Couldn’t believe- were my eyes fooling me?  Funhouse and YHC on Q on the same day at the same AO at the same time.  Say it aint so muchacho!  There was a lot of chatter leading into the epic debauchery of sweatin and gruntin (do not insert bombjacks here).  17 hardnose PAX and Funhouse showed up on crispy cool morning.  40’s and a little damp from rain the night before leaving a bit of a foggy haze- perfect for the reason we call it the #gloom.  I warned of gloves as standard equipment but Captain Leatherhands told me to grow a pair, that we don’t need no stinkin gloves (really the only reference you can make to Blazing Saddles today).

I think Funhouse disclaimed.  I know he has a “mustache”.  Into the Gloom once more-

The Thang

Center of the field, in the grass and no complaining.

Warm O Rama:   50 cadence count SSH, some Mountain Climbers, IWs, and eventually 6 count burpees in cadence.  Where do we put the emphasis when its more than a 4 count anyway.

To the hill for Jacob’s ladder (1-7)  Flying squirrels and Carolina Dry Docks.

Over to Soccer field but gate locked.  No matter.  10 minute Merkins- 10 merkins every minute for 10 minutes.  Challenging toward end except for push up/pull up king @trucker.  ‘shanks was on a table and we took a deep dive in to number of children and whether the red headed ones were truly ours- Aye: We are all God’s children men.

hand off to YHC- 5 burpees OYO then follow me.

A few PAX made believe they were William Wallace and Bravehearted their way down the hill and across the foggy field to the tree line.  Plank for #six.  YHC discussed WOM: Vulnerability.  More on that later.

Partner up (I preselected ‘Shanks because I am glutton for punishment).  Partner Carry across field.  P1 plank, P2 ski jump over legs.  Flapjack Partner Carry across field.  Flapjack Plank/Ski Jump.  Repeato twice more.  As CSPAN says- “Excellent choice”  Lot of honest woofing out there.  Old school and everybody was stronger and better.

Tunnell of love- 18 PAX plank, 1 army crawls through.  Several had rucks on durning this and throughout workout.  Good on ya, men.  Our line was an “S” at ENDEX but it got done.  never mind the kindness of the planking PAX that drop their hips when you pass through.  “love taps”?

Lt. Dan.: Evil twin brother of Jack Webb.  Squat and Jump lunges/Mary Catherine’s.  Ratio 1-4.  Finished at 10-40.  Lot of chatter through this one.  Still have difficulty moving today.   Sunshine, oh sunshine.  Kept his Welch’s Grape Juice down but it looked iffy rounds 7-10.  WWL with ruck and getting each knee dirty in perfect form.

Mosyed home with a few Pearls on a String stations to close out.

Naked man Moleskin

Heckuva beatdown today.  Knew it was going to be fun.  Maximus had a good summation tweet: This is type of morning that keeps PAX engaged and coming back.  It was hard, insightful, inspirational, and comical…all at the same time.”  AYE!

Couple of call outs- Longshanks is a beast.  I bonked 8/10 of way through last leg of partner carries.  He picked me up like he was going for gold at #spartan.  Aye, Captain Leatherhands.  Pusher had an interesting matchup with Quack attack for the carries, and DH took WWL AND his Ruck across the finish line.  Good work boys.  A few men saved their knees and modified the Lt. Dan’s.  Always smart to know your body- not trying to get hurt just better.  Well done.  ‘Shanks may have been the #king of Jacob’s ladder too.  Sale boys were great partners, toughed it out and yet somehow both kept smiling on their handsomely #triplehate faces.

A word on Vunerability (shared with the men):

Society pushes men away from being vulnerable and say that among many things -it shows weakness.  I can only think back to what a missing element of life our previous generations, perhaps and specifically our fathers had.  Is your father a sharer?  Grandfather?  Consider all the life they have lived and how much loneliness they could have endured.

F3 has provided many tools for the men who seek the truth every morning in the gloom.  At the top of the list is the opportunity to be vulnerable and learning to be vulnerable during our workouts, our COTs, our shield locks, and our whetstone relationships.  Its here you find out you’re not alone and there are other men who have or who are experiencing what you are.  There is strength in that.  There is confidence in that.  There are solutions in that.  There is trust in that.

Lastly, and arguably the most important: develop a vulnerable relationship with your creator.  Be a seeker.  Truthful, humble.  I have found the most freeing I can ever be is to be transparent and vulnerable, ready and willing to give myself over to understanding, empathy and learning.

Aye!