The Wipeout

Does anyone remember the show that used to be on ABC called “Wipeout.”  I used to LOVE that show and wanted to be in it (I also remember calling my swim coach “the motivator”-who on Wipeout would start to walk behind the contestants so they would continue on the course and not wait so long! hahaha)

Well, I guess I didn’t need to be on the show because I got to have my very own wipeout this past weekend while riding my bike Lu (short for Lucy).

It all started on Friday night when Dad’s biking buddy canceled after having a biking accident of his own.  He’s been wanting to bike around lake Okeechobee and mom (not wanting him to be alone) decided that she would drive the van as his support vehicle.  Reluctantly I agreed to join the family adventure…not knowing what I was getting myself into. 

At 6:15 AM (ON A SATURDAY PEOPLE!), my alarm went off and I quickly got my jersey and shorts on.  I headed to the fridge and pulled out my bottles with infinit that I had prepared the night before.  Soon I was ready to go. 

At 7:30, we arrived at our starting point, and quickly mounted the bikes to begin.  I told dad that my effort needed to be light and relaxed (but consistent), so I was to go first and set pace.  Before 7:37 I would be on the ground.

A little more than a mile into the ride, I started finding my rhythm.  A couple gear shifts to get the cadence where it needed to be, but that’s about it.  Then I looked up and saw 2 railroad tracks that would be intercepting our path on the road.  In about five seconds I was crossing the first one and just about to cross the second ooneee…

BAM

About two seconds of realizing my tires were stuck in the tracks was followed by hitting the ground and sliding on the concrete.  Once I stopped, I just lay there on my left side…looking down at the fresh cuts as the blood started to stream down my leg.

 Stunned for a few seconds….

“That’s so NOT pretty,” I thought.  Hahaha typical Kim and her vanity that always creeps into her triathlon endeavors ;)

I slowly got up assessing how I felt and checked for Lu’s injuries.  Fortunately she was ok too.  I knew that we would not see mom for about 2 more hours (about 40 miles from now), so I just hopped back on and rode. Some of the battle scars:

I mean, it was hurting…especially when the salty sweat dripped into the fresh wounds…but it was tolerable.  The real pain/soreness came the next few days as I woke up and struggled to bend down and such.  I FEEL SO OLD haha! 

To “finish it off,” Sunday I got a Tdap shot to ensure that I would not get sick from anything that could have entered the wounds-especially since I fell on the road with lots of debris and such.  At least now I can get stronger and keep healing, so hopefully I’ll feel and look brand new soon! (I know I look normal when people stop asking “what happened?”  which HAS NOT happened yet.  Maybe when I stop wearing bandages everywhere. 

Moral of the wipeout:  Perpendicular…Always ride perpendicular to the railroad tracks. 

Surviving the Long Run in Florida

 Alternate post title: “Surviving Death”

...Dad and I ALWAYS do a "How do we FEEL?!" picture post race.  Tradition haha!  

First of all, Happy National Running Day!  Even though I am not primarily a "runner," triathlon does include a run leg, so I do my fair share of training to associate with the running community. This week coach had me run 14 miles at a "comfy effort."  Afterwards I said, "well, it was certainly a strong consistent effort...but I wouldn't call it "comfy."  I don't think it's possible to run in this heat/humidity and be "comfy" haha! 

(I mean, nothing is going to feel good after my recent "wipeout" this past weekend-click here)

Whenever I train (competive swimming, triathlons, etc.) my reaction to discomfort/pain goes like this: 1-get really angry at whoever decided I should do this, followed by 2-get really sad and cry because I’m in so much pain and being angry takes too much energy from whatever I have left. 

No matter what I do, it is going to be hard to run in these conditions (I know it's getting pretty hot/sticky up north too), but there are some things that make it slightly less miserable…slightly…

1)  Music

A good playlist is SO important.  It's really what I look forward to the most.  I create a playlist before whatever distance I’m doing and add songs that I’m currently into-usually a mix of genres.  Really as long as it has a beat or is sung by Enrique, I’m good to go.  I try to make sure that there are enough songs to last the entire run.  Around the 3 hour mark in my marathon, I started to hear songs repeating since I didn't have enough in the playlist-I was like, reeeeaaaallllly?! Not cool.  Not making that mistake again!! Here’s  a sample of a playlist I recently created for a long run.

I'm Born to Run-American Authors
On and On- The Score
Deeper-Meredith Andrews
The Pheonix-Fall Out Boy
Red-Taylor Swift
Raging Fire-Phillip Phillips
The Fighter-Keith Urban
Nothing Is Impossible-Planetshakers
Relentless-Hillsong
Kryptonite-3 Doors Down
Move Along-The All American Rejects
House Party-Sam Hunt
Between the Raindrops-Lifehouse
Snow (Hey Oh)-Red Hot Chili Peppers
Burn-Ellie Goulding
Clocks-Coldplay
Stronger-Kelly Clarkson
Bailando-Enrique
All In-Lifehouse
Drag Me Down-One Direction
Stitches-Shawn Mendes
God's Great Dance Floor-Chris Tomlin
Brand New- Ben Rector (even when I shuffle the playlist to be random, this song always manages to be played during the final mile...oh the IRONY!!)

2) Water...WITH Electrolytes

In the past, I would NEVER dare stop for a sip of water…and you can IMAGINE  how awful this made it! What used to be something I NEVER included in my runs, this has become absolutely essential to me now.  It’s also always exciting to find some sprinklers along the route.  I usually need to refill a 20 oz bottle once every 5 miles (40-45 minutes).  BUUUUTTT DO NOT forget to add some electroytes to the water since you will loose so much through sweat. Gatorade of choice: Blue Frost (it's refreshing and mild unlike the lime which I think is a wee bit too strong for my liking and kind of makes me want to gag). This is the bottle carrier I use (I hate things around my waist, so this is works well for me): 

3) Shorts WITH a Drawstring

Don’t even THINK about wearing shorts without a drawstring when running here.  My shorts become plastered to my legs and start falling down because they are that drenched in sweat.  After running 12 miles with the final  3 miles done holding onto my shorts, I was NEVER going to wear the wrong shorts again.  Lesson LEARNED.

4)  Hat

I’m still too vain to wear sunglasses during training haha.  My tan lines are bad enough without having “raccoon eyes” to boot, but a hat gives just enough shade annnddd keeps some of the sweat from dripping in your eyes.  Soooo it basically kills 2 birds with one stone. 

 

5) Size Up Your Shoes

You may or may not have heard that your feet swell when you run.  I’ve found this extra true while running in the heat.  I LOVE Mizuno Wave Inspire shoes (I have 4 pairs right now!).  They are great for narrow feet with a close yet comfortable fit.  I usually run in my size 9.5 if it is colder outside, but down here I only wear my size 10 shoes since I notice more swelling when I run due to the heat.  So far I have had no blister or toe nail issues, and I think this is probably helping.  Pictured below: Dad's shoes next to mine!   I call his the "clown shoes" since they are huge and overloaded with cushion! His feet are not thaaattt much bigger than mine, so it always cracks me (and mom) up hehe!

6) NEVER Put Energy Chew Packets in Your Sports Bra...EVER
This isn't just a FL running specific thing-it's just a bad life choice wherever you are.  One day I wore shorts that didn't have any pockets-Sooo a sports bra is the next best thing, right?!  WRONG, SO WRONG.  The little "harmless" baggie RIPPED my chest apart as if a cat had clawed and scratched me until I bled. Side note: Biking with fuel in the bra works ok-I've had countless power bars stored there and it's super convenient compared to reaching behind you where cycling jersey pockets are located.  Your upper body stays pretty still while in aero position, so this works fine...BUT not gonna lie, you kind of have to get over the "I'm sure I look crazy sticking my hand down my shirt every 15 min!"  

7) Chamois Butt'R Cream
Even though this is a anti-chaf cream made specifically for cyclists, I use this pretty much all day every day.  You would be really surprised what areas will start chafing when you run for long periods of time.  I can go an hour without much rubbing,  but beyond that, NO!  My HR strap does the most damage, so I like to slather on a lot under it. Plus, it SMELLS SOOO good!  It's like a super pleasant smelling sunscreen-speaking of suncreen!!! USE IT!  Even when it is cloudy.  SPF of choice for me is 110!

8) SLOW Down and SMILE J

Yes it’s hard and yes it hurts and yes you will have to slow down.  Honestly it totally comes down to ATTITUDE.  It won't be hard to allow a run in the heat/humidity to become a major suffer-fest, but just because it's hard doesn't mean it's impossible.  Your pace will NOT be anything CLOSE to what you would hold in “perfect” conditions.  I get in my head all the time with “why are you going SO SLOW right now?!”  BUT I’ve run enough to know that my slow paces here are equal to a faster pace somewhere else.  I’m usually a good minute off my ideal perfect condition race pace.  For example, when I run in Chicago in the early spring, I can hold a 7:30 pace for 10 miles.   Two weeks later I hold about and 8:45 pace for 10 miles in FL.  You just need to take your focus off the numbers and appreciate that you are likely training in MUCH harder conditions than you will be racing (which is way better than the other way around in my opinion).  Staying positive and putting a smile on your face will keep you going.  If you are in pain, think of something that doesn’t hurt at the moment….anything…like your thumbs.  If they don’t hurt, focus on those. Just let your mind go to its "happy place" and don't allow negativity to creep in.  Thoughts of quitting WILL come, so be prepared to shut them down instantly. 

Now that you are done with your run, BECOME BFFs with you FOAM ROLLER (use it before your run as well if you feel a little extra tight-which is most the time for me haha!

It’s definitely hard to run here-especially in the summer-especially when you don’t get up at the butt-crack-of-dawn to do it (which is not worth it-85 degrees vs. 90 degrees isn’t worth getting up a good 3 hours earlier-just my opinion though).  BUT, by doing these things, I have found running in these conditions much more tolerable, and sometimes even enjoyable.  Don't fear the heat...just deal with it appropriately! What doesn't kill you makes you stronger, right ;)

What I Deserve

When I was in high school, I struggled to understand why I was born in to a life of material wealth while there are SO many in the world who are born into EXTREME poverty.  In way, it frustrated me, and I started to question God and his “goodness.”  After all, it wasn’t fair by my standard…and God follows MY standards, right?!  Absolutely NOT!

This was one of many “road-blocks” in my walk as a Christian.  I often failed to “let GOD be GOD.”  I looked at Him like any other person-needing to earn MY trust and JUSTIFY himself to me.  If it didn’t make sense to ME, it didn’t make sense. Period.  (Wow even typing that seems ridiculous to me…)

My life is filled with blessings…blessings that I have become SO incredibly accustomed to.  I never worry if there will be food on my plate, and there is always a roof over my head. These “basics” would be unimaginable to the world’s poorest people.  Almost half the world — over three billion people — live on less than $2.50 a day.          

The other day I was convicted that I’ve become entitled to these things…and more.  I can't remember exactly what thoughts went through my head, but I know I was driving and thought, "whoooaa girl, you are feeding yourself lies right now."  I also find myself giving credit of my success to myself.  I have always prided myself in working hard.  I might not be the smartest or have the most talent, but I will try to “out-work” anyone.  Often hard work goes a long way, but it doesn’t mean I deserve anything.  For example, I do not deserve to go to college because I studied and got good grades in high school.  It is a gift and a privilege to further my education in hopes of serving God through the vocation He has called me to.  I am in NO way deserving, I am blessed.

Living in the culture we do, thankfulness has to become intentional.  We are always reminded how much we don’t have and how much we should have because we deserve it. It is hard not to fall into these traps and lies.  We must constantly put the lens of “gratitude” over our hearts.

So how did I break down the wall that questioned God and his distribution of material blessings?  Honestly, it had to do with the “faith” part of our “Christian Faith.” I don’t know why God has given me what he has compared to others.  BUT, it is not my job to Know.  Sound familiar?!  (If you read my last post you get this haha!).  My job is to be the best steward of the blessings and resources I have received from Him.  It's still a "work-in-progress," and I'm often trying to figure out exactly what that means in my life.  

Notice I wrote, “the blessing and resources” not “my blessing and resources.”  After all, we are stewards, NOT owners. He gives and He takes away. 

What have I done to deserve this life? 

The answer is NOTHING.

What do I really deserve?

The answer is DEATH. 

This is truly what I deserve.  I have sinned.  I have fallen short of perfection.  I have failed to follow God’s commandments.  My guilt SHOULD condemn me to an eternity in Hell. 

PRAISE JESUS I DON’T HAVE TO RECEIVE WHAT I DESERVE.  Instead my Savior intercedes on my behalf and I am bought with the precious blood of Christ.  My debt has been paid! My guilt is no more!

Waiting

At a sermon last week, our pastor talked about times when we are in the “waiting room of life.”  Being in this room myself right now, it was extremely relevant and a great reminder to me.  The main take-away was:

While we are waiting, God is working.

We’ve all had these times in life, some more than others. Times when you just don’t know what’s around the corner.  We sit in the waiting room wondering what doors will be opened, or maybe many doors are opened and we are trying to figure out the right door to walk through. 

Times like these can be really stressful.  As a “lover of control,” I haven’t always dealt with the unknown very well.  I try to plan, plan, plan and jump at every opportunity to avoid “the wait.” Instead, sometimes in life we need to be still and know that God is at work…even if we feel like nothing is happening. 

My mom and I were talking about this the other day.  I was expressing concern about so much being a question mark right now and being at a crossroad in life.  I feel like I have plan A, plan, B, plan C all mapped out.  We talked about different possibilities, but there was NO sense of urgency whatsoever.  I left the conversation feeling at peace.  Completely at peace.  We decided that I would take it as it comes, and cross bridges if and when they need to be crossed. 

I am incredibly grateful for the blessing of parents that have supported me 100% in EVERYTHING I’ve done.  Never once did they say, “you can’t do that”…even if what I was doing was a little “out there.”  Cake decorating class-sure.  Tap dancing-ok.  Study and teach abroad-go for it.  Triathlons-let's do it together (ok, only DAD said that, but MOM has been our number 1 cheerleader even buying balloons that said “GO KIM”).  

God is at work right NOW.  He is Always at work. Only He knows what tomorrow will bring.  It is not my job to know everything, it is my job to put my complete trust and confidence in Him.

My car/house key ring has a few key chains on it-all of which are special to me or mean something to me and serve as a reminder.  One of them says, “one day at a time” and that has really been my motto lately.  I try to live life one day at a time because I am not even promised another day on this earth.  I just need to focus on each moment at a time to love others and seek my Savior whole-heartedly.