I am a finisher. I love saying that about myself. I enjoy finishing what I start and feeling the sense of accomplishment that I get from doing that. To me finishing is something that only matters to me. By that I mean that I am not tied up in comparing my time or position to that of others. It is enough to finish.
That doesn't mean that I am not striving to become better. I believe in continuous improvement. I am happiest when I am learning how to be better and striving to become my very best.
It is a thrill to finish something that seems impossible. On April 4th, 2009, I swam 1.2 miles in the ocean, rode my bike 56 miles in the hills of Camp Pendleton, and ran 13.1 miles along the shore of the Oceanside Strand.
I arrived at the race at 5:15 AM. The air temperature was 45 degrees Fahrenheit and the water temperature was 58 degrees. That made the water feel warm when I finally got in at 7:00 AM. I finished just before 2:00 PM with at total time of 6 Hours, 49 Minutes and 7 seconds. The struggle I felt as I competed seemed completely erased when I crossed the finish line. It was a feeling I will never forget. I was emotional as I took it all in.
Service from the Service
Along the bike course there were three aid stations. These stations were staffed with volunteers who were there to provide physical and emotional support. They gave us energy drinks and food. They also gave encouragement by cheering us on as we passed by.
Over half of the bike course was behind the gates of Camp Pendleton. The final aid station was staffed by military personnel in full uniform. They handed us water and cheered us on, just like the other volunteers. These men and women who are already giving so much to my country, were giving more of their time to serve me. They were vociferous as they cheered us on, calling us by name and encouraging us to dig deeper. I could not believe it. I felt very emotional as I considered this great gift. I thought to myself, what is in it for these guys? Why would they be willing to give from what little free time they have to stand along the highway and pass out water and encouragement to us? Then I realized that the very act of serving in the military is one of selfless service - it is an act of serving our Country and those of us who live within her borders. I felt grateful for all that these men and women do to keep our Country safe. I am humbled for the personal service they gave to me.
Everybody Knows Your Name
This was the first race I have participated in where my name was printed along with my race number. For the first time, as I raced throughout the day, the spectators could call my name and encourage me. It was amazing to pass by people and have them say - come on Andrew, you can do it.
There was on particular individual who went to great lengths to cheer me on. It was during the run and I was tired. I had stopped to walk for a minute, and I came upon a man who was cheering us on. He looked at me and said, "don't give up Andrew, you got this". I started to run and he went crazy! He started shouting at the top of his lungs, "way to go Andrew, dig deeper. You have it within yourself to finish. Keep going. You are almost there." Again, I thought, what is in it for this guy? Why would he stand out here all day just to cheer on a weary triathlete? How could he give so much love to somebody he doesn't even know and will never see again? I was amazed at how much greatness there is within so many of us. This man made my day and in fact made me dig a little deeper to finish the race.
The Lesson of Service
The lesson that I will take from this race is that it is really easy to serve others. It does not cost us anything to learn somebody's name and encourage them to continue on during difficult times. There are a lot of us that are experiencing difficulties right now. Some of you reading may even be included in that group.
We all have two choices; we can buy into the doom and gloom and downward spirals that are going on around us and give in to the weariness that we feel, or we can dig a little deeper and share the joy that is within each of us with others and encourage them along the way. I know how good it feels to be cheered along the path. I choose to cheer others on too. When was the last time you cheered somebody on? When was the last time you called your spouse by his or her name or your children by their names? What about those you work with? Was it in a moment of anger or were you cheering them on when you called their name? It feels good to hear your name and to be cheered on. Take the time to offer encouragement today - I am certain that it feels just as good to give encouragement as it does to receive it. Let me know how it goes for you.
Live Today, Love Today!
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