Arguably the Strangest Cruise EVER!

December 31st, 2016 By The Farm

YHC has been part of some strange workouts and cruises. Up to this point, @Dingo’s cruise from this spring when we lost @Seeker (cobains again brother) had been the weirdest run I’d ever been on. But this one might have been the strangest one of them yet. You be the judge.

Lately, we’ve been getting an earlier start on Saturdays as distances for the marathon runners are quickly ramping up. YHC thought this would be a problem but so far I’ve been pretty good about being on time for the early launches…it makes no sense. When I arrived ‘late’ at 4:58am, I saw no other cars in the parking lot. I did not expect @Dingo after getting an early text from him saying he set him alarm but his phone was on silent. Basically, you were LATE @Dingo… 5am comes…still no cars. As I’m putting my vest on, getting ready to run solo, and thinking about how strange it is that I’m the ONLY one on time for once, @Pharaoh and a car I’ve seen before but couldn’t quite make out parks. Out hops wearing a full face mask and calling himself ‘The Mexican Ninja.’ Strange. It turns out to be @Icicle! We run the first route of approximately 3 miles.

Arrive back at the church a minute late to find @Dingo, @Jelly, @Astro Van, and @Town and Country. We head out for round two…a hilly 8 mile loop down IBM drive and back. During this run, we picked up @Trail Mix at Governor Hunt. @Icicle provides a soundtrack for us as we run with his phone. Strange. Our war baby had some technical difficulties along the way and received some tough love AND compassion from his father. As their run turned into a mosey, we quickly lost sight of them. So we did what we always do and went back. We were instructed to go ahead and they would be fine. We are stubborn. A few men were more stubborn than others and went back for them again anyway, exhibiting true #iamthird mentality. That left YHC, @Trail Mix, and @Icicle cruising up David Taylor. Nature called @Icicle, the music stopped, and he ducked out of sight telling us to NOT turn around…so we didn’t. @Trail Mix’ route ended at Governor Hunt and he vowed to get his car and go back for our favorite eight passenger family vehicles…even though they told us not to #iamthird. This left YHC by myself…I was afraid to run back and potentially see a sight that I cannot unsee in the woods so I would run, stop, run back, stop, run forward until I eventually saw @Icicle! He said he saw the others right behind us so we moved forward. On the other side of the road, YHC spots a runner and immediately recognizes the gait. It’s @Brutus who has come to rescue us/make sure the marathon guys aren’t goofing off. @Trail Mix reappears in his car with @Astro Van and @Town and Country. Then the others emerged and we headed to the church…with a pit stop along the way for another one of the pax.

On the way to the church, YHC spots two familiar men running in the opposite direction on the other side of the street. When we get to the church, we learned that @Buckwheat had already headed out for his five miles. @Pleasure and @King Louie join after doing a pre-run of the Tradition mile. One man heads back in the opposite direction of our final route to retrieve our pax that made the pit stop, most of the others head in the direction of the final route to accompany @Buckwheat, and YHC was in the parking lot…confused. @Dingo and @Jelly then joined YHC and @Pharoah and we start down a MUCH simpler path than our second route so there should be no confusion…

A mile into the route, @Brutus comes back saying he thinks @Pleasure and @King Louie made a wrong turn ahead. About 1.5 miles into the route, @Icicle runs past us (we thought he was going to stop but he kept going). @Dingo convinces those of us that remained to unknowingly run farther (I think) than we planned. At that point, I could not think straight. @Buckwheat might’ve been the only pax to actually run the correct final route but I am not sure since I did not see him run at all with all the confusion. At some point, we saw @Pavarotti and @Filibuster logging some miles. Finally, those that remained made it back to the church. @Dingo ran off to get his last three miles…COT/BOM/announcements and we’re out…but not @Buckwheat! @Buckwheat said, “WHICH WAY DID @DINGO GO?! I’M PICKING UP THE SIX!” and was off #iamthird

The actual routes don’t really matter. In total, 12 men posted and I believe we logged between 5 and 17 miles. Good work men!

To sum up this morning, it was strange…but also inspiring to see men caring about one another, pushing each other, and getting stronger together. What a great way to end the year!

Happy New Year guys!

Davis Lake, The Dawg House, The Precinct, Tradition, Tradition Cruise

7 Comments on “Arguably the Strangest Cruise EVER!”

The Farm December 31, 2016 at 10:26 am

Let’s hear it.
Buckwheat December 31, 2016 at 10:43 am

It was a strange one indeed. I actually didn’t run the correct route as I made a wrong turn on Old Ridge instead of Prosperity Ridge, which made for a smaller loop back to Ridge and Prosperity Church. Thus, I had to make up some distance at the end, running around the church… I did see King Louie and Pleasure just before they got to Ridge Road and told them about the wrong turn I’d made. I think they actually ran the correct five mile route, along with their pre-run wherein they were trying to find the eight mile crew. I figured you guys would all catch up to me at some point, but then didn’t see you on Prosperity Church on my way back. I was all sorts of confused thinking I’d run the complete wrong route. Nonetheless, we all finished around the same time. All good!

Once Dingo took off solo, I felt for him as it’s no fun running solo, especially the last three miles of 16 (not that I’ve ever come close to running that far). Found Dingo at the office park down the street and he looked like I always do when the rabbits come back for me. Thankful! Good Second F during our little stroll. Glad I was able to get the six for once!
King Louie December 31, 2016 at 11:30 am

Technical difficulties leading to tough love?

Good write up, @TheFarm.

I like that, in the end, none of us ran that final part right. Seems pretty fitting.
Forgotten Jelly December 31, 2016 at 11:31 am

Nice BB farm. Great run today. I enjoyed it!
Dingo December 31, 2016 at 12:52 pm

I was late @Farm. Its easy to admit. Not sure why you fight it?

Crazy old morning for sure. Started when I woke up and thought it was weird that my alarm hadn’t gone off yet. Thinking it had to be close to 4:15 I looked at my phone and saw it was 4:50…….The screen also said the alarm was going off, but no sound…..So I missed the 3 mile run, but got there for the 8 mile. Knowing the whole time you have to run 3 miles AFTER everyone else is done is kinda off putting.

The first 8 miles went OK, I felt bad for @T&C, but young bucks bounce back quick. Pharaoh kept reminding me that I had miles to make up so we had no trouble going back and picking up the 6. Until my bowels reminded me that I was in too much of a rush this morning and started giving me sharp pains……The run up David Taylor was completely unenjoyable. Big thanks to Jelly for sticking with me. The “pains” were taken care of at the local gas station. And all was good in the world.

The next 5 miles was a much more pleasant route. I only saw Pharaoh, Farm and Brutus. Oh, Icicle for a second. And Jelly ran a little ways with us.

When we got back I saw everyone was done and I knew I would be running the final 3 miles alone. I couldn’t ask Farm or Pharaoh to add 3 miles to the 16 they had already run and I wasn’t sure what anyone else was up for. So I took off solo. I got discouraged pretty quickly. My plan was to keep it as flat as possible, so I turned around at Mallard and started heading back. I saw in the distance what looked like an F3 shirt. Could it be someone was coming to run with me?? Probably not. Most likely another F3 guy out for a run. I started to recognize the gait of this runner and thought “Wow, that looks like Buckwheat”. But I knew he had already run 5 miles and would be on his way home by now. Well it WAS Buckwheat!! I gotta say…..my attitude changed instantly! What a testament to IAM3rd! It was exactly what I needed to finish this 16 mile adventure. And finish it we did! Thanks Buckwheat! That was truly awesome.

Our AO’s do a great job of “picking up the 6”, don’t stop doing it. The guys I talk to say it means a lot to them when you turn around to get them. They feel part of something. I feel part of something. Remember that the next time you think twice about turning around and running extra miles to get your brothers. Its never been about you, its about them.
Icicle December 31, 2016 at 12:56 pm

I was hurting I rolled my ankle again on a uneven segment of the sidewalk, I just reach 485 when i decided to turn around and that’s the reason why I didn’t stop,but over all it was great seeing you all and thanks for letting me post with you guys is always fun and entertaining besides TRADITION PAX AND Q do know when to get the six and always care for everybody.