08/26/2020 - The Ridge - The Mile Run. And Flippy Cone.
AO: The Ridge
When: 08/26/2020
PAX:
Number of Pax: 13
Pax Names: 5-Putt,
DR Names:
Number of FNGS:
FNG Names:
QIC: 5-Putt
Introduction
I am not a runner. I mean, I could definitely run 3 or 4 miles if somebody was chasing me, but I just don’t like doing it. It reminds of those years when I played a lot of poker—I became very good at it, but then realized I really didn’t like spending all that time in a casino. Running is kind of like that for me. I just don’t like spending time doing it. The thought of going to a run club with people who actually LIKE running 3, 4, 5 miles is a painful one. Especially if they are the kind of people who talk to you while they run. I genuinely loathe people who converse with me while I’m gasping for breath.
But I did like it back in high school when we ran “the mile” every week in gym class and tracked our time. Q-ing a run club seems like the perfect opportunity to start that again! Now I know everybody has a fancy watch or an app that track their time and distance. Well, I don’t. But I do have a big ass digital clock that works as a stopwatch…so I brought it to the Ridge at 4:45am and we were ready to go!
PAX rolled in. It was a small group for the Ridge today with 13 HC’s. Love it! The site-Q (Vern) arrived around 5:10am, which seemed crazy. I mean, I took it as a sign of confidence that he thought I had a plan, but if I was site-Q and saw 5-Putt on Q for a run club, well…let’s just say I wouldn’t have strolled in casually at 5:10am.
After a bit of nervous mumble chatter from everybody who saw the digital clock radiating brilliantly in the gloom, it was time to start.
Warm-O-Rama
Good Mornings (10)
Tappy Taps (10)
Imperial Walkers (10)
Motivators (7)
The Thang
Thing 1: Timed mile run. Started with an Indian Run (.38 miles) to show everybody the route. Mosey back (.38 miles). Then started the big ass timer and we were off (1 mile).
Thing 2: Flippy Cone. Two teams, each team lines up on one end of a small soccer field. 7 cones were waiting near mid-field (30 yards away), some sitting upright and some knocked down. Team One’s goal was to turn the cones UP. Team Two’s goal was to knock the cones DOWN. Teams could send two people out into the field at one time–sprint to mid-field, touch only ONE cone, sprint back and tag a teammate. Waiting PAX do SSH. Whichever team had the most cones turned their way after 5 minutes was the winner. We ran this twice. Vern’s team won both times.
Mary:
Hammers (25)
Freddy Mercury’s (20)
LBC’s (20)
Circle of Trust
Be thankful. I thanked Skinner for the opportunity to Q a Run Club–I would have NEVER signed up for this on my own. But Skinner mistakenly put his name down on a RC day for his VQ, and he had a boot camp planned. So he asked to switch and I obliged. I am VERY thankful that I did–I had a blast today, and am not afraid to do it again.
I spent several years studying happiness, and I learned that thankfulness and happiness are directly related. About a year ago I started a daily task of sending a quick note of thanks to somebody–anybody–in my life. Family, friends, co-workers…anybody. One per day. I never spent more than 60 seconds writing a quick text or sending a short email. It was usually only 2 or 3 sentences thanking them for something. Sometimes it was thanks for a specific act they performed, or sometimes it was more general. After several days of doing this, I realized that taking the time to be thankful and show gratitude towards others had a profoundly positive effect on me–it made me much, much happier. And, oftentimes the recipient would return the act by replying with kind words towards me–and they didn’t know I only spent 30 seconds writing the original message, so their reply was much, much longer than my initial message! It was very uplifting. I have gotten away from this over the past few months, but I am going to start doing it again. I challenged the PAX to try this everyday for 21 days on their own.
Naked Man Moleskin
Well, Fred Flintstone learned not to do SSH’s while standing under a soccer goal. Beatbox had a nerf gun and was randomly shooting people during Flippy Cone. Crazy kids. Super proud of Sheldon and Jimmy Neutron for their mile times! Caveman suggested playing flippy cone again, but next time putting the cones on top of the hill at the Ridge. I think I saw the F3 name Captain Insane-O somewhere, but I’m giving that name to Caveman if he tries that one day.