Like leaders of a SWAT team, Edward and Ricky came barreling towards me on the bridge Monday morning around 11:20am dressed in matching black Under Armour shirts and black, double-striped workout pants. Their faces were intense. Their concentrations, focused. And yet, I couldn’t help stopping them to ask, “What’s up with the twin getup?”
“We’re boxing partners,” said Edward. Obviously.
Both originally from Bushwick, Edward (24) and Ricky (23) lived in the same neighborhood for years before they started connecting over their passion for a sport that requires intense dedication and training. Though Ricky now lives in New Brunswick , NJ, the friends often use the Williamsburg Bridge as their bootcamp grounds, running back and forth from Manhattan to Brooklyn, conquering the structure’s steep inclines, bracing against its downhill slopes, and zipping through its short, forgiving middle as two side by side streaks of black.
By the time I caught up with them, Ricky and Edward had already traversed the bridge four times (in just over an hour) and were gearing up for round five. Energetic towers of muscle, their discipline seems to have paid off. When taking their picture, I didn’t even have to ask — the guys put up their dukes. Now that’s good training.
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