I got a cheery email from a good friend a couple of days ago with the news that he and his friends had to turn back during their Mount St. Helens climb because of inclement weather. Climbing permits sell out quickly for the season, and there will be no chance to try again this year. My friend was philosophical about it. “We’ll try again next year,” was his final optimistic comment. This was the same guy who just finished Cycle Oregon, a scenic but grueling seven-day bike ride with mileage varying from 55 to 95 miles per day. Last year he organized a twelve-person Hood to Coast team, which completed a 200-mile relay race. Most team members run three legs but due to someone’s injury, my friend ran four.
These are impressive and rigorous adventures for anyone, but this guy is 71 years old.
I’m fortunate to have friends, cohorts, and mentors who are athletic, disciplined, and persistent. They are also mature, at least chronologically. Their antics include distance road races (marathons and “half’s”), long and hilly bike rides, grueling running relay events, crazy downhill ski runs, and tough triathlons. Someone in my running group celebrated his 60th year by climbing Mt. Rainier. Heck, there’s even a fearless 60-something who recently ran with the bulls in Pamplona, Spain.
Whether I’ve surrounded myself with fitness bad-asses consciously or through fortuity, I don’t know. But either way, I’m benefitting from it. Research shows that we emulate those around us – for better or worse. We pick up lifestyle behaviors from people we live with, work with, and socialize with. What you eat, how much you drink, and whether you exercise or not is influenced by those you spend the most time with.
Maybe it is a subtle form of peer pressure or a desire to fit in. Or maybe we’re just awed by the accomplishments of others, and they inspire us. At their core, my die-hard athletic friends embrace life’s infinite possibilities while no doubt acknowledging its finite length. I can’t think of better role models.
I’m privileged to surround myself with active and athletic male and female friends. Now if I could just find friends who own dogs that obediently heel when walking, whose garages are always tidy, and who file their income tax returns before the absolute deadline. Those are folks I’d swap out my bad-ass fitness buddies for in a heartbeat!