I’m supposed to be cleaning. Big cleaning before the guests and the whirlwind of my sister’s wedding this weekend. But instead I couldn’t stop watching this video of the 2004 Ironman Hawaii race. It’s a series of stories that embody the various beauties of being a human being. I’ve seen it once before 2 years ago on DVD in high quality, but the stellar composition of shots and the incredible storytelling still got me on my monitor. It’s a long one, over an hour, but…astonishing.
After I watched it the first time I was uplifted. I was delighted. I finally understood why Rainer wants to do an Ironman. I found the show so incredibly compelling I turned it off wishing I was the kind of person who could set a goal like that.
This time, this me, I’m thinking I am the kind of person who can set a goal like that. What an adventure that would be! Rainer says that anyone can do an Ironman. It’s about training and mindset. I’ve got 7 years before I turn 40. That’s enough time to build up slowly. Maybe I’m setting a goal right now. Maybe you’re in on the ground floor. Maybe writing maybe is a lie.
If you need to pass some time while knitting or while folding laundry, watch it. If you need to get yourself out of the blues, watch this. Watch it all the way to the end and tell me you’re not a stronger person, at least in the faculty of imagination – that most important of places. Watch it with your kids and learn together just how incredible the story of humans can be.
Heck, do what I’m thinking of doing and gather a bunch of kids together and have them do a dreams workshop, maybe writing out what they want to accomplish some day and putting it inside time capsules and then watch this together. Light some lives on fire.
That’s what’s inspiring me today. My heart feels bigger. My mind feels stronger. And my thoughts are very much with the two men I know who are doing Ironman Canada this weekend.
Handmade Homeschool 
[I can’t watch the video so I don’t know if this is one of the stories….]One year I watched the Ironman [probably back when I was running a little] there was a retired Army Officer who pushed his son in a wheel chair, swam pulling him on a raft and rode with him in a special seat on his bike. I don’t recall what was wrong with his son [he was an adult] but I’ve never forgotten that and the devotion he exhibited as a DAD and as an runner. Turns out the man who was my running partner for those years had severed with him in the Army! Small world.
I’m going to give this video some attention asap. Sounds very interesting. You inspire me!
I’m halfway through it right now and, yeah, wow. Emotional, inspirational, beautiful, incredible.
hm. Instead of watching the remainder of the video right now, I asked my dau. to show me how to use her Dance Dance Revolution game on our old xbox. As expected, I’m absolutely horrible at it, but it was fun and I was MOVING, laughing at myself and both kids laughing with me. I only did a handful of beginner level songs, since I’m so awfully out of shape, but still, I did it. Baby steps and choices, right? Right! 🙂
You ARE the kind of person that can set a goal like that!
I have it on order now from Netflix. I want to use it and then ask my teens what their one word is that they want to focus on (got the idea from http://aliedwards.typepad.com/_a_/2008/01/the-words.html). I may have the words stenciled on my kitchen walls…. Thinking how to do this inspiring thing….