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/
