He was one of those Uber drivers that held conversation the whole ride. But, he was so charismatic and interesting that I didn’t mind. My guy lived a remarkable life and after he emphatically schooled me on how he more or less stumbled his way into a collegiate track & field scholarship and accidentally got a few masters degrees and miraculously found the love of his life, I was enamored.
Then, the 71 year old said something that struck me.
“I’ve had this dream of an apartment downtown in an old biscuit warehouse that’s wonderful for entertaining,” he said. “I love to entertain. Dinner parties and such..”
He was so passionate about every topic of discussion that I was on the edge of my seat about this apartment. “There are 51 steps up to my apartment,” he recalled. “Because it’s an old building, there’s no elevator.”
“Once you get to my landing, there’s exactly 15 more steps to the living room area where I like to host my dinner parties.”
I wondered why he was so specific about the steps. He went on to explain that at age 71 that his friends don’t come over for dinner when he invites them anymore. “They ask about the steps,” he said. “I’ve outgrown my friends now because they can’t make the 66 steps to be with me.”
It was a heartbreaking insight into two contrasting experiences as we age. Firstly, we lose capacities that we don’t use. My Uber driver has no problems with the steps because he never stopped climbing them. His friends had a different experience. And, second, movement capacity is freedom (or a prison).
The choice is yours.
8/12/24 WOD
DEUCE Athletics GPP
Complete 4 rounds of the following:
10 Neutral Grip Lat Pulldowns
Complete 3 rounds for quality of:
10 DB Rollbacks
15 DB Reverse Flys
8 Half-Kneeling Cable Crossbody Chops (ea)
AMRAP 8
7th Street Corner Run
10 Thrusters (95/65)
DEUCE Garage GPP
Every :90 for 15 efforts, complete 2 Power Snatches
Then, with one partner working at a time, complete the following for reps,
AMRAP 14:
5 Tuck Jump Burpees
10 DB Shoulder to Overhead (45/25)
500m Row