My Greatest Fear

If you've been following the IronJew postings, you might assume that swimming is my greatest fear as I anticipate the Ironman in 11 months.  Well, that's just not true.  As a congregational rabbi, I am constantly reminded of the fragility of life.  We just never know what tomorrow will bring.  Still in the midst of the Jewish "Season of Repentance," we recall Rabbi Eliezer's admonition to "repent one day before death.  How does one know when it is one day before his death?  Therefore, repent today!"  It is a lesson that encourages us to live in the moment lest important opportunities pass us by. 

During the High Holidays, Jews recite the "Unetaneh tokef", a somber prayer that has us wondering who will live and who will die.  Who will die by fire and who by water?  Who will be taken by illness and who by beast?

I've had many bicycle crashes over the years, mostly during races.  Honestly, I think I've fallen more in this one year than I have collectively in all the years of my life prior.  No doubt my focus on mountain biking is to blame.  Gladly, none of my falls were serious.  Sure, I have some scars, but those are merely badges of honor.  But I have one great fear about the 112 mile bike section of the Ironman Wisconsin Triathlon and I was graphically reminded of it by news that emerged from South Africa this week.  Take a look at what happened in a bike race:

Luckily, this guy was okay.  But who knows what will happen when a brute from the wild chooses to take another one of us out.  Ironman Wisconsin is affectionately called IMOO- "moo" being a reference to the prevalence of cows in rural Wisconsin.  The fear of being tackled by a cow on the sleepy country roads of Wisconsin wakes me up in a cold sweat in middle of the night.  Carnivores unite.  We will not be beaten by the angry bovine. 

The truth is, it's not unheard for athletes to be taken out by an animal mid-competition.  Look at what happened to the lead runner in the 2004 Olympic Marathon. 

Vanderlei de Lima finished the race, but he was so shaken that he lost his lead. 

Eddy Merckx was the greatest cyclist of all time.  What he accomplished on a bike has never been, nor will ever be duplicated.  He won everything there was to win.  Nicknamed "The Cannibal", he left nothing for his rivals.  In the 1975 edition of the Tour de France, Merckx was punched in the stomach by a spectator as he was trying to catch his rivals on a mountain road. 

 A few days later, Merckx crashed and fractured his cheek bone, though he did eventually finish the race.  Merckx lost the Tour that year.  Many think that it was the attack by that animal on the sidelines that shook his confidence enough to ruin his chances of victory.

Okay, so maybe I'm not really afraid of being "taken out" during the race.  Indeed, anything is possible, but I think it's more likely that I'll slip and fall on road kill than be tackled by a human or animal predator.  That said, I certainly won't be singing the Jaws theme to myself as I make my way through the swim course in Madison, even if there are no sharks in Lake Monona!

Looking off for the next few days for the Jewish holiday.  Until then...