Weather – a beautiful low-70s morning. YHC couldn’t help but feel sorry for all the shartsackers who missed a great morning for a beatdown.
YHC and two other sorry souls (Bing and Sparky) enjoyed a pre-death run of 3.5 miles. It was a great time of fellowship as we shared family challenges, victories and the normal things dads discuss (all at a somewhat quicker than anticipated pace, but good none-the-less). As YHC made a final turn into the parking lot, it was obvious shartsacking was to be preferred. Maybe the evening FB post declaring “Tomorrow we die” was a bit much for some, even those who initially HC’d and then sack-sharted (uh, Mr. Clean). Anyway, let’s not digress.
The 5 core principles were shared (or was it 4) and away we went for a Mosey that included high knees, butt-kickers, karioke and one stride-out through a “burpee zone” (see below for further details).
CoP included:
- SSH x20IC
- Mt Climbers x10IC
- Merkins x10IC
- Imperial Walkers x10IC
- Moroccan Nightclubs x10IC
The Thang: Bur-laps and Band-aids for all. No, not an F3 pre-Halloween costume contest in the gloom, but rather a simple workout YHC described along with some half-baked story about potato-sack racing in the 5th grade. Hey, it was early and YHC needed a lead-in, even a not-very-good one!
The idea was to run around the parking lot (i.e., track) and do burpees while passing through the two cone-defined burpee zones. On each side of the track were two sets of cones measuring about 20 (or 30) yards, give or take another 10-15 yards. The cones marked the start and end of each “burpee zone.” Upon entering the burpee zones, pax burpeed their way through the zone with a slight burpee modification — broad jump forward instead of jumping straight-up. Repeat said burpees until the ending cones were reached. Upon exiting the burpee zone, continue around the track until the next burpee zone. Rinse and repeat. Such is the pain of a Bur-lap.
Bur-laps were broken down into the 3 sessions of about 10 minutes each with a 2 minute rest/recovery after each session. Raw flesh and blood could be seen dangling from many a pax palms. I guess that’s better than what usually dangles there. Anyway, a noticeable lack of mumble chatter was deafening. The post-beatdown commentary was muted. The “here’s your stink’n cones” (or something like that) was the best one pax could muster as we gathered for count/name-o-rama and CoT. There was no time for a round of Dora. 10 pax survived Bur-laps, but nearly all needed band-aids.
Moleskin: To get stronger, something has to die. Today, weakness left our bodies in the form of pain and tomorrow (or the next day, or the day after than), we’ll return faster, stronger and better equipped for endurance than we were this morning. In spiritual things as in fitness, sowing and reaping are laws. Christ calls us to die to some things (ourselves, most notably), for it’s in dying that we actually live. What in your own life needs to die, making way for something better to live? So, as each of us died a little this gloom, so each of us created room for something better to live as time marches on. That’s a good thing.
Announcements:
- Races coming up
- Operation Sweet Tooth school supply drive – Supplies delivered!
Prayers/Praise:
- Sweet Tooth’s family as they continue to deal with her loss
- Ripken and family as they seek the best for their daughter
- Injured Pax
Thankful for the chance to Q and for the privilege of fellowship among such great men.
Gridlock,
“To do what others can not, be willing to do what others will not.”
Awesome beatdown…even though you killed me on the pre-run!! Always enjoy it Though!