Make It Count
At 6:30 am, it was still dark outside as we pumped up our tires and made our way to the starting area. Still in sweatpants and a long sleeved shirt, I breathed in the cool fall air and laughed, "Hmmm, it's a great day for a swim!"
Soon, the sun began to reflect off the dark navy water, making the lake shine and glisten. We staked our claim in the transition area, set up our bikes, laid out our towels, and pinned our numbers to our jerseys before making our way down to the lake to join the other competitors at the start.
A group of about thirty women, all topped in brightly colored swim caps, waded up to their knees into the lake. There was an excitement in the air as the announcer counted down, "One minute!" "Fifteen seconds!" "On your mark, get set, go!"
Although I started out with goose bumps on a chilly, dark autumn morning, the sun soon shone brightly, making it an absolutely perfect day for a sprint triathlon.
Jessica and I had been training for this event for eight weeks, and we finally put it all together as we swam 500 yards around two big yellow booeys in the middle of the lake, biked 13.5 miles out and back, and ran a 5k around the neighborhood to reach the grand finish line... all in under two hours to meet our goal.
Although Jessica and I have swam, biked, and ran the same distance several times during our training, there was something different about this day. The brand new course combined with the festivities of competition created an atmosphere of energy and excitement.
Most of all, this race was extra enjoyable because of the one hundred other participants racing alongside you and cheering you along the way. At every transition, onlookers clapped and cheered you with encouraging words. Along the way, happy volunteers passed out water and gatorade and yelled, "Way to go!" "You are doing great!" "You are almost there!"Even in the middle of the race, people who passed you would smile and say, "Keep up the good work! Good job!" In turn, whenever I met or passed someone, I, too, would congratulate them and encourage them to press on and enjoy the race.
When I crossed the finish line, I gave a big thumbs up and a bright smile for the picture. I felt strong, accomplished, and cheerful because of all the encouragement and support I had received along the way. I really think it was all the cheering and encouraging words that got me across that finish line. I wanted to do it all over again, just to experience the giving and receiving of encouraging words.
The power of encouraging words goes way beyond race day. Its what gets us to the finish line and what keeps us strong along the way. I want to make my words count by speaking life and hope to my fellow travelers, whether they are running strong or struggling to take the next step. I don't want to pass people in this life without looking their way. Instead, I want to race alongside them, breathe hard and deep together, and cheer for one another. I want to be pushed harder by people who are stronger than me. In the same way, I want to push people onward and encourage them to stay strong until the end.
I want to keep racing, but I want to do it alongside many people, and I want to make my words count.
Soon, the sun began to reflect off the dark navy water, making the lake shine and glisten. We staked our claim in the transition area, set up our bikes, laid out our towels, and pinned our numbers to our jerseys before making our way down to the lake to join the other competitors at the start.
A group of about thirty women, all topped in brightly colored swim caps, waded up to their knees into the lake. There was an excitement in the air as the announcer counted down, "One minute!" "Fifteen seconds!" "On your mark, get set, go!"
Although I started out with goose bumps on a chilly, dark autumn morning, the sun soon shone brightly, making it an absolutely perfect day for a sprint triathlon.
Jessica and I had been training for this event for eight weeks, and we finally put it all together as we swam 500 yards around two big yellow booeys in the middle of the lake, biked 13.5 miles out and back, and ran a 5k around the neighborhood to reach the grand finish line... all in under two hours to meet our goal.
Although Jessica and I have swam, biked, and ran the same distance several times during our training, there was something different about this day. The brand new course combined with the festivities of competition created an atmosphere of energy and excitement.
Most of all, this race was extra enjoyable because of the one hundred other participants racing alongside you and cheering you along the way. At every transition, onlookers clapped and cheered you with encouraging words. Along the way, happy volunteers passed out water and gatorade and yelled, "Way to go!" "You are doing great!" "You are almost there!"Even in the middle of the race, people who passed you would smile and say, "Keep up the good work! Good job!" In turn, whenever I met or passed someone, I, too, would congratulate them and encourage them to press on and enjoy the race.
When I crossed the finish line, I gave a big thumbs up and a bright smile for the picture. I felt strong, accomplished, and cheerful because of all the encouragement and support I had received along the way. I really think it was all the cheering and encouraging words that got me across that finish line. I wanted to do it all over again, just to experience the giving and receiving of encouraging words.
The power of encouraging words goes way beyond race day. Its what gets us to the finish line and what keeps us strong along the way. I want to make my words count by speaking life and hope to my fellow travelers, whether they are running strong or struggling to take the next step. I don't want to pass people in this life without looking their way. Instead, I want to race alongside them, breathe hard and deep together, and cheer for one another. I want to be pushed harder by people who are stronger than me. In the same way, I want to push people onward and encourage them to stay strong until the end.
I want to keep racing, but I want to do it alongside many people, and I want to make my words count.
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