WARMUP: no
THE THANG: Ran down to school. 5 burpees/13squats/10 big boys run 1/4 mile rinse and repeat. Do until 555. Everyone got in 4.
MARY: no
ANNOUNCEMENTS: newsletter
COT: what happens stays
WARMUP: 14 Burpees
THE THANG: Mosey to center of WEP
Pax rotated into center based on year of 1st post (ie Class of 2026, 2025, 2024, etc). Varied exercises were performed by all including Burpees, Partner Derkins, Squats, Sumo Squats, SSH, Mtn Climbers, Mahktar N'Dyiae, Flutters, Freddys, Monkey Humpers, etc
Pax sprinted home for the finish.
MARY: She participated during the Thang
ANNOUNCEMENTS: Bethel Shelters service
COT: Yes, of course, 5th Core Principle
The pax came early and stayed late to celebrate this Community of Brothers we call The Fort. For 14 years, men have posted in the Gloom of WEP and other wonderful sites throughout FM/TC (and in Rock Hill, Clover/LKW and now Chester) to sharpen each other, to hone leadership skills, and to prepare themselves and each other to tackle the ups and downs Life will regularly throw their way.
The number of men who've stood at COT in The Fort over these years exceeds 2,000. And roughly 200 pax keep the flame burning in 2026. Their continued participation is an individual choice, one they can't not keep making because, as they shared, they've found brotherhood, community, belonging and accountability in The Fort.
Who will be standing in COT in 2036 or 2046? Anybody? Nobody? You? Your son or son-in-law or grandson?
As Band Camp shared, we Get To make this choice. Each man stands apart from the general crowd in our culture in making this choice. And yet, each man of The Fort is no better than any other man who lives among us. All men are made of the same fiber in the same image of our Creator. As Dark Helmet said, every man is needed in the leadership mission required to bring to fruition the world our Creator intended. So stay in the game. Find the next man and bring him into the fold. Because 14 years of history only matters if we continue to bring Impact to men and our broader community today, tomorrow, next week and next year. #KeepPosting
(Courtesy of DH, thanks buddy!!)
10 came to Sweep the Leg to celebrate the one day of the year that I get to run near the front of the pack… the Monday after BRR. It was a veritable party…
Q: @UGRNYPPUM
Pax: @UGRNYPPUM @UMB4FRCMA @U08GGTLHL @U5Y5JA02G @U5DLC6D7X @UGU3XR5RP @U5CF2DMKK @U5DKASDQU @U5CVD8D7V @U01NGHPR2HW (and Olaf's nutsniffer)
Heartbreakers: None
The Thang: Warm-o-Rama, run to the bank for 20 merkins/20 flutters (2-count), then run down Dave Gibson to the parking lot at the end of the schools and another 20/20. Mosey to the Colosseum flag lot repeat 20/20. Run the middle school car rider loop then 20/20, but I think it was here we switched to CDDs and American Hammers. Back to the lot at the bottom of the hill repeat the 20/20. Back up to the bank and 20/20. Head to the flag and, yes you guessed, 20/20. Small loop around the lot then 20/20, then a big loop around Earth Fare and out to 160 and back for a 20/20. At that point, we were released on our own recognizance to either cross the 3-mile threshold or to sit and stretch the last 5 minutes.
Moleskine: Despite running the most miles on his team over the weekend, @U5DLC6D7X still managed to push the pace. And @UGU3XR5RP wasn't far behind…
During one set of merkins or other, Olaf's dog came for a snuggle and I was sure it was Band Camp, so you can imagine how awkward it was when I went in for a kiss…
Some good BRR war stories were told and some woes about it not being Fall yet were expressed.
Gekko committed to running the Scream under the tenuous premise that it involves some sort of Band Camp dunk tank at the end. There's no way to really know.
COT: Prayers to remain present in every moment, health concerns, and ability to have wisdom with our kids and others.
Shady could use help moving in his in-laws on Oct 3 after WEP. They're moving into Lancaster area. Pronounced Lancaster. Not Lancaster. Don't forget. It's Lancaster.
Most of this happened. Sort of. Subject to verification by @UGYTLSLB0.
WARMUP: Mosey around parking lot to set lap
THE THANG:
800s (2 laps around parking lot)
Can't move on to next set of exercises until you complete 2 laps and exercises
800 – 50 Burpees
800 – 50 Squats
800 – 50 Lunges
800 – 50 Mountain Climbers
800 – 50 BBS
Finished with 2 (90%) sprints around back of Earth Fare and recovery walk along the front
MARY:
N/A
ANNOUNCEMENTS:
Heart Walk
Tortoise and Hare
Convergence
Bethel Mens Shelter
COT:
Everyone completed the workout at different speeds, but everyone completed it
WARMUP: You should've done that & stretched prior to launch.
THE THANG: Run to the bottom of the hill at the entrance of the school compound for 5 of each of the following Merkin series:
Wide-Arm, Diamond, Regular, Wide-Arm, Diamond, Regular
NUR back up the hill to the small parking lot
20 Oblique Crunches each side
Run to the front of GHES
10 Mike Tysons
Bear Crawl to the opposite curb, Crawl Bear back
20 V-Ups
Bear Crawl to the opposite curb, Crawl Bear back
Run to the back wall behind GHES (so glorious)
Run to the wall, go over, touch the school, 2 Burpees
Run to the wall, go over, back to the start, 2 Burpees
That's 1 Round. Complete 5 Total Rounds
Slow Flutter Kicks
American Hammers while touching both hands on each side.
Run about 100 yards to a random light pole
20 Carolina Dry Docks & 20 Flutter's I/C
Run to the basketball court for a 3-tier suicide set with 5 lunges each leg after the full set.
Complete 2 full sets.
Run to the benches at GHMS
10 step-ups each leg followed by 20 Derkins
10 Bulgarian split squats each leg followed by 20 slow dips
Back to COT for a little more Mary
MARY: See above
ANNOUNCEMENTS: 8/28 Excavation, Bethel, Trash Pick Up, Cut Da Grass
COT: 100%
WARMUP: dynamic
10 Wind mill
5 bend & Reach
THE THANG:
1 mile
1 stop (20 low slow squats, 10 hand release merkins, 30 American hammers)
Competition test
1 minute ARAP Merkins
1 Minute ARAP curlups
1.5 mile run
MARY:
ARAP
10 Merkins
20 Squats
30 Crunches
Flutters
Merkins
Big boys
ANNOUNCEMENTS:
COT: prayers for new beginnings for people.
Eagle Claw going to The Citadel
WARMUP: Run a bit in the Sweep parking lot then a few warm up exercises: 10 Lunges each leg, 10 Mountain Climbers I/C, 10 Carolina Dry Docks, 10 Mak Tar Jah
THE THANG: The "theme" this morning, albeit unspoken, was to run to a spot and do the work. In some cases, we'd repeat it and in others, it was a one-and-done. I know, novel idea.
Exit the lot, run to Dave Gibson and turn left onto Dave Gibson's, stopping at the bottom of the hill.
10 Diamond Merkins
10 Mountain Climbers I/C
10 Carolina Dry Docks
10 Mak Tar Jah's
Run up the hill to the small parking lot and back down.
Repeat the exercises.
Run back up and down.
When all finish the final run, run up opposite hill to the realty office. Perform:
10 Hand-Release Merkins
10 V-Ups
10 Shoulder taps (ea side)
10 Jump Lunges
Run back down then up to Ben Casey Dr.
10 Hand-Release Merkins
10 V-Ups
10 Shoulder taps (ea side)
10 Jump Lunges
Run to Discount Tire
20 Dips & 20 Peter Parkers (10 ea side)
Run to the light at the 1st Brayden entrance: Emory Lane
10 Burpees
Run through the neighborhood and down to the bottom of Brayden Parkway
15 Squats & 15 Hand-Release Merkins
Run to the top of Brayden Parkway for 5 Burpees
Wrap it up at COT for some additional Mary.
I leave it to 38 Special to verify the accuracy of my reporting.
MARY: See above
ANNOUNCEMENTS: The team spends a lot of time developing the newsletter with great content, leverage it.
Bethel needs on 8/6
Excavation on 8/28
Stuff the bus on 8/8
There were more
COT: 100%
WARMUP:
THE THANG: run 1 mile, 100 pull ups, 200 merkins, 300 squats, run 1 mile
MARY:
ANNOUNCEMENTS: newsletter
COT: pax travel and marriages
WARMUP: A mere jog get loosened up.
THE THANG: Hoist your sandbag to the carry position and make your way close to the flagpoles for the first of our several 60 x 60's. This is an exercise where you start with the 60lb (or similar) sandbag on the ground, lift the bag and toss it over your head. turn around and repeat, for 60 seconds.
Hoist the sand bags and make your way to the back dumpsters for our first round of 15's w/ our sandbag:
Simbas, Flutters w/ Press, Left & Right Side Bends
60 x 60
Hoist the sandbag and head down the back stretch to the other side of the school for another round of 15's:
Back Squats, Dead Lifts, Thrusters, Calf Raises
60 x 60
Hoist the sandbag and make our way to the entrance of the school for 15's:
Derkins w/ feet on the curb or sandbag, Curls, Overhead Press, Chest Press
60 x 60
Hoist the sandbag and head to the big tree and partner up:
P1: Farmers Carry the sand bags about 50yds
P2: Mountain Climbers and run to meet your partner where they stopped.
Flapjack
Hoist the sandbag and head to the front of the school for the last round of 60 x 60.
MARY: Throughout
ANNOUNCEMENTS: Stuff The Bus, La Grama, Bethel participation
COT: You should've been there.
WARMUP: Murph Monday- get after it
THE THANG: The Murph:
1-mile run
100 Pull-ups
200 Merkins
300 Squats
1-mile run
2 Modified and rucked 3 miles on the track.
MARY: No time
ANNOUNCEMENTS: Bethel, Read Your Newsletter
COT: Prayers for health and recovery.