15 pax met at the Bull for the continuation of training for the upcoming F3 / GORUCK Custom Challenge (GRC). It goes without saying that it is nearly impossible to train for all aspects of a 12 hour endurance challenge during a one hour workout, so YHC decided to focus on one or two specific issues during this workout. First, on the “team” building aspect, which requires you to be aware of the other members of your group. Second, on just plain old rucking. So, this workout, as depicted in the attached image, covered a little over 3 miles, with just a few stops for pain stations. During the ruck YHC tested the group about their knowledge of the men standing next to them, which is something we all need to learn more about.
Conditions: Upper 40’s to start, but lower 50’s by the end. If this keeps up our 12 hours on November 21-22 are going to be nice and cold.
The Thang:
Meet at corner of Bull and Blossom, circle up. Count off, which totaled 14 at the time (Wingback caught up to us a little later to make it 15). Pair up and form two lines. Start rucking.
About 45 seconds in YHC calls out to an anonymous member of the pax, “What’s the count?” Answer, “uhh…1, 2, 3, ….” YHC “You need to know that by heart, so no straps, and keep rucking.” So from about the middle of the Bull Street hill all the way to the Gamecock on Greene Street the pax rucked with no straps.
Stop on Green Street for quick pain station. 25 Flutter Kicks IC with rucks held above you. Rucks back on, then 10 Merkins IC. Count off again (by this point Wingback and joined, so count was 15). Start rucking. About another 45 seconds in, YHC to Wingback “What’s the count?” Wingback’s response “huh?” YHC “okay, we just lost our straps again.” Continue Ruck past Preston to Gressett Monument in the Horseshoe. Straps back on and continue to ruck.
Stop at War Memorial behind the Caroliniana Library near the corner of Sumter and Pendleton. Another short pain station. Hold rucks overhead, 10 Squats IC. Rucks back on, 10 Merkins IC. Form up, and continue rucking.
Enter State House grounds. Short bear crawl for portion of path leading up to front steps. Continue rucking to Memorial Park, corner of Washington and Gadsden. On the way there there was a dispute about the proper procedure for being a road guard, which resulted in the pax losing straps again. Brief period of Karaoke down Washington Street.
After arriving at Memorial Park, we took a lap around the grounds, and tried to take in the monuments and what they represented. To be honest it was a sobering experience. Especially when we walked in front of the Vietnam Veteran’s memorial. There is just so much to see at that park, and it represents such grave and important points in our history. Seems a shame that most of us have never even been there before.
Form back up on Washington Street, and lunge walk (#crowdpleaser) up the Washington Street hill.
Pretty much a straight Ruck back to Bull and Blossom, stopping to wait in High Plank for a light to change.
BOM and Name-o-rama
Moleskine:
How many of you can name everyone in your last workout? We call ourselves a “community,” a “nation,” and we refer to each other as brothers, but I bet half of us cannot even name all the members of the pax we recently worked out with, even using their F3 names. Let’s not even start on trying to use “birth” names. Part of the GRC is going to test our ability to come together as a cohesive unit, and we may very well be expected to name the men standing next to us, so use this as an opportunity to actually get to know the men around you.
That’s all…for now.