In this Baltimore Sun piece titled All in a day’s work, Joe Decker (“World’s Fittest Man”) is quoted: “I don’t do this sort of stuff for the publicity or for the media. Believe it or not, I like doing what people consider this crazy, insane type stuff. It helps me keep my sanity, helps me make things balanced in my life. I definitely know I have anxiety issues. I am an extremist. … Beating myself up like that helps keep me balanced.”
It’s hard to see how this is balanced: Monday through Friday, Decker works out three times a day. After boot camp Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, he lifts weights, keen on maintaining his ability to bench-press 400 pounds. On Tuesdays and Thursdays, he runs — speed work, hills or tempo runs. Each afternoon, he runs, cycles, paddles, or uses the rowing machine or the elliptical trainer.
But then, I’ve been known to be more than a little compulsive when it comes to sports.