At boot camp this morning, I found myself riding on the AirDyne bike while the rest of the class was running outside. I am currently dealing with a foot injury and my primary care doc told me no running or jumping until I see the podiatrist next week for a more in-depth evaluation, hence the AirDyne rather than running.

While I was riding, Bobby Covino stopped by to talk to me. Bobby is a former light heavyweight boxer who trains young boxers in one corner of Peak Fitness Performance Training in Worcester where my wife and I work out. He is a very friendly, outgoing guy that always says hi when he sees us.

Bobby told me that he was proud of the effort my wife and I put into our workouts every week (we go there 3 times per week). We’re not the oldest people who go to Peak but let’s say that we raise the average age of Peak members by quite a bit.

Anyway, in the course of our conversation, Bobby told me that he is turning 75 this year and he outlined for me what he plans to do to celebrate his 75th birthday:

1. 400 pound deadlift
2. 10 minutes on the heavy punching bag
3. 1 mile of “roadwork” (what boxers call running)

He plans to do all of this with his son Michael video taping him.

Bobby is old enough to be my dad and yet he has these aggressive fitness goals, 2 of which I couldn’t do without an incredible amount of hard work.

I told Bobby that I would be thinking of him on his birthday and that he was gonna crush it. In return, he told me to grateful for my health and never take it for granted.

I want to be Bobby when I grow up.

Bobby is such an inspiration to me, as are my other coaches at Peak. They believed in me when I wasn’t sure I believed in myself. Their faith in me and commitment to my success ultimately led to me achieving my current set of fitness goals. They are members of my village, as are so many others who care about my physical and mental health, and they are truly a blessing in my life.