Had a beautiful morning to work out the Pax and the track was our focus for the day.  After a quick disclaimer we did a lap at the Elementary school and started the warmup:

side straddle hops x20 / low slow squats x10 / merkins x10 / shoulder taps x20 / plank sides / 6 inches / LBC’s x20 / Moroccan night club x20 / mountain climbers x20

The group immediately headed to the track because we had a full itinerary and not enough time.  The Pax quickly saw what was in store – a Decathlon for the ages:

The chalkboard resting along the fence stated the lineup – 800M, 400M, 200M, 100M, Long Jump, High Jump, Shot Put, Discus with the word PAIN written between each.  I informed them the PAIN would be a surprise immediately following each event, which would vary depending on how you finished the previous event.

• First up – 800M.  I explained that this “race” isn’t a mosey, it’s a fast two laps, as fast as you can.  If we were 17 yrs old, we’d strive for 2 min, but now we’re pushing for 2 1/2 mins.  Still a stretch.
  – PAIN – 1st place / Last place does 10 Kracken Burpees (3 hand release merkins per burpee); the rest do 12 regular Burpees
• 400M.  There was the reminder that this was a sprint, not a jog.  Again, the goal was that we were not in high school shape (I ran the 400M in high school) so we’d strive for 70 seconds.
  – PAIN – 1st place / Last place does 30 diamond merkins; the rest do 30 regular merkins
• 200M – you get the idea.  Don’t be a wuss, you better hustle.
  – PAIN – 1st place / Last Place does 15 per side – side plank and then bring your top elbow down to your bottom knee; the rest do 30 toe touches
• 100M – there may have been elbows thrown.
  – PAIN – 1st place / Last place did a diamond merkin / reg merkin pyramid set 8/7/6/5/4…; the rest did the same only reg merkin / diamond merkin pyramid (less diamonds overall).  Fun
• Long Jump up next – all about distance covered on the football field.  5 different jumps for distance.  1st – one legged hop x10 left leg, 2nd – one legged hop x10 right leg, 3rd – broad jump x10, 4th – lateral jumps to your left x10, 5th – turn around, lateral jumps to your right x10.  Furthest distance covered wins.
  – PAIN – All enjoyed what I call the “Sea Lion Shuffle”.  Everyone lie on their side and then w/ your top hand, reach down to tap your top foot.  You look pretty silly.  x15 per side
• Shot Put – special thanks to Zima for loaning his cinder blocks.  Bigger thanks to the school for allowing us to offer up free aerating on the football field.  Each guy picked up their block, swung it between their legs (think kettlebell swing) and launched it as far as possible using hips and arms/shoulders/legs.  x10, going for distance covered.
  – PAIN – bicep curls w/ cinder block x30
• Discus – same thing here, only more like a wood chopper.  Swing that bad boy left to right and launch using the same muscles but holy crap it hurts the obliques. x10 alternating sides
  – PAIN – uneven block merkins 10 per side (one hand on block, one on ground – do a merkin, then walk your hands over so that the opposite hand is on the block and do another merkin.  That’s 1.  x10)
• High Jump – went outside the track for a bleacher bench and did box jumps x20
  – PAIN – talk about looking like complete clowns.  It’s what I call the “Toddler Roll”.  Laying on your stomach in the grass (works better on pavement), lift your hands and feet so that neither are touching the ground.  Proceed to roll onto your back and then back onto your stomach without ever touching the ground w/ your hands/feet.  That’s 1.  Roll back the opposite way.  x10.  I’m pretty sure most of us got stuck trying to turn over after rep #4 (picture a turtle on his back).

Headed back to COT to close it out w/ a message that came to me driving into work Friday morning the day before.  Randomly a Garth Brooks song came on my iPhone titled “Standing Outside the Fire”.  Now it’s totally meant as a love song, but the lyrics struck me as very applicable to the F3 mission.  Specifically – “Life is not tried, it is merely survived, if you’re standing outside the fire”.  We can take 2 paths – 1) what I refer to as the path most of us took pre-F3, where we’re merely surviving, we’re not stepping outside of our comfort zone, we do what’s convenient, what we’re used to, how can I limit my stress.  Compare this to path #2) step in, take a chance, get out of your comfort zone to make an impact on your community, at church, via F3, or say an Easter outreach.  I challenged the Pax to not take the easy path, because who is looking to only survive.  Live for impact – that fire might burn you from time to time, but man you’ll be glad you tried something different and influenced something or someone for the betterment of all.

Thanks to Royale for letting me Q (even though he was there in spirit – we’ll do this one again).  Always a pleasure out at the Deep.

ChaChing