Strength in Numbers

Preamble:

Beancounters aren’t necessarily known for their daring or creativity.  (Well, I take that back.  Some bean counters are: they’re called felons).  So, when 25+ (mostly Wreckers) PAX crashed the beginning of YHC’s 50th birthday beatdown, my planned workout went right out the proverbial window.  Furthermore, apparently, said PAX are of the opinion that one weight-bearing accoutrement isn’t enough for special occasions, so, YHC had the dubious honor of donning the dayglow orange “Respectable” life vest on top of his trusty armor plate carrier just in case he fell into a body of water during the beatdown.  Inspired by the psywar blare of Wagner’s “Ride of the Valkyries” and Rush songs coming from Aflac’s bluetooth speaker, YHC knew it was time to improvise, adapt and overcome.

Warm-O-Rama:

Aware that a number of PAX are taking part a hill-seeking challenge tomorrow, YHC saw no need to run or ruin these men’s legs anymore than necessary.  So, I reckoned a no-mosey warm up would do.  In a 15-14-13-12-11-10-9-8-7-6-5-4-3-2-1 rep’ fashion, PAX performed the following exercises: squats, Birthday Burpees, stone mtn Merks, Merks, Birthday Burpees, lunges (dbl count), RDL (Romanian dead lifts), Birthday Burpees, squats (yes, more), Toe touch Merks (starting to dig a li’l deeper into the barrel at this point), Birthday Burpees, Merks.

After approximately 8 minutes, YHC wasn’t completely certain that the PAX were warmed up enough, so, all PAX were directed to assuming the plank position and an additional round of calisthenics were performed in the 15-14-13-12-11-10-9-8-7-6-5-4-3-2-1 rep’ format: shoulder taps, bird dogs (dbl count), Peter Parkers, Diamond Merks, Parker Peters, Plank Jacks, Mtn climbers, plank with right arm raised, plank, plank with left arm raised and Merks. Yes, some exercises were repeated.

The Thang:

1 mile run around Bad Apple AO.

All PAX directed to pull up station. next exercise: 20 pull ups performed by each PAX.  YHC kept the PAX awaiting their respective turns at the pull ups bars moving with mtn climbers, LBCs, flutter kicks, box cutters, shoulder taps, reverse LBCs and a final round of Merks while YHC had his turn at defying gravity.

down to the parking lot for 11’s decline Merks/RDLs (Romanian dead lifts) with bear crawls in between.  PAX made it through 5-6 rounds before time was called.

(How do y’all like them bad apples?)

COT:

Completed the best way to celebrate a landmark birthday with 29 of the strongest men this side of the Mississippi River.  Expressed my thanks and appreciation for everyone involved in making this morning so memorable.  I couldn’t have asked to be part of a better group.  My birthday wish was for all PAX to use the physical, mental and spiritual strength they’ve gained as a result of being involved with F3 to serve their families, communities and this awesome country of ours.  Thanked the Sky Q for a new year, the PAX and strength He so graciously gives to all.  *PBR-teria followed (a new F3Alpha tradition) with tallboys ‘n doughnuts as well as black coffee and OJ with the birthday boy literally getting showered with PBR during the photo op’.

Naked-Man Moleskin:

What’s to be done with the year 2020?  It can’t be re-started (as much as some of us would like for that to happen) and YHC is of the opinion that to not learn from dealing with the various challenges we all have encountered to this point would be to waste opportunities to learn or re-learn some valuable life lessons.  Are we living in a “new normal”? Possibly.  But, new normal or not, each of us has a daily choice to make: 1) stay fixated on what life used to be like compared to what it’s like now, allow angst to grow and risk becoming unhappy and bitter.  Or, 2) Make the decision to find a way to win in the “new normal”.  Why should the second option be taken? because, though each man must individually make the decision to move forward, when he experiences setbacks in life, he will know that his F3 brothers are before, with and behind him pushing him forward, challenging him to improve, encouraging him to lead and, when the time comes, lifting him up.  Sprocket out.