07/02/2020 - Dark Tower - The Black Diamond when we found FOOTBALLS on our journey
AO: Dark Tower
When: 07/02/2020
PAX:
Number of Pax: 13
Pax Names: afib, Baby Hands, Blart, Cousin Eddie, Curds, Dilly Dilly, FIB, Hootie, House Arrest, Patchouli, Smokey,
DR Names:
Number of FNGS: 0
FNG Names:
QIC: Uncle Rico
Introduction
Initially wanted a hill to have some fun thangs to do, but also wanted to move away from the DT flags a bit. Some inline research showed the biggest hill just under 2 miles away so adding up the round-trip time would leave not enough for a legit Thang. Wednesday was a little recovery day so YHC moseyed around downtown Naperville to scope out the scene and the Naperville North campus. BLACK DIAMOND TIME!!!
Warm-O-Rama
0500 came quick! The men were welcomed and disclaimer shared and we were off. Curds had just pulled in so we swooped him up on our mosey northward. FIB found his way to us eventually. Sounds like Roach Coach was unable to catch up!
We moseyed down towards the river. Got some Frankenstein’s in across a bridge. Moseyed up to a straight-away in the Centennial Beach parking lot and snuck in some Carioca’s. Then settled in to a nice long mosey (1.2ish miles) up to Naperville North. Once there, we jumped right into a little Caterpillar action (All PAX lined up like railroad tracks in high plank while one at a time we took turns bunny hopping over the Pax). Each Pax jumped 4 or 5 times. Made our way to a sizable parking lot for the Thang.
The Thang
7 of (Black) Diamonds
Round 1 – 7 BodyBuilders (Burpees+Plank Jack) at each of the 4 corners. Running to each corner.
Round 2 – 14 Squat+4HighKnees at each of the 4 corners. Running to each corner.
Round 3 – 21 Little Man In The Woods at each of the 4 corners. Running to each corner.
Round 4 – 28 X-Men at each of the 4 corners. Running to each corner.
Round 5 – 21 Little Man In The Woods at each of the 4 corners. Running to each corner.
Round 6 – 14 Squat+4HighKnees at each of the 4 corners. Running to each corner.
Round 7 – 7 BodyBuilders at each of the 4 corners. Running to each corner.
When done, head over to iron fence by football field and begin HeadShouldersKneesToes (People’s Chair up against the fence and touch toes, knees, shoulders on repeat).
As a wrap all PAX got on the fence for 25 HSK&T’s IC. Time to head back towards DT for some Mary.
Circle of Trust
“Comparison is the thief of Joy.”
I love this quote. I get to use it with my Shorties during those times of “so and so just got a puppy!”…”so and so got a pool AND a slip’n’slide AND a unicorn sprinkler AND a new scooter AND their Dad got a new car.” That is only slightly hyperbolic. And to be honest I find myself doing the same thing. I think we all do to some degree. Not only as human beings, but also competitive men who live amidst a comparison culture that is exacerbated by a social media world that all too often only highlights the shiny parts of our lives and materialism of our lives.
The problem with Comparison to others is that we are all on different parts of our journeys. Unless we’re being open and vulnerable with someone else, we don’t truly know what part of the journey someone else is on. We don’t know someone else’s problems, other’s insecurities, or what others are going through to get to “where they are.” This is a challenge to me and perhaps a problem for others too.
Challenge to you: When you find yourself comparing yourself to someone else take a step back and identify something that you’re grateful for in YOUR life. You don’t always know where others are at on their journey and it’s unfair to you and your psyche and your self-confidence to beat yourself up over what you see around you.
#SYITG #GetSome
Love, Uncle Rico
Naked Man Moleskin
The run up to NN was around a 7:45/mile pace. We ran by a few footballs lying on the sidewalk early on and Smokey picked one up and the Pax threw some Hail Mary’s back and forth on our journey.
Blart jumped out to an early lead on the 7 of Diamonds and never gave it up. Smokey and FIB did their best to catch up but were always a tick behind him. The rest of the Pax moved along at a similar pace and zero of them gave up.
#TClaps to Skilling for showing out at a Black Diamond on his 2nd day of F3. And for Patchouli for throwing caution to the wind, getting out of his own head, and coming out for some fun.
There’s always a special energy on Black Diamond mornings. It’s men who can wake up even earlier than usual and show up at 0500 knowing that the next hour the Q is going to throw everything he has at them. Love the #Acceleration that these bring to F3 Naperville’s 1stF!