Death of a Sad Clown

• Weather:  Darkish, heavy bug presence, stillness in the air, sticky 100% humidity, 0 UV rating, with a temperature reading of 72 degrees.

11 PAX posted in the glory of the gloom to celebrate the anniversary of the passing of a dear friend.

August 3, 2013, marked the death of my own personal Sad Clown.   It was a slow death, coming and going for years.  He left this world on a humid August morning, approximately one year ago.  Here is his story….

I remember vividly seeing posts on Facebook prior to my friend’s death of a group called F3.  Based on those posts I inquired with Sean (Robber) and Flynn (Sway) about this group. I even went as far as to ask how we can start one on my side of town. Long story short,because Flynn already had set the wheels in motion, a pre-blast was quickly posted on July 12, 2013, http://f3nation.com/2013/07/12/preblast-f3-irmo-sc-to-launch-august-3rd/) and the launch for what would become known as Strut was set for August 3, 2013.

I met with Flynn at Seven Oaks Park the day prior to the launch and listened as he told me about the plan for the workout…..running up hills, pushups, squats, carrying bricks, etc., etc.  I listened patiently and intently as my mind went back to college where I first met Flynn and knowing him since then and listening to him talk that day, I knew, beyond the shadow of a doubt, he had lost his flipping mind.

Yeah, sure, I will be there the 3rd, but then back to the YMCA for me, never again to grace the grass of an F3 workout.

I did my part, or at least tried, I encouraged friends to attend the launch and talked up the event the best I could.  Then, on the dawn of August 3, 2013, I rose from my fartsack

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and entered the gloom for the 1st time.

The workout that humid August morning was tough, but I made it (here I am that day)

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And here is Sway’s BB from that 1st workout.  http://f3nation.com/2013/08/03/huge-crowd-for-irmo-sc-big-bang-strut/

Approximately one hour after I posted, I was almost hooked.  I say almost as the full “F3 Effect” had not set in with me.  The workout was tough, very tough.  But there was a spark, I wasn’t sure what it was but it was there.  I made a decision I’d give this a try for a week or so. I did just that.  That week became a month, that month became months, those months became a year.

The workouts are always tough, but with the help of the mumble chatter and the laughs, the hard work seemed all the more bearable.  The workouts always vary from day to day. I was outside at F3 in single digits temperature readings, in the heat and humidity of South Carolina summers, I even posted on the morning of Christmas Eve to the extreme mud and muck of Strut….here is my shirt from that workout:

Along the way, it didn’t take me long to realize that there was more, a lot more, to F3, than just the workouts.  The other 2 “F’s”, fellowship and faith, are a large part of F3.  The lunches, coffee-terias, bible studies, prayers and, maybe most importantly, the support and accountability of the F3 PAX are all equal parts of F3.

So, between the workouts, the mumble chatter, the comradery, and the full effect of ALL 3 F’s, I was completely hooked.  I still am.

I have even gone as far as to take the lead of the workouts and Q, something I thought I’d never do.  Breathing and counting while I worked out didn’t come easy at 1st, but  Q-ing is a high one cannot really explain, you just have to experience it.  And every F3 PAX should do just that.  If I can do it, I promise anyone can.

So, here I am, a little over a year later, down 30 lbs, 4 inches in the waist, with more energy, having a stronger faith and a whole lotta new friends, I say, without hesitation, the death of my Sad Clown was a glorious day.

And that, friend, is the story of my Red Pill

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AYE!

Now having said that, today’s workout was a condensed version of that fateful launch workout of August 3, 2013, edited for time and content, or as Surge would say, “With a twist.”

The Thang

COP

Mosey to the grassy knoll next to tennis courts

SSH x 20….or so (IC)

Merkins x 15 (IC)

LBC x 15 (IC)

Squats x 15 (IC)

Arm Circles x 15 each direction (IC)

High Knees x 15 (IC)

At the tennis courts:

Ski line drill x 60

Line Hops x 60

Suicides – fence to each of three sidelines.  Low plank when finished.

Rinse and repeat 2 more times

10 Merkins (IC)

Mosey to the football field for the Ark Loader:

Sideline sprint forward/backward

Karaoke over/back

Lunge walk over

Bear Crawl back

Crab walk over

Frog Jump back

Mosey to the Concession Stand

People’s Chair 60 seconds

Incline Merkins x10 (IC)

People’s Chair 60 seconds

Decline Merkins x 10 (IC)

Heartbreak Ridge:

Walter Peytons x 2

Six Minutes of Mary:

Flutters x 15 (IC)

LBC x 15 (IC)

Freddie Mercurys x 15 (IC)

Hello Dolly x 15 (IC)

Boat Canoe x 4

Moleskin:

Thanks to the PAX in attendance for making this fun and thanks, as always for the support.  Hard to believe its just been a year. That’s all for now, so until next time, continue to do better and be better, no matter the task at hand. Happy trails.

Announcements:

• Sweet Baby O (Owen Walker Caldwell Memorial) 5K is August 9. Registration link: https://www.runhard.org/pages/owen.php
• Stomp the Swamp 5K is August 23 Registration link: https://www.runhard.org/pages/swamp5k.php
• Golf outing, probably on a Sunday.  See preblast from Uno / Ken Doll.  Crash is fixing the Google Doc for signup, because he is Asian and can do that.
• PRAY for WALKER at Noon. Set your alarms to pray at noon everyday till Walker is home and well. Tip of the hat to Neckbrace for that idea.  Link to Caring Bridge site: http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/walkerphillips.  Lets also pray for Walker’s parents, Karie and Andy (Nail Pop), their strength to date through this has been amazing to me.  Also, do what you can to help the family with the costs of Walker’s treatment. See:  http://www.youcaring.com/medical-fundraiser/trusting-him-for-walker/205275

Devotional:

Do better, be better in everything you do.