Iron-meltdown

There is absolutely such a thing as having too much fun.  Since my last post we got so busy with fun activities that my body and mind finally collapsed into an exhausted heap.  My little meltdown happened to coincide with Ironman week and quite possibly the most epic meltdown by a professional athlete I have ever witnessed.   The fatigue set in sometime during our camping trip to Volcano which was marked by no sleep for me and the start of a series of fevers that passed through the boys which of course resulted in more sleepless nights for me.  The boys all happened to be well-enough to compete the day of the Ironkids mini-triathalon which is about as crazy as kids sporting events should legally be allowed to be.  It’s not timed and there are no places since all age-groups/distances have the same start and finish however, the fact that the majority of the young competitors are the children of the actual Ironman competitors makes this particular competition, well, extremely competitive.  For some reason, our boys love these races.  I find them stressful, chaotic, and exhausting which is probably exactly why our boys love these races.

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This is just the kick off for the real Ironman race which consists of over 2000 uber-athletes swimming 2.5 miles, then biking 120 miles before topping their morning off with a full marathon.  The race starts at 6:30 AM and they have until mid-night to finish but the professionals are usually done by lunch time, which is usually right when we’re all worn out just from watching.  It really is an amazing display of physical strength and endurance.  If only these athletes could exercise the same kind of self-discipline in their private lives.  Unfortunately the morning after the race there was a huge blow up between a neighboring Ironman and his Ironlady which resulted in her $10,000 bike being smashed into pieces, her Dad being pummeled, and a very large diamond ring being tossed back at it’s giver.  Oh yeah, and then about midnight there were the suitcases being thrown down the stairs and 2 front tires being flattened on the rental car.  I believe in the sporting world, this kind of premature and permanent loss of momentum is called “bonking.”

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See the beautiful white bell tower in the background?  That’s our nearly 200-year-old church where our dear Kahu David has been faithfully preaching The Word, most recently from the first part of the book of Revelation.  Here’s an excerpt from chapter 3 and the words to the Church at Philadelphia:  “I know your works…I know that you have but little power, and yet you have kept my word and have not denied my name…Because you have kept my word about patient endurance, I will keep you from the hour of trial that is coming on the whole world…I am coming soon.  Hold fast what you have, so that no one may seize your crown.  The one who conquers, I will make him a pillar in the temple of my God.”  What a beautiful picture of the Bride of Christ!  Our little church represents just a piece of that “patient endurance.”  Since it’s founding by some brave-hearted New England missionaries at the appeal of some very determined Hawaiians, this church has witnessed the rise and fall of kingdoms, the expansion of empires, the empowering and subjugation of peoples, the burning and rebuilding of pagan temples and their idols.  It has withstood hurricanes, earthquakes and tsunamis.  And yet those lava walls still house the continual praises of the people in this community.  The walls themselves will crumble, but be it ever our prayer that His people here will “hold fast.”  And be it ever our prayer that our marriages and our families will “hold fast.”

Ironfinish!

I want my family to have an Ironman finish.  Lord grant us the “patient endurance”  to “hold fast” and “conquer” the incredible odds stacked against families like ours.  Only His Sustaining Power will prevent us from a big-time “bonk.”

That mini-bonk I experienced last week?  Probably the result of “over-biking.”  I guess that’s what happens when a triathlete expends too much energy on the bike section and doesn’t have enough left for the 26 mile run.  I put so much energy into the fun extra stuff I just didn’t have any left for the day to day demands.  Gotta learn to pace myself!  Oh, and I need to learn to “slow down through the aid-stations” and take advantage of available nutrition and hydration which was the much talked about key to this year’s victories.  But oh, do the miles seem to stretch on and on between those roadside run-thrus!  Thank the Lord for those dear people that He has placed strategically along the way to hand out a cup of encouragement or a bit of spiritual nourishment to us Moms!  You just might prevent a bonk!