09/17/2020 - Dark Tower -
AO: Dark Tower
When: 09/17/2020
PAX:
Number of Pax: 14
Pax Names: atat, Bjorn, Fender, Patchouli, Pizza the Hut, Putz, Radio Flyer, Shandy, Sparkler, Sweeney Todd, Townie,
DR Names:
Number of FNGS: 0
FNG Names: F.E.N.D.E.R. , Snoopy, 1Bar
QIC: Wine in A Box
Introduction
It was a beautiful, cool morning as I awoke and got ready for my second Q. I excitedly jumped in the car, and was greeted by the horrid stench of a gallon of milk that Loaves and Fishes kindly hid in my car as I was delivering for Homebound Services (PS . . . Sign up for homebound services channel). Trailing the odor of death from my car like smoke from a Grateful Dead tour bus, I headed to the iconic Dark Tower to drink in the peace and get centered.
Unloading Hootie’s sandbags and mentally going over the workout, I reflected on all the great Qs I have been fortunate to post at . . . and all that I have learned thus far about F-3. A smile crept over my face as I reviewed my workout . . . that did not involve huge amounts of running. Because seriously . . . screw excessive amounts of running.
Setting up the equipment took all of five minutes, so with over a half hour to go I walked the hill and admired the quiet. I chuckled as I thought of the roughly 162 people at Goldberg’s Black Diamond, and relished the small group I was fortunate enough to lead today.
Sparkler and Snoopy showed up early for their very first post at Dark Tower, so I had the pleasure of taking them for a quick mosey to show them around the most diverse AO in Naperville. Bridges, the base of the tower, the sand volleyball courts . . . all were shown.
Then it was time to mosey back to the parking lot to welcome the fourteen brave souls that HC’ed to another beautiful day . . .
Warm-O-Rama
After getting the 5 core principles right (after screwing them up at my first Q and having Urkel helpfully remind me of every one in exacting detail), it was time for warm O rama
Motivators from 4
Tappy Taps X 20
Grady Corns X 10
Abe Vigodas X 10
Cross arm stretch
Shoulder shrugs
The Thang
Thankg 1- Hill Doras
Start at parking lot. Pair up.
Partner 1- With a sandbag or heavy ruck, run to top of hill and back down.
Partner 2- Start the following, all with coupons
150 Bent Over Rows
150 Shoulder Press
150 Curls
150 Skull Crushers
Plank until the 6 was in
Mosey with coupons over the hill, down into the base of Dark tower, facing back to the crest. Still working with your partner, I added a new exercise I call “Bravehearts”. In the movie Braveheart, when William Wallace comes home they face a test of “soldiering” by throwing rocks. Instead of crushing each other with coupons, we teamed up. Partner 1 throws his coupon as far as he can. Partner 2 gets a running start and throws his coupon when he reaches where Partner 1’s coupon was at rest. Leapfrogging this way all the way up the hill to the crest.
Thang 2 – “Dont touch the ground”
12 Minutes of exercises where you cannot set your coupon down. Q was calling out the transitions.
Kettleball Swings
Static waiter hold
Deep/Slow Squats. “Ass to heels” style. Focusing on form, not speed.
John Cusak around the circle back to your original spot.
“Shoulders to ears” Shrugs
Lunges
Mary-
LBCs
Leg Raises
Punch ups
Happy Seals
Big Boys
Circle of Trust
CoT announcements from Bjorn.
Prayers for all those in need.
Request for all PAX to join the homebound services channel.
Join the group led by House Arrest and Hootie for the Obstacle course on 10/31. Its going to be a blast.
Congrats to Townie as he takes over site Q duties from Bjorn at Dark Tower!!!!!
Naked Man Moleskin
Rain Man inspired me with a poignant poem (Someone explain to Nacho what “poignant” means) the other day at Iron Lion, and I was compelled to do the same. I recalled my journey through F-3 since starting three and half months ago, and tried to find something that would help describe how I have progressed through my personal evolution.
DONT QUIT
When things go wrong, as they sometimes will,
when the road you are trudging seems all uphill,
when the funds are low and the debts are high,
and you want to smile, but you have to sigh
when care is pressing you down a bit,
Rest if you must! BUT DONT YOU QUIT.
Life is queer with its twists and turns,
as every one of us sometimes learns,
and many a failure turns about,
when he might have won had he stuck it out,
dont give up, though the pace seems slow,
You might succeed with another blow.
Often the goal is nearer than,
It seems to a faint and faltering man,
Often the struggler as has given up,
When he might have captured the victors cup,
and he learned too late, when the night slipped down,
how close he was to the golden crown.
Success is failure turned inside out,
the silver tint of the clouds of doubt,
and you never can tell how close you are,
it may be near when it seems afar,
so stick to the fight when you are hardest hit,
ITS WHEN THINGS SEEM WORST THAT YOU MUST’NT QUIT!
Ive been very public with my personal struggles, and how F-3 has been a lifeline to me dealing with them. The urge to quit when I was dry heaving day 1 and Cousin Eddie was letting me know that its not that uncommon for FNGs. The thoughts of “oh HELL NO I’m not doing this again” on Day 2 when I ingested a few hundred gnats and did football fields worth of lunges and merkins, that disappeared when Goldberg and Babyhands came back for me to do the last 30 yards with me and build me up. The times during Qs where I felt like I was having a heart attack (PSA . . . dont do intermittent fasting or a low calorie diet before a Flush birthday Q. You might legitimately have to go to the ER) but Bjorn, Ronda Rousey, and others were there to have my 6 were the reasons that I kept coming back and refused to quit.
But as we all reflect we KNOW there are guys that we havent seen in weeks or months. We are in our routines of seeing the same HIMs day after day that we forget all those that we havent seen in awhile. The ones that could still be having their own self doubt, living a life of quiet desperation that still need the fellowship and brotherhood of F-3 to build them back up. THOSE are the men that we have an obligation to help. Those are the men that need us to break through and have us help share their burden . . if only for 45 minutes a day.
So my challenge to all is to reach out to the men that you havent seen. Search some backblasts to review some names and recall their faces. Then contact them via slack, email, text, phone call, whatever. Let them know there is a whole ARMY of men that have their six. Let them know they arent alone in the struggles they may be facing. Let them know that we wont let them quit.
Props to the men that joined me ITG this morning
Townie- Smiling as always. Your sunny outlook is always appreciated.
Bjorn- Manning the 6 and disappointed that tennis wasnt involved.
Atat- Once I saw your HC I specifically wore the F-3 gear you gave me. Appreciate it. (and if I ever start a mob style protection racket . . . you are my first phone call to join the crew. )
Radio Flyer- I think you came out because I promised minimal running . . . we are sympatico on that brother . .
Sweeney Todd- The silent assassin that is KILLING workouts day after day.
1Bar- I keep expecting you to bring more colleagues until we run out of telecommunication nicknames.
Shandy- My partner in crime this morning that had my 6 as my coupon exploded during “bravehearts”
Patchouli- My yogi and spiritual advisor . . . sprinting up the hill with a sandbag like a Navy Seal!
Pizza the Hut- Great meeting you finally!
Putz- I honestly had no idea what your name was until we got coffee afterwards. Great to meet you
Sparkler- Appreciate you making the trek from Crossroads to join us this morning. Honored to give you a tour of the Dark Tower AO before we started.
Snoopy- Welcome to day three of F-3 . . .
F.E.N.D.E.R.- Welcome to day three of F-3 . . .
Thank you for the opportunity to lead today.