I spent a good part of the day today "working." It was a beautiful, sunny, warm Saturday that found me at a duatholon in North Salt Lake, and getting paid to be there. However, I wasn't participating in the duatholon. I had the opportunity to serve as support crew for one of the participants at the agency at which I work/do my internship. This event is considered instrumental to this individual's treatment plan and overall well being. The agency arranged it and paid the fees for him to participate. I like that. This agency provides transitional housing for homeless veterans.
This individual, whom I will refer to as C., is 68 years old, and an avid bicyclist. He claims to have begun cycling before it was "cool." He told me today that he can't remember a time when he hasn't love riding a bike. He regaled me with stories, on the drive down, of six day tours across Wyoming. 100 mile rides across more states than I can remember, and a recent adventure that found him with two flat tires in Logan Canyon. I recall a few months ago when all of the participants were invited to a dinner in Roy. I, along with other staff members, transported approximately 17 individuals in agency vehicles; however, C. chose to ride his bicycle.
This duatholon was extremely exciting for C. He has trained tirelessly for weeks. He cross-trains....some days he would walk 10 miles instead of riding his bike. He has planned his food intake for days to assure he was sufficiently fueled. At yesterday's group, he told all of us that he was going to get a good night's rest to assure he had sufficient energy. This morning he told me he kept waking up all night, afraid he'd not hear his alarm, and ended up getting out of bed at 5:15, even though we didn't need to leave until 6:45. He came equipped with several packages of Gu, an energy gel used by athletes. Perhaps the most exciting thing for C. was the t-shirt. He was so excited to receive the race shirt and, in fact, wore it to the race today. He was taken down last night to pick up his registration packet so he was prepared for the day.
He was amazingly calm this morning as we drove to the race, and he managed all his gear and his bike without any assistance at all. (Please remember.....I am a runner, therefore, a bike and a tote bag seem like a tremendous amount of "gear" to me.) C. was registered for the bike only portion of the duatholon; he was one of twenty. He is never seen without his newsboy cap, and it was worn today underneath his bicycle helmet. His bike is used and old, but in good working condition.
When it was all said and done, C. had an incredible race. He said he's been bitten by the racing bug and I reminded him it's just the beginning of race season, which he seemed very enthusiastic about.
I so wish I could post pictures of this day, however, for confidentiality reasons, I can't. If I could you would see C. pre-race, underneath the Finish Line, pretending to run over it; C. crossing the finish line on his bike; C. raising his bike above his head in triumph at finishing the race; C. standing on the podium (at our request) with a medal (at our request) hung proudly around his neck. After all, he is 68 years old and he bicycled 20 miles. Out of 20 people, he was the fifth best performer. Out of all the participants aged 65-69, he was the fastest. Out of all the people who participated today, I'd wager to bet he's the only one who's homeless. I think a medal was in order.
Saturday, April 17, 2010
Tuesday, April 13, 2010
God Willing
I decided I'd better blog again before I'm retiring this pair of running shorts. That, and the fact that my niece, Vanessa, will be returning to school and she'll give me a really hard time for not blogging for so long.
I'm thinking about our friend, Jim Roman. Jim is somewhat of an icon in North Ogden. He's 90+ years old and walks five miles a day. I first met Jim about four or five years ago, during a run. He was in his late 80's then....I think. His age, according to him, changes depending on the day and time of year you talk to him. However, near as I can tell, he's in his early 90's.
Chip and I see Jim almost weekly on our runs. In the summer months, I see him pretty much daily. We always stop to visit, and our visit always starts off with a handshake. I wonder if he's a little hard of hearing because he watches your mouth when you speak, however, he always seems to understand what you're saying and he has an incredible memory.
He walks with a cane, which he insists is to ward off stray dogs, and is finally wearing a reflector vest, courtesy of his granddaughter. He's been walking five miles a day for over 25 years, after experiencing a heart attack. He claims to have never missed a day....I'm not too sure how accurate that statement is. However, in some ways I wouldn't be surprised. Now matter the weather or the temperature, he's out there. In the winter months, he wears a snowmobile suit.
Jim goes out ice fishing with his son pretty much every weekend in the winter. He claims they always catch their limit and then stop for breakfast on the way home. Jim plants a garden every summer and still mows his lawn.
Chip told him he's like a rooster, because he wakes up as soon as it starts getting daylight. He's never forgotten this, and always refers to himself as "the rooster" when we visit with him. He loves to give Chip a hard time when I'm running alone, and asks me if I wasn't able to drag his "lazy butt out of bed." (The reality is that Chip has most likely run before me, or he's WAY ahead of me....)
Last Sunday, while doing a long run, I saw Jim. As usual, we chatted about the weather, commenting on how much longer the days were getting, and how nice it is to have the sun rise a little earlier. We said our usual, "See you in the morning" and he looked at me and said, "God willing."
I thought about this comment as I finished my run. Isn't it the truth? We never know what the next moment is going to bring, not to mention the next morning. I wondered how it would be to think in those terms about everything. Not in a gloom and doom way, but in a grace filled and grateful way. It made me remember, once again, how every moment truly is a gift that's given freely and when it's gone....it's gone. I also thought about how that comment probably has different meaning for Jim than is does for me.
Every summer I think I should take my camera with me on a run, and ask Jim if I can take his picture and post it on my blog to inspire others. Maybe I'll ask him this summer....God willing.
I'm thinking about our friend, Jim Roman. Jim is somewhat of an icon in North Ogden. He's 90+ years old and walks five miles a day. I first met Jim about four or five years ago, during a run. He was in his late 80's then....I think. His age, according to him, changes depending on the day and time of year you talk to him. However, near as I can tell, he's in his early 90's.
Chip and I see Jim almost weekly on our runs. In the summer months, I see him pretty much daily. We always stop to visit, and our visit always starts off with a handshake. I wonder if he's a little hard of hearing because he watches your mouth when you speak, however, he always seems to understand what you're saying and he has an incredible memory.
He walks with a cane, which he insists is to ward off stray dogs, and is finally wearing a reflector vest, courtesy of his granddaughter. He's been walking five miles a day for over 25 years, after experiencing a heart attack. He claims to have never missed a day....I'm not too sure how accurate that statement is. However, in some ways I wouldn't be surprised. Now matter the weather or the temperature, he's out there. In the winter months, he wears a snowmobile suit.
Jim goes out ice fishing with his son pretty much every weekend in the winter. He claims they always catch their limit and then stop for breakfast on the way home. Jim plants a garden every summer and still mows his lawn.
Chip told him he's like a rooster, because he wakes up as soon as it starts getting daylight. He's never forgotten this, and always refers to himself as "the rooster" when we visit with him. He loves to give Chip a hard time when I'm running alone, and asks me if I wasn't able to drag his "lazy butt out of bed." (The reality is that Chip has most likely run before me, or he's WAY ahead of me....)
Last Sunday, while doing a long run, I saw Jim. As usual, we chatted about the weather, commenting on how much longer the days were getting, and how nice it is to have the sun rise a little earlier. We said our usual, "See you in the morning" and he looked at me and said, "God willing."
I thought about this comment as I finished my run. Isn't it the truth? We never know what the next moment is going to bring, not to mention the next morning. I wondered how it would be to think in those terms about everything. Not in a gloom and doom way, but in a grace filled and grateful way. It made me remember, once again, how every moment truly is a gift that's given freely and when it's gone....it's gone. I also thought about how that comment probably has different meaning for Jim than is does for me.
Every summer I think I should take my camera with me on a run, and ask Jim if I can take his picture and post it on my blog to inspire others. Maybe I'll ask him this summer....God willing.
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