Today has been a day of reflection for me. For many, the coming of a new year is time for rejoicing and for reflecting upon what has passed and what awaits us for the year ahead. In many ways, January 1 is quite an arbitrary day in that it’s merely the start of the calendar - but not necessarily a significant milestone in anyone’s world.
The day that you arrived in the world - now that day has significance. It is with this in mind that I reflect upon another year - and look ahead to what lies in front of me. It is on this day that I find myself looking at the big picture of life, looking into the mirror for meaning, diving into my soul for tranquility and understanding - and peace.
Today will always be known as Stevie’s Day to me. Perhaps that requires a little explanation.
Physics. For many people, just the mention of the word gives them high school flashbacks – or nightmares. Love it or hate it, physics provides us with the foundations for our understanding of the world – even the world of the endurance athlete.
Let's take a common discussion topic. Athlete A, a relative newcomer to the sport, has done a few sprint triathlons and now wants to do an Olympic distance event. Athlete B, a seasoned triathlete, is finally ready to go after that first Ironman. How do either of these athletes “move up” and “go longer” successfully?
Before we get our emotions involved, get our mitochondria in a knot, and start the heated debate about lactate threshold, heart rate monitors, and the need for aerobic training, let's look to physics for a guiding light. If it is good enough to define nature, it's probably good enough for your neighborhood triathlete. Maybe, with any luck, Newton was a triathlete ...
As I look at the calendar today, my mind is befuddled by the date. It’s July 22, 2006. Almost one year ago to this date, I was standing on the edge of a precipice known as “my first Ironman”, waiting for the adventure to begin, thinking that, in many ways, I was already well into it.
July 24, 2005 came and went. It was a special day, a day of realization, of serenity, of calm inside. It was but a mere moment in time - and it was almost a year ago. How times travels oh so fast … when you’re living it - fully.
I look back on that day fondly, not only for the completion of the task at hand, but having the opportunity to experience the beauty of life itself. It was an experience shared with my best friend, which just added to the enjoyment of the occasion. Of course, it wasn’t in my plan to finish 13 minutes behind him, but I digress! At least he was still hanging around the finish area when I got there!
I know it's hard to believe, but there is actually new material online today! I've put up the first poem (from many many moons ago), along with some great quotes from some great folks. This should be the start of a steady flow of material from the first 4 years of writing. The Library of Congress has it, so now you can read it!
I’ve always maintained that if you pay attention to life, it can teach you many wonderful things. Perhaps it teaches you about humility … or love … or suffering … or karma.
Along those same lines, sport is, without a doubt, a metaphor for life … and in sport, we have the opportunity to learn many lessons of life. Whether it’s the preparation for an event, or the span of the event itself, we are presented with strong life lessons that can make us much stronger, more sensitive to the world around (and within) us, and much more at peace with ourselves.
In the task of preparing for an event, be it a 5K run or an Ironman triathlon, you are always pushing the edge of what you think is possible. It’s a mental challenge - perhaps even far more so than the physical challenge that is presented to us. Within this mental challenge, we go places that perhaps we never thought we’d go, revise our beliefs of ourselves and our limits, and “push the envelope” (with all due respect to Chuck Yeager) of our existence.
This website started as but a mere concept, a fleeting thought in my mind. I have been writing for years … and I have been creating in the most basic sense for even longer. It was time to pull it all together - and now, with small and steady steps, it is progressing down exactly that path. My labor of love is growing, expanding … and today you see the latest tweaks to my little piece of Internet creativity. The format has evolved - and soon you will see content in the form of poems, songs and photos appearing here. All of this in the Land of Rhubarb …
I’ve come to understand (and believe) over the years that most things in life are quite simple. In many ways, it comes down to a “yes” or a “no” - which is oftentimes defined merely by how important something is to our survival - or our success.
It’s the ability to see the simplicity for what it is - and to avoid complicating the issues - that is the essence of our daily life.
Up to 60% of runners will sustain an injury within any given year. Poor running mechanics, in conjunction with poor, ineffective and outdated training methods, can pose a significant injury risk. "RunSmart" was written to address these issues in the running community.
"Running Injuries: Etiology And Recovery- Based Treatment" (co-author Bridget Clark, PT) appears in the third edition and fourth editions of "Clinical Orthopaedic Rehabilitation: A Team Approach" by Charles Giangarra, MD and Robert C. Manske, PT.
Allan Besselink, PT, DPT, Ph.D., Dip.MDT has a unique voice in the world of sports, education, and health care. Read more about Allan here.
Top 5 finalist in three categories: "Best Overall Blog", "Best PT Blog" and "Best Advocacy Blog".
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