A professional runner (not a college major, but it is a thing) ran into 2 black bears while training in Maine.  So he ran.

“I had to think very fast,” Marube, who has lived in the United States since 2010, told the newspaper. “In my head, I know I can’t swim. I fear swimming. I fear water.”

He outran the bears to a vacant house.

Bears, dust clouds from collapsing skyscrapers, gangs of marauding nihilists – there are times when there’s no option but to run.  To reveal something about myself, I study people and wonder if in an emergency they could run.  Could they keep up with me? How quickly would I have to decide whether to help them or just keep running?

Yes, I have a somewhat atavistic attitude towards this.  I’m no doomsday prepper, but I do hold the belief that you should be able to run 2 miles, non-stop, fairly quickly.  Let’s call it the President’s Medal of Emergency Fitness.  The ability to do some push ups isn’t too much to ask too.  And Marube, you should be able to swim too!  Competently!

It’s essential fitness and sadly, for Americans fitness is more and more like religion – the people into it are really into it, and the people who are not, well, are seemingly just fine with being bear food.