R and J in the USA

In the City of Brotherly Love, if you are a tourist, there is a long list of things you can do. But there is a fairly short list of things you really must do. And, top of that list, you’ve gotta turn on the theme to Rocky and run up the iconic steps of the architecturally stunning Philadelphia Art Museum pumping your fists in the air. 

We were pretty excited that we found a free place to park overnight right next to the iconic spot. When we arrived in the late afternoon, we had run our super hilly 5K that morning, driven the 2 hours to Philly and just come from an afternoon 76ers game. Maybe it’s not the most Rocky thing to do, but we were exhausted and decided we’d park for the night and do our run up the stairs in the crisp hours of the early morning. The steps were absolutely covered with people making their Rocky pilgrimage in the late afternoon sun as we drove by to grab our parking spot next door.

When morning came, we woke up and walked over to the steps.

Ryan pulled out his phone to set the mood.

”Dun, du-du-dun, du-du-duuu, du-du-duuuu…” the music started, and off we went.

Julie, mixing moments across the franchise, yelled out as we scaled the steps, “It’s not how hard you can hit. It’s how hard you can get hit and KEEP MOVING FORWARD. That’s how winning is done!”

We made it to the top and did as is required by any good tourist, pumping our fists in glory.

As we stood at the top of the steps taking in the views and savoring the moment, we saw a girl out for a morning run. She ran up the steps, clearly not as any particular homage, just part of what we guessed was a regular workout routine. Before her arrival, we had been alone at the top of those steps in the early hours of day while many are still barely stirring in bed. 

As she passed behind us and the Rocky statue to circle her way back down, we called out to her, “How many people do you see pumping their fists up here every day?”

She said, with a smile, “About 10 per day, and that is just in the morning. Throughout the day, lots more.”

We laughed and wished her a good run as she carried on back down the steps and we carried on our tourist duties. 

Ryan told Julie the story of how, one time, his friend had come to make the pilgrimage, and when he got to the top of the steps, had been too shy to brazenly pump his fists in the air for all to see. A local had been nearby and called to him, “You gotta do it, man. You gotta do it.”

It’s a rite of passage. It’s a pilgrimage. It’s a privilege. And, if you are close enough to get to do it, you definitely gotta do it. That’s how winning is done.