Health Fitness Revolution and its founder Samir Becic have been on the hunt for finding the Top 10 Fittest Mayors 2018. Since 2013, HFR has been creating lists of the fittest politicians in various branches of government in order to motivate Americans to embrace a healthier lifestyle.
Our next featured mayor is someone who is not afraid of challenges, and he enjoys them. Jersey City, New Jersey Mayor Steven Fulop has completed an Ironman, ran in the 2012 NYC Marathon, and is the mayor of one of the largest cities in America at only 41 years old. Mayor Fulop is not only an excellent mayor but an accomplished triathlete who applies his hard-working attitude into his civic duties.
Samir: Your biography is very impressive.
Fulop: Oh, thank you.
Besides being only 41 and leading one of the largest cities in America, you did an Ironman. That’s extremely impressive. I actually called some of my friends from New Jersey to get more information about you and everyone I spoke with was very impressed with you, mayor.
Well I appreciate that, thank you, we work hard so it’s nice to hear that and thank you for the recognition, I appreciate that.
Well I would not give you the recognition if you didn’t deserve it. I do have a couple questions for you, mayor. John F. Kennedy once said, “Physical fitness is not only one of the most important keys to a healthy body. It is the basis of dynamic and creative intellectual activity.” What is your stance on this?
Well I think it’s true. I think that since the ’60s and ’70s, one of the things we realized is that it’s not only being active but it’s also eating right and living a healthy lifestyle. It’s about meditation, yoga, diet and physical fitness plus those other things. And in Jersey City, we try to encourage a healthy lifestyle in its entirety.
Yes, I agree. You’re only 41 years old and you’re already a mayor of one of the largest cities in the world. Do you think that a healthier lifestyle helps you accomplish this?
Yes, because I think that being healthy and active can teach extreme discipline and I think that it’s needed in order to be successful in anything you do. Whether it’s being a mayor, or running a company, or working at a company, discipline is important. With that trait, you show up on time, you work hard through the process, and you’re reliable, and I think being active promotes all those characteristics.
I agree with you. Now how did you feel after finishing that Ironman?
Oh, my god. It took a little less than 12 hours, which I think most people would say is a good time.
That’s an excellent time.
Yeah. So, I did one full ironman and two half Ironmans and I’ve been running in the New York marathon. I’m going to start again next year with some triathlons. I think that the Ironman was probably the hardest single task I was a part of because it really requires not only physical endurance but mental endurance. So it was a challenge to see what my limitations are physically and mentally. I wanted to push that threshold as far as I can, to the highest levels that I could, and that’s where that came from, and the end result is you often realize your mind thinks about quitting and giving up before your body is giving up, and so it relates both your mental toughness and physical toughness and you’ve got to push them both simultaneously. The Ironman was a good process for that.
Mayor we definitely think and feel the same way. I just finished 7 marathons in eight weeks with a 73.5-pound weighted vest on my body and it pushed me mentally and physically. Like you just explained. And now I am preparing myself for next October to run an Ironman with a 73.5-pound weighted vest on me. So do you have any suggestions for me for the Ironman?
(Laughs) First of all I got to tell you that’s crazy that you’re doing that.
If we want to be the best of the best in everything we do, we’ve got to push ourselves.
You got to push yourself absolutely, you have to say okay how can I push a little bit further? And how can I get that extra edge? And where is that boundary? And you really got to find that boundary and the only way to find that boundary is by pushing yourself. So if your boundary is a 5K, that’s okay, but you’ve got to start there and say how can I get to a 10K? Let me push myself. So I can appreciate you doing that, but you’re crazy.
I know I am a nutcase because I literally want to see what the human body is capable of achieving. Because when I finished the marathon in The Woodlands here in Texas, it was 85 degrees outside and the vest was 20 degrees more so it’s like 105 degrees. So, when I finished the marathon I felt like I achieved the maximum that my brain can cope with, but mayor you’re doing an amazing job. I am definitely putting you in the list of top 10 fittest mayors in America. I’m also telling you right now that you are one of the best fittest politicians of 2018.
Thank you Samir! You’re the best.
