Unfortunately, it was eventually discovered that Terry’s cancer had returned.  This discovery was made while Terry was still running 26 miles a day.  Not only was he running on an artificial leg, but also with large tumors in each of his lungs.

The story of Terry Fox really puts our own bumps, bruises, and minor setbacks into perspective.  It also demonstrates the power of determination.  Terry was determined to raise one dollar for each of Canada’s 24 million people.  It could not have been comfortable running 26 miles a day.  Logic would suggest that it isn’t even possible to continually cover such distance.  Add an artificial leg and cancerous tumors within the lungs and it sounds impossible.

Take ten minutes out of your day to watch the video below.  It is one of  the most powerful stories I’ve seen (thanks to Rob for passing it along).

In the words of Thomas Fuller,

“An invincible determination can accomplish almost anything and in this lies the great distinction between great men and little men.”

Back in 2001, Marc Herremans finished 6th in the Ironman World Championship in Hawaii.  Finishing 6th in such a highly regarded race is clearly an amazing accomplishment.  Yet despite his strong performance, Marc wanted more. He had only started training for triathlons in 1998. Therefore, it was reasonable to believe that he would crack the top three in 2002, with the possibility of eventually winning the race.

Unfortunately, Marc’s dreams took a drastic turn for the worse after a terrible accident in 2002. After losing control of his bike, Marc was left paralyzed below his chest. Following such a tragic accident, it would have been reasonable for Marc to give up his hopes of winning the Ironman.

Fortunately, Marc has shown that he is everything but reasonable. Three months after his accident, Marc began training again, this time as a wheelchair competitor. Less than one year after being paralyzed in a near fatal accident, Marc Herremans competed again in the Ironman. He then competed each year afterward until he finally won the race in 2006.   He was the first wheelchair athlete to finish.

Marc continues to train with the hopes of eventually walking again.  If you are in need of inspiration, look no further than the video below:

Athletes such as Scott Rigsby and Marc Herremans have shown me that we all have much more potential than we will ever realize.  In Marc’s own words,

“I didn’t know I was this strong either, but I became aware of it after the accident.”

I’m blown away by his determination.  To see him get up and compete after dealing with such a tragedy is beyond amazing.

Marc speaks more about his life and his refusal to give up in the translated interview below:

Walk With Marc Herremans

It’s worth taking a few minutes out of your day to listen to him speak.

The video below tells the story…

Scott is a living example of the words below (per Orison Swett Marden),

“Success is the child of drudgery and perseverance. It cannot be coaxed or bribed; pay the price and it is yours.”

Rob has certainly been through a lot.  He doesn’t sit around and mope about the circumstances however.  On the contrary, he remains as active and strong as most men half his age.  He isn’t a lifetime lifter though.  Rob didn’t begin powerlifting until he was 64 years old.

Yet, despite the late start, cancer didn’t stop him from getting back into the gym before his hair had time to grow back.  It also didn’t stop him from becoming a record breaking lifter for his age group.  He’s already pulled over 450 pounds and has his eyes set on 500.

Rob’s story is one of true inspiration.  He’s overcome repeated battles with cancer and continues to defy age.  He doesn’t sit around feeling sorry for himself.  He’s too busy taking care of his family and busting ass in the gym.  Hats off to him.  I wish him continued success and health.

“We don’t stop playing because we grow old; we grow old because we stop playing.”

Many of the older athletes that I’ve featured have been training for longer than I’ve been alive.  These men and women are not growing old in the traditional sense.  They continue to thrive and often improve.  For example, Fred Peterson can be seen below pulling 640 pounds at 70 years old.

Fred can also be seen within this video pulling 680 pounds.  He speaks briefly at the 4:35 mark and then prepares for the lift at approximately 5:00 into the video.  While speaking, he mentions that he’s been lifting for 56 years.  It’s great to see someone remain passionate about training as they advance in age.

Below is yet another tremendous display of older strength.  Larry Wallen pulls 705 pounds at 60 years old.

Keep Living

I’m not posting these videos in hope that you sign your grandfather up for a powerlifting meet.  I’m posting these videos to remind you that life isn’t over until it is over.  You can remain passionate about training regardless of age.  These strength displays are incredibly inspirational to me.  I’m amazed at the strength of these men in their 60’s and 70’s. I can only hope that I’ll be as active as them when I approach their current age.

Larry Wallen and Fred Peterson are two clear examples that the body is much more capable than many realize.  It is amazing what can be accomplished with years of consistent and diligent work.  It is also worth mentioning that you can still do very well despite starting at an older age.

Either way, the possibility always exists for one to remain passionate.   The past is the past.  It’s over and we can’t change it.  You don’t need to be defined by what you did or didn’t do. If there is something that you want to do, get up and get busy.

In the words of Chuck Palahniuk,

“You have a choice. Live or die. Every breath is a choice. Every minute is a choice. To be or not to be.”

Amputee Dayton Webber, 11, excels at wrestling

At 11 months old, Dayton’s limbs were amputated because of a life-threatening bacterial infection. Dayton was not expected to live. Family gathered as he was administered his last rites. Fortunately, it’s been over ten years since his limbs were amputated and he’s still going strong.  He’s been an active wrestler for four years.  He also gets outside to play football, ice skate, ride go-karts, and more.  He is as active as any of his peers.

In Dayton’s own words,

“I just like to do sports. I feel like I can play sports and kind of show people what I can do — that I can do sports just as good as them. I feel like I can do anything if I just put my mind to it.”

He went on to say,

“Anything they say I can’t do, I try to show them I can do it.”

If Dayton can live with such determination despite his unfortunate circumstances, it is safe to say that we can all live with such conviction.  There are no excuses.

I honestly don’t know what I would do if one of my own children had to go through what Dayton has endured.  I never would have thought that an 11-year-old could be such an inspiration to me.  His story has certainly struck a chord.

We can all learn and benefit from the way Dayton lives his life.  I wish him the best of luck in his future endeavors.

He recently broke the 5000 meter world record for his age group (95 to 99).  Imagine that there are men and women a third of his age who could not even run 5000 meters.   Meanwhile, Frank gets outside to run every other day.  He also performs pushups and even works out on a punching bag.

Frank did not begin competing as a runner until age 65.  He’s run 18 marathons in the time since.  Not too shabby for a senior citizen.   Meanwhile, I’ve had people in their 30’s email me about feeling over the hill.  Here is a man who started a new sport at 65.

In Frank’s own words,

“The easiest person to fool in the world, to mislead, is yourself because you can talk yourself into anything.”

Frank’s advice can be taken two ways.  You can talk yourself into sitting down and letting life pass you by or you can talk yourself into getting up and making things happen.  It’s never too late.

I’ll do my best to follow Frank’s lead.   He’s a true inspiration.

I highly recommend taking the time to watch the video.  Will Smith is one of the most successful actors in the world.  I actually featured one of his past performances in a previous entry.  He is clearly talented, but his success didn’t come by accident.  He has worked extremely hard to become who he is today.

I still remember listening to his music in the late 1980’s.  He came out with the Parents Just Don’t Understand song in 1988.   I also remember watching the first ever episode of the television series The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air.  No one in their right mind could have guessed how popular the show would become in the early 1990’s.  Will Smith was not even considered an actor.  Twenty years later he has become one of the most notable actors in the world.

As you watch the video above, you’ll notice that his interviews are filled with quote worthy one liners.  A few that stuck out to me are listed below.

First, I agree with his assessment of talent vs. skill.  Talent will only take you so far.  It’s amazing what a relentless work ethic will allow you to achieve.  Unfortunately, hard work is a phrase that has different meanings for different people.

“I’ve never really viewed myself as particularly talented. Where I excel is ridiculous, sickening work ethic.”

He then speaks on the importance of constantly striving to improve.  On paper, the concept appears obvious, but in reality, it is often a rarity.  So many people get lost in habit.  They go through the motions without ever attempting to move forward.

“Dedicate yourself to being better every single day.”

I also appreciate and can personally relate to his ideas about somehow improving the world.  When I look at my kids, I want them to be proud of their father.  When I leave this world, I’d like to think that there are people out there who have benefited from my presence.  I never wanted to blend in with the crowd.  I want to be different and make a difference.

“I want the world to be better because I was here.”

Finally, I believe I’ve saved the best for last.  No one becomes great by doing what everyone else does or expects you to do.  I’ve always thought that no one knows what I’m capable of achieving.   Everyone is welcome to an opinion, but I’ll be the first to admit that I’m not listening.   If I set my mind to something, it isn’t a matter of if I’ll accomplish the goal, but rather a matter of when.  I’m everything but realistic, and that mindset has taken me to places that I never would have found if I listened to everyone around me.

“Being realistic is the most commonly traveled road to mediocrity.”

Fortunately, Crystal isn’t alone.  As seen throughout the age-related category, age is often just a number.  Below is another 40+ year old female example.  Within the video, you will see Tara Scott demonstrate several challenging pushup exercises.

Her Youtube channel is filled with many more low-tech workout ideas (often outdoors).  She mixes bodyweight exercise with weights, odd objects, and more.  You can certainly find some interesting ideas within her channel.

There is more to learn from Tara than the mere exercise examples however.  In a past blog entry from her, I read where she had trained 766 consecutive days.  Yes, that is right, not one day off.  She may have even surpassed this number.  I happened to read an entry on the day she hit 766.

How does she do it?  What does she do for programming?  Periodization?  She must have a complex plan, right?

Wrong…  In her own words,

“Some days I go light, others heavy, and then others somewhere in between.”

She goes on to say,

“There are two fundamental ideas that I am aware of as I approach my playout. First, make sure that I am having fun. As my teacher says, ‘Fun is Fundamental.’ Secondly listen to my body that day and let it tell me what is right for me.”

I like her use of the word playout as opposed to workout.  When you enjoy what you are doing, you tend to be much more passionate about the work.  I also like the fact that she (like many) has gone against the grain in terms of what is considered proper by many of the conventional training groups.  She’s exercised her body every day for more than 2 consecutive years.  In some ways, her story reminds me of Mark Covert’s running streak (he’s run every day for over 40 years).

There are athletes and trainers out there who wouldn’t believe it was possible.  Ironically, many from this crowd are the same people who are unable to match the performance of those they criticize.

So often, we are told what we cannot do or shouldn’t do.  I don’t believe in this approach.  No one knows the potential of another man or woman.  It’s up to the individual to decide.  When you enjoy what you are doing and are passionate about your work (or play), the possibilities are literally endless.

In the words of Dr. Howard Thurman,

“Don’t ask yourself what the world needs; ask yourself what makes you come alive. And then go and do that. Because what the world needs is people who have come alive.”

Perhaps even more impressive than the video above is her 39 consecutive pull-up demonstration.

If you still need pull-up inspiration, Crystal once performed 1,210 reps in 80 minutes.  That’s at least a thousand more pull-ups than many will perform in an entire life.

Crystal’s pull-up strength is obviously impressive.  It is much more impressive however when you consider that she is a 40+ year old woman.  Most women are unable to perform a single rep on the bar.  Here is a 44 year old who is just shy of 40 consecutive reps.

In the past week, we’ve seen a heavyweight on the bar and now a woman.   Both are often assumed to be unable to perform reps on the pull-up bar.  Clearly, these assumptions are false.  There is no excuse to let the pull-up bar collect dust.  Get your hands on the bar and get busy.