Weather: Perfect — 55F.
Pre-run: YHC and Defib commenced a pre-run at the lovely moment of 3:44. The Rx was a warm-up, 3×1200-meters at HMp with 2-minutes rest after each rep followed by 4×400-meters at 5Kp. We finished with a 1-mile cooldown. It was fun, and no, we didn’t see any action on the “sex bench,” Ripken.
Welcome: The parking lot was filling-up as YHC and Defib returned. At exactly 0515, YHC stated the 5 Core F3 Principles and the disclaimer, then launched the pax into a quick mosey that included high knees and butt-kickers. The pax circled-up for CoP.
Circle of Pain (CoP):
- SSH, x15 IC
- Strawberry Pickers, x15 IC
- Imperial Walkers, x15 IC
- Michael Phelps, for a bit
The Thang: Often times, we try to change something in our life, but find the attempted change doesn’t stick. We don’t stick too it long enough to make it part of who we are. For YHC, lasting change seems to only come when the pain of staying the same exceeds the pain of change. So this gloom, surrendering to the pain of remaining the same in order to get to the place we need to be is what this beatdown is all about.
YHC planted the cowbell at the bottom of the first tower flight of stairs. The beatdown was comprised of randomly selected exercises (thank you, random number generator) and the idea was to do reps of selected exercise until one of the pax suffered enough and chose to ring the cowbell. The only catch is that each time the bell was rung, it was also moved up one flight of stairs. Also, once a pax rang the bell, he could not ring the bell again until all pax rang the bell. After the bell was rung, a lap around the tower also ensued (finishers planked for the 6). Rinse and repeat.
The exercises were as follows:
Arm Circles
Shoulder Taps
Merkins
Imperial Walkers
Calf Raises
Circle Merk
One-arm planks, alternate arms (lots of mumble-chatter here)
Walk-out Merkins
Freddy Mercury’s
At just the right time (intended the song to play randomly, but was getting close to 0600 so had to force my hand. Little Willy came on and endless burpees ensued). Everyone survived.
All told, we covered about 2.5-miles at pretty good paces.
Of course, YHC had some tunes blaring. The playlist was as follows:
- Bad Company, Five Finger Death Punch
- Danger! High Voltage, Electric Six
- Don’t Let me Down, The Chainsmokers
- KernKraft 400, Power Music Workout
- Little Willy, The Sweet
- Turn the Music Up, NF
- Jump Around, House of Pain with Micky Slim
- ‘Till I Collapse, Eminem
- Turn Down for What, DJ Snake & Lil Jon
It was fun.
Announcements:
- Volunteers needed for holiday outreach.
- Ragnar Training ongoing, seeing lots of miles and doubles. Get your training in!
Prayer Requests / Praises:
- Goob, speady recovery
- Injured and fartsacked pax
- First Responders
Great job to all pax for making this gloom fun.
“To do what others cannot, do what others will not.”
Gridlock