Countdown to Triathlon - 263 Days, 37.5 weeks to Race Day (See Installment 18 of "The Journey", 220 mile bike ride, below)

         Goodbye fall leaves - Hello Pine Swags!


THOUGHT FOR THE DAY

It is Christmas in the heart that puts Christmas in the air.  ~W.T. Ellis



The training continues - it's cold and hard to get the old bones moving in the morning.  But move, I must.  Even the fountain is having it's difficulties.

 

 





NOTICE THE ICE!  BRRRR



The Journey - Installment Eighteen

 

 

 

         NEW YORK, NEW YORK    

            The 31^st of October, 2001, Halloween, I flew to Virginia to accompany my sister and her family to New York for the New York Marathon on Sunday, November 5^th.  We had talked to each other earlier in the summer and discovered that she was in training for the marathon and I informed her that I was training for a 200 mile bike ride. Neither of us had ever attempted such feats in our lives.  I was a little nervous before flying back to the east coast because of the terrorist alerts following September 11^th.   I am not usually worried or frightened about flying, but this time I had fear.   On the way to the airport, I called Pastor Don on my cell phone and asked him to pray for my safety.  I received such comfort and peace because of his prayers and God’s grace.  It was impressed upon me by a feeling that came over me that I was not to worry because God intended that I complete the ride the following June; therefore nothing harmful would happen to me.  I was able to let go of the fear even though the news was full of predictions of possible terrorist attacks on Halloween on airplanes and shopping malls.