I took the family back to Cincinnati, where I was born and raised, for Labor Day weekend.  Let’s just say that while it certainly was a labor of love to carry, hoist, and cart  2 toddlers on trains, planes, and automobiles all weekend, my stomach was the one working overtime.  Going home for me means eating Skyline chili in obscene quantities.  It means feasting on hamburger pizza, LaRosa’s, and Graeter’s.  While this may sound like Greek to some of you (it is in fact Greek food; surprised you didn’t know that), for a while it was home to me.  And it’s the reason I felt a little sluggish waking up this morning, but 11 strong PAX posting up in the Briar Chapel Clubhouse soon reminded me that it ain’t no thang, and it was time to put in some work.

Led by the enchanting light of a full moon, 11 Rabbits showed up at Briar Chapel Clubhouse this AM for some trail running and perhaps some trail calisthenics.  I soon found out how Briar Chapel has grown so quickly.  In the clubhouse, there were at least 5-10 people flat out getting after it at 0500.  All you have to do is stick a Grunge or a Dueling Banjo outside to cherry pick a few morning warriors.  Must be something in the water down there in Briar Chapel, but whatever it is, I need some of it!

After a parking lot warm up with some Smurf Jacks and semi-circle Mountain Climbers (two gems that will get just about anyone’s engine started), we stormed down Grovewood to Great Ridge and entered the trail.  I soon learned that volunteering to Q The Rabbit is a somewhat dubious title otherwise known Lead Spiderweb Blocker.  After seeing not one but two large spiders reminiscent of Lord of the Rings, and yes, a portion our lives flashing in front of our eyes, we bore down onto the trail.  The air was laced with a slight autumn chill. We saw deer sprinting in front of us, we heard rustling and bustling in the canopy above us,  and on the pine-blessed ground we maneuvered past rock, root, and twig.  If you cannot find happiness in these dark woods, then you sir, you have a large dump in your pants.

We stopped at a fork in the road, a place we would call home base for the workout.  You know what they say you should do when you reach a fork in the road?  No, you don’t take it, silly, you jump it.  You lunge jump it, jump squat it, tuck jump it, and broad jump it, to be specific.  We first jump lunged a 4 count, squatted a 4 count (that’s one) up to ten, and then took a lap around some of the more technical hills I’m familiar with in BC.  When we returned to our home base, we jump squatted, tuck jumped, and backward lunged with kicks (about 20 each), then another lap.  Back home again, we executed perfect bear crawl form, mostly staying in place and moving slightly up and back to work our core and legs.  After yet another lap, we broad jumped with two backward jumps, repeato, for 10.   Each time, we waited for the six, congratulated all the champions arriving, and held a low squat hold to pass the time.

We returned the same way we came, this time with a little tailwind and some more steam to push homeward.  When we made it back to the parking lot, we ended with 30 Russian Hammers.

CoT:  Grunge is talking up some sort of Pepper Run in Briar Chapel.  He is enticing us with pepper vodka.  I think it is the same weekend as the Fayetteville Spartan, but if you are not doing that one, get with Grunge and eat some peppers/drink pepper vodka.

Prayers to Houston, and to all affected by the natural disasters that have befallen our country.

Moleskine: This is my 22nd Master Q.  The soul of F3 is strong in each of us.  We are truly part of something greater than the sum of its parts.  I am reminded of that strength when I visit these new sites and encounter new challenges.  One of the greatest gifts of a group like this is that when you are strong, you give that strength to others (running up hills, crushing merkins, whatever it may be) and when you are weak, you take strength given to you from others.  It’s a virtuous circle that we are part of, and there is a network effect to this circle by which the more PAX who join it, the stronger it becomes.  You can feel it now wherever you turn in our region.  It will be a month until I Q again.  I cannot wait, but now it is time to go back to Killington and conquer the damn mountain.

Thank you to Grunge, whose enthusiasm is as contagious as it is palpable, for helping me plan the run, and to all the BC PAX who attended and helped out a bit when I took a wrong path (or three!).