Rebirth-day

When Craig McCord asked me to document his 65th birthday for a "combat physical assessment test," I wasn't sure what to expect. What unfolded this day was the witnessing of a man who has devoted his life to discipline and discovery.

This story pays tribute to Craig's life and his mastery of body, spirit, and mind through a custom five-event pentathlon.

An elderly man with a beard, dressed in a karate gi, holding a sword with both hands in a martial arts stance, outdoors near a tree and a padded training post, in black and white.

Craig commenced the event with Ryu Batto Tameshigiri, an ancient Japanese sword-cutting test, as a tribute to his extensive martial arts background. With an unwavering focus on the target and full devotion to the present moment, his eyes reveal a rich history marked by epic adventures, reflecting the journey that has led him to this pivotal moment.

the cut

An older man with white hair and a beard dressed in black holding a sword in an outdoor setting with trees.
An elderly man in a black martial arts uniform is practicing with a set of wooden dummy training targets outdoors in a backyard, with trees and a wooden fence in the background.
An elderly man with white hair and beard practicing a martial arts move outdoors, holding a staff with a straw tube wrapped around it, amidst trees and bushes.
An elderly man in a black martial arts uniform practicing with a katana sword outdoors in a garden.

the lift

The next event emphasized physical strength, consisting of 5 sets of bench presses to failure, followed by 5 sets of pull-ups to failure. Craig started his journey in 1969 with Judo and Jiu-Jitsu, subsequently delving into various martial arts disciplines from Shotokan to Muay Thai. Now, at age 65, the results of his decades-long training speak for themselves.

An elderly man with gray hair and a beard is lying on a bench press station, lifting a barbell with black weights. He is shirtless and wearing camouflage shorts. The room has posters on the wall and a chain on the floor next to the bench.
An elderly man with white hair and a beard, shirtless, lifting a barbell in a gym setting.

The rarity of Craig's caliber should not be underestimated, as he belongs to an extremely small percentage of males in his age group who maintain such a high level of physique and strength.

An elderly shirtless man with gray hair and a beard sitting on a workout bench in a gym, with posters and motivational signs on the wall behind him.
An elderly man with a white beard lifting weights in a gym. He is shirtless, wearing patterned shorts, and appears to be focused during his workout.
Senior man with white hair and beard doing pull-ups using gym equipment, shirtless with tattoo on upper arm.
An elderly man flexing his bicep muscles in a garage gym, wearing shorts, with visible muscle definition and tattoos.

the run

Craig’s next test, a 5-mile run, began at a nearby park under a cloudy sky. Maintaining a disciplined focus on breathing, in through his nose and out through his mouth, Craig seemed to fall into a zen-like flow state. Those legs have run miles across the globe from California to Thailand.

A person jogging on a grassy field with a background of green trees and a cloudy sky.
An elderly man with white hair and beard running outdoors in a forested area, holding a plastic water bottle in his right hand, wearing a black long-sleeve athletic shirt.
A man jogging on a dirt trail through a forest with tall trees and green foliage.
Silhouette of a person running through a dark tunnel towards a bright exit.
An elderly man running on a forest trail, wearing a black long-sleeve shirt, camo shorts, and black running shoes, holding a water bottle, with trees and foliage in the background.
An older man with white hair and a beard wearing a black athletic shirt outdoors on a cloudy day with a tree in the background.

the swim

Diving right into the next event for a 25-meter underwater swim followed by a 300-meter surface swim. It should also be noted that the temperature outside was pushing 45 degrees Fahrenheit and this was not a heated pool.

An elderly man swimming underwater in a swimming pool, wearing black swim trunks, with blue water and lane markings visible.
An elderly man swimming freestyle in a swimming pool, extending his right arm forward and breathing to the side.

The shock of the cold hitting my overheated body after the run, released a surge of adrenaline and subsequent endorphins that created a feeling of invincibility. I saw a glimpse into the power of the mind and resilience of the body. Craig made this look easy, but lap after lap I watched in awe.

An elderly man swimming underwater in a pool near the lane lines.
An elderly man swimming in a pool, captured from a low angle at the water's surface, with water splashing around him on a cloudy day.
An elderly man with white hair and a beard swimming in an outdoor pool during the daytime, with poolside chairs and umbrellas, trees, and a partly cloudy sky in the background.
An elderly man with gray hair and a beard, wearing black swim trunks, is getting out of the swimming pool using the metal handrails.

the heat

The assessment concluded with a 20-minute sauna bike ride, marking the final round. Despite having pushed his mind and body to the limit over the preceding four hours, it became apparent that Craig could have continued further. His meditative silence was occasionally punctuated by humorous comments, followed by a joyful belly-laugh.

An older man with white hair and beard sits in a wooden sauna room, illuminated by red lighting. He is shirtless, wearing patterned shorts, and appears to be relaxed.
A shirtless older man with a beard and tattoos, smiling, sitting on a wooden bench in a sauna with red lighting.
Old muscular man with white hair and beard sitting shirtless in a dimly lit room with red lighting and wooden walls, wearing shorts.
Close-up of an older man with white hair and beard, shirtless, in a dimly lit room with warm red lighting.
A shirtless elderly man in a sauna or steam room with wooden walls, illuminated by red and white lights on the ceiling, looking directly at the camera.

the man

Upon attaining a 3rd degree black belt, Craig established a school in California dedicated to training and instruction. After 25 years of operation, he decided to close the school and embarked on a journey to study Kung Fu at the Shaolin Temple in Henan, China. There, he underwent grueling training sessions lasting 8 hours a day, 7 days a week.

Craig reflected, stating, "I had completed the circle and once again found that I knew nothing of Martial Arts." I believe this statement reflects his wisdom, as it is often said that those who recognize their lack of knowledge truly understand, while those who believe they know, do not understand.

The man standing proudly in this photograph embodies the spirit of adventure. After a life of seeking knowledge, exploring many paths, suffering through hardship, gaining friends, and creating a family, Craig has found what most people never get a chance to… the realization that the purpose of embarking on our journey is to find what is there all along. And that is the true beauty of life.

Black and white photo of a shirtless elderly man with a beard and mustache, arms crossed, standing in front of a decorated backdrop.