- Nothing in the world can take the place of persistence.
Talent will not; nothing is more common than unsuccessful people with
talent. Genius will not; unrewarded genius is almost a proverb. Education
will not; the world is full of educated derelicts. Persistence and determination
alone are omnipotent. The slogan "Press on" has solved and always
will solve, the problems of the human race. - A Wise Man
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- "Friends, you're not going to believe
this, but two racers are still out on the course, and they're battling
for second to- last place," he said. "Right now, 69 year old
John Haglan is leading 71 year old Martha Gingrich. They're a half mile
out, so if you would like to cheer them at the finish, let's line the race
course."
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- Touring through Hobart, Indiana, one summer,
I heard about a triathlon being run the next day. I decided to enter if
they allowed same-day registration. The swim, bike and run event takes
place worldwide, with a large following of people from many walks of life.
I had run in several dozen myself and it was a great way to meet people
who enjoyed physical fitness.
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- Even while touring, I like to run and swim
at every opportunity along the route. I swim in rivers, lakes, pools and
-oceans. Running is easy to do in the mornings before breaking camp.
Bicycling is easy for me as I crank the pedals 70 miles a day, which includes
a handicap of 70 pounds of gear. It would be fun to test my mettle in
a triathlon.
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- The next morning, I was allowed to register
when several competitors didn't show up. After stashing my bags and camping
gear with a family from Indianapolis who came to race, I surveyed the
course. It included a mile swim, 46-mile bike ride and finished with
a six mile run.
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- The race was set in age group waves. More
than 600 triathletes lined up on the beach. They ranged in ages from
18 -through 71. The oldest woman was 71 and the oldest man was 69. Knowing
how tough a sport it is, I was amazed at the number of older people lining
up for the swim.
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- When the gun fired, the first wave of triathletes
dove in with arms flying through the water. When my age group came up,
I stepped up to the line. I was nervous and full of expectation. I knew
the next four plus hours were going to be tough. I couldn't help myself.
I was going to push my body to its limits during the race.
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- In seconds, I pulled handfuls of water past
my body as I swam toward the distant marker. Some guys were cruising
past me, and I was passing others. I was in the thick of it. Rounding
the marker eight minutes later, I felt good as my strokes were strong.
I cruised into the beach with a good time.
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- After changing my clothes, I jumped on my bike,
and flew down the road. Several people glanced at me on my mountain bike
as if I were pretty strange compared to those sleek racers, but I didn't
mind. My legs made up for a lot of their equipment. I kept picking them
off, one by one. For the next hour, I was hammering down on them at 25
miles per hour, sometimes faster as I gained surges of strength. By the
time I came into the transition area, I was in the top ten of my age group.
A quick change of shoes and I rushed onto the running course.
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- The run was tougher because I hadn't been training,
so I wasn't picking anyone off, but I wasn't losing places either. I
ran into the shoot in the top third of the racers and ninth place for
my age group. It was quite a feeling to have been at full -throttle for
four hours.
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- Everyone stood around, cheering the racers
as they came in from the run. Even though it was a race, everyone loved
to see every competitor finish. Most of us congregated around the fruit,
bagel and drink tent. I ate 30 pieces of cut-up orange- slices, watermelon
and grapes. An hour later, most people were off the race course and race
sponsors announced the awards -ceremony would be held in fifteen minutes.
-
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- People gathered around the platform while the
times and awards were given out. By the time they were nearly finished,
it was more than four hours since the start of the race. Many people
were going home, when the sponsor made a special -announcement.
-
-
- "Friends, you're not going to believe
this, but two racers are still out on the course, and they're battling
for second to- last place," he said. "Right now, 69 year old
John Haglan is leading 71 year old Martha Gingrich. They're a half mile
out, so if you would like to cheer them at the finish, let's line the race
course."
-
-
- In seconds, more than 500 people lined both
sides of the course leading toward the finish. With only a 100 yards
to go after the turn off the main road, the two triathletes rounded the
corner not five yards apart. They were in a race for their lives, as
it was apparent that neither wanted to be last. John Haglan was limping,
but still holding on to the lead--while Martha was gaining. The crowd,
caught up in the drama, screamed support for the two racers.
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- With fifty yards to go, Martha grabbed the
lead from John. At that point, the aging triathlete seemed to lose his
legs, but kept fighting to sustain his stride. The crowd cheered wildly
and gave them high fives as they raced down the shoot. Martha was going
to win by ten yards when just -before the finish line, she stopped, turned
around, and waved to John to hurry up. When he reached her, she joined
hands with him and they both ran across the finish in a tie. The crowd
went wild.
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- There wasn't a dry eye at the race.
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- Two hours later, everyone was gone except the
cleanup crews. I loaded my bike and filled my water bottles. That day
was one of the greatest sports events I have ever witnessed. Martha and
John showed everyone at that race that youth is a matter of attitude.
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- Samuel Ullman wrote: "Youth is not a
time of life; it is a state of mind; it is not a matter of rosy cheeks,
red lips and- supple knees; it is a matter of will, a quality of imagination,
a vigor of the emotions; it is the freshness of the deep springs of life.
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- "Youth means a temperamental predominance
of courage over timidity, of the appetite for adventure over the love of
ease. This often exists in a man of 60 more than a boy of 20. Nobody
grows old merely by living a number of years. We grow old by deserting
our ideals. Years may wrinkle the skin, but to give up enthusiasm wrinkles
the soul. Worry, fear, self-doubt bows the heart and turns the spirit
back to dust.
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- "Whether 60 or 16, there is in every human
being's heart the lure of wonder, the unfailing childlike curiosity of
what's next, and the joy of the game of living. In the center of your
heart and mine there is a wireless station; so long as it receives -messages
of beauty, hope, cheer and courage, you are young.
-
-
- "When the antennas are down, and your
spirit is covered with the snows of cynicism and ice of pessimism, then
you have grown old, even at 20. But so long as your antennas are up,
to catch the optimism and create enthusiasm, there is hope you may die
YOUNG at 80."
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- John and Martha's enthusiasm generated more
power and excitement than the winners of the race. In fact, in Latin,
the word 'enthusiasm' means 'en theo' which means, 'with God'. When we
look at emerging creative forces of God, then it means that anyone with
'enthusiasm' is continually renewing and creating energy and moving with
the forces of life. They are, quite literally, forever young--until their
very last breath on Earth.
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- Thank you Martha and John for your living proof of living
with 'enthusiasm', because in the end, age doesn't count.
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- ______________
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- Excerpted from:
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- Bicycling Around the World: Tire Tracks for Your
Imagination
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- By Frosty Wooldridge
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- www.frostywooldridge.com
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- Kindle, copies 1 888 280 7715
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