Journal

In this journal, I want to share about my personal experience and lesson learn from a triathlon competition in Indiana.

Last weekend, I participated in a triathlon race in Terre Haute, Indiana. It is called Tusk Triathlon. To be honest, I have not been training for a while, but I really like this activity. That was why I still stubbornly registered for the race. (400 meters swimming, 20km bicycle, and 10 km running) Driving took us  about 2 hours to get there from Purdue. I brought own bicycle, which I, frankly speaking, have not ridden it this semester, and of course my triathlon suit. There was many participants, way more than I expected, and I was probably the only person there from Taiwan. I loved the atmosphere there. It was a little bit tense but, at the same time, also relaxing, leaving all the school works behind and focusing on one thing. Also, the scene was pretty good.

At the beginning of the competition, I felt so confident that I could finish in 1.5 hours.(Most people finish in 2 hours or above) However, in the bicycle section, my tire accidentally flatted. I still got about 15 km to go, and I really had no idea what to do. Should I give up or complete this triathlon with my flatted tire? Just in that split second, so many people passed me and cheered for me. Some even gave me their energy supplements. I was amazed and touched by these people. I felt so grateful and appreciated. Their generosity, kindness, and most importantly, sportsmanship inspired me to complete this impossible mission.

Riding a flatted-tire-bicycle under 36 degree celsius(about 96 Fahrenheit), I was exhausted and enervated, but I kept encouraging myself: “You’re just that close. Hang on!” Finally, I spent 2 hours riding and an hour running.(I thought I could finish in 1.5 hours) When I reached the destination, I felt so proud of myself, not because of how fast and strong I could be, but because of the difficulty I overcame.

            I realized in this athletic world, it’s not just about competing and striving for a championship. The most important thing is humanity itself. Are you strong enough to withstand every obstacle that you face?  Are you willing to help others even when you don't have to? These kind of virtues I learned from athletic world helped me become a better person, a person willing to help people and never give up.

Reading

            I want to continue my share about the novel The Things They Carried. I was really touched by the whole story. Honestly, I felt sad after reading that novel. One of his teammates sacrificed his own life to save the whole team in Vietnam, and the other one was gone missing forever. Even one of his best friends committed suicide at his house years after coming back to the US. After reading the story, I truly respect those soldiers. They have so many things that they have to deal with, and we will never figure until they tell us. It was so much burden and pressure on them.