Pitstop’s Big Announcement – Plus a LI Workout

Preamble:

YHC had been teasing a Big Announcement for a week, and the pax showed up to check it out.  Hated to be a drama queen but it was important.  But first – a workout.

Warm-O-Rama:

Moseyed to the Big Flag by the pool for the usual warm-up suspects + crab cakes.

Then to the FOD for the beatdown.

The Thang:

1. 1. Pax are divided into four teams.
   2. Each team starts at its own base.
   3. Teams must complete a cumulative number of reps of different exercise at each base:
      1. 120 team merkins at first
      2. 120 team squats at second
      3. 120 team crab cakes at 3^rd
      4. 60 team burpees at home
      5. Move using different modes of transportation to the next base. Each time a team passes the base it started on, it gets a point.
      6. Team with the most points after 20 minutes or some other set time wins.

Everyone finished with about 3 points, so by default my team won.  Yay!

We finished early for the Big Announcement.

COT:

We counted off, named “Easy Bake” then flutter-kicked until the HI guys arrived.

Naked-Man Moleskin:

The Big Announcement

In Sept 2018 at the Big Creek AO one of our own fell.  Darth Visor had a heart attack while returning to the flag at the end of the workout.  The guys did CPR but by the time he was put into the ambulance he was gone.  It was a severe blow to F3 Alpha and F3 Cherokee.

As 88 pax stood in a field at Fowler Park on Oct 4, 2018 remembering Darth Visor, I was haunted by the thought that nothing was changing – we were vulnerable to it happening again and again.  That fear drove me to get my CPR cert refreshed (what else could I do?).  The class was taught by a local Fire Chief, who told me “CPR doesn’t bring people back – it keeps the brain and organs alive until a defibrillator arrives.  An AED (Automated External Defibrillator) is the only thing that brings them back.”

I looked into AEDs and found out that they cost around $1,000 and could be purchased by “civilians” like me.  I committed to getting one to protect my friends and family.  But then my personal life got extra turbulent, money was very tight, and my commitment slipped.

Fast forward to this year, and this topic came back to mind.  I resolved to see it through, and bought an AED with my COVID stimulus check.  It now resides under the rear passenger-side seat of my truck and is available to anyone, anytime.  My truck keys are usually stashed in the gas cap during the workout or run.  If you can’t find the keys, you have my permission to break the window.

I encourage everyone to examine their needs and finances.  Can you afford an AED of your own?  How many people in your circle would you protect by keeping one in your vehicle?  Could your AO chip-in to collectively buy one?

I have the hook-up to get the best price.  Just let me know if I can help.

This is a great training video of how to use my model of AED.

Please take 5 minutes to watch it, and ping me with questions if you have any.