colintimberlake.comTell her it wasn’t you…

TODAY’S TRAINING INSPIRATION:
GEORGE CHUVALO

As Hollywood legend has it, upon viewing Muhammad Ali vs. Chuck Weppner, Sylvester Stallone was inspired to write Rocky, the story of an underdog and outclassed fighter who gets a title shot and wills himself to go the distance.

But the screenplay could have been very easily based on George Chuvalo vs. Muhammad Ali, either the first or second time they fought.

In both cases, George Chuvalo went all 15 rounds (12 in the first fight)…without even getting knocked down. In fact, to this day, the former Canadian heavyweight champion is regarded as having had the best chin in the history of boxing or any combat sport, as he was never knocked down once in a boxing career that spanned 93 fights (with a career record of 73-18-2). Sixty-four of his wins were by knockout.

In both fights with Ali, Chuvalo took all the punishment Ali could offer, withstanding barrages of jabs and hooks…and still pushed forward. At the end, much like Apollo Creed in Rocky, Ali was simply left incredulous that he had been unable to finish his opponent (or even knock him to the canvas once).

But what is most inspirational about a man who fought Ali, George Foreman, Joe Frazier, and pretty much every notable heavyweight of his era was not his prowess or heart in the ring, but his strength and will outside of the ring. During the course of his life, he lost three sons to drug overdoses and a wife to suicide in the aftermath.

Since these tragedies, Chuvalo has become an outspoken crusader against drug abuse, with his strength earning him a place among the Order of Canada, the highest honor that can be bestowed upon a Canadian citizen.

An inspiration and a legend inside and outside the ring…George Chuvalo.

Today I am only going after one goal. My back will not let me run. But it won’t stop me from setting new benchmarks elsewhere.

TODAY’S PERFORMANCE

10 Miles on Stationary Bike: 24:00 (flat)

iPod songs during training (shuffle):
1. George Michael – Monkey (Extended)
2. Gowan – All the Lovers in the World
3. Harlequin – I Did it for Love
4. Haywire – Dance Desire
5. Heart – If Looks Could Kill
6. Heart – Wild Child
7. Hinder – How Long
8. Honeymoon Suite – Burning in Love

TRAINING NOTE

Fuck yeah! Absolutely destroyed my personal best on the 10-mile stationary bike ride. Now I’m actually curious what my time would be if I didn’t have the resistance turned up this high. I took about a minute and a half off my best time. Mission accomplished. I can’t run yet with the back spasms, but I’m still moving forward.

BACK TO Index of Inspirational Role Models for Training