January 9th, 2017 By Gamma

It’s 0445 and 13 degrees out. If I wasn’t leading this morning, would’ve been very easy to fartsack. Add the icy roads/AO and the fact that most of the schools around closed for the day, even as the scheduled QIC I contemplated the real possibility that no one would post anyway and I’d be alone if I went. As my 9-minute snooze period came to an end, it was decision time. Granted, it’s a no-brainer, but at that point in the morning, your body can talk your mind into anything.

Walked out the door and saw that Flip Phone was already warming up his car. Boom. There’s a least one brother holding me accountable, when he had no obligation to post whatsoever. Was he posting just to hold me accountable? No idea, but him posting has the same result. Pulled into the AO to find him and two others. Was accountability their only motivation to post? Again, no idea, but knowing these three, it was at least a factor. That’s what this is all about, guys. Holding each other accountable. Relying on your brothers to push you, and doing the same for them. Some may not need that all the time, but we all need it at some point, so be that person for others as someone will be (or has been) that person for you when you need it. It’s awesome to see so many guys reach new levels, jumping into races/MudRuns/Spartans/etc they’d never have considered before, or serving their community like they never have before. What’s even better is to see one of those guys remember where they started, remember that someone introduced them to F3 and encouraged them as they got started…then give it away to someone else so that guy can reach that level as well. Within a given workout, we talk about “watching your six.” Apply that same concept to the bigger picture – watch out for the guys who need the encouragement to get out there, or maybe just need that fellowship to help them through a difficult time. That’s what this is all about. Unfortunately it’s easy for that to get lost in all the hype of a CSAUP event, for example. Those events are great but for many of us (especially me), are only possible because of F3 and the guys holding me accountable and I will never forget that. It’s not about you, it’s about the guys around you.

But I digress….

Did I mention it was 13 degrees? Now it’s 0528 and SSMinnow says “we need to start moving” so off we go.

Hot Start:
SSH x25
Mericans x10
Quarter Turn Jump Squats x10 (x5 in each direction so nobody falls over)

The Thang:
Over to the Turn 1 entrance ramp
1 Burpee followed by 1 Walking Lunge (each leg); repeat until the top of the ramp (roughly 25-30 Burpees and Lunges total)
LBCs x15
Reverse Crunches x15
Going back down, 1 Burpee (still facing the Speedway) followed by 1 Step-Back Lunge (each leg); repeat until you get back to the bottom

Tip-toe across the ice up to the frontage road
10 Wind-Sprints with 20 second rest in between; we guessed it was 51 yards (because only 50 yards is something Highlanders would do)

Back to the Turn 1 ramp
10 to 1 ladder, with CDDs at the bottom and Jump Squats at the top; not leaving any man behind, the other 3 completed repeated the last set with YHC; once back at the bottom, 5 Burpees (because I’m pretty sure I finished the first evolution with 55)

Back to the cars for Mary
LBCs x25
Flutter Kicks x25
Pretzel Crunches x10
2-minute Plank (courtesy of Flip Phone)

COT (SSMinnow takes us out)

Moleskin
1. Guys – thanks for posting. I seriously did not want to get out of bed this morning!

2. Strong work. It’s hard to sweat through 3 layers of clothing when it’s that cold. Goal was to warm-up quickly and stay there, and I think we met that goal.

3. Clueless and SSMinnow crushed the first evolution, lapping me twice. That ramp is no joke, but they always make it look easy. Flip Phone wasn’t far behind them.

4. Flip Phone won the first sprint and tried to cover for his victory celebration with “Oh, I was just fixing my hat when I put my arms up.” Nope, you won it, go ahead and celebrate. I’m going on record that it was the long pants that slowed me down, which is why they’re going back in the drawer for another year. Now it’ll just by my lack of speed slowing me down.

5. Shared that the sprints reminded me of the scene in “Miracle” when the team is doing suicides over and over until eventual-captain Mike Eruzione finally speaks up. Ok, so it was nothing like that, but one of my favorite movie scenes ever. Still get chills at the end.

6. Solo Cup has the Ridge tomorrow. Guessing there may be a few Burpees. Either way, post and encourage one other person to do the same.

Pax tibi,
Gamma

Harrisburg, White Lightning

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