Adapt & Evolve

Preamble:

Interesting times that we live in.  As the global pandemic continues its inexorable seeping into our daily lives, F3 has remained a mooring of sanity and escape for the PAX of Alpha.  Yet, with the news growing more dire with each passing day, we’ve had to adapt and evolve in order to keep everyone safe and healthy.  Under a freed to lead model, the Wreck elders have opted to split the Q to keep numbers under 10 (per CDC recommendations) to establish proper spacing.  Despite 11 in attendance on a cool Spring morning, PAX unanimously opted to mosey as a band of brothers, leaving protocol for another day.

Warm-O-Rama:

Mosey along the trail past the tennis courts, up the hill and past the gymnastics building before reaching the main parking lot for the following warm-ups:

• Abe Vigodas
• Weed Pickers
• Merkins

YHC was anticipating a split Q per protocol and had every intention of selecting multiple PAX to perform a “feat of strength” to determine who would lead the 2nd group.  Despite PAX insistence on sticking together, Q directed I-Beam and Squeegee to the football fields for a best-of-three competition consisting of a 100 yd dash.  I-Beam swept the first two races, despite Squeegee’s protestations regarding the format.  After some laughs and a quick bear-crawl to the middle of the field, it was time to get busy.

The Thang:

First exercise, a classic round of 4 corners (around the football field) consisting of the following at each corner:

• Corner 1:  10 Burpees
• Corner 2:  10 Burpees, 20 Squats
• Corner 3:  10 Burpees, 20 Squats, 30 Merkins
• Corner 4:  10 Burpees, 20 Squats, 30 Merkins, 40 J-Los

Once completed, Q led a long(ish) mosey around the back half of the park with a quick stop at a random shelter for some Decline Merkins for the six.  Continued mosey along the trail, ending on the lacrosse field.

Next exercise, a couple rounds of one-armed Merkins, with a wall-assist.  Q wasn’t quite sure how well these would work out, so we started with a round of 7 (each side) to test the format, and finished with a round of 10 (each side) before moving on.

Final exercise, a classic round of Jack Webbs with coupons (crowd favorite) – perform 10 rounds of increasing Merkins + Overhead Press w/coupon (1 Merkin : 4 Overhead Press).  Amongst the mumble-chatter about the OG version NOT requiring a coupon, Q noted many PAX alternating exercises or ditching the coupon altogether.  You can run, but you can’t hide.

COT:

• Prayers for those struggling with health issues, and those affected by this growing pandemic.

Naked-Man Moleskin:

We are truly living through a unique moment in history, and our thoughts are with those that have been impacted by the virus and the first-responders that are on the front-lines helping folks that are suffering from the vast reaches of this global pandemic.  We’re all in this together, and F3 leadership is committed to evolving in a way that creates a safe outlet for men to stick together (yet apart).  I truly think that we’re reaching an inflection point in our history, where we all place our petty bickering aside and come together as a nation to defeat a common enemy.

To paraphrase General Yamamoto after the bombing of Pearl Harbor, this global pandemic has awoken a sleeping giant and filled him with a terrible resolve.  The coming weeks (and months) will be critical – there will be more suffering and hardship to be sure – yet I have a great sense that it will unify us as a nation in ways that haven’t been seen in a generation.

Don’t be a bystander in these times – find your role and do your part to help defeat an enemy that threatens our most vulnerable in society.  Our nation will be better for it.

AFLAC out.