Christ-Centered Athlete

Welcome to the Christ-Centered Athlete blog!

2018-10-25T19:01:00.000-04:00

Who am I, and Why am I here?
Each one of us is gifted and talented with unique abilities. I've heard it said, "Don't try to be someone else, everyone else is taken!". You are a special person, created in God's image!

In the first episode of the podcast, I challenge you to be less "self-focused" and more "self-aware". Let's pray together for wisdom and humility as we strive together to know ourselves well enough to know our limitations, as well as our strengths!

Click here for the Christ-Centered Athlete Podcast, hosted by Coach Charlie Grimes!

Back at it- Let's share some ideas!

2016-07-04T21:25:00.000-04:00

Many extroverted personalities like to interact and share ideas. Let's connect on some thoughts and visions I've had. I will try to post weekly, feel free to comment or reach out.
Blessings!

July means something special to Cycling fans!

2011-07-02T10:07:00.001-04:00

Tour de France time!
Here is a British version of "ESPN":
WATCH LIVE FEED

Enjoy the journey!

Stress and Test Anxiety Talk!

2010-10-27T17:11:00.002-04:00

I had a great time presenting tonight at the Students For Success workshop! My slides are here on the blog!
Work hard and be PREPARED!

Malone Student Senate Directors presentation!

2010-08-24T10:27:00.000-04:00

I had a great time sharing some thoughts with the Senate Directors today!
Here's the link to my presentation:
Senate Motivation/Leadership talk

Front of the Jersey vs. back of the jersey?

2010-02-23T21:25:00.000-05:00

As we all watch the Winter Olympic Games, I'm reminded of how the competitors at the Olympic level have a different type of perspective than just the everyday professional athlete. There is a value to the name on the FRONT of their jersey, not a constant emphasis on the name shown on the BACK of the jersey. Competing at that level means quite a bit more than the constant stream of sporting events that "SportsCenter" produces every 30 minutes here in the U.S.
I commend these athletes for their commitment to represent the name on the front of the jersey. I'm working to encourage this type of perspective wherever I go! "It's not about ME."

Those Olympic rings represent the five different continents that all the athletes come from-- and the five colors are represent all of the different national flags.

Grimes "ChapelCast"-- Get fit, meet God!

2009-10-26T18:15:00.004-04:00

Last week I had the great opportunity to lead the Chapel time at Malone University. My main points were that if we would exercise our physical bodies, we would accomplish two great goals:
-We would meet God on a wonderful level!
-We would prepare ourselves for effective and powerful service to Him in the future!
I have had a great response to the time, so I thought I would share it on a larger scale.
Many thanks to Coach Dustin Miller, cancer survivor, for his contribution too!

I also shared a powerful video to close my talk:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yf8ZeulB4do

Remember the "Coach Grimes 5 Pillars of good health" :
1. Fresh Air
2. Clean Water
3. Whole Food
4. Hard Work
5. Deep Sleep

Enjoy!

2009-07-28T19:21:00.001-04:00

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No free lunches...

2009-07-25T20:14:00.002-04:00

Alright- I'll clear up some of the confusion on what some of you have been seeing me post about "feeling old" or "facing the truth"-- yada yada yada.
A great former athlete of ours at Malone (who happens to be an assistant coach also) has organized a yearly "C.R. Grimes Decathlon meet" to invite alumni, friends, and area athletes interested to compete in my honor. (great)--- that means I probably should participate right? WELL- the last 12 months of my life have not been the most conducive to the training load that a full Decathlon would require... SO- I'm obviously NOT prepared for this thing. I do know enough about the events (duh!), and went ahead and competed with several good friends and alumni of Malone. The field this year had many younger athletes (current students, or recent grads)-- AND several area athletes in the 50+ age groups. Even one active old-timer in his 80's! I found myself a bit "in-between" the two extremes in the field.
Another factor that plays into the scoring of this thing is a so called "Master's age adjustment". It is a preset "adjustment" factor for a person's age, as well as reductions in the implements that older men are allowed to use.
Needless to say- I wasn't young enough to post marks like I used to, AND I'm not quite old enough yet for the significant age adjustments. I still had to throw the College Shot put, Discus, and Javelin. (I was terrible at those things at 20, let alone now!)
Yeah- I basically got my head handed to me...

There is a bright side, however. I realized that my perspective was affected by what I have accomplished in the past, and somehow I need to remember that I'm not 20 anymore. I've got different priorities, and have spent time developing many other areas of my life- (like my great family, my church friends, my career, etc.) The 'reference point' theory holds true for me this weekend. I USED to be a pretty good athlete, but WASN'T a husband, father, or College AD. Now I am those things, and the athletic ability has left me. You can't have it all, Charlie.
I do realize that, but today I got beat by a great (younger) athlete in "my" event, the 1500m. That wasn't so fun. But I finished, and honored the event. It's an event that will flat kick your butt. Even some 20 years later- it's still kicking my butt.

This changes everything? Not quite everything.

2009-07-11T12:11:00.003-04:00

It has been a year-long process to formally apply for membership in the NCAA. I suppose I ought not take this so personally, but I am. I'm feeling like we've just lost a championship, and now need to face the truth of who we really are, and where we really stand as a department. I've worked harder than ever for this, but now need to regroup and answer some very difficult questions. I was able to sit with our President and process the next moves. I deeply appreciated his encouragement and support. My talk with him reminded me of another life lesson that I learned as a high-school senior football player. I was the starting quarterback for the team until our Homecoming game. We lost miserably to a very good team- yet I played badly, and was basically in over my head. After that game, knowing that my quarterback days were over, I had an interaction with a dear coach that changed me forever. He approached me while I was alone and actually crying over my situation. He asked me what was wrong- I proceeded to explain how badly I felt, and that I was hopeless. "Hopeless? Oh I think you're far from hopeless" he said. "Do you realize there are about 1 billion people in China that don't even know this game happened tonight?" I agreed with him. "And the sun will come up tomorrow, and you'll have your health and your family and a bright future young man." "The sooner you put this into it's real perspective in this life, the better off you're going to be".
Coach Steve Schmidt never said anything more profound to me than that.
Since that night- nearly EVERY time I'm facing disappointment or failure- I think of that night, and try to put my circumstances into a larger context.
God is a big God. He has this world and my "story" in his hand. You can't get much more safe than that.

DII Membership Committee OKs Lake Erie as active member - NCAA.org

2009-07-10T17:11:00.001-04:00

DII Membership Committee OKs Lake Erie as active member - NCAA.org

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Relentless beast: TIME

2009-07-10T09:10:00.002-04:00

I cannot believe how hard it is to get back into any sort of physical shape. I've been literally around the country as an athlete and coach. I've seen some absolutely wonderful displays of physical performance in all different types of activity. I've met olympians, world record holders and international coaching experts. I have completed nearly 8 years of education in Physiology and exercise, and have been in University level athletics for over 20 years... Do you think I can get up in the morning and run 2.67 miles in under 20 minutes? not a chance this week. (I've tried five times in a row!) I've recently "slowed" down in the last year-- and I CAN'T believe how bad some of this hurts... (my body AND my ego)

Here's your shot- go ahead- laugh at me. I'm ready. Some of you have been waiting on this day to come. Remember, it's all relative to a "former" athlete like me.
Time is getting the best of my body-- but not my spirit or my heart.

-2 Corinthians 4:16 (New International Version)
16Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day.

I know God has a plan for us growing older, and wiser-- but sometimes it just plain hurts.

2009-07-04T21:06:00.001-04:00

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2009-07-04T21:04:00.001-04:00

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2009-07-04T11:08:00.001-04:00

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Land HO! Jamestown that is...

2009-06-12T20:53:00.001-04:00

How in the world could these little ships make it nearly 6000 miles to the so called "New World"? Only God knows...

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Where it all began!

2009-06-12T20:52:00.001-04:00

Here's a shot of the sign out in front of the restored "Raliegh Tavern". The site of key meetings that began the idea of a little "Declaration"...

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A real Patriot...

2009-06-12T20:47:00.001-04:00

Check me out in Williamsburg- trying out the old pioneer hats...

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Williamsburg, VA!

2009-06-07T21:22:00.002-04:00

Just a quick shout to everyone! I'm here in Colonial Williamsburg with the family. We're deciding what of the 1 million things to see! It should be a pretty cool experience for everyone. I'm excited to see some of the great history of the beginning of our country!
More to come!

Easy Run- measured a new trail.

2009-03-15T21:22:00.000-04:00

03/15/2009 Route
Find more Runs in Canton, Ohio

My "little" girls aren't so little anymore!

2009-02-18T21:43:00.003-05:00

Wow- Tomorrow marks the date that I became "Daddy" to Kathryn Renee' Grimes. 12 years ago I was an upstart Lecturer in the Health and PE department at Eastern Michigan University. I was actually speaking to a Personal wellness class when the call came that our little girl was about to be born. I rushed out of the classroom (in much the same way Forrest Gump jumps off the shrimp boat when he learns his mother is ill). I missed the actual emergency C-section birth, but was thrilled to arrive at the hospital to greet a healthy baby and the strong woman I love.
I happened to be in conversations with some little christian college in Canton, Oh at the time- they had a coaching position available in Track and Field, and a teaching spot in their Exercise science department. I thought maybe that would be a great place to integrate my faith with my field. I would later interview for the job, and successfully move my little family to Canton later that year.

That same little girl turns twelve tomorrow, and I'm now the Athletics Director at that little school- that has now turned into a University!
God obviously has a great plan for us. In many ways, we know nothing of our future- except to trust and obey.

Let the Training Begin!

2009-02-14T12:04:00.003-05:00

This morning I finally took the leap and began my aerobic training plan.
18 miles on the bike- 1 hour, 9 min. At about 20 degrees temperature- I suffered a bit toward the end... This was definitely the coldest ride I've ever taken! The roads were dry though, and there wasn't much traffic.
I've been trying to play basketball with the guys at Malone for the winter, perhaps 2-3 times a week. That's just not the same as a long continuous exercise, though.
It's finally happening friends... I'm GAINING WEIGHT>.. Some of you have been watching me be too thin my whole life! Not anymore! :-) I'm embracing my "new body" just fine.

2009-01-25T16:23:00.001-05:00

Check out the fun video we took yesterday at the local sledding hill! Watch out for the flying dare-devils! :-)

Malone University Interview on WHBC AM 1480!

2008-10-05T18:19:00.001-04:00

I was interviewed with a co-worker for our school's big name change! Check us out on the morning show!

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2008-10-01T14:35:00.001-04:00

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