How old are you?
42
Where do you live?
Atlanta USA
Website
@sirdusty
Strava
What is your history with sports and athletics?
I’ve appreciated sports my whole life. I’ve always been inspired and fascinated by the athleticism put on display in skilled sports like football and basketball, tennis and baseball. I was first introduced to playing football when I was about nine years old. I had no idea what I was doing. Like the majority of kids that age I didn’t have the skill, strength, size or speed or football knowledge to make much of myself. I liked the idea of football, but because I lacked the insight of how to approach the sport and actually develop my abilities, there wasn’t much of a pursuit, as I got older the opportunity was no longer there for a while and my interest turned to baseball.
I followed baseball with a passionate love for the Atlanta Braves, and I got involved in youth baseball. While I loved baseball and desperately desired to be better at it, again I lacked the proper training or knowledge of that pursuit to really develop my skills in a proper way. By really practicing a developing fundamentals. The same can be said with basketball, when I fell in love with the game before and during my Jr. High years. Later in my High School football years, again there was always the heart but lacked the proper execution to really develop my skills, to really work on the things that were going to take my performance to the proper level on the field.
There has certainly been a pattern of this in my life. There has been the interest, the desire to pursue a sport or other goals in my life, but looking back, I’ve relied heavily just on a general understanding, rather than digging deeper and really being intentional about developing my skills at a very core and fundamental level. Putting in the 10,000 hours on the not so fun stuff so that I can really excel when it’s game time.
What do you enjoy most about being an athlete?
I’ve had some time to really consider this, and while I absolutely love being active, I love simply playing, I love the outdoors,I believe for the majority of my life what I’ve liked the most is being identified as an athlete, of whatever particular sport that is, not necessarily and athlete in general, but being knowns as a football player, or basketball player, or even triathlete. I found much of my identity wrapped up in the sport, and the truth is that’s a dangerous way to think and live. We are not what we do, that puts us in a place where we associate ourself with what we’re capable of doing.
What happens when all of that gets ripped away? What happens when you lose your job and your no longer CEO, what happens when you suffer a debilitating injury which keeps you from the sport you love, the one you’ve wrapped your identity in? What we do might be an extension of who we are, our interests, our passions our talents, but it does not make us who we are, it doesn’t decide our worth or our value either. I think a lot of us put a lot of emphasis on that.
I know that I have fallen into that trap, and it’s important that we understand that these things don’t make us, and truly, ultimately we don’t make ourselves, we were made in God’s image for His glory and our worth and value are determined through the cross, the ultimate sacrifice, the ultimate cost paid to have us see who we are, how truly valued we are, how much we’re loved and what we’re worth in the eyes of our creator.
What I’ve come to enjoy most about being an athlete is the training, the preparation, the process of being in process. Continuing to learn grow and develop and improve What I’ve come to enjoy is the mindset that it has developed in me the spiritual development, growth and understanding that occurs and how it corresponds with the physical training. I love to inspire and encourage others with what I’m learning as I grow through the process.
Have you experienced any challenges or obstacles?
Yes. Injury. What I’ve learned has been eye opening. I’m still learning. I’ve been set back for the past two seasons because of hip flexor\psoas which has led to sartorius weakness. A whole string of problems, one issue leading to another. What I’ve discovered is that it hasn’t stemmed from the hip flexors, but rather a dysfunction in my spine at the T11-12 area, leading to inactive glutes.
Triathlon has shown me where I’m broken, it’s shown me where there was a dysfunction that needed to be dealt with. It’s shown me where my weaknesses are, and my opportunities for improvement. Triathlon is like God’s Word in that way. It shows me where I’m broken, it shows me where I need improvement. It shows me where if you don’t have a proper foundation to begin with, and you’re continuing to push through with a dysfunction, you’re going to get hurt.
What Triathlon doesn’t show me is how to improve, this is where I’m still learning. Pursuing knowledge insight and instruction on how to be restored, how to develop the proper foundation, how to be healthy and whole. Thank God He has provided the answer for that for my life. That answer is Jesus. I’m still learning but I’ve got a great trainer.
I think another challenge, is the commitment. While I don’t have a wife or kids, it has presented its challenge in terms of time. In terms of really prioritizing what is important. Making what matters most, matter most. It’s easy to get caught up in pushing yourself to improve for the next event, so caught up that you can tend to slack on improving in other areas of your life. It’s like Triathlon itself, with training for three different disciplines, I’ve found that usually you end up lacking in one.
Has your participation helped you overcome any major life issues?
Triathlon has taught me a lot. It’s helped to satiate my competitive nature. It’s also oddly taught me to be less competitive. It’s taught me the only competition is with myself, and that the best that I can do with it is inspire and encourage others. It’s given me a specified way to train and it’s certainly made me more intentional with training, eating, and lifestyle in general. I don’t know that it’s helped me overcome major life issues, but it’s given me a focus and intentionality with how I’m progressing and developing physically. It’s helped to develop and endurance mindset, and appreciation for the process.
What is your “why?”
Simply put, my WHY is to glorify God in all that I do. Inspire, Encourage and Uplift, learn grow and develop through it so that I can help others learn grow and develop. Putting Jesus’ name out front is a way in which I can give all the glory back to the one who put these desires in my heart to begin with. That is why my brand is Team Jesus Athletics.
My WHY is what drives my continued approach to Training, it’s about loving God and loving others. It’s that something outside of myself that drives me, it keeps me passionate and motivated because I realize what I can do through it.
I continue to see what Holy Spirit is teaching me through the process. It drives my continued success in competition where I can glorify God through my attitude, wearing the brand and competing with integrity, love and kindness, It drives me to motivate and encourage others along the way and share my WHY with them, so they know how I’m able to have success with a training routine that doesn’t fail. This is WHY I do what I do: To help others see and Find THE Better Way.
What is your favorite gear or training equipment?
My bike is my favorite gear and training equipment. I love to be out on the road putting in the miles, soaking up the sun and listening to what my Father has to say.
Do you have a favorite race or event?
I like the National Championships they are a great destination event with scores of people and beautiful locations.
What’s next?
For me it’s being able to return to cycling and running. My current goal is rehab. I’d love to be able to return to the sport of Triathlon, but even if I do not, I’d love to be able to enjoy cycling with friends again, and running my neighborhood for the peace and tranquility and opportunity to connect with Holy Spirit.
Any fun facts about yourself?
I don’t want to grow up. That’s a fact.
Do you have any advice for someone interested in getting started?
Yes. Know your WHY, make it greater than yourself. Start slow. Build a proper foundation. Develop the strength and stabilizer muscles you know you’ll need to put long distances and hours of motion on your body. Ask questions. Ask for Advice. Learn, Grow, Develop and use the time spent learning who you are.