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Tuesday, October 03, 2006
I am still alive and kicking
Alright, so I really stink at this whole BLOG thing. I post once every 6 or 7 months. I keep saying that it will change, but it hasnt yet. I guess that we will all have to wait and see if I can actually change this habit of mine. I do have a question that will most likely not be read by anyone because no one is expecting anything to be posted here. I will post it anyway and assume that people will be curious and check eventually. So, I have started training for a triathalon (dont ask what puts these ideas in my mind). The fact that I have something that I am training for is really helping me excercise on a regular basis. It is interesting to talk with people about it because everyone usually makes the same comment. They say, "I want to train for one...when are WE racing?" I have to be honest. I usually think "yeah right...I will believe it when I hear that you have been training 3 weeks from now." So the secret is out...I dont believe any of you! I am not sure if Iwill even find a race (although I am shooting for a November race). I was recently thinking, at what point can you refer to yourself as a Triathalete? Am I considered a triathalete after one race or just for simply training for one on a regular basis? I think that the criteria should be a little stricter before we can just assume the title "TRIATHALETE" (I dont even know if this word exists). Let me just suggest that you must compete in more that three triathalons per year, and actually perform in a competitive nature. If I get last every time and really just jog the thing, can I really call my self a triathalete or should I jsut say that I was out for a swim, bike, and a jog while other athletes were racing? I think that we should be careful about the use of the title "triathalete." To claim the title triathalete without paying the price in races and training brings the accomplishments of true triathalets down to the level of the average American couch potato and I refuse to desecrate such hard work and effort.
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14 comments:
First of all, the fact that I checked your blog on the day your wrote on it is incredible. What are the odds. Secondly, remember that whole thing about being too critical? Especially self-critical? I was just wondering if you had noticed that in this little bloggy of yours. You tell me honestly that after you train your little heart out and participate in your triathlon (and I believe the proper terminology for you would be a "triatholanete") and you find yourself sitting in some public setting somewhere where someone asks "Has anyone here competed in a triathalon?", that you are not going to shoot your hand in the air with the remembrance of all your blood, sweat and tears that earned you that hand raise. Shame on you if you don't! And what if you DO just do it for the joy of it instead of the competition? How many meals do you ingest without competing for the fastest or most amount of food eaten? You're still an eater. How many times do you preach without hoping to win the Southern Baptist Minister of the Year Award? You're still a preacher. Some things are meant to be done for joy. (And I do see the fallacy in my two examples but in my opinion they still work :)). I think the heart of the matter is that I consider myself a marathon runner even though I have only run one marathon, and although I competed to do my best I doubt that my performance was considered competitive, but despite both of those strikes against me (according to you), I still would insist that I have run a marathon and can claim the title. (In other words, your self-criticism is in danger of stripping me of my own proud accomplishment; that's where the sting lies!) Anyways, I AM still running in competitions coming up, although they are shorter, so maybe I should strip the "marathon" off the front and just say I'm a runner. I think I know YOUR opinion.
Funny, I too checked your blog on the day you wrote...
First let me say that I can guarantee you that if we ever had the "I'm competing" convo, I would NEVER say "we" are going to compete. It wouldn't happen EVER!! Secondly, I agree with Catherine to say that you might be too critical. I really don't think you care for my opinion but, I am more proud of my students who try their best and fail then those who take the hightest grade. I may never learn Arabic. And, the likelihood of that is strong. But, at least for now I'm going to try my hardest. And, whether I know ten words or am fluent....I can speak Arabic!!!
The point is not that I can say I ran in a Triathalon...the question is at what point can I consider myself a triathalete. And by the way...it isn't my fault that you would be willing to lower your standards to feel good about yourself and your false accomplishments. So let me sting both of you a little bit...If you can speak arabic, then by all means try to have a 5 minute conversation without english....I think we both know the proper thing to say is that you are learning arabic and that you know a little arabic (although it is more than I know). And to say that you are a marathon runner when you have run one marathon...well let me put it this way, how about running a marathon with me this weekend? Are you up to it? or do you need time to get back in marathon running shape? I think that those questions adequately answer your questions...And another thing, Giving your best is great in elementary, but when real life hits sometimes your best isnt good enough. Have you ever seen the people that lost the superbowl, jumping around screaming, laughing, and spraying champaigne on each other yelling ,"We did our best guys.....YEAH. It feels really good to know that I tried my hardest and still got the snot kicked out of me." I believe that you usually see them crying in the middle of the field because their best wasnt good enough to win. Granted they can console themselves later knowing that they didnt give up, but if they would have one they would have to console themselves at all. Chew on that one. I almost forgot how fun this is.
I got so excited that I mispelled some things in the last sentence. I was saying that if they would have won the superbowl, they would not need to console themselves later with the fact they didnt give up. If you win the question of whether you tried your hardest never comes up.
Is that so? You really believe that if you win, then the question of whether or not you tried your hardest won't come up? Cause I'm pretty sure that in high school I had to run my butt off in suicides the day after a basketball game that we won against a sorry team who we barely beat because we lowered our standards and compromised our abilities by not trying our hardest. Why is that? Because mediocrity, even if it wins you the medal, is not pretty, and no one cares. Funny, I don't remember anyone making a movie about Apollo Creed. In fact, I'm pretty sure that even when Rocky doesn't beat him in the end, even after trying his most very hardest, the entire moral of the whole story is that trying your hardest and challenging yourself beyond what you thought possible for yourself is sometimes a more beautiful and important REAL-LIFE quality than winning. (Adrian agrees with me at least.) I suppose that if my goal had been to win the marathon instead of compete my very hardest and break all my prior records, than to claim now that I won or even was competitive would certainly be a false accomplishment. But maybe the difference lies in how we define athlete. According to good ole' Webby: Athlete: a person trained or gifted in exercises or contests involving physical agility, stamina, or strength; a participant in a sport, exercise, or game requiring physical skill. (Did I just lower my credibility by resorting to the age-old tactic of looking up a word?) Anyhow, I would certainly propose that in order to participate in a marathon OR a triathalon, a person would have to be trained, physically agile, have stamina, and strength. So if you can do it, you're an athlete, I should think.
Fayez, I think you and Cat should race against each other in a marathon. Or at the very least you should challenge her to a high stakes game of paper, scissors, rock. That's what I would do.
PS - Welcome back to the blogging world, Mr. Triathlete.
Well apparently some of the med school students need a lesson in reading and definition of terms. Remember that the discussion is about earning the term triathalete not about the fact that I participated in a triathalon. While you definition of is accurate your understanding of the word "gifted" in the definition is flawed. Apparently in the world of MICS athletics you have allowed their consistant mediocrity where they are shocked that someone would actually have tryouts where they cut people from the team the term gifted applies to everyone. If that is the way we are using gifted than I will acknowledge that every person that is "gifted" or "special" or in the special olympics or participating in MICS athletics are athletes. But for the rest of the world of competitive athletics I reject you understanding of being gifted in an athletic event as applying to anyone who tries. Also, I dont know if you noticed but Appollo was a major character in several of the Rocky movies...and the Rocky movies where great because (you might not have noticed this) Stalone was defending his title in almost everyone of the movies. For those of you who play ball for MICS a "title" is something that you get when you are the best in the world...not for trying your best (although I am sure there are titles for most improved and best attitude but in the end no one ever remember who got most improved...they remember who won the title). So I will finish by putting back on track with the original discussion. The term triathlete is only for those who are activly competing in triathlons... not for someone who ran one triathalon. (That does include marathons). Tough luck Cat.
Fayez the Future Triathlete MAYBE,
Wow. If our discussion about applying the term triathlete has turned into a bashing session about our (pathetic non-athlete) kids at MICS, then I think that's my cue to wave my white flag and bow out of this one. I should apply this energy to becoming a doctor. I could save lives. Actually, I'd better get right on that, because I'd probably have to save, what, 25, 30 lives, before I can REALLY call myself a doctor, right? Anyhow, regardless of how many races you compete in, I hope you feel encouraged to outdo yourself everytime and can find a great partner to keep you motivated. So eat your oranges and bananas. Oh yeah, and staying hydrated is very important, but I recall that you have a bit of trouble with water fountains at times. But don't feel bad! Only GIFTED people can figure those pesky things out....YOU know....ATHLETES. Just remember, you can usually get the water to come out by pushing the PUSH bar....others can be a bit trickier but you're quick, I know you'll pick it up in no time. Good luck friend! ;)
Catherine the Former Marathon Runner
wow. the fireworks.
as impartial has become my middle name, i will try to decide the winner. and it's tough.
first round: fayez. he had comebacks like "try to have a 5 minute conversation without english" and "how about running a marathon with me this weekend?"
second round: catherine. fayez in his haste, misspelled some things and left out some words. the key though, he was talking about how your best isn't good enough. tough break.
third round: draw. cat started digressing from the point. while talking about doing your best is noble, and a decent point, she sure took the looooong way to explaining that just because your best isn't good enough to win the superbowl, it doesn't mean you didn't play. you are still a football player even if you didn't win. but fayez fought back to a draw with the low, BUT LEGAL, shot at MIC athletics, and the unexpected shout out from woodside. fayez did a great job insulting his students, but he also focused only on the term "gifted" from webster's and not the "trained" part. an athlete can be "gifted or trained." thus leaving open situations like MIC athletics where not all are gifted but most are trained to some degree, and therefore by definition are athletes. it was woodside's brilliant use of sarcasm that saved the day for the boys on this one.
fourth round: catherine. might be a knockout. no response from fayez yet. we're looking at a 10 count...
she rocked his world with the brilliantly played "I'd probably have to save, what, 25, 30 lives, before I can REALLY call myself a doctor, right?" then she added this zinger, a little shame for his pain, talking about water fountains and what can only be an inside joke, "Only GIFTED people can figure those pesky things out....YOU know....ATHLETES."
only time will tell the next round's winner, or whether this is really a knockout. stay tuned...
i don't even know if you remember me from this summer, but i just found your blog on greyson's. how are you?
-Sam
Hey- you have to update us...did you keep the no soda resolution?? (Notice I did not put *).
Hey Fuzzy
write a blog about being ordained, I want to know what all you say about it. love you- sis
p.s. if you are a triathelete then I get to say I was a collegiate cheerleader :)
lest we grow weary, you must update...soon...
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