Say I’m stuck on the top floor of a four-story building that’s on fire. I need help. Two strong, healthy individuals are available for the rescue, but I have to select one. Do I pick candidate number one, a marathon runner who just ran 26.2 miles in two hours and change? A paragon of health, light, graceful, capable of effortlessly gliding up or down any number of stairs. Or do I pick a firefighter who is in halfway decent cardiovascular shape, probably couldn’t even complete a half marathon, but can haul heavy hoses and my 230 pounds down the requisite four flights? I want someone who can handle lifting and carrying me – a task that is undoubtedly going to call on monumental effort, if only for a short period of time. The choice is clear: I’m going with the firefighter.
