Vincit qui se vincit

Preamble:

The watchword of the day is Preparation.

Dinghy’s pullup-heavy Bridge beatdown last Friday guaranteed YHC a painful weekend-long reminder that neglecting back muscles doesn’t mean they cease to exist. In this case, YHC had an unpleasant reckoning with Latissimus dorsi, Teres major, Trapezius, et al. The Latin nomenclature of back muscles suggests the human race has been perilously forgetting their existence since the days of ancient Rome. ¿Et tu, Supraspinatus?

Postulating the PAX’ backs bear the rust and dust I just discussed, and with the pull-up heavy Murph a mere three weeks away, YHC pre-blasted the Hooch men with an enlightened observation by Ben Franklin: “By failing to prepare, you are preparing to fail.”  We shall prepare, we shall face the soreness that preparation invites, and we shall get stronger together.

Warm-O-Rama:

Four pre-runners chanced a moonlight jaunt amidst the curving narrows of the JCHS XC trail run loop and emerged unscathed. A new Hooch pre-run option is born.

YHC gathered the PAX for the disclaimer and a hearty welcome to Sugar’s FNG Phil. YHC revealed the mysterious meaning behind the pre-blast, and the PAX set to warm up IC for the morning’s adventure:

• 10 SSH
• 10 Weed Pickers
• 10 Windmills
• 10 Imperial Walkers
• 10 Michael Phelps
• 10 erroneously annunciated Overhead Claps (the miserable, deprived seals must find contentment in clapping for themselves)

The Thang:

The Murph consists of 100 pull-ups, 200 merkins, 300 squats, and 2 miles of running, all with a weighted pack. Today’s BD was a pack-less preparatory training session:

• 16 packless PAX circuitously moseyed a mile to the Perimeter playground.

  • Ballboy selflessly picked up our FNG 6 for walk modification in a more direct beeline.

• At each of five pain stations along the way, the PAX performed 20 merkins and 40 squats.

  • Before the main event, 100 of 200 merkins and 200 of 300 squats were in the bag.

• At the playground, YHC announced the main event of 100 pull-ups, 100 merkins, and 100 squats, or AMRAP of these three exercises within time.

  • Amidst the arduous cycles of back, chest, and legs, YHC greedily feasted on the mumblechattering PAX’ moans and groans, a tacit confirmation that like library books, haircuts, and dates with destiny, this pull-up fest was long overdue.

• At 3 minutes past 6:00, a mile of moseying lay ahead and YHC called the PAX to end the reps and begin the steps.

  • The PAX formed two lines and Indian Ran the longest Indian Run in the storied history of Hooch Indian Runs, complete with a mumblechattered continuation of the ages-old dispute of the proper speed of a “slow” mosey.
  • After crossing Medlock Crossing, the PAX emerged through the parking lot median sprinklers into an All-You-Got sprint back to the flag, where Ballboy and our FNG awaited.

• LBC’s, BBS’s, and Gas Pumpers IC culminated into a Mr. {Something} that Morphine taught Feathers and Feathers taught us.

  • After today’s harrowing beatdown, this Lindsay Lohan-esque sprawl could have just as easily been named Even Flow: Freezin’, rests his head on a pillow made of concrete, again. Oh, feelin’ maybe he’ll see a better set of days.

COT:

Prayers for BallBoy’s recently passed grandmother, Flo’s recovery from knee surgery, Popper’s coworker Yuan in morning the passing of his mother, and many other prayers spoken and unspoken.

Naming of our FNG,

• Whose name of Phil inspired Groundhog Day references on Slack in pre-BD chatter,
• Whose Long Island-to-ATL southward migration inspired mental images of Reconstruction-era political cartoons depicting opportunistic carpetbaggers (and of course the Damn Yankee had no clue what the Reb’s were talking about),
• Whose work in Delta Airlines security inspired the ribald monikers of “Bend Over” and “Pat Down”,
• and yet “Vector”, yes, “Vector” was the victor YHC most valued from the various volunteering varmints.

Naked-Man Moleskin:

So, dear readers, you see that lactic acid behind YHC’s person was the McGuffin that inspired this whole morning’s adventure. Pain is indeed a powerful motivator. Pay heed to the path you choose to channel this motivation.

To shrink away, to avoid, to choose the most attractive method of escape, is an ever-inviting path away from pain that lessens the discomfort but too often steals away opportunities to grow stronger.

But to prepare for pain, to embrace the suck, to harness pain to make us stronger, to band together in a bond that turns strangers into a pain-forged brotherhood – this is the path that the PAX of F3 choose when they emerge in the gloom to grow stronger in fitness, in fellowship, and in faith.

Vincit qui se vincit