Monday, January 05, 2009

Maybe

I've stopped swimming again because my shoulder is still screwed up to some degree. So instead of having these wonderful hourlong swims four or five days a week, I get to ride on a stinking exercise bike or do half an hour on an elliptical trainer.

They're both horrible workouts compared to what I was doing, both in terms of exertion and enjoyment, but I'm doing them, and I'm trying to work hard.

I walk into my gym on Sunday and I see this guy coming down the stairs. He's wearing a warmup suit, and he's pouring sweat, but that's not what I see first. What I see first is that he's on crutches and he's got some kind of orthopedic boot on his right foot.

I figure he's finished his workout and he's headed down to the locker room, but when he reaches the bottom of the stairs, he turns around and starts right back up. Quickly. On one leg. On crutches.

The gym has two levels, and there are about twenty-five stairs to the second level, with a landing in the middle. This guy gets to the top (I'm just past the landing), and he turns to come back down. That's when I realize this guy is doing a stair workout ON CRUTCHES.

"Dude, you are hardcore beyond my wildest dreams," I say as I walk past.

He laughs and says "Thanks," then keeps going.

I've seen all kinds of crazy people doing all kinds of crazy workouts. Many times, I'm in the crazy category myself. So seeing people work their asses off never fazes me. This was the first time, though, that I ever looked at somebody working out and thought maybe too hardcore.

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