Home from Paradise

"Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men." - Colossians 3:23

I've returned from my time in paradise refreshed and rejuvenated, with a renewed motivation to more effectively balance work, family, and training. I've also reaffirmed my commitment to give and be in service as much as I can, as I firmly believe and have experienced that the greatest joys and fulfillment come from giving of who you are and what you have. This has certainly been true for me, and I would highly encourage everyone who feels they are missing something out of life (and those who feel they're missing nothing for that matter) to give freely of themselves, and experience grace in return. I was once told by someone much wiser than me that everything we have is on loan to us, entrusted to us, so none of it is ours. We will benefit more from being good stewards of what has been entrusted to us. I frequently fall into the trap of becoming frustrated or angry because I feel I don't have enough of something or something is being wasted, when the truth is I have everything I will ever need.

While it was an indulgence, to say the least, our recent trip to Kauai has been very beneficial to my outlook and inner peace. In my last post I expressed frustration over how slow I was in my run, and concern that I was not biking. Before I left, I lacked a sufficient amount of confidence in the swim, especially open water swimming. It is becoming clear that there is a lot of faith involved in endurance training because there are many aspects that you can't control. At times your heart will beat as fast as it wants to and there isn't much you can do to control it but slow down. This is what I had to do in Hawaii, and I thought I was regressing. However, I became accepting and just remembered to enjoy the run, occasionally stopping for pictures. Below are some shots from my last run, just before leaving for the airport.

Sunrise along a sugar cane access road

Panoramic photo of the sunrise

Mahaulepu Beach - The end of the trail

What I discovered upon my return was very significant. Faith, humility, and acceptance in training appeared to help me improve despite going slower in a hotter, more humid climate. I got back on the bike the day after our return and did a 3.5 hour ride, consistently holding a 19-20 mph pace (although an extreme hill at the end of the course slowed me down and wore me out - one of the unfortunate side effects of living beyond a number of hills). Just today I was able to do a bike/run transition, holding my fastest bike and run splits to date, and I feel great (bike avg. on flat course 19.5 mph for 45 minutes - HR at 135 avg.; Run avg. on flat course 8:34 min/mile for 30 minutes - HR at 141 avg.). Most importantly, I have developed comfort and speed in the water. I am able to swim up to 3,000 yds in a session without being fatigued, and am down to 2 min/100 yds (not great, but good for me). My form feels more natural, and I have confidence in the open water.

Things are definitely improving, and I can see that the focus I am taking on my training (focusing on aerobic heart rate, being humble and accepting, as well as the improved diet) is actually working very well. At this point I think I finally have the confidence to say that I could finish this thing and hopefully do fairly well. But I won't get ahead of myself.

So today, here's where my weekly training is at. 

• Swim: Three times a week, 3,000 yards per workout
• Bike: Two shorter rides, one spin, one long ride per week, about 100 miles
• Run: Two one hour runs including short intervals (picking up the pace to get my heart rate to Z4), two half hour runs transitioning from the bike, and one long run, about 30+ miles
• Two strength training sessions per week

I know what you may be thinking, and the answer is a lot of 4 am wake up calls. But it is worth it for the time to be with God in meditation, and the energy it provides throughout the day.  

34

Hanalei Bay, Kauai, Hi

One of the clear pieces of evidence to me that there is a God is the beauty that has the opportunity to exist in this world. I say "opportunity" because I believe God's hand may not necessarily direct specific outcomes, but instead provides a "nudge". The will of man can glorify, exploit, or contradict God's vision. Nothing exemplifies this more than the story of the islands of Hawaii. 

The islands were born violently through millions of years volcanic eruptions creating a desolate but fertile, nutrient-rich landscape. Seeds took root and evolved into the lush landscape we see today, which has fortunately been preserved by humans since inhabitants first arrived. However, through those centuries many many battles (violent and nonvoilent) were fought for control of these islands. There is a rich history of bloodshed and loss, but the culture survives, and so too does the natural beauty. A telling contrast of God's Will and man's will.

This vacation to Kauai has been a great and welcome departure from the routine. It has been great to get away with the family and enjoy the kids outside the home environment for a change. As I celebrate my 34th birthday tomorrow, I can reflect on the very positive 33rd year I had on this Earth. I vowed shortly before I turned 33 to do my best everyday to wake up and ask for God's Will to be done in my life. I have certainly not been perfect with this, as I still want to be in control. But I have improved, and I've seen a noticable connection with God. Where previously God was just a blurry image of something I wanted Him to be, day by day as I improve my conscious contact with Him, He becomes clearer. I begin to experience my relationship with Him, along with serendipity, and peace. It's my second and more tangible piece of evidence that there is a God. Now as I enter another year, I hope only to improve that relationship even more, and be as much of a blessing to others as I can be. 

Sarah and Zack in one of the "man-made" attractions

I have really had to work on my humility and acceptance during this trip. As I continue to train, I have had to accept the fact that I am without a bike during the trip. Not too concerning as I can get back to it pretty rapidly once I get home. I have also had to find a place to do some swimming. It would seem that this would be an easy one since this is, in fact, an island. However, this week has seen abnormally large swells, and attempts at ocean swims have been met with fairly quick exhaustion and little distance. Fortunately, I am getting challenging ocean workouts, which is getting me comfortable with swimming in open water.

I am having the hardest time being patient with and accepting my running performance here. It seems every little change in climate dramatically affects my pace and heart rate. This was true in Tucson, Lake Tahoe, and now in Hawaii. I am finding that I am about a minute off my pace. This is largely due to the fact that I have to acclimate to the climate, which could take a couple weeks to do. The high heat, humidity, intense sun, and wind all affect my performance. This is an ominous realization as I have signed up for a race in Cabo San Lucas in March (avg. temperature is 80-90), and I'll be coming from Southern California (avg. temperature is 60-65). Needless to say, I have had a number of inappropriate outbursts as my heartrate begins to rise through 143 and I'm at a 10 minute per mile pace. 

That is part of the process of becoming stronger, working through the most challenging times and not giving up. I equate it to putting a donut on a baseball bat; once I come to the plate, I swing faster and harder. I anticipate that once I get home, I may be faster, but if not, I'll keep working. Humility in all cases builds strength and character, but giving up does nothing but invite bad habits to resurface. So I'll keep on running. Right foot, left foot. Breathe in, breathe out. Let go, let God. 

34. Bring it on.

               Marie, Sarah, and I after dinner

            Trail around the Grand Hyatt Kauai

                                       Trail through the Kauai Coffee Plantation