Dancing, running, surfing, biking, diving, swimming, and skiing… just to read this book makes me excited and tired (whispering). To think of competing in a triathlon at any age is tiresome but to do it at the age of 65 is almost unheard of. Here is a man 12 years my senior doing all of the above with so much energy that I feel ashamed of my own efforts.
Facing some health problems, he approached
it more like a hurdle and adjust his eating and exercise habits in such a
manner which only propels him forward. Investing in himself is cardinal to
meeting his goal and you can clearly see the results through the many pictures
added. I am amazed how in tune he is with his body; every message of his body
adhered to and adjusted to achieve his goal.
“Am I enjoying this moment?” a
determining factor in his life and how he lives.
His positive outlook is
absolutely remarkable. In a conversational way, Dr Zeev tells about his daily
routine, his preparations for the different events, and his feelings after the
race. An open book filled with nuggets of wisdom and insights into his life. He
hides nothing of his difficulties but shares it from a scientific viewpoint
while focussing on the how in a positive way. Unblemished and clear you
understand his reasoning and the results speak for themselves.
I cannot help but feel encouraged
and mesmerized by his way of life and the method he follows. His analytic approach
helps us to understand this path more deeply.
He is clearly a proud man that
lives his life as he pleases, but humble in so many ways. I didn’t get the idea
that he tried to show off his superior knowledge with me. It was more like a
show and tell that opens his world to me with a greater depth you get from
similar books.
The pictures added an extra layer
to his story which I really enjoyed. His trips to India and his meditation
breakaways, reveal his spirituality and the importance of a well-balanced
person. Balancing is an art form, he perfected with positiveness. His extensive
knowledge improves his ideas with finesse as he explains it while keeping it
lively and to the point.
“I feel my body, observe it as it
moves, almost effortlessly, almost by itself. But I also “feel” the road. Is an
everyday way of life to him.
There are so much that we as the
younger generation can learn from him. His knowledge and wisdom an eye-opening
experience that makes you think.
I wish you luck Dr Zeev. I know
that the next year and the marathon will be a wonderful success.
Truly, an awesome book.
Mind Over Matter
The quote below is attributed to
Marilyn Monroe:
“The sky is not the limit. Our
mind is.”
Everything originates in the
mind.
There are moments of doubt, and
whether I continue or not, go for it and fight or give up, depends only on my
determination. Determination is ruled by the mind. I owe all my sport
achievement to the mind first. Pursuing training is the result of the mind’s
decision.
Meditation
Our well-being is built on four
pillars: physical activity, proper nutrition, social life (friends, family, and
community) and mental or spiritual attitude. Most people believe in God and
that can definitely be helpful when they are true believers and their faith is
deep and strong. For many it is just habit, something shallow, not having much
significant impact on their lives. In modern times, in the Western World, many
ancient Eastern techniques have been introduced that are greatly contributing
to the quality of life of many people. I’m one of these. I learned
Transcendental Meditation (TM), as taught by Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, when I was
27 and it has changed my life. It has given me greater peace of mind, short
periods of effective rest during the afternoon, that enable me to perform well
for the rest of the day, a “shrink” in times of crisis and a great tool for
dealing with stressful situations. It has also opened for me a window into the
spiritual world.
Running an 18K Run for the First Time!
September 4th. My first 18K!
Really not easy… Various parts of my body seemed to wake up and start
complaining and making demands. Some of my pains left as quickly as they
arrived while others of varying intensity decided to stay. An interesting
process of getting to know one’s body… I liked the second part of the run
better. The beginning is always more difficult, the brain probably needs time
to understand what I am demanding of it and of my body… And there are always
fears and doubts, just what pains will I be experiencing this time…?
In the past, I would finish each run with a sprint, I
really enjoyed it. I like speed. But now, when the goal is to cover greater and
greater distances, I prefer to slow down at the finish to take it easy. The
idea is to not feel completely exhausted at the end but still able to run. The
logic behind this is as follows: I could run that distance and I wasn’t
exhausted at the end. Therefore, I can run even more! Next time adding 500
meters, or even more, shouldn’t be an issue! So far it has worked. In
mathematics it’s called coming to a conclusion by induction. According to this
math logic, I can run forever. We will see.
The Triathlon Season September 27th – Netanya Triathlon
I don’t take for granted my
returning at age sixty-eight and a half, to again compete in a triathlon, with
full Olympic distances:
1.5 kilometers
swimming in the sea
40 kilometers by
bike
10 kilometers
run
It was a long swim, it felt like
it would never end. At the end the Garmin (my sport watch and best buddy)
showed that I had swum 2,250 meters, which is fifty percent longer than the
Olympic distance! After the competition, the organizers admitted that the
distance had been 2 kilometers instead of the required 1.5, because the buoys
had drifted out with the current… The other 250 meters I added because I had
failed to swim in a straight line and had deviated from one side to the other,
especially when returning to shore, I had been blinded by the sun. I concluded
that it is important to swim straight– the shortest distance. I will have to
give this priority and to work on it. The biking was good; my average speed was
26 kilometers an hour with a total time of an hour and half. Because of the
heat, the run was reduced to 5 kilometers. I eventually finished it with 3:03,
still a reasonable time.
At the closing ceremony, I was
surprised when I was recognized as #1 in my category.
Dream big. Set ambitious goals. Attain unusual achievements.
At the age of 68, while still
recovering from his second knee injury, Dr. Zeev Gilkis decided to give himself
an unusual present for his 70th birthday.
He dreamed of running a full Marathon,
and completing the seventh decade of his life seemed to him the ideal timing to
do so.
Perhaps this ambitious goal
wouldn’t have been so unusual, had he been a very physically active person in
his younger years. But Zeev is a cancer survivor who began his ‘career’ in
sports relatively late, in his mid-sixties.
As two years is a long time, he
set a milestone for his 69th birthday: to go mid-way - running a half marathon.
Along with his plans and dreams
he kept a diary where he recorded the ups and downs, practical tips and
original thoughts that crossed his mind in this long, challenging journey.
Join Zeev in this adventure and discover that age doesn't matter. You too can achieve anything you truly dream of.
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