A 7-Day Triathlon Training Challenge!

I don’t have any triathlons or races on my calendar so you might ask me why I would set up a 7-day challenge revolving around swimming, cycling, and running. Welp, maybe I’m a glutton for punishment. Actually, there’s no maybe. As a coworker once said to me: “You pride yourself on depriving yourself.” That is definitely the case and designing a workout challenge matches up with my desire to not get too comfortable.

Also, I had sort of gotten out of any routine of cycling and/or swimming so that needed to change, at least for these 7 days. On top of that, once I get an idea in my head for ways to torture myself, it’s hard to let go. 🥴

The 7-Day Challenge: Complete 2000 yards swimming, 100 miles biking, and 20 miles running.

I knew I had my work cut out for me. Especially the swimming and cycling because it takes more effort and planning– driving to a pool, finding a safe place to cycle, that kind of thing. Running, on the other hand, you can basically step out the front door and start. To make a long story short, the one word I’d use to describe the entire thing: Tough. Multiple times on multiple days I was resigned to the fact that I wouldn’t be able to complete the challenge. Especially as I neared the end. The height of my disbelief was on day 4, with only 3 days left to finish. Surprisingly, I had already completed the swimming portion, which is my weakest of the 3 disciplines, but I wasn’t even halfway on the cycling and running. There was a group bike ride on the morning of day 5 and I knew that that decision was the way the challenge would go. If I joined the group ride, I may be able to do it all. If I don’t, then I’m out and I’ll try again some other time in the future.

I didn’t do the ride.

It was over. Without doing a lot of miles on day 5, there’s no way I could do 50 miles on the bike and 20 running in just 2 days. Plus, with the weather the way it is, the window of opportunity was pretty limited here in north Florida. But then… I decided to go out for a bike ride by myself and knocked out enough miles to give myself a boost of hope. I ran a few miles the evening of day 5, too, and started to believe.

The Result: I’m not too proud to admit that finishing the challenge surprised me. Somewhere in the middle, like I said, I figured I was done and wouldn’t be able to reach the goal. So I’m *very* proud of myself for sticking with it even when I had mentally given up more than a few times! I’m not a swimmer and I’m just a hobby cyclist and runner. I really didn’t think I could do it so maybe the moral of this story is that you and I can do whatever big thing is in front of us, just keep putting one foot in front of the other. And we can be encouraged, too, that even if we don’t quite hit the target, we’ve done *something*, right? What’s that saying, “Don’t let great be the enemy of good.” I’m extremely happy that I finished this challenge and I hope to do another one this week, more on that later…

Tell me about your challenges, no matter how big or small they are. Did you finish? Did you give up, like I did, about halfway through, but somehow keep going? I want to hear about it and what your thought process was throughout your experience. Write a comment below, I’ll be on the lookout!

-Out of the Wilderness

To Serve or Be Served, That is the Question

When someone does a favor for me, I almost always tuck that memory away so I can pay them back one day. I suppose that’s not a terrible trait but it’s not necessarily good to keep a scorecard like that. Walking around every day with the feeling of owing someone can be overwhelming. I remember back in the 90s joining Columbia House where you pay something like 1 cent and get a handful of CDs. After that, the price goes up and I always had this distinct feeling of dread as long as I was a member of this club. Who wants that? The joy of music was lost and in the same way, if I constantly think of being in someone’s debt, that’s no way to live an abundant life. Instead, I should receive their act of kindness for what it is, a gift that doesn’t need repayment, and I betcha that person isn’t expecting to be repaid at all.

On the flip side, when I’m the one serving or doing some kind gesture for someone else, I sometimes work it out so there’s some benefit to me. Nothing that takes away from the amount of help given, but still working the situation so I get something out of it. That’s also a pretty selfish way of being kind to my neighbor, serving the people around me. But hey, there *are* moments that I’m doing something out of the good in my heart, I’m not a total monster! 🙂

So then, are those two thoughts connected: Feeling like I owe someone who helped me and serving someone but making sure I get something from it? I think the word that connects the two ideas is “conditional.” A transaction.

Yikes.

Sounds real fun. 🙄 I’ll do A so I can get B and C. Or if this person does A, I’ll repay them later with B and C. There is nothing unconditional about any of that. This week, I’m going to try to be better about serving and being served without conditions. No secret expectations. Doing things for other people, or letting others be kind towards me, with those acts being the whole thing– no loose ends waiting to be tied up or debts in my memory that can be repaid later.

-Out of the Wilderness

A Music Playlist for Softball 2025 – New Songs or Golden Oldies?

As I’ve assembled playlists for various sports and events over the years, I’ve learned the importance of having a wide range of songs. I think it’s for obvious reasons but the biggest is because people like all kinds of different songs and styles. With that said, it’s also important to have a theme. For instance, I’m not going to play Disney songs at a funeral. Or slow ballads at a men’s retreat. There’s usually an overarching theme for each event but within that, anything goes. The most recent compilation was for my men’s adult league softball. Check it below then scroll down for an epiphany I had about the songs on the list…

I hope there are a few songs you like on that list but at the same time, I hope you’re exposed to some songs you haven’t heard before. Same goes for me. As I’m researching and listening to songs, I go for songs that I know will work well and also listen to a lot of songs I’m not familiar with. I learned something as I put this particular list together: It’s important to cater to age and tempo. Most of the guys on the softball team are middle-aged so I’m discovering what songs illicit a positive response are the ones from previous decades. Classic rock, 90s country, Taylor Swift. OK, I threw in a Taylor song just for giggles but to tell you the truth, there was more reaction to her than any other specific artist on the playlist. Crazy, right? But rest assured, there is only one Taylor song on the list at any given time. Even within these genres (classic rock, 90s country, etc), tempo matters. I’m not going to include Tim McGraw’s “It’s Your Love” but I’m sure as heck blasting “I Like It, I Love It” because it’s an uptempo song where lyrics are not super important. That’s another thing, lyrics. I try to avoid songs that require a lot of close attention. If the song is telling a story or the lyrics are deep/meaningful, I skip it. The music needs to be thought of as background noise but in a positive way.

If I were making a softball playlist for guys in their 20s or women in their 20s, the songs would be a lot different than the playlist I shared before. I guess it’s a generational thing, too. But in every sporting scenario, they’re songs that help us feel good because when we feel good, we play good. So to answer the question in the title of this post, I guess it’s kind of like a band playing a concert. Play appropriate songs that most of the people already know and pepper in an unfamiliar (or new) one every now and then.

Or something like that.

-Out of the Wilderness

Is the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra the Worst Phone I’ve Ever Had?

Since I had been writing 15 days in a row about my beagle passing away, I thought today would be a good one for a more light-hearted post. And since my phone is still new to me, why not share how it’s been going since I dropped the Flip 4 and began anew with the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra. Just like you, probably, after I got the phone I continued watching Youtube videos about all the functions of the phone and how it compares to other “flagship” phones out there, most notably the iPhone 16.

Honestly, I don’t care much how it stacks up against iPhone because I’ll never be convinced to switch to an Apple phone. But with that said, it’s nice to see a lot of people out there appreciate the S25 Ultra and rate it higher than the iPhone. Still though, that doesn’t matter as much as personal experience. It’s like someone saying they’re a… oh, I don’t know… a Florida State Seminoles football fan because they watch them on TV. But a personal experience with FSU matters more than what’s on the television. And yes, I’m still very bitter about FSU and will go through the upcoming football season not cheering for them (except against Alabama because, well, it’s Alabama).

my AI rendering of the legend, Dan Marino

But back to the point of this post. Am I loving the S25 Ultra or has the honeymoon phase vanished? Yes and no. Yes, I love it and no, the honeymoon phase hasn’t ended. The phone is awesome. I love the AI images I can create (the one above and the one below), the lenses on the front look good on top of taking great photos and videos, the screens and apps and overall look is very customizable, and simply put, it’s the best phone I’ve ever had. I’m a happy camper.

I also added a fun case for it, too. I loved the offerings from Torras so much that now I have 3 cases from them. Inexpensive and they really won me over with the multi-colored button covers. Take a look here for cases fitting Samsung and Apple phones. They are really cool and make my phone experience even more fun.

Of course, I’m still of the mindset that the less screen time I have, the better it is for my overall quality of life but it’s still nice to have a device that works for me when I need it and it’s just a fun piece of tech to have and to look at.

What’s your phone experience lately? Are you hopping over from Apple to Android or vice versa? Comment below!

-Out of the Wilderness

Piper, thank you for 15 wonderfully adventurous years, I love you…

While I thought about this final of the 15 posts celebrating the 15 years I had with you, my heart is breaking again. You were my first dog, and there will always be a special place in my heart reserved just for you. You inspired me, challenged me, loved me. Thank you for the 15 wonderfully adventurous years we shared together. I love you Piper!

-Out of the Wilderness