Maybe he was doing the famous "Inman Mile"
Ha, every few years, that breaks a person -
USAWA Rules for the Inman Mile
The lifter will take a bar onto the shoulders with a weight equal to 150 per cent of the lifter’s bodyweight. The lifter will then carry this weight a distance of one mile. Gait is optional. Stopping to rest is allowed, but neither the lifter nor the weight may be supported in any manner. The bar must not be touched by any assistants once the mile has begun or it will be a disqualification. The bar must stay on the back the entire mile. The lifter may be handed refreshments during the mile. Records will be kept for time.