For those of you who clicked on this just because of the title I recomend that you scroll down past the workouts for the explanation.
I hit my 5 year anniversary back during the ‘Rona so I had to delay my celabratory workout until things were a little more normal. So it’s actually been a little longer than 5 years. I was never one of the guys that remembered when I started F3 I just know it was in April of 2015.
I began my anniversary with a Q at Urban Legend. I wanted to recreate some of my favorite workouts. Dora and Reaper Hill and GoRuck. Everywhere we went we took at 40# filler bag for a little more “betterment”. First we moseyed to the top of the parking deck for a quick warmup. The Pax reminded me how bad I am at calling exercises and keeping cadence, a few even offered to count for me. We moved into F3 Tag, a modified version of Dora. Two pax were sent to the bottom of the parking deck to do as many merkins until they were replaced. 2 pax remained at the top completing as many squats until they were replaced. The remaining 2 pax moved the coupon to the next group and tagged them out of thier excersie by passing on the cupon. Rinse and repeat for 15 minutes.
Then we moved to Urban Legends version of reaper hill where we completed 6 rounds of 21 LBCs at the bottom and Merkins at the top, sharing the coupon on each trip. The Pax moseyed back to the flag and completed two laps around the race track to get up to 2 miles. YHC doesnt normally call for a lot of running in his wourkouts and the Pax were happy to remind him. The PAx ended the workout with 5 minutes of mary with rounds of 20 BBSU, Iron crosses, Hello Dolly, and Freddie Murcury.
Pax in attendance: Alter Boy, Ken Doll, Rock Drop, Arrears, Buzzsaw and Argyle.
On Saturday, YHC promised little running and challenged multiple AOs to #Make Saturdays Great Again. YHC wanted to relive his first F3 Boot camp brought to you by Lego. (Lego wasn’t in attendance this AM) Frist we moseyed to the far side of the race track where a deck of death was brought out. YHC couldn’t find a set of real playing cards but a deck of Uno cards were sufficient. And there might have been parts of three decks in the stack. Reds- Merkins, Blue – Squats, Yellow – BBSU, Green – Iron Crosses. Wild Cards – a loop around the race track. Dunphy shuffled the deck and the BC began. There were multiple loops around the racetrack where older pax tried, normally in vain, to keep up with Doc McLovins man-childs. Coondog was the only success. The pax went through the deck almost twice before YHC called uncle.
Dunphy wanted me to keep an exact count of the reps but I didn’t, but my body is telling me that its sore.
Pax in attendance: Doc McLovin, Tadpole, Cheers, Knozit, Cowbell, Lizard Man, FreeStyle, Gills, Dunphy, Coondog, Gravedigger, Honey Boo Boo, Mercy Rule, Argyle
Devo: There were multiple PAX that tried to EH YHC 5 years ago and my response to all of them was “I don’t need F3” Truth of the matter, I didn’t need F3. I did need the workouts, I didn’t need the convergences, I didn’t need the 5ks, 10ks, or mudruns. I absolutely didn’t need to get introduced to rucking, GoRuck, or the stooopid idea of Rucking the BRR. I didn’t need to invest in T-shirts, stickers, cold weather gear, piles and piles of laundry, all the pairs of shoes and gloves. Did I mention that I didn’t need to invest all that I have in GoRuck (I just bought by 6 year old his first Ruck, and its nicer than all of mine). I didn’t need more friends, drinking buddies, or obligations. All I could see were the things that I didnt need.
What I didn’t realize were all the things that came along with F3. The service projects, the stories from bothers mentoring kids, the time bonding during a CSAUP. I didnt know I would need brothers to hug me when my wife had a miscariage, to celebrate with me when we had another child (literally texting me during the delivery) or to encourage me through all the ups and downs in between. I didnt know I would need brothers to push me to train, push me to get better, and celebrate with me when we achieved a new goal.
As I have reflected on the past 5 years, its reminded me that in order to start a new behavior we have to clear out the stuff we dont need anymore. In order to give up a bad habit, and I sure have plenty, we have to fill that void with a good behavior. I realized that change in a downward spiral is easy but to better ourselves we need more that just a push. We need people to share our goals and our lives with and have them hold us acounable for our part in achievening those goals.
That is the beauty that I found in F3. Not guys looking for a workout but guys that are willing to help you achieve your goals. You want to run a 5k, alright Ill train with you. You want to Ruck the BRR in the middle of the night, alright Ill chase you in a van so you don’t get run over. You want to give up dipping, alright Ill call you every day to hold you accountable. I didnt need a group of guys to workout with, I didnt realize i needed a group of guys that would help me achieve my goals. And who would make me want to help others achieve their’s.
I didn’t need F3, turns out I did.
If you’ve read this far my encouragement to you is find a big Hairy (yea) audacious goal that scares you and share it during the COT. See who steps us to support you and if no one does call me. Unless your Dunphy and you want me to pewper, thats still a hard no.