Paul Asay

Being a goal setter, I like to have a good idea what my goals are for the upcoming year before it gets here.   Specifically have in mind for triathlon this year to focus on 3 events, Rev3 Olympic distance race in Knoxville in May, Rev3 ½ Ironman distance Wisconsin Dells in August and Rev3 ½ Ironman distance in Venice Florida in October.   They are fairly well spaced out which may be good is some respects, but does kind of preclude me from being in peak shape for one big event.   I’ve also not completed two ½ Ironman distances in the same year, so that will be a challenge.   Just thinking about two of those will make for maybe more of a mental challenge than a physical one. I also have several non-triathlon specific goals, trying not to put everything in one basket.   One of my highlights this year was going on two short-term mission trips, one to Haiti, and one to Berlin Germany.     Those trips were just so rewarding.   Just traveling in general this past year I probably wen

First and foremost this trip to Berlin has been about furthering the cause of Christ. It seems also though every mission trip has a built in education component. This one has been an education on war and peace. After walking through the brandenburg gate, witnessing the memorial to the murdered Jews, standing over top of hitlers bunker, and the site of the book burning I came away with one conclusion. That is war is based almost completely on arrogance. Thoughts like I/we are superior to you, I/we want to make a great name for ourselves, and if you do not abide with that decision we will use all forces at our disposal. The sad fact is Berlin is full of beautiful cathedrals. Yet most of them were built as show places, not to further the cause of Christ. However encouraging signs are also in evidence. Just behind our missionaries home exists a running and cycling trail on ground that just 20 years ago held the Berlin wall. Berlin in no way seems to cover up its brutal past. Lesso

Raced the Lake Lemon (Bloomington, Indiana) triathlon this past weekend.   This has been an annual event for me the last three years since the race started.   The race serves as a close to the season so I like racing it for a variety of reasons, but somewhat sad this is my last one for the year.     Like years past I went down a day in advance with Greg Lucas and we did the race course setup.   Set the swim buoys for the course and the bike racks.   Greg’s son Tyler is one of the Race Directors so it’s a family affair.   Tyler and his fraternity at IU put this race on, and how many college fraternities could manage to run a non-profit triathlon, and keep it safe and organized?   Probably not many, so I like helping them out. Maybe the toughest part of the weekend was smelling the barbeque that was being held for the IU Swim Team while we were setting the swim course.   We ate peanut butter sandwiches while the team feasted and played volleyball.   We did our best to make

Had a cricket in the bathroom that drove us crazy for two nights we looked for him tried and hazy Last night at 5 AM I could take it no more Walked in the bathroom and closed the door Your mine Mr Cricket if I have to tear out the floor I finally found him and now he is no more Hiding under the towel I found him there Popped him on the head, figured that was fair for 2 nights of misery now all is square another night of that cricket I couldn't bear

Just read about a man in Haiti who is currently a student at Mountain Top Missions with an interesting family history.   His story is probably not a unique story, but an interesting one from a perspective of where you come from.   In a school essay he described his mother as a "women of the night" from Cite Soleil before she died, and his father was a man of adultery.   Having been to Cite Soleil one can best describe it as a Hell on Earth.   For those that don't believe a literally Hell exists have not been to this city outside of Port-au-Prince.   First and foremost I would say that anyone who made it from such a hard background to being a student at Mountain Top Missions School is a blessed man.   His story should remind us all that one cannot control where you come from nor the DNA from which you exists.   However, I believe that every man has been blessed with the opportunity for a positive life of meaning, and ultimately through Christ a place in a glori

In my continuing quest to not sit still I participated I the 16 th annual Columbus Challenge Sprint Triathlon this past weekend.   This is my second time I’ve entered this event, but the last time was years ago.   Had the company of Ethan Page so nice to have someone to talk to for the two hour trip over.   About 5 am I headed out the door, picked up Ethan and off we went.   Got there a bit late and the transition area was really full near the front so we had to settle for a spot near the back corner.   They switched the swim start to a time-trail, (one at a time start) from a wave start so that actually turned out very well.   Liked running into the water from the beach and no big group to deal with at the start.   Just by signing up earlier than Ethan I started 74 th and he started 100 th .   The swim is roughly a half mile triangle in Tipton Lake which is a very nice neighborhood.   The only down side was the course was not marked very well and navigation was a bit rough

The concept of racing at Ironman Muncie started in the Fall of 2010 when I heard that Ironman Corporation was buying out the Muncie Endurathon Half Ironman race.  With Ironman coming to Indiana, and looking for a marquee event for 2011, this was an obvious one.  Not long after I talked to my friend Greg Lucas, and next thing you know we are both making plans to go.  One of the best things that happened shortly afterwards was getting hooked up with Daniel Bretscher as my coach.  He set me on a path to success that began November 1 st and continued right up until race day. Race day itself was a good experience until about an hour before the race after everything was setup and ready to go.  Then the nervousness hit me.  Thankfully my wife Sherrie was there, and made the wait to the swim start much easier on me.  At the swim start I lined up fairly close to the front of the pack with Greg.  Had the opportunity to talk with my fellow Bretscher Multisport teammate Ron Gierut