---28 JULY 2007---
On Tuesday,
24 July I was given the honor of attending the Ironman
Volunteers Banquet to express on behalf of the 2,000+ athletes
our deep and sincere gratitude. This is a task more formidable
than covering the 140.6 miles. Unfortunately, I arrived at the
banquet too late from work to offer that expression. I was
heartbroken.
The profound
difference for athletes between training and racing is the
empowerment we experience as we race. All of us –
athletes, volunteers, race staff and officials, as well as
spectators – gather together to create a powerful, living,
breathing “entity” we call the race. This entity
inspires and empowers all of us to be even more magnificent and
glorious in our human splendor, to witness and celebrate the
miracle of life.
It is this
empowerment that motivates athletes to register for Ironman Lake
Placid a year ahead, to sell out the event in a matter of
minutes. It is this empowerment that motivates athletes to
train tirelessly and to pursue athletic excellence. It is this
empowerment that carries us gracefully through our 140.6-mile
journey on race day.
You,
the volunteers, you are the heart and soul of our
empowerment. You give so generously to us so that we may reach
for the glory and light we discover through love, through
suffering, through perseverance, humility and grace.
I speak for
all the athletes that have ever raced in the 9 years of Ironman
Lake Placid, when I say “We are deeply and sincerely grateful
to you for your service and empowerment. We thank you from our
hearts and we wish you health and prosperity.”
---July 17, 2007---
SEX AND
ATHLETIC EXCELLENCE
Many of you may have seen and
read the June 2007 issue of Inside Triathlon Magazine – The
Sex Issue. There was a sidebar on page 52, “An
Alternative to Abstinence”. I wrote a letter to the editor
in response to this subject that was published in the August
2007 issue. Unfortunately, the most important part of that
letter was omitted: the titles and authors of two valuable books
that provide guidance for those interested in pursuing this
path. I have chosen to post the letter unedited for this blog:
Regarding
the column “An Alternative to Abstinence” in the Sex Issue: I
have practiced T’ai Chi and I have trained and raced as
an endurance athlete for over 30 years. A functional and
practicing knowledge of Chi energy is a tremendous asset to
longevity in both endurance athletics and a healthy, balanced
life. It is true that each individual has a central energy
store of Chi (life) energy. It is also true that each
individual can deplete, maintain or cultivate their Chi through
various practices. Excessive exercise, overeating and, yes,
frequent ejaculation will deplete one’s Chi. (Males are more
prone to Chi depletion through ejaculation than females are
through orgasm. Sorry, but that’s the way it is.) On the other
hand, practices like T’ai Chi and sex without ejaculation or
orgasm can substantially increase one’s Chi energy. For younger
men especially the prospects of sex without climax may seem…
well, painful. It requires training and a tremendous trust in
your relationship to find and enjoy the infinite ecstasy beyond
climax.
Learning and
practicing T’ai Chi on a daily basis is absolutely the best
investment I have made in my life, athletically and
holistically. My “Chi account” is much larger than my bank
account. Money can’t buy you health or strength, but Chi can.
I don’t claim to be a Tantric sex guru, but the experiences I’ve
had in this practice are far more powerful than the most intense
climaxes and far more empowering. For those who are intrigued,
there are great books on the subject, with explicit practices
and, well, training programs. At the top of the list:
Taoist Secrets of Love: Cultivating Male Sexual Energy and
Cultivating Female Sexual Energy, by Mantak and Maneewan
Chia.
Namaste,
Shane Eversfield, author “Zendurance,
A Spiritual Fitness Guide for Endurance Athletes”.
---July 6, 2007---
RACING BY THE NUMBERS ?
I am often called “ZenMan” at
some of our local races including Tupper Lake Tinman.
I guess this means I race with
great mindfulness and grace, that I race my own race with peace
and solitude. That’s a high and holy reputation to uphold.
The 25th
annual Tinman was held 30 June. I elected to race the “sprint”
this year. The website describes this as a 600M swim, 20.7 mile
bike, 6.2 mile run. “Geez, why can’t they just make it an
Olympic distance race? I want a standard distance,” I
whined.
Despite
working the race expo for 14 hours the day before, and sleeping
4 hours that night, I felt great during the race. I went back
to manning our High Peaks Cyclery booth after I finished,
patiently awaiting a posting of race results. I felt that I had
done well. After an hour and a half, I went to check the
postings. “Hmmm, 20th overall out of 200 – not
bad for a 50 year old. But what’s this? Only 4th in
age group? This can’t be! I was out of the water in the top
10, and nobody with a 50 or higher marked on their calf passed
me during the race!” I looked at my age group designation:
40-59. “A twenty-year span? Ouch!” Checking my splits,
the bike split was a 1:05:14, at 17 miles per hour. “What?
17MPH?” The bike distance on the time sheet was listed as
18.6 miles.
I walked
back to our booth, feeling dejected. Then I caught myself. “How
am I going to evaluate this performance? Is my race
experience totally dependent on some numbers? I felt graceful
and efficient out there. I had a great race out today,
regardless of the numbers.”
It was a
great lesson. The choice to hang my head in shame or hold my
head high was my choice to make. For the rest of the day, I
felt content as I greeted and acknowledged all of my athletic
companions. I was healthy, I was feeling a great post-race glow
and I was surrounded by great people. I had a booth to hang out
at, where I could greet lots of new and old friends. I had food
to eat. I was part of the tri community.
Man, am I
fortunate, or what? When I got home, I looked at my finishers
medal and laughed. The swim and bike distances listed on the
medal were different from the ones on the website and the ones
on the time sheet.
I know
exactly how far I swam, biked and ran, because I was completely
mindful of each stroke and stride. I don’t need the numbers to
validate that. Do you?
Thank you
Tupper Lake for a great race and a great lesson!
Be well.
Aloha!
Namaste.
February 20, 2007
March, 2007
June, 2007
August, 2007
September,
2007
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