March 2nd, 2021 By Dutch Boy

YHC rolled into the parking lot at 5:25 this morning to find both @disaster and @shazam already on-site. YHC then struck fear into the hearts of many — well, mainly @disaster — by pulling a multi-page Weinke from the truck and a (half) cinder block from the back.

Others gathered in the gloom as the clock ticked toward 5:30, but none of those were either of the two FNGs we thought we may get to name this morning. Yet. Alas, a count of 9 heard YHC’s standard disclaimer — complete with surprise patron @gump’s trademark commentary — and moseyed toward the bus lot for…

Warmarama (IC)

• SSH x19
• IST x17
• Mountain Climber x15
• Weed Picker x13
• Windmill x11

YHC then set the cinderblock down as our centerpoint and explained that today, we’d be embracing the starfish. I touched on starfish leadership, and how F3 is a model of that. @gump kindly pointed at that so is ISIS, so…there’s that.

The Thang

Pax were grouped into 4 different groups, with each group assigned a starting arm of the assembled star fish to start at. Before running to said arm, do 5 burpees in the middle (more on this below). After completing the exercise at each arm, return to the middle for 5 burpees before moving to the next arm.

• Arm 1 – 10 Lunges (1=1)
• Arm 2 – 15 Hand Release Merkins
• Arm 3 – 20 WWIIs
• Arm 4 – 25 Squats
• Arm 5 – 30 CDD

Mosey around the parking lot, before regrouping at the star fish once again. Same concept, different exercises. To the chagrin of many, same burpees.

• Arm 1 – 10 Jump Squats
• Arm 2 – 15 Freddie Mercury
• Arm 3 – 20 Merkins
• Arm 4 – 25 Mountain Climbers (2=1)
• Arm 5 – 30 LBCs

We then moseyed around the lot again, only to take a right toward the portable buildings. We gathered at some picnic tables in the final opening between the hallways for some more partner work. Partner 1 was the run up the ran, across the platform, down the stairs, and back, while partner 2 did step-ups. Repeato thrice (TM @murdock). We ran it back with incline merkins, but only twice.

We then moseyed back around the school (nine of us one way, @greek another) to the front for…

Mary (IC)

• Low Flutter x15

COT

COM

Moleskin

• Today’s workout was inspired by F3 and its presence as a “starfish” organizational model. The star fish organization is an organization of leaders, with all decisions pushed toward the appendages and not the center. It’s the antithesis of the spider, which has a lot of legs as well, but all decision making is centralized. In F3, regions are free to run how they see fit as long as they adhere to the Five Core Principles (Free; Open to all Men; Held Outdoors: Led by Pax: End in COT). Same goes for AOs within each region. MeCa is run differently than Metro, which is run differently than Lake Norman, which is run differently than Twin Cities (Minnesota). Highlands is run differently than Harrisburg, etc., etc. The theory is that each individual group knows its needs and its purpose better than a centralized command structure. It’s right. It’s why we are all “Freed to Lead.” Don’t wait for someone to tell you where you are needed. See where you are needed, and act.
• Today’s BB title brought to you by the fact that @gordo and @greek ran to their arm first, before doing the burpees, prompting YHC to chastise them.
• Just when we thought we would be FNG-less, Josh emerged from the bushes and joined us about halfway through the first star fish. Josh posted for Mettle yesterday, after being EH’d by…someone. Josh does IT and Web design work for Duke Energy, and is henceforth known in the Gloom as Floppy Disk. Runner-up names included Potato Head (college in Idaho) and Kim Jong (2 years in Korea).
• Glad to see @gump back in the Gloom. Seems like he builds up the mumblechatter for each time he returns. Rare form.
• YHC as a tad nervous about cutting through the back playground after discovering a emergency exit-style push bar on the gate. @greek was not deterred and informed YHC that it was simply a “little kids can open this” bar, not security related.
• Always an honor to lead this group, and always rewarding. Want to feel the same? Sign-up to Q: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10c0844aba62ca7ff2-master

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