As I sit here and write this blog entry in my nice cool home, I am a little overwhelmed by what is going on outside. Today is a record setting day of heat here in Houston, TX. It has really taken a toll on training on me for the whole summer. I guess I really did not notice it last year, because I was not running, biking, and swimming the distances I am this year. Of course my training has paid off to where I have achieved several personal records, finished a 1/2 marathon and a 1/2 Ironman. All of this has really taken a toll on my body. I somehow think I saw my peak during the Waco Triathlon this year, and I have slowly seen a decline every since. Of course I was in denial, and this past weekend was rock bottom for me. 
As you may know, I was competing in the Spring Fall Classic at Lake Tawakoni State Park. I had considered this my homecoming because I had grown up so close to Lake Tawakoni. I really wanted to represent and have a good finish. Training before the race was pretty good, until the day before the race. I was on a routine training bike ride that was only supposed to be 6 miles, but somehow I suffered my first bike crash while taking a turn. Fortunately the crash did not cause any broken bones or equipment, but the chip seal on the street cut me up pretty good, and I had a few bumps and bruises. Rachel and my mother were worried about the open wounds getting infected in the lake, and I guess for good reason considering that I was hospitalized last year for a staph infection. Nothing was going to stop me though. After meeting Cherise of Big Earth Racing and finding out about the field, I felt I had a date with destiny. I considered this race to be my best opportunity for a podium finish. My destiny ended up being so much different that I expected. 
I started the race really great, and even though I felt some tightness in my right leg and soreness in my elbow; I had the fastest swim split that I have ever had. The water was surprisingly 83 degrees which felt pretty good considering that North Texas has seen 40+ days of 100+ weather. My T1 was the fastest that I have ever had, and I knew I was on my way to a record breaking finish. I hopped onto the bike and started my 25 mile ride in 6th place. I was still fighting some soreness in my leg, but it was not stopping me from making up the time with the leader. I had him in my sights, and he was less than a 100 yards away when all of a sudden the soreness in my leg became a strong and localized pain in my hamstring. It literally felt like knives were stabbing me in the back of may leg. I never really felt anything snap or pop, but it was all of a sudden and the pain was unbearable. I knew what I had to do, but I did not want to do it. Finally about about mile 7, I knew it was inevitable, and I turned around and headed back to transition to turn in my chip. This was a first for me, but it was a first that I never wanted to have...My First DNF. I can not even explain how upset I was about this. I have never had to "quit" before, and I felt that I was letting down my team, Shawn's Anomaly, and all you that have followed my progress. It was not until I started to receive several messages from all of you that I started to feel better, but one specifically from my friend and Team Shawn teammate, Edward Raudez, that I started to get a revelation. As the week moved by, and I was limited on my workouts, I started to reflect on where I was and what I have been able to accomplish. Messages of encouragement continued to come my way from so many people about how proud they were about what I have done.
"The Revelation" has continued, and I started to realize that this journey is about so much more than me getting on a podium or even finishing. It is about the spirit of "I Can"! For anyone who have ever completed a marathon, a triathlon, or an Ironman, the story is not about the finish line, but it is about getting to the start line. It is about the constant hours of training away from your family, the determination to continue training even when you don't want to. It's about the resilience to overcome the adversity of injuries and mental exhaustion that we will all get from time to time. All we have do is look around to find inspiration. For me it came in several ways including this clip from "Finding Nemo":
We all have the spirit of "I Can" inside of us. For some, we may find it on the course of an Ironman, and for others, supporting Team Shawn through donations to Shawn's Anomaly. We all have it deep down inside and we all need to tap into it. When we say "I Can" it benefits so many others that may not be as fortunate as us. Today during a lesson at Ecclesia Church, the speaker was talking about a conversation he was having with his young 9 year old daughter about the ability to adopt a child. She said to him, "If you can do it, then why wouldn't you do it?" That is some great wisdom from a 9 year old.
