If you are an Outside Magazine fan like I am, you’ll recognize the title of this post is also the tagline for their mag.  For the past few years they’ve had a series called the “Fittest Real Men in America” where they find real guys, with real jobs, who find the time to stay at the top of their game.  These guys really are amazing – most of the ones they highlight have some great stats like finishing in the top 40 in the Hawaii Ironman or being a regular ultra-marathoner who can hang with the professionals.

While most of us won’t be top finishers of any ironman – their stories are motivating because these guys have  found a balance between working and truly living an active life.  The ones I respect the most have families and have figured out how to incorporate an active lifestyle for themselves without sacrificing their home life.  So how do they do it?  Well, if you read a few of them, you see some consistent trends that include:

1. Having workout clothes / gear in the car, ready to roll at any moment
2. Scheduling and committing to workouts, but being flexible (i.e. see point 1 above)
3. Making every workout count
4. Setting goals and going after them (sign up for a race, pick a date to climb a mountain, etc.)

The above tips have worked well for me personally. I can’t say I’m as diligent as some of the “Fittest Guys in America,” but I’m able to get my workouts in consistently enough that I can still get outside for a hike or mountain bike and not get worked over. 

What I’ve really enjoyed recently though is the attempt to be flexible and look for opportunities to get a workout in (again, with a sixth month old you have to be creative).  For instance a few weeks ago I had to drive to Canada for a business trip.  I had two options, take the shortest route and get to my destination sooner, or take the scenic route and get a trail run in on the way.

I chose the latter.  The drive took me over the North Cascades Hwy Loop (Hwy 20 – heading West from Winthrop).  On this trip, I decided my destination would be to run on a portion of the Pacific Crest Trail.  I started at Rainy Pass (elevation 4,875 ft) and from there did a gorgeous trail run up to Cutthroat Pass (elevation 6,800 ft).  As the pictures below show, it was worth every step. The run to the top took 1.25 hours, and about 1 hour to come back down.  This likely wasn’t fast enough to put me in contention for Outside’s  “Fittest Real Men” issue next season, but that’s ok.  The only rewards I was seeking was fresh air, scenery and a heart rate above 170.

Southwesterly view on the PCT