We Took the Long Route So No One Could Pretend Everything Was Fine

The PAX were asked a simple question before the work began:
“What burdens are you carrying?”
No answers required yet—just something to sit with.

Opening Smoke Session
Sprint up the hill, knock out 5 burpees, then run it back down. Consider it the price of admission.

From there, we headed down the path toward Harris Street and rolled straight into a moving warm-up, keeping the group together and the heart rate climbing:
• Windmills
• Run
• Imperial Walkers
• Run
• Monkey Humpers
• Run
• Moroccan Night Clubs
• Run
• Low, slow squats

We pushed up the Harris Street hill, then made our way toward the high school pull-up bars.

Mini Dora (Partner Work)
• Partner 1: Dead hang for a 40-count
• If you drop, you get back up. No shortcuts.
• Partner 2:
• 30 Burpees
• 75 Mike Tysons

An audible was called to keep us moving and on mission, so the 100 Big Boys and 150 Sumo Squats were left behind as we transitioned to the next station.

Mosey to the Band Practice Lot

Tire Work — Team Load
• Teams of 4–5 per tire
• Carry the tire around the parking lot
• One man drops to complete 5 burpees, next man steps in
• Cycle continues until the full loop is complete

Then:
• Tire flips — 2 men flip, rotate out, next 2 step in
• Shared load. Shared effort. No spectators.

COT

After returning the tires, we walked and slow-moseyed back to COT.

This is where the real work happened.

Each man shared the burden he’s carrying with the brother next to him.
Then we answered the follow-up:
“What can you do to help carry that load?”

No fixing. No speeches. Just presence and accountability.

Totals:
• 3.2 miles
• Solid boot camp
• New ground covered—both physically and personally

We stayed together the entire way.
No man left behind. No man left where we found him.

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The Gloom Always Collects — Check on the Missing

Warm-Up
We kicked things off with Imperial Walkers, then moseyed to the parking-lot island for hamstring stretches and hip openers. From there, we sprinted to the flag and continued the mosey over to the new bootcamp spot for a healthy round of Monkey Humpers.

The Thang

Movement to the Church
We headed to the church and tackled Toy Soldiers up the hill, followed by a NUR (backwards run) to the parking lot.

Gazebo Work
At the gazebo, we hit offset Ierkins sets on the benches, one hand up high the other on the bench, then flapjacked to hit the opposite side.

Mid-work discussion: Who haven’t you seen post in a while? Have you reached out? The mission only works if the men stay connected.

Apartment Roundabout
Moseyed to the roundabout in the apartment complex for lunges—right leg first, flapjack, then left leg—all in cadence.
We then cut behind Harris Teeter and took the B-line back toward the roundabout.

Around the World Grinder
Held Al Gore around the circle while each HIM took a turn completing 30 Monkey Humpers, passing the work clockwise until all had their turn.

Hill Work Behind Harris Teeter
Found a hill—perfect.
• Crawl Bear down
• Run hard back up
• Lunge walk down
• Move to the far curb for 5 OYO Burpees
• Sprint back to the top

Traveling Bears
At the Harris Teeter wall, PAX held People’s Chair while one man bear-crawled the length. Rotate until every man got his turn. Full team effort.

Oil Change Center Wall Work
20 Wide-Arm Merkins
15 Regular Merkins
10 Diamond Merkins
No rest. Just work.

Advance Auto Lot – Burpee Broad Jumps
We burpee broad-jumped the entire parking lot because sometimes the only path forward is the hard one.

Walgreens – Duck Walks
Duck-walked to the island. Reversed it back with reverse duck walks—a crowd favorite… for no one.

Dealer’s Choice Transportation
One PAX called Power Skips all the way to the entrance. No shame. Full commitment.

Final Mosey to COT for Mary
Closed it out with:
• Worst Worst LBCs
• Dying Cockroaches
• Standing Twists

Announcements
• 401K Race
• Break the Dam 5K / 10K
• Christmas Convergence
• Christmas Party – signups & donations

Prayers & Praises – CSPAN Style
Brothers sharing what’s happening in their lives. Exactly how the morning should end.

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Dozens at S2S

WARMUP:
Wide, regular, and diamond half merkins in cadence, alternating with wide, regular, and close ankle half squats in cadence.

THE THANG:
Partnered and alternated burden carries of sandbags, kettlebells, Spartan Bucket, and a sand-ball. Added isometric holds at exchange switch points.

MARY: n/a

ANNOUNCEMENTS:
Christmas party, career support.

COT:
Prayers for health, renewed careers and discernment.

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Jacket Dirty Mile

WARMUP: The usual suspects

THE THANG: Jacket-Dirty-Mile
4 laps around FMHS track… 3 “excursions”/lap
– Up & down Railings of Home side bleachers (so… up, over, down, over, up, over, down…and rejoin track)
– East end zone — 10 inverted rows on Football team “apparatus”
– West end zone – Nur up hill…. crawl-bear down.
When 4 laps done… dealer’s choice on how to finish: Yog… or continue pattern. Most continued.

MARY: Partner – 1 Pax holds 6″ / other pax slaloms feet over (10x each side)… flapjack
Ab-Lab w/ Circle of Hate: Pax calls out exercise for others to do while he bear-crawls or Lunge walks around perimeter.

ANNOUNCEMENTS: FMCC Food Drive, Operation Love Turkey collection, other newsletter stuff

COT: Held (5th core principle)

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Running, Monday, Flight Plan

WARMUP: jibber jabber
THE THANG: Berkshire loop(s)
MARY: more jibber jabber
ANNOUNCEMENTS: yes
COT: yes

Looks like we made it,

Barry Manilow

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Flag Hand-Off: Congratulations McHale!

WARMUP: Zilch
THE THANG: miles and smiles
MARY: We stretched her out:chicken:
ANNOUNCEMENTS: CHRISTMAS PARTY!!, Break the Dam, CRI run/ruck, Thanksgiving Convergence 6:30A @ AO The Ranch
COT: Yes. Thank you, Jesus.

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Full moon

WARMUP:

We had to wait for Stang to go to Starbucks

THE THANG: Moseyed through Kingsley and a brief trail visit with some great fellowship and encouragement.

MARY: Stang did not get the bear from Starbucks.

ANNOUNCEMENTS: lots of great momentum for 2ndF events.
COT: Pollo Hermano’s dad is not doing well… prayers for Don. Also his mother who is 100. Prayers for peace.

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Identify vs Armor

YHC shared from the heart — not advice, just something real. Sometimes courage gives another man permission to set his armor down. The focus was on identity — how childhood experiences shape us, and how facing them head-on leads to growth and freedom.

Many of us carry old wounds that taught us to shut down emotionally. Those patterns can follow us into our leadership, relationships, and fatherhood. The truth: our identity isn’t defined by the world or our situation, but by Christ. When it’s built on Him, it’s unshakable — built on purpose and longevity that forges character.

Through this process, YHC shared lessons learned:
• Identifying lies vs. truth
• Setting healthy boundaries and learning to say “no”
• Becoming decisive as a husband and father
• Letting go of people-pleasing
• Finding strength through faith, family, and brotherhood

The journey isn’t over — but progress is real. Growth means discovering strength in the struggle, and realizing we do have something to offer.

Takeaway:
Your foundation determines your resilience.
Your story might be the permission another man needs to heal.

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Cannoli walk

WARMUP: slight slowsy over to our first stop for some imperial walkers, hillbilly walkers, and low slow squats

THE THANG: got in about 3 miles with a couple of stops. Every ten mins we stopped and did an assortment of exercises between: merkins, squats, walkers, calf raises, curls, bent over rows and overhead carrys.

MARY:

Last 30 seconds we did calf raises, want able to get abs in that time.

ANNOUNCEMENTS: bourbon and bbq, highway clean up, bethels, and post golf tourney

COT: circle of trust

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