16 modern day warriors came out to play hard today. They battled the fartsack and the chilly rain to join YHC and attack this Friday with purpose.  They ran. They pushed. They got soaked. They clenched their buttocks.

Warmup

Since it’s form week, YHC did a quick tutorial on proper F3 counting.  He spoke to the group but focused his attention squarely on F3 JohnBoy who was eager to correct past mistakes.

• SSH ICx25
• Arm Circles Front ICx10
• Arm Circles Reverse ICx10
• High Kicks ICx10
• Good Mornings ICx10
• Burpees OYOx5

Thang

Murky Merkin Mile (HT: Yanni)

YHC mapped out four quarter mile segments around the AO for the PAX to run. Upon arrival at each quarter mile increment, the group (together) performed 25 merkin variations for a total of 100 as follows:

• ¼ mile: Standard Merkins x25
• ½ mile: Diamond Merkins x25
• ¾ mile: Standard Merkins x25
• 1 mile: Slow Merkins x25

Bobby’s Balls

Mosey to the Wall and partner up for combination of Bobby Hurley’s and Balls To the Walls

• Partner 1 25 Bobby Hurleys
• Partner 2 BTW until Partner 1 is complete
• Switch when complete
• Repeat 

People’s Chair (aka Blue Chair)

Since it’s form week, YHC insisted the PAX do true 90 degree wall sits with arms fully extended for 2 minutes. I’ll always know this as Blue Chair since it was a common form of hazing in my fraternity at Penn State University (e.g., sit against the wall, holding books until you’re blue in the face).   There were grunts and mumble chatter about the Q not participating for the full 2 minutes while he monitored adherence to the 90 degree rule. Well done, men!

Dips and Burpees

Mosey to the pavilion to take some cover from the rain. 

• Perform 25 Dips (in cadence) on the benches.  
• Lots of groaning during the final 5 count, particularly from YHC.
• 8 Burpees OYO

Frankenstein Walks (aka walking toe touches)

Walk the distance of the parking lot Frankenstein style. Essentially each step, bring leg as high as you can and touch with opposite hand.  

Mary

Lots of mumbling about moving from rain cover to the parking lot but the goal, per Marky Mark was to Embrace the Suck and today these men certainly did.

• Boat Canoe x a lot to get your back soaked.
• Ski Abs IC x 10
• Superman holds 1 minute to get your front soaked. Note: there were several orders to clench those buttocks and Mothman and Chum were happy to oblige.
• Merkin Ring of Fire x3 , to get the total Merkin count to 103 for the day.

Announcements

• Chatham 2nd F this Sunday at 8pm at the Big House (BC Clubhouse). Boyardee bringing hor d’oeuvres but men can also bring food if they so desire. BYOB.
• Rabbit on 12/19 will be a 6:30pm run around Briar Chapel mostly to gaze lovingly at the Christmas Lights. Chum leading (I think).
• Thoughts and prayers for those dealing with wildfires in California.

COT & BOM

I was inspired by a section of “Freed to Lead” (book by founders OBT and Dredd) about what it means to be a Modern Day Warrior. The authors illustrate this through the story of Tom Sawyer (and of course, Rush’s famous song of the same name). Tom had a mean-mean-stride.

To Summarize, Tom was caught fighting and his punishment was to spend one of his sacred Saturdays whitewashing a long, tall fence.  After his initial despair about losing his day, he had a moment of inspiration. And Tom attacked the job like it was the only thing in the world he wanted to do. He painted that fence with purpose.

Soon Tom’s buddies show up and ridicule him for having to work on a Saturday while they’re swimming, playing, etc. Tom says “what do you call work”? This may or may not be work. It’s not everyday that a boy gets to whitewash a fence, does he?

His buddies, of course, then want to try it out. Tom declines and says that he “reckons only one boy in a thousand can do it the way it needs to be done”.  Eventually he gives in and lets his friend paint.  Word gets out and pretty soon he has all the boys in the neighborhood wanting to paint that fence.

At that, Tom discovered a law of human nature. That is to make a man covet a thing, it is only necessary to make the thing difficult to attain.

The Modern Day Warrior says: “Follow me, I’m taking the hard path. You take the easy path but the rest of you one-in-a-thousand guys, you come with me.  We’ve got hard play to get after.”

• It’s hard to battle the fartsack when it’s cold, dark and wet.
• It’s hard to step up and lead a workout.
• It’s hard to do 100 merkins.

But that’s what leaders do. That’s what modern day warriors do. So I encourage all of you to go out and look for the hard things to do today and everyday. It will pay dividends for you and those around you.

Aye!