The first time YHC spent any real time in Durham was in 2006, when I started as the Durham cops reporter for The N&O.
It was not a job that painted a flattering portrait of the city, of course. Every working day involved at least one trip to the jail – it smelled like pee! – to read through the warrants looking for big news. Most of the crimes never made the news, just small-time, sad stuff. Used to joke I was a glorified obit writer. If you died in horrible fashion in Durham – murder, car wreck, etc. – I’d call your relatives and ask them to say nice things about you. Yeesh. Moved onto the City Hall beat after six months, and though the city was coming off some mini-scandals involving lead in some water and a smoldering fire at the yard waste dump they couldn’t seem to fully extinguish, it did show signs of being on the up. The American Tobacco Campus was starting to come into its own, and city leaders were ignoring skeptics and pushing ahead with the Durham Performing Arts Center.
My gig with Durham Magazine, begun in 2008, perfectly coincided with Durham’s downtown renaissance and overall period of ascendance. Truly astounding the transformation in a short period of time, and it was fun to document.
Had all that on the brain when planning the Q for my very first post at Honey Badger. As the gathering point is the flagpole outside City Hall, decided to theme today’s festivities around the seven stars in the City of Durham flag, each of which symbolize a key priority area for the Bull City: the arts, commerce and industry; education; medicine, human relations; sports and recreation, and the preservation of Durham’s rich heritage.
Scapula and Castaway joined me from SoDu, and DialUp rolled up at 0500 for a fellowship ruck that doubled as a mini-recon mission to ensure the ME route was sound. Joined midway by Bartman from Carpex, who was meeting an FNG.
14 gathered around the aforementioned flag for the ME, including Happy Gilmore, who was the real impetus for my Honey Badger Q. He’ll be Qing my home AO, The Piranha, Aug. 13. Come on out!
WARMUP
SSH x 10IC
Good morning X10IC
Imperial Walker X 10IC
LBAC and reverse with mandatory calf stretch X 10IC
Slow Merkin x10 IC
Took off toward DPAC as YHC explained the morning’s theme.
T-claps to Scapula for knowing the number of stars on the Durham flag. No one knew their meanings, but they soon would.
Mosey to DPAC (arts) and circled up
The only arty exercise I could find was the Abe VanGoghda – a lying down Abe Vigoda – X 10IC
Then…
Two minutes max pushups
Blood pumping, we took off to DBAP (sports and recreation) for 35 Bobby Hurleys, in honor of the Durham Bulls’ total number of class, division and league titles
Mosey to American Tobacco Blackwell street parking lot, alongside the American Underground start-up incubator (commerce and industry)
15 burpees OYO
Mosey to Durham history museum (preservation of heritage)
Overhead claps x 150, as Durham just marked its 150th anniversary
Mosey to Duke Clinical Research Institute (medicine) for 20 dips IC
Mosey to Durham YMCA (human relations) for Booyah merkins until YHC felt we were sufficiently human related
Mosey to Durham Public Schools central office (education) for 10 manmakers (8-count bodybuilders), then 10 burpees for good measure
Back to City Hall for Mary
5 burpees OYO
Plank ROF – 5 merkins
Six inch hold ROF – 5 flutters IC per PAX
FIN – Covered about 2.3 miles total
COT
The Bull, Oct. 26
Per Bartman, there is an F3 leadership weekend in Pinehurst (I believe?) Nov. 15-17. Dredd and other Nantans will be on hand. 2nd F Friday night, convergence workout Saturday morning, leadership seminar during the day, GrowRuck Tough overnight. Sounds awesome!
Romper Room soft launch this Saturday at 8 a.m. at TBL
Welcome FNG High Life! He’s downrange from Champagne, Illinois. T-claps again to Scapula for the name. (Champagne of beers. Get it?)
BOM
YHC took us out, with thanksgiving for the growth in our city and prayers that all of us who call it home do what we can to continually make it a kinder, more supportive and more prosperous place for everyone.
MOLESKIN
YHC is good for at least one brainfart per Q, and today was no exception, as a few times got ahead of the crew and wasn’t as safety conscious as should have been. Not cool. Thanks to Happy Gilmore for picking up my slack on that front. Personally enjoyed the mini-downtown tour, though that much running through that many stops is a challenge to both keeping everyone together and ensuring everyone gets their money’s worth. Some were huffing and puffing, but the Shake Its of the world were unfazed, as evidenced by the Jumping Spider merkins he knocked out during COT. If had a do-over would have incorporated some more exercises while waiting for six, or at least had everyone circle back at certain points to pick up the six. Live and learn.
Honor and privilege as always. First post at Honey Badger but won’t be the last. SYITG!