Today is a date that will always be remembered because of the 9/11 attacks.  When I hear 9/11, I always remember the call from my Mom that woke me up that morning.  I was in college and catching a nap between my early morning job of loading UPS delivery trucks, and heading to some of my first classes of graduate school.  It was a crazy week, an important week that shaped all of our lives.  My second thought when I hear 9/11 is that it was the date that I first posted at F3, it was a year ago at Devil’s Ridge.  Riggs was the Q.  Some guys, including myself, will say that F3 has helped shape our lives.  Sure the change isn’t as ubiquitous as how the attacks on 9/11 changed things, but as I enter the second half of life, I think its important to be healthier than I was the first half.  I know better of what I am physically capable, I see how one guy can impact a small community, and see how me being healthier is helping my M and 2.0s.

This morning’s workout was about both thoughts.  I felt compelled to lead to celebrate my one year as a part of our community, but also to pay respect to the souls lost 17 years ago.  With a moment’s research I learned that 2,977 people lost their lives in the attacks on 9/11/01.  Something that I’ve always enjoyed in F3 is a workout that incorporates a team.  The pre-blast was a bit tough for this morning, not knowing how many PAX would go to the Stair Climb (h/t to the Stair Climbers) presented a challenge.  My general idea was that we would work together as a team to do 2,977 reps, with a focus on quality, and a spirit of picking up our brothers that needed assistance.  The 9 other PAX that showed up this morning, should be proud of their good form, and that they worked together to make it happen.

As Toolbox and Shake It came in hot, we chatted a bit with our FNG.  The delay was purposeful, had fewer guys showed up, I would have altered how we counted our reps to hit our goal of 2,977.  We landed on 10 total PAX, so we started.

Warm Up

SSH x 25

Good Morning x 12

WMH x 12

LBAC x 12

RLBAC x 12

Slow Merkins x 10

Mountain Climbers x 20

Mosey to the Tennis Courts

The Thang

Monkey Humpers x 17

Homer to Marge x 30

Tuck Jumps x 30

Air Squats x 30

Merkins x 30

WW2 x 30

True Americans x 30

Crab Cakes x 30

Makhtar N’Diayes x 30

Johnny Dramas x 30

Plank Step Through x 10

This brought each individual to 297 reps. With 10 PAX we totaled 2,970 reps, leaving 7 for the Q.  It was important to me that we hit our mark, so I worked off a spreadsheet pretty closely this morning.  In the gloom, I misread my notes and did 2 merkins to total (what I thought was) 2,977. I should have done 7.  After I got home, I realized my mistake and knocked them out.

We took a moment then to remember 9/11, and Weenie Roast shared a story with us of a friend of his that was at the Pentagon during the attacks.  We also let it sink in how many 2,977 is.  I thought the stair climb was going to hit 2,977 stairs, but Shake It corrected me, he said it was for the 110 flights of stair that first responders climbed.

Not wanting to spoil our rep count, for the remainder of the Thang we did ring of fire, so we wouldn’t sully our total number of reps.  After Shake It’s update of 110 flights, we determined that with 10 of us, that each of Ring of Fire Exercises would total 110.

BTTW ROF x 11 count

Peoples Chair ROF x 11 count

Star Plank ROF x 11 count

Superman ROF x 11 count

6 inch leg hold ROF x 11 count

There was some mumblechatter about the 110 flights and how much equipment the first responders carried.  Some PAX estimated 60 lbs, so that set our number for Mary…

Mary

Flutter Kicks x 60

Outlaws x 40

Heels to Heaven x 20

WW2 x 10

COT

No announcements.  We had prayer requests for knowledge about nutrition.  We certainly focus on physical health, but we need to also think about what we put in our bodies for fuel.  Cool J requested prayers for his father and brother (I’d add request for Cool J as well) after the loss of his mother a couple weeks ago.  Shake It requested prayers for a dear family friend, Martha, who is battling cancer, and has been in hospice care.

YHC took us out with a prayer for these requests, for the families of those that passed away on 9/11/01, and for safety with the approach of Hurricane Florence.

NMS

At one year out, I want to thank the F3 community for keeping me motivated to wake up early every morning and make myself better.  It feels good to give back to our group, and to lead on occasion.  Its an honor to be in this group with so many accomplished and high quality men.

SYITG,

Knope