Lost in the woods and holding hands at the Norseman

Preamble:

It’s always fun to Q at a different AO and the Norseman group seems to be growing every week so I knew I’d meet some new (to me) pax.  I rolled in a few minutes early and saw a couple of cars but as 5:30 approached the cars kept coming and coming and coming.  22 men were stretching and complaining about the cold as a SCOTUS-worthy disclaimer was given and we were off.

Warm-O-Rama:

Mosey around the parking lot and back to where we started for:

• Weed pickers x10 IC
• Hillbillies x10 IC
• Copperhead squats x10 IC
• Hangovers
• Michael Phelps and monkey arms

The Thang:

Mosey to one of the two football fields for something I will call Flip the Field.  Starting on the 10-yard line we did 10 monkey humpers then ran to the other 10-yard line and did 10 squats.  Back to the 20-yard line for 20 MHs and then to the other 20 for 20 squats.  Back and forth we went until we got to midfield where YHC called for 25 of each to get us to a total of 125 MHs and 125 squats.

Since the Norseman studs were so fast on the first thang we moseyed to the 5-yard line for a repeat, this time with merkins and Carolina dry docks.  Things started getting real around the 25-yard line and muscle failure was setting in for sure at the 45.  All told we did 125 merkins and 125 dry docks.  The playlist hopefully helped take our minds off the pain at least part of the time.

Mosey off the field toward what I was sure would be an exit to the parking lot.  Nope.  It was a dead end and I’m pretty sure at least half the guys wanted to see how far I’d run before figuring out I was lost.  A quick right turn got us back on the road and we headed toward the Cogburn park exit.

A broken turn signal almost caused a chain reaction as we hung a left on the skinny path that runs beside the pond.  After some spirited discussion about the difference between a swing and a bench, YHC announced we would do some 11’s. Big bois on one end by the swing and 4-count flutters on the other end by the bench.  Well apparently there are several benches and since I don’t know the park that well we ended up settling on the second bench.  You’ll see it’s labeled as such if you are ever there during the daylight.

Somewhere around the 5-6 or 4-7 mark, I called no more running and instructed the pax to finish the ab work by the swing.  Thankfully Neil Diamond’s Sweet Caroline was playing so we all sang along while watching the ISS fly overhead.

Since everyone had lost count at some point YHC called for a mosey up the larger-than-I-remembered hill back to the flag where we circled up.  YHC introduced the hand-release prison cell merkin burpee or HRPCMB as it’s called in the exicon.  We did 10 on our own as time was called.

COT:

Lots going on in November and December including:

• Blood drive on 11/23
• F3 Foundation campaign
• Santa Ruck
• Thanksgiving 1st F options

Check Slack for details on all of the above.

Prayers for Chapter 11’s baby on the way.  Prayers for all those things we want God to hear but that we are keeping in our hearts.

Naked-Man Moleskin:

The awesome Norseman site Q, Stu, asked if I would deliver the TNT.  I agreed and thought I knew what I would talk about but over the course of the beat down, I decided to change it up.  We talked about doing hard things that lead to better things.  Marriage is hard but it’s worth the effort.  Parenting is hard but it’s worth it if you work hard at it.  Our jobs can be hard but it helps us provide for our families.  F3, actually the men of F3, are a big part of why I am able to do hard things.  We start many days in the dark, in the cold, in the rain at times, and do hard things.  It builds a bond with the other men.  It also helps build an inner strength that shows you that you can do hard things.  For me, that inner strength has served as the foundation for a lot of other hard things in life. And all of you guys, younger and older, are an inspiration to me.  I do this for you and I suspect you do it for me.  Thanks for showing up, working hard and being present.

–Speedo out