. So was everyone else. Eventually a life guard paddled up and told us that the current had switched directions. We were now swimming against a strong current. The only thing we could do was move closer to the shore where the current wasn't as strongly felt.
Once we did that, we were able to make slow but steady progress, even though now we had to do battle with the breakers. I repeated my mantra "Through perseverance even the snail reached the ark" over and over again, keeping my eyes firmly planted on old Mr. Neptune. An hour and 20 minutes later, I emerged from the water to begin my 5K run. I quickly got over my sea legs and was able to pound out the miles in a nice time. By the time I reached the finish line the awards ceremony had been going on for some time, which was fine with me as I guessed they weren't going to give out awards for last place finishers any way. Here I am before the race, "exuding" confidence. Like my halo?
One thing I know about myself is that I love new challenges. Today was such a day. Maybe I should have become a Navy Seal after all.
Mega kudos to Mike Wilson and his wife for putting on a fabulous, challenging, and memorable event. I noticed on their table that they had a Bible. It's difficult to find a better reason to run than such passages as Heb. 12:1-2 in the Holy Bible. And it seems so appropriate and fitting that a race should honor people for their courage and sacrifice -- biblical virtues for sure. The satisfaction that comes from a race like this one is deep and long-lasting, knowing that you pushed yourself way, way, way farther than you thought possible, and all for a good cause. These are the moments I will savor for the rest of my life.
