A few reflections of my recent Triathlon race. The Finish.

I was heading back on my 2nd loop of the run, when I saw my friend Jon run over and start recording me on FB live. He said “ It is almost over just dont stop, go slower but dont walk keep running”

I was inspired and pushed myself to keep up the pace with a few deep breaths to reoxygenate my body, I continued.

There was peer pressure and accountability at stake, now that I was being filmed live. Always a great motivator.

“ The finish is almost there” he yelled.

“ where ? I dont see it” I replied huffing away.

“ See the 3.0 mile marker, you made it and there is the flag “ he pointed ahead.

I saw the flag swaying in the wind, and was relieved but knew that I had 0.2 miles of my 5k still left. I pushed on.

Yet here is where something weird happened. The moment I saw the finish flag, I slowed down. My mind did not say “ oh we are ALMOST there keep going” It said the opposite “ We are there, we are done, stop” I feel the wind being knock ed out me, and my muscles fatiguing and my motions agonizingly slow. It was a feeling of GIVING UP.

My mind literally commanded my body to halt. If it was not for Jon motivating me “ GO faster, I want you to pass this guy in front of you” I may very well have stopped and walked to the finish line.

After I embarrassingly passed this fellow runner, I said “ hello on your left, sorry”, the gentleman motivated me further by yelling “ GO GO GO “ and so I did.

While I was so close to the finish line, I started to day dream in slow motion while running. I remembered many incidents in my life that I came so close to completing a task and I had the sensation of “ we are done, stop” being commanded by my mind. How many opportunities would I have missed had I listened to my mind, and how many did I miss having listened to it.

Even at a slower pace battling the conversations in my head to stop, I pursued the finish line yet drawn and pulled by the cheers of my friends and family that I could hear above the splashing of the beach waves.

And now I contemplate the why. Why did this weird thing happen?

The mind sees things in polarity. Go or stop. My body took a lot of work and effort in the rest of the race through swimming and biking and with the running, and the mind seized the first opportunity to preserve me back to safety and so commanded me to halt and rest. Yet it is the heart that pushed me to go forward as I hurtled towards the end.

The heart was being driven by the all powerful pervading “ WHY am I doing this race” dnd being in gratitude for the experience, it assurped control of my body and got the job done.

It is wise to be careful of who is driving the body.. the limited mind or the unlimited heart.

We may miss out on the greatest events and experiences in life because of our minds’ unbalanced fears, and fall short of living our dreams, purposes and missions.

To lead our destiny to the end of our lives with a clear vision is one of the greatest gifts we have been given. Never fall short of our goals, for that is a fate worse than death.

Each day I ask my self if I have done everything I can to reach the finish line of that day, week, month or year towards my goal or dream so that one day at the end of my life I can say that I did everything, and gave it my best to reach my mission.

May you always strive to achieve your goals, and I will see you at the finish line, because that is where the party is.

…………………..

I love you