December 1st, 2020 By Jimmy Buffett

It’s been nearly a month since YHC had posted to a bootcamp and not even sure about a cruise so what better way to force yourself back out there than by signing up to Q. Can’t skip that one! Tuesday bootcamp is open, also happens to be YHC’s father’s 69th birthday. We can probably make something work with this. With this rowdy bunch though, no chance that YHC mentions the number 69 until it’s all over though.

10 Pax gather on what was expected to be a much cooler morning but wasn’t so bad after all. Disclaimer given about neither school being liable and the mumblechatter regarding a track immediately began. You are correct.

Pause at the entrance to the bus lot of the old school for some Warmarama

• SSH x 23 IC
• Wndmills x 10 IC
• Penny Pickers (apparently not grass grabbers although now in the running for a name change perhaps) x 10 IC
• Imperial Storm Troopers x 10 IC
• Merkins on each level of rail x 5 OYO
• Dips x 15 OYO
• Dips x 15 OYO while we wait for a bus to drive by

To the track for The Thang

• Round 1: 23 merkins, 23 squats and 23 WW2 sit-ups with 100m run between each
• Round 2: 23 merkins, 23 squats and 23 WW2 sit-ups with 200m run between each
• Round 3: 23 merkins, 23 squats and 23 WW2 sit-ups with 400m run between each
• Round 4: 23 merkins, 23 squats and 23 WW2 sit-ups with 200m run between each

Head back to AO but a quick stop for the obligatory monkey humpers at greenway entrance. Quite a few observers for this charade include multiple buses, cars and a lady starting her run. Sorry.

No time for Mary.

Prayers for Manwich’s friend Dan and his family as he continues his recovery. Prayers for the health and safety of the Pax, families, community, nation and world.

Don’t forget to sign up for the 3rd installment of the Gremlin!

Moleskin

As YHC mentioned at the top, today is my dad’s 69th birthday. Each day of my own fatherhood that passes, I think about the times I spent with my dad and what an inspiration he is to me. Definitely didn’t realize all the sacrifices he made for the family until I have been forced to make my own decisions and sacrifices for the family. My dad was a big time runner until knee and back problems knocked him out around age 50. 70 second 400m repeats anyone? Growing up, I was never interested in running. That doesn’t look interesting at all. Why would anyone run for an hour straight, or two or three hours? And now, in the first two months of 2020 before COVID blew up the schedule, I had run a marathon in South Carolina, 5k in Missouri, and a two-day 15k/8k running challenge in Florida. Then the virus struck and the remaining races for 2020 were quickly getting shut down. How am I going to motivate myself and keep going? How about running 1000+ kilometers in 4 months across Tennessee? Sure, let’s do it. While my dad can’t run anymore, he has been cheering me on for every step.

As a father of two little ones, it has brought me great joy to show my daughters that hard work pays off. I love crossing a finish line, whether a real one, virtual or just surviving back to my driveway and having my little cheerleaders waiting for me. “How was your run daddy?” With you at the finish line, pace no longer matters. I finished, I accomplished something that not everybody can or will even try. “Can I go running with you tomorrow daddy?” Not at 5:30 in the morning but anytime after the sun comes up I would love to.

I wrote my dad a letter for his birthday asking what were the best times he remembers from his days of having young kids that no father should miss out on. His response will be my new bucket list, along with some more running challenges of course.

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