Wholistic Fitness

getting to Part II in a moment, however,
ilg must bow as deep as possible to an amazingly beautiful Warrior of
our Species who Gifted the world last night with such Sweat Poetry,
i know that my own feeble running – and life – efforts will all-Ways be positively
affected:

Flagstaff’s Bernard Lagat won the 1,500 – the ‘Metric Mile’ – for his first world championship and the first U.S. Olympic or world title in the event since 1908.

Oh sure, i wanted him to win since he breathes the same Sacred Peak Prana that does ilg, however, having seen this beautiful man running around town with foot speed faster than my bicycle wheel speed, i wanted him to win because of his loving-kindness toward Turtle Island (America). Born in Kenya, Bernard jumped through more hurdles than a SteepleChase Runner (perhaps the most NOBLE track event!) to gain United States citizenship three years ago.

Flying across the finish line in an entirely different Realm than any of his competitors with a graceful velocity ilg has never, ever seen before in any runner – not even Pre – he said he glanced up at the big Technicolor Stadium Screen while scorching the final few meters toward the Finish Line and said,

“I looked at my picture and said, Oh my God, I’m going to win it! It was a dream come true. I fulfilled it and I got it. I’ve never been a champion, never, never!”

then, pointing and tugging at his U.S. Jersey he said over and over again:

“I did this for America.”

Meanwhile, most American’s do what for their country?
Get obese?
Take all sorts of drugs and comfort alternatives to ANYTHING resembling sweat and spirit forged from the essence that makes this great nation so crankin’ cool in the world?
ilg says; TV is worth watching when any World Championship and Olympic Track and Field event is on! Screw the sit-coms; watch the Warriors that are out there sweating while you and i are sleeping! our own Practice will be unconditionally inpsired!

As the New York Times reported:

Over and over, Lagat said that winning the gold medal was special, but that winning it for the United States has made it even sweeter. As he held his son, who was wearing a yellow T-shirt with “Lagat” in tiny black letters, the elder Lagat smiled.

“I have never been so happy, never,” he said. “To do this, being the first in 99 years to win, I cannot believe it.

“Really, I cannot. Is it really happening?”

ilg has been watching the Great Ones now for some time. Regardless of what the “Sport Psychologists” and “Mental Training Experts” always preach about in their best-selling books, nearly across the board, the Great Ones always say the same thing; “I really can’t believe it!” I mean, we never see a great World Champion, his or her face still streaming with sweat, walk nonchalantly up to the reporters and stone-face their statement like, “Oh yeah, it was no big deal. Because I believed I could do this, this is all rather boring and selfish, and well, I gotta go now…” Hell no! Thank God! Usually the Great Champions are shaking their head in utter dis-belief! Why? Cuz they alone know how many decades, how much doubt and fear and injuries and obstacles they had to dissolve in their own Daily Sweat! Now, what is the first thing the $200/hour, pencil-necked “mind experts” who inevitably have a racing resume far less than even my feeble own tell you? That’s right: “Now, the first thing you have to do is: BELIEVE!”

Evidently not.

Evidently, it is best for each of us to just be Present,Determined, and Grateful like Lagat. Let “Belief” shift for itself. Belief must become a training effect from consistent sweat, not a manufactured thoughtform which subtracts from the Clarity of Focus. The “Experts” – like so often – got it backwards. Belief, like lactic acid, is a training effect from Self-Realized effort. And, like Lactic Acid, Belief can contribute to the ongoing progress of an athlete. However, first things first; Just do your Best to get out the door and train. Just do the do. Let “Belief” – which is, by definition, a Limitation – take backseat to sweat and spirit.

Back to the Dharma Track in Osaka last night:

The great Warrior Runner then cloaked himself into an American flag and flashed continuously linked Buddha like smiles. Back home, beneath the Sacred Peak, us fellow Flagstaff athletes went crazy! i had just returned from stumbling through my 5.2 mile run in a tortoise like 39:39, full of pain, full of mental wrestling. Meanwhile, across the briny blue, Lagat – at 32 years old – cranked off his ‘mile’ in 3 minutes 34.77 seconds. Now, s’cuse me if ilg’s mathematics are off, however, if Lagat was to run my little 5-mile course, he woulda been home in about 17 minutes. Lagat was running twice as fast as ilg. granted, the terrain and distance was far different, however, if ilg is out there running 8-minute miles and breathing hard, imagining going twice as fast is, well, inspiring.

God in Heaven,
thank you.
Thank you for sending us living, breathing, sweating Gifts
like this beautiful running man; Lagat.
So much every day,
ilg struggles to bring Light to so many fat,
confused,
unappreciative of their country people…
so thank you for reGracing my own attempts at
bringing Dharma and Beauty and Appreciation for one’s country and life
through this magnificent light speed Buddha; Lagat.

feeble ilg bows
to Lagat.

see you back in town, Running B!
and, come to Yoga Class wearing your Medal!

3 minutes and 34 seconds.
geezus.
some people…

we are all Blessed
when we each do our own Best,

the mountain yogi

photo: Mark Ralston/Agence France-Presse — Getty Images