71 Days

Note: My friend and colleague Andy Ambruch has entered the 2016 Ultimate Men’s Health Guy Contest.  For those of you who know my story but don’t know Andy, the most telling anecdote I think is that when I was totally incapacitated with plantar fasciitis and frustrated beyond belief, Andy (whose schedule was over full already) trained me in the pool where we worked at PSC Highpoint.  Literally helped me get back on my feet again.  And then 8 months later ran my Broad Street long runs with me on weekends (just twice so as not to repeat my past mistakes.)   To be the picture of health and fitness takes an amazing amount of determination and hard work.  To have the vision to see that picture in everyone else and relentlessly strive to carve it into being well, that is rare magic indeed.

Confession time.  I’m not voting for Andy for Ultimate Men’s Health Guy because he deserves it. (He ABSOLUTELY does of course but many of the contestants probably do   Big deal.)  I’m voting for Andy because WE deserve it.

WE have lost too many fathers, grandfathers, brothers, and friends to the rat race that takes our endlessly adventurous fort builders and flag football quarterbacks, geniuses and jedi, farm boys and superheroes, and reduces them to workaholics, frequent flyers, patients and invalids. 

We need a different body on our magazine covers.  Not a model but a role model for real health and fitness that endures through, NO expects adversity and makes you believe that there are dreams waiting for you on the other side. 

That today you can be great at your job, be counted on by your family, and make time for the run or game or class or mountain that makes you glad you’re here.  And that it is never too late because “The sun comes up every day…”

And for the next 71 times that it does I am summoning all the wives and sisters and daughters and mothers who sit in cath labs and rehabs and churches.  We have 71 days to stand up and say:  “It is going to be different for my son…”

Put it on your calendar people.  http://ultimateguy.menshealth.com/entry/36/