How my Tri-journey is changing.

As I conclude my WyldTri '10 season review. I come to the last race of the season. I hope as you have read these series of blogs that you see the progression of how my Tri-journey has been changing. It has been my desire over these past few weeks to show how I have arrived to where I am now. I hope that I have fully shown how I have went from having an awareness of God in my athletic lifestyle to allowing Jesus to move through me while I race. I also want to show how I have gone from racing to give God the glory in my results to racing for His glory with my actions. While most of my blogs have been in hindsight. This last race was what made me want to look back and see how God was leading me to the point I am at now.

The last race of the WyldTri '10 season was the Great Illini Challenge. It was held on the campus of the University of Illinois in Urbana,IL. This was not on my original last race of the season. I was planning on doing a Half Ironman instead. Due to a family issue again I had to cancel this race and decide to do the Illini race instead. I wanted to help a friend and teammate. My Friend Tony was doing his very first Triathlon. Tony had been training all summer, loosing weight and getting control of his life. Me I just wanted to do just one more triathlon. So my plan was to do my race and then run the run portion with Tony. Who would have known what was about to happen that day. This race changed the direction my Tri-journey.

The morning started with rain. Yes, wonderful ran and trying to set up your transition area in this condition as well. As I went to the swim area. The swim was in a 50 meter inside pool. (6 Links, 300 meters) During my warm up time I felt good and ready to roll. I then started the swim and the first 75 meters went well. It was after the 75 meters I felt like I was drowning. I had to go from freestyle and then on to the breath stroke back to freestyle and back again. I struggled and could not get my swim together. Then out of the water and off to the transition area. Again my helmet ear piece fell off and then my Garmin fell of my bike after I fixed both items it was off on the bike. I has a set pace and was holding it well.  My bike portion was almost flawless. As I was coming back in I saw what I thought was a cyclist that was hit by a car. As I approached the intersection my Garmin fell off again and I had to stop. As quick as I could stop someone handed me my Garmin. I shouted to the cyclist to see if he was okay. He replied he had a flat. I asked if he had a Tube and he stated no. I then asked if he had air and an Air chuck and again he said no. So I gave him a tube, air cartridge, and gave him my air chuck. and I went off to finish my bike ride. Transition was a breeze and off on the run. I had one of the best Runs ever and finished well despite the mishaps.

As I waited for Tony to come by on the run I decided to check my results. I counted off my age-group finishers and found out I finished 4th. (They only awarded top 3) Just missed placing, but for some strange reason I felt at peace with it. I was not upset or mad because of what I did (stopping to give a helping hand). Just then Tony came by and we were off on the run. Tony was a big guy and was more or less doing the run/walk method. My job to keep him focused and push him along. I must confess it was the most fun 5k I have ever ran. I laughed, joked and just talked about life with Tony. I was so proud of him. He was doing it. I even talked to him about how I had helped that guy and how I had finished 4th in my age-group. Tony told me he was proud of me and I did the right thing.  As we rounded the corner Tony's family was in full force. When he finished his family was so proud of him. I was also very proud of him as well.

Tony Finishing His First Triathlon

While I was waiting I heard my name called over the P.A. to report to a booth that was set up at the race. When I got to the booth a man introduced himself to me as Chris Lansford. he was the guy I had helped. He handed me my air chuck and air cartridge and said, "thanks I thought my day was over". I told him, "thanks". He said, "I guess..." I said, " Look, God has blessed me beyond my wildest dreams. You don't owe me a thing. I just want to be a blessing to someone else".  After we talked a while he and I parted ways. Someone came up to me and said, "you might want to check the board, there was a scoring error".  I found out the scoring error allowed me to go from 4th to 3rd in the age-group and 17th overall. I have said this over and over  again in this blog. You cannot out bless God. I went to be a blessing to my friend Tony and received more blessings than I can count.

Chris Lansford and myself enjoying our Rewards

Jesus told the story of the Good Samaritan. How the most Religious of men just passed by and traveled on the opposite side of the road. The one person who was willing to help was in the minds of the Jews the most lowly of people. He not helped the man he put him up and paid for the care of the man as well.  As I was waiting for the award ceremony. I was standing there with my friends Tony, Nick, and my girlfriend Julie. I heard the name of Chris Lansford. I turned to my friends and said, "hey that is the guy I had helped". Chris had just got 3rd place in his age-group.  I went up to him and congratulated him and he said it again, "I thought my day was ruined until you came along". I smiled and thought hey I had a part in that. So if you run the totals for the day you will find. I finished 17th overall, 3rd in my age-group, helped my buddy finish his 1st triathlon. Finally, I acted like a good Samaritan, Honored God with my actions (not my results) and He finished 3rd in his age-group and me I received a blessings of knowing I did what Jesus wanted me to do. I think sometimes we use the saying, "what would Jesus do?" I think what Jesus meant when he said, ..."Go, and do likewise. (Lk. 10:37)  We are to do the will of the Father, and be open to opportunities that would allow us to serve Jesus. By doing something as simple as stopping and giving someone a tube, air cartridge, and an air-chuck. I was doing the will of the Father. There are opportunities to serve Jesus we just have to look for them.

As we were leaving the race that day. Julie (my girlfriend) said to me I think your Tri-journey just changed. I said I think you are right. I hope to find as many ways to serve Jesus as I continue to Staring at Lines.