Try. (part II)

"10 seconds!"

5 seconds!

Bang!

Instantly I was in a frantic swarm of swimmers, each kicking and clawing their way forward in the crisp lake water.  It was a bit of a shock, to be honest, how out of control I felt.  It was like there wasn't a free inch of water to swim in.  I would try to streamline my stroke by stretching out and being as long as possible, then as I punched the lake with my hand and tried to kick I was welcomed not by water but by other racers.  I never thought I'd understand how those fish feel when they're all trapped in the same giant net, but here I was, flailing on top of other racers' bodies and being kicked in the face.  Eventually, after pushing through the white water and getting to the side of the pack, I found some open water.  At this point I felt like I was the last one in line.  I pulled and pulled to catch up.  Open water swimming has an extra challenge; chances are the water is murky and there aren't any lines on the bottom of the lake anyway to keep you straight, like in a pool.  This requires swimmers to sight or spot their location regularly to make sure you're not wasting precious energy swimming in the wrong direction! I had practiced sighting because I tend to veer a little to the right, which is the side I breathe on.  The course was organized in a triangle shape, with large inflatable buoys at each point.  Every time I put my head up to spot my line, I'd look to the buoy.  I'd swim for what felt like a lifetime, then quickly look up. Every time I did this, it felt like the buoy wasn't getting any closer.  Was I just swimming in place?  I was miserable.

The scary thing about the swim is that unlike running or biking, if you get tired you can't just go slower or walk or cruise.  If you stop swimming you drown! Luckily, God invented the backstroke.  I had used so much adrenaline and energy at the start, which I now compare with the beginning of the Hunger Games when they are at the Cornucopia, so I was exhausted much sooner than anticipated.  I flipped onto my back and started backstroking.  I took in deep breaths to ease my nerves, soaked in the blue sky, smiled, and told myself I could do this.  Also, I saw that I was not the last swimming in line, but was actually ahead of a large number of other racers.  When I had finally calmed down I flipped back to my stomach and continued to push.  That swim felt like it lasted 8 hours.

Eventually I was swimming past the dock that I had started next to.  I was done with what most triathletes agree is the worst part of the race.  There's a saying; "the best part of the swim is when you get out of the water."  Those words flooded my mind as I felt solid ground beneath me and started to run up the boat ramp to the transition area, stripping off my wetsuit, cap, and goggles as I ran.

I got to transition, noticed the bike next to mine was gone, and got another punch of adrenaline.  I quickly put on my shoes, helmet, and sunglasses; took a shot of Gu; grabbed my bike and started rolling.  I heard my dad yelling, "go Ryyyy!" in the same voice I heard growing up playing basketball, baseball, soccer, football, and lacrosse.  It was the same "go Ryyyy" I heard when I was racing mountain bikes.  I can't express how much strength those two words in that voice give me.  When I hear that, it's not just that I know he's proud of me, it's that I know he's having a blast with me.  I'll write a post about my dad later, but he and I keep each other young.

Once my wet bike shorts hit my saddle, I felt at home.  Going from swim to bike for me is like sleeping in your own bed after lying awake on a stone slab in prison for 20 years... and no, I'm not being dramatic!  I thought, "this is your time now" and took off.  After feeling like a dead fish, it did a lot for my confidence to start passing dozens of people on the bike.  I took a second to look to my right and see the beautiful Yuba Lake shimmering next to me.  I couldn't help but feel grateful that I was doing something so fun and rewarding and it wasn't even 9 am yet!  Those moments are what make this sport so great.  

The bike ride was straightforward, fast, and I made up for a lot of my time that I lost in the swim.  I rode back into transition, hearing my mom's voice this time (I can't stress the importance of a support system when racing triathlons.  It's a huge source of energy and gives you that extra push.  Isn't it amazing what our mind can do for our body when it's stimulated?), hopped off the bike, switched to my running shoes, took off the helmet, put on my race belt, took another shot of Gu, and off I went!

I have NEVER considered myself a runner.  I have always hated running.  My high school lacrosse had a motto that I cringed at every time he yelled it at us... "Your body is capable of so much more than you know!" What that meant was, "you're going to run until I feel like you should stop."  I agree with him 100% that our bodies can do much more than we think, but that doesn't mean we want to see what it's capable of.  The run really is the decision maker in triathlon.  You can get away with a slower swim, and even if you aren't the fastest cyclist, because the run separates the prepared from the fatigued.  It shows who used their energy most efficiently throughout the race, and punishes those who went too hard too soon.  That's one of the reasons tri's are so challenging; you're competing in one discipline (like cycling) but you're thinking about the next thing you're going to be doing (running).  I spent the majority of my bike ride planning my run.  

Halfway through it turned into a trail run, and flat pavement transformed into steep dirt.  As I was trying to run as fast but as efficiently as I could, I was surprised to see people pass by going the opposite direction and actually cheer each other on.  "Great work! Almost there! You got this! Just a few more meters! Lookin' good!" It was like we were all on the same team.  I had never experienced that before in a competitive setting.  I loved it.  We were all racing ourselves as much as we were each other.  Triathlon is a sport of personal victories.  We were all in the same boat (or wetsuit...I wish a boat was involved).  As  I was approaching the finish, maybe a half a mile out, I got back into competitive mode.  I saw about three runners ahead of me.  I was going to pass them all.  Something sports have taught me since I was a kid is the value and importance of "leaving it all out there." You want to finish without any thoughts of "should've" or "could've," you want to finish completely spent.  My legs were hating me, but I started to sprint.  I passed the first two people, and was catching up to the last.  I made the turn into the finish area, kind of got confused as to which way to go, and then booked it to the finish line.  I missed him by 7 seconds.  

As my little nephew used to say when he was 3, I did it! I can't begin to tell you how rewarding it felt to cross that finish line, get a medal placed around my neck, and start chugging chocolate milk.  I would later find out I took 6th place in my age group and 15th overall!  I was a little bummed I didn't get in the top 3 for my age group, but really excited that I did that well for my first race.  My mom said, "when you came out of the water didn't you notice how many bikes were still in the transition area?!"  I replied, "I just noticed the one next to mine was gone."  I thought that was an interesting lesson on perspective.  I was seeing a false reality because I was so focused on something close to me, a detail, instead of the big picture.

 The swim got the best of me, and I learned a lot from that experience. I had been going through some very difficult personal issues at the time of this race, and completing it was a wake-up call for me.  It put new life in me that had been gone for a while before.  This race will always mean a lot to me.

From that day on, I was addicted to triathlon. 

I knew right away that it was going to be a large part of the rest of my life.

My awesome family came out to support me.  Having a support system is really crucial to being successful in triathlon.  Max was holding my hand for emotional support. 

Wading in for the start

My set up in the transition area. Wetsuit, swim cap, goggles, bike shoes, helmet, sunglasses, socks, bike, gloves, running shoes, race belt, shots of Gu, and a bright colored towel (so I don't waste time trying to find my stuff).

Getting anxious right before the start.

It was a little bit chilly that morning.

After a very long time of wanting to but never making the commitment to train for and race in a triathlon, I finally accomplished my goal. 

The best part of finishing this race was knowing that I was going wakeboarding right after!  Trust me, wakeboarding in Yuba was much more fun than swimming in it.

Chocolate milk is actually a really good recovery drink.  This pleases me.

This is the one and only Austin Beck.  He and I have known each other since birth.  Growing up, people thought we were twins.  I consider him my cousin, and he's always been a great friend.  He is a big shot at an residential treatment center for young boys called Telos (www.telosrtc.com)
Their treatment plan is focused on training young boys for triathlon.  Their model is that triathlon gives the boys a goal and an opportunity to work hard physically, mentally, and emotionally to achieve that goal.  Great idea in my opinion!  Telos is in conjunction with a Tri shop called T3 Triathlon.  Austin hooked me up with them and they provided my awesome jersey! They even said that if I start winning races while wearing their jersey they'll sponsor me!
 www.t3triathlon.com

Try.

"The woods would be very silent if no birds sang except those who sang best."

- Henry David Thoreau

Last autumn I got involved in the incredible sport of TRIATHLON. 

For some time now I've been wanting to document my journey of learning about, training for, and competing in multi-sport.  I even considered starting a separate blog specifically designated to triathlon; after all, if you do something then you're automatically qualified to start a blog about it, right? :P

 

Not only does triathlon have endless physical benefits, it also is a powerful source of growth for me, mentally and even spiritually.  I firmly believe that the body is home to the spirit; if one fails to maintain and take care of the body, the spirit will potentially begin to decay.  I have found that physical exercise and release is pivotal to my mental and spiritual health.  

For those of you unfamiliar with the sport, triathlon is divided into 3 sections, which are completed all in one race in the following order:

- Swim

- Bike

- Run

There are different distances and styles of triathlon but they typically fall into these categories:

Sprint

750 meter swim, 12.5 mile bike, 5 kilometer run

Olympic

1 mile swim (1500m), 25 mile bike (50k), 10 kilometer run

Half

1.2 mile swim, 56 mile bike, 13.1 mile run

Ironman

2.4 mile swim, 112 mile bike, 26.2 mile run (marathon).

Having competitively raced on mountain bike for 5 years, I've always been interested in getting into triathlon.  Since I was very little I've loved swimming and playing in the water, and I've always seen triathlon as a challenge.  I've never enjoyed running as a sport but was willing to learn.  After years of excuses and reasons to NOT start, I finally made a decision last summer that it was time for me to get in the water.  There's a common saying in triathlon, 

"You win the race by stepping up to the start line."

You've already succeeded if you've made a positive change in your life.  I registered for my first triathlon a mere 3 weeks before I was to race.  I hadn't been in a pool, I hadn't been running since high school lacrosse, and I had no idea where to start.  But I had paid money to register and I let that be my motivation to commit to be ready come race day.  Luckily, we live in an age where basically any information can be found almost instantly.  I got online and started researching and reading everything I could about training for a triathlon.  I made myself familiar with the sport, the techniques, the people, the lingo.  In my mind I thought, "no matter what happens, I just want to finish the race."  In my heart I wanted to win. 

I went online and bought a decent road bike for a great price. I bought a pair of goggles at BYU's Lost and Found Sale.  I started training.  When I first got in the pool, I could barely swim 4 lengths (100 meters) without feeling like I was going to die.  I thought to myself, "is this even a good idea? Maybe I can't do it." I remembered my commitment and decided to keep trying.  Training became my part-time job.  I found great joy in working hard every day and pushing through the pain of miles on the bike, busting my lungs running, and crawling along in the pool.  I was surprised at how quickly I began to improve.

Before I knew it I was heading down for my first race.  I carefully planned everything I ate the days before, as well as my sleeping patterns.  It was a chilly morning at Yuba Lake.  It was a gorgeous day to do a triathlon.  The lake was calm and glassy, the air was crisp and refreshing, and the transition area was swarming with eager triathletes.  I set up my bike and running gear at T1 (Transition 1. When you come out of the water, you run to your bike, stripping off your wetsuit, cap, and goggles as you run, put on your bike gear and take off for the bike leg of the race.  When you return from that you remove your helmet, change your shoes, and start the run). I put on my wetsuit and stretched while AC/DC and other pump-up music blared on the PA system.  Then it was time to start.  This was an open water start, meaning we swam out a ways into the lake and tread water until the gun went off.

This was it. I had prepared as much as possible in 3 weeks.  I didn't know what to expect.

Swimming in a pool by yourself is very different from swimming in a lake with 300 other racers.

"10 seconds!" I tried to take deep breaths.

"5 seconds!" 

Bang!

 to be continued...

 

Options.

"The future belongs to those who prepare for it today."  

- Malcom X

Prepare. It's an intimidating word, is it not?  Generally upon hearing those two syllables something triggers the neurons in my brain to induce a flow of anxious unease.  It's as if whatever I'm currently preoccupied with is a distraction and therefore a device of procrastination.  Ah, procrastination, he and I have quite the history together.  I could go on to further discuss the intricacies of mankind's affair with procrastination, but in that very act I'd be guilty of the topic, postponing subject for a tangent.  My question then is how does one prepare for that which one does not see?  What preparation can be made for an event or state of being that even guesses cannot predict?  We are expected to be ready for the future's tests while being utterly blind to its reality.  

How does one prepare?

My oversimplified answer lies in one boring word: options. 

One might say that I am currently in the very middle of the age of decision, on the threshold between an adolescence of preparation and an adulthood of action.  As I have taken the inevitable journey through potential career paths one fact has become excruciatingly clear to me; the more time I spend deciding to do something, the less time I will have to succeed at it.  

This notion unavoidably poses the question -- am I supposed to just settle?

I consider myself a humanist, and I couldn't be more passionate about the idea that our species is capable of great things, both good and evil.  I believe our capacity and potential, if fully understood, would shock and terrify us.  Then why should any of us settle for less than what we truly desire?  If you are tempted to settle or do with your life what you feel is safe, despite having a innate knowledge that you were meant for something more, please watch the following video.  Just because something has been done one way for an extensive amount of time does not mean it should continue to be done that way.

WATCH ME

How does one prepare? How does one avoid settling?  I believe that it is by giving yourself options.  Life is not a fork in the road until the future actually comes.  Until then, it is possible to spread yourself, to walk in several directions, and take a look at things from multiple views.  Pursue a number of paths, and then you will have freedom to choose.  For if one path is not what you expected you will have prepared for another.  If some tragedy beyond your control finds its way into your life and prevents you from progressing in one area, you can adapt and progress another way. 

In  essence, preparing for the unknown is an act of initiative.  It is stretching yourself to do more than you initially thought possible.  Life will deal you more than you expect, so why not be willing to do more than expected with your life?

You want to be a doctor? Do what it takes to be the best doctor, but at the same time learn about business or administration.  You want to be a chef? Do what it takes to become the best chef, but at the same time stretch yourself to gain experience in public health. 
Let us all strive to be Renaissance Men and Women.  The world desperately needs it.

Give yourself options. You owe it to your future.

Lenses.

I blog exactly how I journal.  Poorly.  

However, it has occurred to me that my life is full of stories and observations that I personally feel are worth sharing, or I guess saving; even if it's only with myself.  It is my hope that this will be an arena for me to document some thoughts and experiences that I'd rather not forget.  Maybe they will be entertaining or inspiring to you.  But let's not get ahead of ourselves.

Consider this a preface to what will hopefully be an accurate, interesting, noteworthy, and above all consistent record of the world through the astigmatism-laden eyes of yours truly.

It all started on a rainy night in September 1988...just kidding, but really if you ever want to hear about my birth story, it's a doozie. Instead I'll just make a quick list of a very few of the things I've learned from this mirage called life.

- Perfection is just around the corner.  And that corner is a circle.
- Bowls are much more satisfying to drink from than cups (but not like a dog).
- People will always assume things about you, and you about them.  You're both wrong.
- It is a poignant moment in life when you realize that neither of your parents are perfect, and you admire them even more because of it.
- Violent urges are unhealthy (apparently).
- If the brain is the computer of your body, the heart is most definitely the engine.  One can crash and the other break down, and both are vulnerable to external forces. Take care of them and you'll perform better.
- Wolves.
- People who say they don't care what others think of them care more than most.
- What others think of us has power to form what we think of ourselves.  We don't have to accept that.
- Thinking about your future (or present) children is an excellent filter before making any decision.
- Girls are mean.
- Boys are stupid.
- If you think something kind about someone, you will never regret telling it to their face.  You may forget it, but they won't.
- Mountains have a way of opening your mind.
- Not all people who talk about mountains smoke pot.
- Some of the most vulgar and inappropriate people are often the kindest and most optimistic.
- Some of the most well behaved and regal people are often the most sinister.
- Lefties have more fun.
- There is great dignity in the risk of pursuing dreams of grandeur.
- There is equally great dignity in quietly living life each day.
- We are past the point of no return with regards to the internet.  It is a part of life now and it is nearly impossible to go without it.  Try not to spoil it with your attention though.  Go outside and let your senses do their job.
- Letting people into your lane on the freeway can instantly calm your nerves.
- Paying attention to your walking speed and then slowing down can instantly make you feel better about life.
- When you're sad or stressed, looking at pictures of lions on google images can go a long way.

If you're still with me, congratulations. 
I know photographs are a lot better at maintaining our A.D.D. stricken generation's attention and words are basically static getting in the way of more visually stimulating media but one of the greatest things I've learned is that life is all about perspective.  History is perspective.  The status quo is perspective.  The ever-looming future is relative to each individual's perspective.  I think it's important that we take the time to understand what it all looks like using each others' lenses more often.

to be continued...

Naadam = Mongoliansummerdreamcometrue

I JUST WANT MORE THAN ANYTHING TO BE HERE RIGHT NOW...

http://naadam-festival.mn/

feeling homesick for my Mongolia this day.

Phonetography (cont.)

Let's continue our journey through the world from my cellular device's eyes.

I hope Haylie and I stay best friends forever.

love that girl.

moon.

love both of these girls. 

So my dad, brothers and I love mountain biking.  One night we took a ride up Corner Mountain Canyon behind the Draper temple.  This is one of the perks of riding a bike up a mountain.  The view.

But let's be honest, this is the real view most of the time.

Father of Year.

Post-ride in Draper.

Meet Annie.  She is most definitely my sister's offspring.
http://www.brookiewookie.com/

We enjoy each others' company.  She always teaches me amazing things from the depths of her limitless imagination, and when she cries I start fake crying and ask her if I can cry with her...makes her laugh every single time.  It's quite the symbiotic relationship.

Annnnd this is Max.  He was brought into our family a couple months after I left on my mission...I guess when your son leaves the only valid replacement would be a 30 lb. Schnauzer.
He is my mother's favorite child.
Ask her.


Moral of this post:
Life is precious.
It really is quick.
People are the most important part of it.
Especially the ones that you spend the most time with.
I love my family.
I can't wait to have my own.
the end.

Phonetography.

So I joined the club and spent my paycheck on an iPhone.  I never saw this day coming but it came nonetheless.  The skeptic inside me was quickly humbled when I began realizing all the wonderful things my new intelligent phone could do!  All with completely FREE applications even!  Those who judged me for having an iPhone would also shortly become fans.  Let us bask in the glory of what I like to call:

phonetography

it all started with a trip up to Rexburg, Idaho. 

I was heading up to play a show with Nik Day (www.nikday.com)

this pretty girl decided to accompany me.  www.megansphotographs.blogspot.com

We fell in love with an app on my phone that let us put filters on our photos to make them look like a dream.

presh and profesh! (say it in a voice that you would hear on an infomercial...such as "no alcohol!")

Megan loves it when we match styles.

She also loves to take photographs of Idaho Falls.

she also loves good photos of herself.  Don't we all?

herro tempre

stanktographer

awesome.

Malad.

Grandpa Moon's lovely abode.

the bustling metropolis that is Malad, Idaho.

WHAT DOES IT MEAN!?!?! 

Lovely dinner at Tucano's with the fam after my niece's soccer game

the Summer of the Seven Peaks.

also the summer of street side strolls

which street should I taaaaaake?

Provo really has great homes.

bike rides.  Can you tell I don't blog and therefore don't know what to say?

Meh, that's it for now.  I will post some other goodies later.  You will probably also see this on Megan Sollis' blog.  In fact, Megan you're probably the only one looking at this...

el fin.