Borrowing a line from Monty Python for the title. It's appropriate because some days the realization that I'm registered to be in Ironman Florida in November is just too bizarre to comprehend. What would make a grandfather of 3 decide that it would be good to jog a little (2 miles 3 times a week) in 2010 and then find himself signing up for Ironman Florida in 2011? Maybe I'll delve into the depths of that one as I move through the year of training. It helps to have wonderfully generous and talented athletes and triathletes around when training. I receive their advice, training tips, coaching and good vibes. Some of these folks are world class athletes...they are all world class people. Thank you Scott, James, Jaqui, Maggie and Pam. There are others who simply make it nice to be training because of their, "Good morning!" and smiles. I feel like part of the aquatic community.
I taught the Sunrise yoga class from 6:30-8:00 this morning. Then it was time to get into the pool for some training. Trained with P this morning. She introduced me to some drills and intervals. For the last month I've only been working on building endurance. Today was about intervals and pushing the pace consistently. We swam about 500 yards to warm-up. Then we swam 500 at Ironman pace (slow cruise for me) to find our race pace. I went out too fast as I get excited when there is a clock involved. We took this pace and did 500 with a pull buoy (float between the legs)keeping the same pace (checked at each 50). This is where I knew I went too fast on the initial pace setting. We then swam 50 yards repeats (5 seconds faster than our previous pace)...rest for 10 seconds and repeat 10 times. After that it was some stroke drills for me to correct a "swooping up hand" as I reach for the catch and pull. Went home and rode my bike on the trainer for an hour of intervals. Riding on a trainer is good for mental toughness (I'll try to leave it at that.)
Off to teach more yoga. See you in the pool!
Monday, January 31, 2011
Sunday, January 30, 2011
Letting Go
"If you let go a little, you will have a little peace.
If you let go a lot, you will have a lot of peace.
If you let go completely, you will have complete peace."
~ Ajahn Chah
Two weeks ago, during the Garrison retreat, Roshi told us a story of when she was a young girl in her 20's. She was going tubing with her friends on a powerful river. She could hear the water roaring before they arrived at the starting point. She and her friends walked out onto a narrow bridge over the whitewater. As she watched, her friends jumped one by one into the raging river but she couldn't move...she couldn't jump. She became more terrified as she realized they were floating away and she would be left alone. She closed her eyes and jumped with the tube around her waist. She came to the surface and began to be swept down the river. Panicked, she reached out and grabbed a willow branch with both hands. The tube slipped down her body and she was holding it with her feet. Now she was being pulled down the river by the tube around her feet as she held onto the branch with both hands. The water was blasting her in the face...filling her mouth and nose...she was drowning...she was drowning herself by hanging on. Realizing that she could no longer maintain her grip on the branch...she let go.
As she surfaced there was no more tension between being pulled and letting go. She was able to position the tube comfortably and go with the flow.
The next time you feel that you are drowning, being overwhelmed, feeling tension, being pulled in too many directions; ask yourself, "What am I holding on to? Why am I holding on? I can't change the strength of the river or the fact that I'm in it right now. Can I let go of something and just go with the flow for awhile?"
We cling to our identities, our likes, our dislikes, our habits of correcting others, judgements, how we want things to be (instead of how they are) and a million other little willow branches. Relieve some tension and enjoy the ride. Practice letting go.
If you let go a lot, you will have a lot of peace.
If you let go completely, you will have complete peace."
~ Ajahn Chah
Two weeks ago, during the Garrison retreat, Roshi told us a story of when she was a young girl in her 20's. She was going tubing with her friends on a powerful river. She could hear the water roaring before they arrived at the starting point. She and her friends walked out onto a narrow bridge over the whitewater. As she watched, her friends jumped one by one into the raging river but she couldn't move...she couldn't jump. She became more terrified as she realized they were floating away and she would be left alone. She closed her eyes and jumped with the tube around her waist. She came to the surface and began to be swept down the river. Panicked, she reached out and grabbed a willow branch with both hands. The tube slipped down her body and she was holding it with her feet. Now she was being pulled down the river by the tube around her feet as she held onto the branch with both hands. The water was blasting her in the face...filling her mouth and nose...she was drowning...she was drowning herself by hanging on. Realizing that she could no longer maintain her grip on the branch...she let go.
As she surfaced there was no more tension between being pulled and letting go. She was able to position the tube comfortably and go with the flow.
The next time you feel that you are drowning, being overwhelmed, feeling tension, being pulled in too many directions; ask yourself, "What am I holding on to? Why am I holding on? I can't change the strength of the river or the fact that I'm in it right now. Can I let go of something and just go with the flow for awhile?"
We cling to our identities, our likes, our dislikes, our habits of correcting others, judgements, how we want things to be (instead of how they are) and a million other little willow branches. Relieve some tension and enjoy the ride. Practice letting go.
Thursday, January 20, 2011
The Key to the Universe
Okay, two posts in two days and no comments (at least not through the blogsite)...actually I've made quite a few postings with no comments...I guess I'll just carry on. If you are concerned that everyone else will see your comment...don't worry...I have that feature turned off. If you want your comment seen, then please let me know and I'll figure out how to paste it under the posting.
The snow picture is another from Garrison, NY.
With a title like "The Key to the Universe", I thought that I might get some attention...and that's really what this whole blog thing is about isn't it?
Well since I stuck it out there...here ya go: (I really like the three dot punctuation...)
Student: "Master, what is the key to the Universe?"
Master: "There is no key...it's unlocked. Now go."
Wednesday, January 19, 2011
Courage
During the retreat at Garrison (picture on the left) that I spoke of in my previous post, I was blown away by many things. One of them was the courage displayed by Chodo, one of the Buddhist priests. He shared quite a few experiences of his life, before becoming a priest, that were shocking. I told him I was impressed with his courage...the ability to sit in front of all of us and tell his story. He spared us the gruesome details but we got the picture: He was a complete wreck. He said that by being completely honest about his past, with himself and us, it allowed him to be free of the demons..the memories..and this is where healing and strength come in. When we try to face our fears, our pain, our secrets...we expose them and bring them out into the light and give them a good look. We resist the urge to bury, push away or pretend the fear and/or pain isn't there. This isn't easy work but it is worth the effort.
During my previous post I commented on our sometimes humorous practice of trying to look younger. Don't misunderstand. There is nothing wrong with painting your hair or changing your fashion preference. It's the attachment and clinging that cause the suffering. It has to do with awareness: "Why am I suffering? What am I clinging to?"
The next time you find yourself upset or suffering, ask yourself those two questions.
Drag the issue out into the light and take a good look...then let it go. Have courage.
Tuesday, January 18, 2011
Our True Nature
Sunday night I returned from a 4 day retreat at the Garrison Institute in Garrison, NY.
Here's the link: http://www.garrisoninstitute.org/
I was there with about 60 people for the retreat on the 5 Rememberances:
1. I am of the nature to grow old. (There is no way to escape growing old)
2. I am of the nature of ill-health. (There is no way to escape having ill-health)
3. I am of the nature to die. (There is no way to escape death)
4. All that is dear to me and everyone I love are of the nature to change. (There is no way to escape being separated from them)
5. My actions are my only true belongings. (I cannot escape the consequences of my actions)
My actions are the ground on which I stand.
Sounds like a fun time huh? It was fantastic! By taking a deep look at the things that many people are ignoring, running from and resisting; we can find a way to really enjoy our lives. By becoming aware of the fact that everything is passing we can make informed decisions about how we spend our time.
One of the causes for suffering is the desire to control change. We are not the same people we were yesterday or the day before. By clinging to our self-created identities we create suffering. Our society is strongly based in consumerism and youth. This dynamic duo creates a marketing tsunami of products to "keep you young." Botox anyone? This injecting of poison is just a drastic form of "comb-over" thinking. "No, really...you look so young and strangely smooth." It's worse than the old men who paint their hair jet black. "Your hair (that is hair right?) looks so awesome. No, the contrast between your jet black hair and your wrinkled, shrunken, dried apple head create a nice effect. Maybe you should try some Botox to go with the black shoe polish comb-over." These people are just the victims of their fear. "If I look young, I won't grow old and die." But, if it is working for you then go for it. There is nothing wrong with trying to look nice and to each his own.
Come to think of it this white hair makes me look old...I'm off to buy some black shoe polish.
Here's the link: http://www.garrisoninstitute.org/
I was there with about 60 people for the retreat on the 5 Rememberances:
1. I am of the nature to grow old. (There is no way to escape growing old)
2. I am of the nature of ill-health. (There is no way to escape having ill-health)
3. I am of the nature to die. (There is no way to escape death)
4. All that is dear to me and everyone I love are of the nature to change. (There is no way to escape being separated from them)
5. My actions are my only true belongings. (I cannot escape the consequences of my actions)
My actions are the ground on which I stand.
Sounds like a fun time huh? It was fantastic! By taking a deep look at the things that many people are ignoring, running from and resisting; we can find a way to really enjoy our lives. By becoming aware of the fact that everything is passing we can make informed decisions about how we spend our time.
One of the causes for suffering is the desire to control change. We are not the same people we were yesterday or the day before. By clinging to our self-created identities we create suffering. Our society is strongly based in consumerism and youth. This dynamic duo creates a marketing tsunami of products to "keep you young." Botox anyone? This injecting of poison is just a drastic form of "comb-over" thinking. "No, really...you look so young and strangely smooth." It's worse than the old men who paint their hair jet black. "Your hair (that is hair right?) looks so awesome. No, the contrast between your jet black hair and your wrinkled, shrunken, dried apple head create a nice effect. Maybe you should try some Botox to go with the black shoe polish comb-over." These people are just the victims of their fear. "If I look young, I won't grow old and die." But, if it is working for you then go for it. There is nothing wrong with trying to look nice and to each his own.
Come to think of it this white hair makes me look old...I'm off to buy some black shoe polish.
Friday, January 7, 2011
Two Quotes
Here are two quotes that I read today:
When Health is Absent...
Wisdom cannot reveal itself, art cannot become manifested; strength cannot be exerted, wealth is useless and reason is powerless. ~ Herophilies, 300 B.C.
This is the true joy in life, the being used for a purpose recognized by yourself as a mighty one; the being a force of nature instead of a feverish, selfish little clod of ailments and grievances complaining that the world will not devote itself to making you happy.
I am of the opinion that my life belongs to the whole community and that as long as I live it is my privilege to do for it whatever I can. I want to be thoroughly used up when I die, for the harder I work the more I live. I rejoice in life for its own sake. Life is no "brief candle" to me. It is a sort of splendid torch which I have got hold of for the moment, and I want to make it burn as brightly as possible before handing it on to future generations.
~ George Bernard Shaw
When Health is Absent...
Wisdom cannot reveal itself, art cannot become manifested; strength cannot be exerted, wealth is useless and reason is powerless. ~ Herophilies, 300 B.C.
This is the true joy in life, the being used for a purpose recognized by yourself as a mighty one; the being a force of nature instead of a feverish, selfish little clod of ailments and grievances complaining that the world will not devote itself to making you happy.
I am of the opinion that my life belongs to the whole community and that as long as I live it is my privilege to do for it whatever I can. I want to be thoroughly used up when I die, for the harder I work the more I live. I rejoice in life for its own sake. Life is no "brief candle" to me. It is a sort of splendid torch which I have got hold of for the moment, and I want to make it burn as brightly as possible before handing it on to future generations.
~ George Bernard Shaw
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