I had the privilege to share the gloom this morning with 15 other PAX from the region. Not just any PAX, but a great group of #HIM that were willing to be present and do some hard work. Thanks Crab Cakes for letting me lead with you this morning. I think we all had a good time sharing strong fellowship with some top notch men of the Fort Region.

The Thang

Dynamic Warmup courtesy of Crab Cakes

• High Knees
• Butt Kickers
• Toy Soldiers
• Bird Dips (look it up)
• Worldwide Leaders (power skips)
• Karaokes
• 50%/100% sprint

Warmup over

• Rugby Sprints x 5 (with Merkins/LBCs/Freddie Mercs/Merkins/Mountain Climbers
• Partner Push/Sprint/Push
• Flip-flop then Rinse and Repeat

Don’t let the moniker of “Warm-Up” fool you. This was crazy tough. Those Partner Pushes sounded like fun until 30 yards in, then it got tough, really tough.

Thanks to Crab Cakes for sharing his word of the year: “present.” He encouraged the PAX to be present in all you do: at work, at home, and at the workouts. More than half the battle is just showing up. Excellent reminder that we all needed.

23 minutes in – handoff to YHC.

• Black Jack (Merkins and LBCs)

Limp Bizkit had something on his heart that he wanted to share. This man stepped out of his comfort zone and challenged us to the 22 Push-up Challenge to honor our men and women of the armed services battling with mental health issues. After completing 210 Merkins, we counted off, did an early Name-a-Rama and did 22 more together. TClaps to LB for stepping up and speaking from the heart. His willingness to speak set the tone for the rest of the workout.

• 22 Moroccan Night Clubs

YHC share his word of the year: “do.” I encouraged our men to realize that you can do things, amazing things, things you didn’t know were possible, if you just do it. These men just completed, not participated, but completed the Black Jack Challenge. That isn’t easy. If they can do that, then what is holding you back from everything else? My mom always told me “can’t never could do anything.” Don’t have “can’t” in your vocabulary. Those that say you can’t never could. Prove them wrong. Just do it. Whatever “it” is, do it. You can accomplish amazing things if you just try.

• Long Mosey back to Sullivan for the following:
• 22 Count People’s Chair In Cadence (hands up, hands on knees, hands on feet)
• 22 Calf Raises OYO
• 22 Dips OYO
• 22 Count People’s Chair In Cadence (hands up, hands on knees, hands on feet)
• 22 Calf Raises OYO
• 22 Dips OYO

Long Mosey back to COT with Full House taking the lead.

Completed with The Pledge of Allegiance before BOM.

NMM

I can’t tell you how proud I am of the PAX this morning. There was no quit in this crew. Everything we threw at them, they nailed it.

• Crab Cakes – Thanks for crossing the river and sharing your rugby warm-ups with us. Gives us a new appreciation for how fit those fellas are.
• Van Wilder – I’m proud of your progress. You don’t see it, but we do. The transformation has been incredible.
• Bull – Dude, pants and long sleeves again? I’m telling you, keep that up and you’ll sweat yourself down to nothing. Great work again today, brother.
• Bogey – I can see the pride in your eyes for this nation’s colors. Your willingness to step up like a true Marine doesn’t go unrecognized. Thanks for leading by example.
• Limp Bizkit – So proud of you. LB asked if he could speak today. I said absolutely. Between sets of Merkins, he asked if I would step in if he started to stumble. I knew he had it. And had it he did; spoke like consummate professional, but with conviction in his voice. One of the best impromptu speeches I have heard at a workout. Excellent word today, and thanks for leading us in the 22 Kill Challenge.
• Utah –Best form of the day. Great work.
• Gauge – He’s quiet, but the workouts are always better when he’s around.
• Reborn – Thanks for being the unsung hero at every workout. Reborn plays the sweeper roll so well. He is always willing to come back for the 6. And he does it with a smile on his face. Thanks for doing the work no one sees.
• Pistol – I am more and more impressed with you every workout. You never complain, always finish, and are genuinely concerned about the prayers of our PAX. I’m so glad you are in the group. You are an awesome addition to our group.
• Turbine – Hiccup, thanks for pushing me today (literally and figuratively). Hope those hiccups go away soon. Maybe you’re growing.
• Hot Sauce – Sometimes all it takes is a reminder that you’re almost there. You never quit and always find that extra gear when you think you are too smoked to finish. Great work today!
• Full House – Most people are looking for excuses to not get up and join us on a Saturday morning. But when you arrived and saw no one else in the lot, you didn’t go home or go to get a biscuit, you came searching for us. Then when you found us, you jumped right in to a tough workout. And because you are a doer, you finished the whole thing. Great work, brother!
• Walker – What can I say? When I prepare a Patriot workout, I have to make it tough so you get a bit of a challenge. I always know you’ll finish the exercises first, but I also know that you’re always willing to do extra credit. Thanks for showing us that hard work pays off.
• JAG – Glad to have you at your first Patriot workout. Walker now has a challenge for fittest #Respect in the city.
• Choir Boy – Glad to have you back out with us. You’ve been missed.

Again, thank you for letting me Q this morning. Today was special. Something was in the air. The workout was tough, the words shared were strong, the prayers were powerful, and the PAX was energized. The effort shown made me so proud to be in the PAX. Keep up the good work. You can do anything if you just try. Let’s make the world a better place; one workout at a time.

Aye!

Announcements 

There’s a lot going on over the next few months. Read the newsletter.

• Special Olympics Torch Run 5/6 @0800 Cherry Park to City Hall. 3ish mile slow mosey. Wear your F3 gear.
• Suck it up Buttercup – 5/7 @0700 at Old Town. The Patriot will be closed. Plan accordingly.
• Fastest 5K – 5/21 @1600 – get your teams together. You won’t want to miss this. Bring the family for a tailgate afterwards.
• Patriot Shirt order now open through 5/14. New colors available. http://f3.mudgear.com/products/f3-the-patriot-shirts-pre-order 

Prayers

• Reborn’s tests and the Dr.’s ability to properly prescribe medications to ease his epilepsy
• Limp Bizkit’s work and life stress
• Limp Bizkit’s niece
• Van Wilder travelling
• Continue to lift up our brothers recovering from injury (Riddler, Tinker Toy)
• Pray for Catfish’s M
• All those spoken and unspoken
• JAG’s son heading off to Boot Camp