First Call!
Mild temps, no rain in sight, streets are quiet and the Pax meets at Unconditional Surrender for the Gloom. It’s early and rolling out of the fartsack came easy but was unpleasant after the beating only 7 plus hours ago. We begin the morning with the 5 core principles, disclaimers and start with a stretches to get the mind focusing ahead, the blood flowing and the body moving. After a few minutes of stretches and the early morning sound of “he who shall not be named” passing a bit of gas we recover and double time toward Bayfront Park, today’s playground. We stop at the Marina Jack entrance and do a quick set of SSH to break up the Double time pace. After the SSH we immediately take off again (there are no rest periods on my runs outside of the Darkness which is the calisthenics) and head in a single file along the parking lot between the blue wall erected for the Yacht and boat sale and Hwy 41. At the entrance of Bayfront Park we gather on the Diamond and the Darkness sets again on the Pax and after a quick set of Imperial Walkers we head for the Tiki Bar. Time for The Thang.
The Thang:
Benches are everywhere along the sidewalk at Bayfront park and they are placed with no rhyme or reason with consideration to relative distance of one another. You may run longer from one bench to another or find yourself “hopping” to the next one. The complete lap is 1/2 mile and so the Tiki Bar to the Dolphins is 1/4 mile of darkness and the same coming back. The goal get in 2-3 laps in our time remaining.
Starting with benches in our “Benches and Light Poles and Dolphins, Oh My!” beatdown, alternating from bench to bench, perform 10 triceps dips and the 10 decline merkins all the way to the Dolphins. Wait for the six while performing Nancy Kerrigan’s (Core and balance focus here).
The return to the Tiki Bar required in alternating fashion 10 Step Ups and then 10 Inclined Merkins. Keep running and reach the Tiki Bar, wait on the 6 while doing Overhead Hand Claps. Check on the Pax state of mind and now we hit the light poles.
If you were at last Thursday gloom you know the 4x2x5. Start with Lt Dan run 4 light poles and then Carolina Dry Docks a quick 5 (Push hard , honor code). Run 2 poles and rinse and repeat till you get to the Dolphins. In honor of our friends from the sea when the six arrives we circle up and do Seal Jacks.
Back to the Tiki Bar (still closed and no beverages available) we start with Bulgarian Ball Busters, Go! Get 4 light poles behind you and do Scorpion Dry Docks (Disclaimer do not face plant on the pavement without Dental coverage) 5 per leg. Feeling a little smoked we gather ourselves and run out of the park to the diamond out front. When the six arrives we get on our six and do 20 LBCs..”How do you feel?” and they respond “Good” “Hooah!!, still feel good huh, straight into flutter kicks, still feel good?, Hello Dollys!” Time check, need to get moving so the Double time back toward the CP begins along the blue wall again. We stop and wait for the six and begin an Indian run back. Over two miles got covered and I am sure benches are not so welcoming anymore.
With 4 minutes left dynamic stretches and cool down begin to help mitigate and avoid post beating injuries. We finish up right at 0600 and everyone looks to be in good shape.
Count is taken, and Namearama seems to be tougher after these beatings as members of the Pax can’t remember their age:::Hmmm:::Early morning Gloom clearing the mind, completely.
Announcements:
- Gator Wilderness Camp run on the 27th of April, few of us this morning will be there
- Sup N Run on the 25th of May
- SRQ Vets 5 k Hike on the 25th of May
- Savage Race on the 9th of November F3 Suncoast Team ready for sign ups
- Check Group Me for continuous coverage and announcements of upcoming 5k races, Go Ruck events, OCRs etc.
Praises and Prayer Requests:
- Mopar heading to the Gopher state, Minnesota. Safe travels and return
- Our First Responders, Our Military to stay on point and be safe and protected
- All our injured and tired Pax member for a timely and healthy recovery
Another perfect start to the day at AO Unconditional Surrender. You can’t ask for more. We head to Starbucks for a little 2nd F to relax and ponder whats next. I have said it before and you’ll hear me say it again, “you want to go fast go alone, you want to go far then go together.”
Coop out, Airborne!
