9 PAX (maybe 10) took to the Pine this morning. With a spring in our step and a clear-hearts-can”t-lose attitude, we launched from the OEC. True to form and to his name, Blindside blindsided us at the Raleigh Rd. intersection. I think I saw a smirky Chachi and T”eo, too, but my mind was clouded by Pine dread so there may have been others. Anyway, we got a little taste of what opposing defenses saw when Blindside pulled around the corner. YIKES!
A little muggy, the weather left a little to be desired. The Pine cares not for your humidity, though, nor does it care for your feelings. It is apostolically unselfish in that the more you give the Pine, the more it gives you. All the Pine asks is that you make sure you give what you can, because you will get a commensurate return, and that return is denominated in pain. And the more you pity yourself, the more the Pine punishes. We took down 2 pines today and that was all we needed. EZ Pass, Beano, and Pink were cruising like they were running downhill! T-claps to them. The plight of the Pine Pounder is a dire one, indeed. At least 3 others rucked, and good on them for it!
This Q was all about mustering what you have for long journeys to the top of the mountain. There is something sublime about that moment when you first start a long journey, be it a ruck, a run, or what have you. There is a stillness in the air. Usually, guys are inside their heads. Then the most uplifting thing occurs. Everybody gets to work! It is a good reminder that getting to the top really means nothing – because the real challenge is staying there! The most important thing is your approach at the bottom. That usually is the best indicator of not who gets to the top first or who gets there at some point, but actually who will stay there and/or fight their way back just as hard if they slip (and we all usually do at some point!). It reminds me of wrestling, a sport where no matter where you are (top, bottom, on your feet), you are vulnerable.
Enough preachy nonsense. 22 PAX crushed the main event after a standard warm up. We started at the bottom of mountain. Today was all about the hill, and we were not herding sheep. We took three trips up, and here”s how it went down:
Round 1: Bear crawl to mid-point past gate, 20 merkins, then crawl bear up, 20 merkins. Back to bottom for SSH. T-claps to Moore for pushing the pace here. Also, crawl-bearing on inclines is TERRIBLE. Just awful. But YHC loves those types of exercises so do them we shall!
Round 2: Backwards run to mid-point, 25 squats, backwards run to top, 25 squats. Back to bottom for merkins and plank. Needed a lane-departure warning technology for this one, but I saw quite a few guys getting after it.
Round 3: Bunny hop to mid-point, 10 burpees, walking lunge to top, 10 burpees. Back to mid-point.
Partner wheelbarrow to top. Each team gets 1 tap out per person (so each person gets two shots). Kudos to Avalanche who rocked this one out, in addition to Subprime, Pedialyte, and MLP. Studs.
Back to tennis court bleachers. Dips and derkins for all (sets of 25 each, 20/15 each, then a mid-way hold final set).
To the parking lot for Mary: H2H, Flutters, 6-inch hold, Russian Hammers, and Superman holds.
Moleskine:
Always love coming to this site and the energy here is contagious. Love that all you need is the hill and you”ll get smoked. It”s a great time of year for F3, what with all the early sunlight, though the humidity (or should I say dew point?) is picking up! YHC hopes to Q again here soon, though that must wait for another day. Today, we rest. Be good to yourselves, gentlemen!