thoughts after disappointments

This Sunday was to be the big day. I had been training for the Chicago Triatholon for months. I had everything lined up Saturday night ready to go with large numbers written on my arms of what contestant number I was. I awoke at 4:30am and set out Sunday morning to park my bike and then make my way to the lake where I was expecting to jump in and start my swimming adventures.

But at about 5am on my way to the event my left pedal on my bike started to feel funny...and then it happened, it just fell off. I frantically tried to see what I could do as other people were biking past me with comments like "dude that sucks," "did you see that?" etc.

Mustering up what pride I had I walked my bike the rest of the way to wait in line for bike repairs. After what seemed to be an eternity the bike fixer-upper guy took a look at the pedal and told me "sorry man, there is nothing I can do for you. This pedal is completely stripped and there is no way I can put it back on your bike." I then went to one of the organizers and we tried to brainstorm what we could do, but at 5:45 am on a August Sunday morning there are not a lot of options.

So I turned in my time chip and walked my bike back home (because the trains were not running yet) trying to avoid any contact with any triathloners where I was met by my very surprised wife who like me felt helpless and disappointed.

Seriously, whose bike pedal falls off on the way to an event? What are the chances that the blasted pedal gave out at that exact moment?

As you might guess I was less than happy at this whole situation, but as I read Monday morning in Psalm 84:11 "For the LORD God is a sun and shield: the LORD will give grace and glory: no good thing will he withhold from them that walk uprightly" I had to wonder how this verse worked given the hours that I spent training and the money I spent to enter the race...not to mention that I still have permanent marker on my body.

Then I was reminded of all the times I was out jogging while pushing Titus and just being able to spend time with my son, the joy I found swimming, a friendship I developed with a neighbor who would join me on jogs, all of the new places I saw on my bike in Chicago, the few times I was able to give directions to lost people who were on the trail, all of the time in prayer and the various sermons that I listened to while running, and the fact that I feel good because I am more in shape.

All of this because I signed up for the triathlon which motivated me to exercise.

Which leads me to this morning where Titus and I were coming back from a jog we were stuck at a red light in which a homeless man began to talk to Titus in which Titus started to laugh and smile. This random homeless guy and I talked briefly before the light changed and as I started to cross the street he made a comment about how blessed I am.

And you know, triathlon or not, he is so right.

But still, I am going to do a triathlon some day...