Tag: Tater

F3 The Fort Thanksgiving Convergence 2017

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70 Men came today to burn calories so they can eat whatever they want the rest of the day. Ok, maybe that was my reasoning, but most came because the know in order to get better, even in being Gratful, it is best when being challenged by your brothers. We all came to get better and realize this great thing we have called F3 and give thanks!
Santini Opening with warm up both physically and mentally with some leadership principles
Split off into the various groups!
4 went for for a Run
F3-Wapner on the Moderate Q:
  • Drile (F3-Wapner)
    Mozy to the front of SFES, high knees, toy soldiers, Butt kickers, and Knees to chest.
    Mozy to front of SFMS, circled up…Side straddle hop, Merkins, Cherry Pickers, and Moroccan Nightclub
    Mozy to SFMS bus loop …high knees, toy soldiers, Butt kickers, and Knees to chest.
    Circled up.. Flutter Kicks and Low Slow Squats, America Hammer and Low Slow Squats, Merkins and Windmills, mountain climbers and windmills
    Mozy to back of SFES, circled up…Peter Parker’s and Side Straddle Hop, Plank and windmill, shoulder taps and Low Slow Squats, LBCs and Moroccan Nightclub
    Then rinse and repeated the above sequence…before joining the other groups at COT
    Lil E—Bootcamp Q
    Mosey to the parking lot in the rear of school and circle up. SSHs, Imperial Walkers, Windmills, Squats
  • The thang
    • 10 cones set up in a line spaced about 10 paces apart. Each cone had an exercise and rep count on them. Do exercises on the first cone and run a lap of the parking lot. Once you complete the lap do the first cone and the second cone and then run a lap. Repeat this adding the next cone until all 10 are complete. Here were the exercises in order from first to last:
    • Burpees x 10
    • Bombjacks x 10
    • LBCs x 25
    • Merkins x 20
    • Jump Squats x 10
    • Flutter kicks x 40
    • CDDs x 20
    • Lunges x 20
    • Mtn Climbers x 20
    • Monkey Humpers x 20

Majority of the pax finished in the Lunges lap with a few speedsters out in front on the mtn climbers. Mosey back to the front of the school for some Freddy Mercury’s and Rosalitas.

After that met up with the Moderate and Black diamond groups for COT.

Everyone put out great effort today and really pushed themselves.

 

Witch Hunt—Black Diamond Q

Not even a trip to the hospital the night before with a pregnant wife could keep me away from this Thanksgiving workout. Shout out to Royale and Cha Ching for stepping up to help me out. Luckily I made it and we put in work.
We stared by counting off by 4 creating 4 teams.
Each team will compete to complete as many burpees as possible in 2-minutes with a catch. You can only do 10 at a time before you most complete 20 reps of ab exercise. 2 rounds:
1.) Burpees with LBCs (Somehow Bounce House was able to do 50 burpees. That dude is not human.)
2.) Burpees with Knee Tuck with crunchy frogs
Winners plank while losers perform 10 Kraken Burpees.
Blood was flowing so we moseyed to the hill by the middle school for some broken down burpees. Catch was that we had 20 minutes for everyone to complete. If everyone doesnt finish within the time then group does 25 Burpees.
Here was the setup:
Run Hill 10 times. (1 Hill Run = Up & Down)

5 Squat Jumps
5  Plank w\ Shoulder Taps
5 Merkins
5 Froggers
5 Squat Jumps

Run Hill 8 times.

10 Squat Jumps
10 Plank w\ Shoulder Taps
10 Merkins
10 Froggers
10 Squat jumps

Run Hill 6 times.

15 Squat Jumps
15 Plank w\ Shoulder Taps
15 Merkins
15 Froggers
15 Squat jumps

Run Hill 4 time.

20 Squat Jumps
20 Plank w\ Shoulder Taps
20 Merkins
20 Froggers
20 Squat jumps

Run Hill 2 time

25 Squat Jumps
25 Plank w\ Shoulder Taps
25 Merkins
25 Froggers
25 Squat jumps

With some great teamwork by the Pax everyone completed within the 20 minutes so no penalty was given.

I attempted to have Backdraft give us a 10-count however  he responded “There are no 10 counts during the Black Diamond.” So no 10 count and a quick mosey back to the parking lot for the 10 Minute 100 Burpee Challenge:

Complete 10 1-minute rounds of burpees in the following set scheme. Any time left over in the round is yours for rest. (typically PAX finish the set between 25 and 40 seconds)

Rd1- 8

Rd2- 9

Rd3- 10

Rd4- 11

Rd5-12

Rd6-12

Rd7-11

Rd8-10

Rd9- 9

Rd10- 8

Total – 100

Amazing work by all the Pax. I didn’t pull any punches with this setup for the Black Diamond and the Pax took it on without hesitation. We all survived and are better for it.

Thanks to Ginsu and Cake Boss for the opportunity to lead.

Pusher with closing remarks and finding #Victory 

Prayers & Praises

Thank you F3 The Fort

Cake Boss

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You Still Have 40%

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17 brave men gave it their all this morning in the gloom of Quagmire.  After a disclaimer and a quick reminder of the theme of the month (VICTORY) it was off to better ourselves.

Quick Mosey complete with:

  • High knees
  • Butt Kickers
  • Karaoke
  • Toy Soldiers
  • Knees to Chest

Standard circle with warm up exercises

Series of exercises that “simply” came to mind:

Using the parking lot in front of Old Navy (slight incline) and Mosey up and down several times between exercises:

  • Lunge walks (up)
  • 10 Squat Jumps
  • Bear Crawl (down)
  • Reverse Lunge Walk (up)
  • 50 Squats
  • High Knees (up)
  • Butt Kickers (down)
  • 50 Merkins
  • 50 LBC’s in cadence
  • Plank challenge for 170 sec
  • 50 Burpee’s (10/min)
  • 3 Wind Sprints

It was repeated several times about pushing to the limits of what you are capable of.  As I have “famously” said once (and will obviously never live down), “When you think that you can’t go any further you have about 40% left in the tank.”  Many times we quit too early when pushing ourselves and it is not because we can’t “physically” do it but because our mind tells us to quit.  It is only when we push through those barriers on a consistent bases can be experience growth and grit to make us stronger men.  Super proud of every man who posted this morning and proved to themselves that they are willing to leave it all at COT.

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Stairs, Stairs and more Stairs – The Swamp 10/13/17

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A cool and drizzling day didnt keep the Pax away.  19 was the number with 5 ruckers and 13 bootcampers. Rad took the ruckers and I had the bootcamp.

We started with a short mosey to the parking lot behind Just Fresh where we circled up to stretch and loosen up. COP involved:

  • SSH x25
  • IW x10
  • Windmills x10
  • Weed Pullers x10
  • Merkins x10
  • Honeymooners/Downward Dogs

Pax were ready so we started The Thang:

I had the Pax split into groups of 3 with one group having 4.  Each Pax would be performing a different excercise using the Pax running the stairs as the timer. Each Pax would rotate the excercises until each Pax had run the stairs twice.  The cycles were:

  • Cycle 1
    • Pax 1 – Up and Down Stairs x5
    • Pax 2 – Broad Jump across parking lot (didn’t anticipate the rain which made this a little tricky)
    • Pax 3 – Flutter Kicks
  • a couple 10 counts
  • Cycle 2
    • Pax 1 – Up and Down Stairs x5
    • Pax 2 – Bear Crawl across parking lot (Tip: Parking lines are slick when wet)
    • Pax 3 – Peoples Chair
  • a couple 10 counts
  • Cycle 3
    • Pax 1 – Up and Down Stairs x5
    • Pax 2 – Recovery run across parking lot
    • Pax 3 – Burpees (CROWD PLEASER)

With that completed we were out of time so we lined up for an Indian Run back to COT where the Ruckers were waiting.

Thanks to Cable Guy for the opportunity to lead.

Until next time, back to the hunt…

 

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The Swamp Thing

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Warmup:

Mosey to parking lot in front of Old Navy

 

COP

SSH x 48

Windmills

Moroccan Nightclubs

Low Slow Squats

Merkins

Mountain Climbers

LBCs

Freddys

 

Mosey to back of Valvoline to hill

Jacobs Ladder

7 Squats/1 Merkin

7 LBCs/1 Bombjacks

 

Mosey to Fountain/Roundabout

Dirty McDeuces

All exercises in cadence

Do all 4 exercises, run lap

 

20 Merkins

20 Lunges

20 LBCs

 

20 CDDs

20 Squats

20 Freddys

 

20 Ranger Merkins

20 Reverse Lunges

20 American Hammers

Mosey back of Home Depot

People’s Chair

Everyone take a seat. Pax on end runs

out, does 5 burpees, runs back

 

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5 Year Anniversary Convergence BB

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Saturday, September 30th 2017 was a special Convergence for the PAX of The Fort. On that day we celebrated 5 years of using these small workout groups to invigorate male leadership in Fort Mill. To honor the occasion, 88 PAX gathered at one of our favorite AOs (Nations Ford HS) to celebrate the day and the leaders that made it all happen.

We also celebrated 6 Friendly New Guys that joined us that morning. Welcome Tubs, Band Camp, Jughead, Atari, Hat Trick, and Saul.

It wasn’t all sunshine and rainbows, however. Here’s how we got better:

Warmup (led by Ginsu)

  • Mosey to the football field
  • 30 Side Straddle Hops
  • 10, 4-count windmills
  • 30 Moroccan night clubs
  • 10, 4-count merkins
  • 10, 4-count Peter Parkers
  • 10, 4-count Parker Peters
  • 10, 4-count LBCs
  • 20 low slow squats

Split into groups (Run, Regular Bootcamp, Black Diamond, Ruck, Moderate Bootcamp)

Run (led by Birdcage)

  • 800 meter indian run
  • 1000 meter 10k pace with 1 minute rest x2
  • 200 meter 1 mile race pace 200 meter cool down x4
  • 400 meter sprint corners recover straights
  • 1600 meter cool down
  • 5 miles total

Bootcamp (led by Royale)

  • Mosey over to the concrete football field
  • 10 merkins
  • Lunge walk 10 yards then do 3 burpees
  • Next ten yards bear crawl then 3 more burpees
  • Rise and repeat until we hit the other goal line
  • 10 count – going over the Five Core Principals of an F3 workout
  • Next phase we broke into 4 groups
  • At each corner of the end zones there were 5 exercises written on a board.  We would complete in your group and then run to the next corner. Everyone would hit al 4 corners.
    • Corner 1
      • 20 Merkins
      • 30 Lunges
      • 30 Dying Cockroaches
      • 30 Ski Abs
      • 3 Kraken Burpees
    • Corner 2
      • 20 Ranger Merkins
      • 30 Squats
      • 40 Freddy Mercurys
      • 40 Shoulder Taps
      • 10 burpees
    • Corner 3
      • 20 Durkins
      • 20 Jump Squats
      • 50 American Hammers
      • 30 Monkey Humpers
      • 10 Mountain Climber Burpees
    • Corner 4
      • 20 Wide Arm Merkins
      • 20 Sumo Squats
      • 20 V-Up Twists
      • 20 Bombjacks
      • 10 Squat Burpees
We talked about the word of the month – Leadership.  I shared we all have an opportunity to lead through F3, just like we all have the responsibility to lead in our homes.  I know I struggle with the balance of work and family time.  As the leader of our households we need to support our Ms and be the examples to our children.
  • Mosey over to the round about
  • Each man would take a lap around 1st doing Lt Dans
  • Finally we would bear crawl.
  • Mosey to the football field for the last 30 seconds and some LBCs

Black Diamond (led by Backdraft)

  • Mosey from warm up top pull up bars
  • Pull ups/ Burpee challenge – 9 pull ups 1 burpee., 8-2 , 7-3 until finished.
  • Mosey to stadium run the bleachers
  • 10 derkins
  • 10 dips
  • Mosey to track run 1/4 mile as fast as you can. U vs. U
  • Mosey to end zone. Count off by 2s. split into groups first person flips tire 10 times than run end zone to end zone while next person flips tire everyone else continuously do 10 merkins, 10 squats, 10 big boy sit ups. Keep going until all of group is finished.
  • 10 min 100 burpees. Do 10 burpees every minute on the minute. U vs. U
  • Mosey to 50 yard line 5 minute of Mary
  • Sideline sprints x 2 first set after you run 10 tuck jumps. 2nd set 5 hand release merkins

Ruck (led by Trucker)

2 20lb, 3 40lb, and 3 60lb sandbags were snagged from back of car as 8 PAX tucked down to the elementary school and dropped the sandbags next to the telephone poles. The 8 PAX carried the telephone pole around the parking lot. Left telephone pole where we found it and rucked backwards up the hill to the pull up bars. What’s a WO by Trucker without pull ups? YHC challenged the 8 PAX to do 2 sets of 5 pull ups with ruck on.

Rucked into stadium and lined up in 2 columns for sandbag throws from one end of football field to other and back. Then rucked up and down the football stand stairs from one end back. Rinse and repeat with sandbag throws and stadium stairs. Threw sandbags again down to other side of endzone and then formed 2 lines abs flipped tires from one end to other. Sandbag threw back to other endzone and climbed stadium stairs one more time. Finished with a 20 count flutters. Great work by seasoned and rookie ruckers.

Moderate (led by Short Sale)

  • MOSEY to Elementary School
  • Grab some Wall. Wall Sits while Pax at each end jumps out of line for 5 squats
  • Repeat with 5 Bombjacks.
  • Count off by 5’s and mosey to back of the parking lot
    • Number 1’s go to station #1
    • 2’s start at Station3, etc.
  • Stations: 3 minutes/station. Q calls stop & go
    • 1: 10 Merkins, 20 Calf raises
    • 2: 20 LBCs, 20 Monkey Humpers
    • 3: 10 SSHs, 20 Moroccan Night Clubs
    • 4: 10 Scorpion Dry Docks, 20 Squats
    • 5: 20 Imperial Walkers, 10 Apollo Ohnos
    • 6: 10 Broad Jumps, 20 Flutters
    • 7: 10 Bombjacks, 20 squat jabs
    • 8: 10 handclap merkins w/partner, 10 partner Derkins- Beloved by veteran Pax and FNGs alike
    • 9: 10 Jump Squats, 10 CDD’s
    • 10: 10 Dips, 5 jack Webbs
  • Mosey to Stop sign at bottom of hill for some Mary- Hello Dollies, Flutters, Protractor

MESSAGE ON LEADERSHIP- F3 gives us a great platform to grow our leadership skills and build confidence as a leader. The Pax will let you know if/when something has gone wrong but will also be there to lift you up. Also, the best leaders don’t focus on their ROLE, they focus on the GOAL. So, be the leader you were called to be.

Great group of men came to work. Veterans guided the FNGs and encouraged them at every step of the way. YHC kept reminding the group that it is UvsU out here. Some quality mumble chatter about what moderate means. Smiles all around when moved on from the stations.

Wrap Up

What we have at The Fort is special. It is a strong group of PAX led by men who live with intentionality. I am sure that each of us would agree that it has impacted our lives in ways that we will never be able to describe. At some point for each of us, we were gifted F3. We were headlocked by someone who recognized the impact that F3 had on them and how it could help us. With that in mind, let’s pay this gift forward. Be the leader you were called to be and use your influence to headlock the sad clowns around you, FNGs and Kotters, that are where you once were. Be a leader.

Ginsu

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22 PAX braved the Clydesdale pace, some went their own way rather than face the excruciating hills of the Pineapple Loop, some, faced their fear.

The thang:

I run along the avenue
I never thought I’d meet a PAX as slow as you
Meet a PAX like you

With messy hair and sleepy eyes
The least you could do is keep up with the 6
Keep up with the 6

And I ran
I ran so far away
I just ran
I ran from 515 to 600ish
I couldn’t get away

A street lamp above your head
A beam of light comes shining down on you
Shining down on you

The street lamp is moving nearer still
A hole in the sidewalk comes in view
Hole comes in view

And I ran
I ran so far away
I just ran
I ran from 515 to 600ish
I couldn’t get away

 

Looks like we made it,

Barry Manilow

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Not Too Much Running

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So 8 Pax showed up at the Deep for a muggy 78 degree early morning beatdown.  Cha Ching asked if there was going to be a lot of running, to which YHC responded, “Not too much” (We will come back to that).

No FNG’s were present but a short disclaimer was given anyway to ensure the PAX knew they weren’t being led by a professional.  With that, we were off for a mosey around the back of the school with butt kickers, high knees and toy soldiers.

Warm Up

15 – SSH
15 – IW
15 – Mountain Climbers
15 – Peter Parkers
15 – Parker Peters
20 Moroccan Night Clubs (Cadence called by my 2.0, Omaha, which was really cool)

The Thang

Mosey to the parking lot on the side of the school for some 4 corners

We spent a minute talking about discipline and using our time exercising to think of areas of our lives where we lack discipline and need to make improvements.

5 Kraken Burpees in the center, head to a corner, perform the exercise and back to the center for 5 Kraken Burpees, etc…

Corner 1 – 30 Carolina Dry Docks
Corner 2 – 30 LBC’s
Corner 3 – 30 Jumping Lunges (each leg with lot of mumble chatter)
Corner 4 – 30 Diamond Merkins

Rinse and Repeat X 2 (Audible for 15 jumping lunges each leg and 20 diamonds for subsequent repeats)

Mosey to the side of the school and grab some wall for People’s Chair

Pax 1 bear crawl to the track (15 yds.) for 5 squats, next Pax, etc…
Rinse and Repeat X 3 and alternating on one legs holds for the repeats
Final Wall Exercise, hold BTTW until failure. Nice job Brickhouse for leading the way!

Mosey to the elementary track for some running (not too much)

Pax were instructed to run a mile at their own pace. Each lap was to be preceded by 5 Kraken Burpees. Sort of a Kraken Burpee mile. After all of the Pax finished, and great job to all, we moseyed back across the street for stretching and COT.

The Moleskin

Thanks to all the PAX for enduring more running than I thought I had planned. When we finished up, my watch read 3.1 miles. My “not too much” running ended up being more than usual. Sorry Cha Ching for the unintentional false advertising.

As we circled up we finished with a few words on discipline. As we think about our lives and all of the good things that we have to be thankful for, including those areas where we are very well disciplined (like coming to a workout on a Saturday morning), we are forced to think about the area(s) of our lives where we lack that same discipline. Hint: The area(s) we have much work to do are those that we repeatedly ask for forgiveness from God and/or others. The writer of Hebrews refers to it as “the sin that so easily besets us”. If we ask God for help in these areas, he will surely offer help. We just have to ask.

Prayers

Brickhouse – upcoming adoption
Cobra Kai and wife Jennifer’s recent test results
Injured Pax
Tater and ongoing trials with his eye. Prayers that the latest treatment will help.
Cornerstone’s daughter Emma and ongoing treatment

Great job guys! Thanks Royale for the opportunity to lead!

Hauschka

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#Quagmire

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19 PAX showed discipline by putting in work and getting after it on this humid morning.

Disclaimer was disclaimed.

The Thang.

WARM-UP:

  • Slow Windmill – 10
  • Low Squat – 10
  • Mosey – Knees to chest / Ankles to Hips
  • Mosey – Walking Lunges / Toy Soldiers
  • COP in Old Navy Parking Lot
  • I.W. – 10
  • SSH – 25
  • Merkins 20 / Peter Parkers 8  / Parker Peters 10 / honeymooner, downward dog, honeymooner
  • Morrocan Night Club 20

Mosey To WALL behind Target:

  • Peoples Chair – Run to Cone; 3 Burpees – two Pax at a time
  • BTTW
  • 25 Donkey Kicks

Mosey to Pier 1 Imports Parking Lot where cones were spaced out ~25 yards apart for a total of ~100 yards. We side shuffled L/R (alternated at each cone), until we reached the far end of the parking lot. There, a BOP awaited. At each cone we were disciplined and decided to Get After It:

  • 20 Close Grip Merkins
  • 20 Flying Squirrels
  • 20 Wide Grip Merkins
  • 20 Jump Squats
  • 20 Merkins

Bear Crawl 25 yards, Walk 25 yards back to the BOP. I flipped the BOP and we knocked out the following at each cone:

  • 20 Bomb Jacks
  • 20 High Knees
  • 20 Jumping Lunges
  • 40 SSH
  • 20 Merkins

Mosey to Water Fountain:

  • 30 Dips
  • 16 leg step ups

Mosey to Best Buy:

  • Two 50 yard sprints.

I estimate we ran a total of 2.5 – 3 miles during the workout.

COT / Name O Rama / Announcements / Prayers / Praises

Moleskin –

There were 4 PAX who got the respect, of the other PAX saying “RESPECT!” during the COT. As I push myself, and get pushed by my fellow PAX through these beat-downs, I’m very appreciative to see these HIMs (the RESPECT PAX), push themselves and those around them.

The 50+ years young PAX are inspirational to me. It proves to me, that age is a number, the right attitude is a mindset, and through a disciplined approach to how I live my life, I too, can endure a beat-down for years (and hopefully, decades) to come. Thanks men, for leading by example.

DaVinci – Thank you for the opportunity to Q.

#CoopStrong

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DaVinci Cones Redux

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Full disclosure: 6 of the Pax listed above were ruckers and their workout was led by NASA.

Today was the first time I’ve Q’d in a long time. I was a bit nervous, but have worked out all over this AO and sort of know the lay of the land. My Q Lane is more of the Set-It-And-Forget-It variety, and today was no different. With no further ado, here is:

The Thang

Long Mosey to parking lot in front of Old Navy. Circle up for some COP:

SSH, windmills —SLOW (you’re welcome, CSPAN), low slow squats, merkins, downward dog stretches, honeymooner, mountain climbers, peter parkers, freddys, LBCs

Mosey to the Valvoline for some hill work. Sevens or Jacob’s Ladder: merkins at bottom, bombjacks at the top

Mosey to the raised patio the the old Riverbleu only to find the ruckers using the spot, so it was off to Plan B. I had cones set up on the drive, one on either side of the fountain. Each cone listed 5 exercises and the required reps. Do the exercise, run a half lap to the next cone, do the exercise. And so forth until everyone had finished the circuit. Exercise were as follows:

Cone One:

  1. Slow Squats (20)
  2. Curb Dips (20)
  3. Mtn. Climbers (20 d.c.)
  4. Curb Derkins (20)
  5. CDD’s (20)

Cone Two:

  1. Imperial Wlkrs (20 d.c.)
  2. Jump Lunges (10/leg)
  3. Freddy Mercurys (20 d.c.)
  4. Flying Squirrels (10)
  5. Peter Parkers (10 d.c.)

Then we made our way to the Rivebleu raised patio for the following:

Divide up into groups of 3. First man runs the stairs, does 5 burpees, runs down the back stairs and back to the group while 2nd and 3rd man do squats. Then repeat with 2nd and 3rd man.

By this point, it was time to mosey back to COT for a couple minutes of ab lab. Freddys, Crunchy Frogs (demo and cadence from WitchHunt), LBCs.

Announcements:

Children’s Attention Home: Q or post to support these great kids who are victims of circumstance and are in need of positive male role models.

Delta signups have begun! Reach out to Wild Thing if you’re interested in joining a LKW team.

Prayers for pregnant Ms, for family struggling with addiction and recovery.

Moleskin

At COT,  I shared that today, 7/28/17 would have been my late father’s 75th birthday. In 2001, he died  of a massive heart attack at the age of 59. My father was a good man. A loving man and unfailing provider for our family. But he had personal struggles. He was an alcoholic. A workaholic. Never exercised. Attended church sporadically, especially during my years at home.

My dad didn’t have what I would consider close friends or a strong social network. He had a family, a career, a mortgage, two kids who stayed out of trouble. But he always struck me as lonely. Isolated. I daresay alcohol use was his way of self medicating: his way of trying to fill a hole and mask his feelings of isolation.

I am grateful to write here that I am not an alcoholic, although there was a time in my late 20s that I was definitely auditioning for the part. No one will ever accuse me of being a workaholic (though I do work hard). Though I may not eat the healthiest diet, I do post at workout consistently between 4 and 6 days a week.

But, perhaps most importantly to me, I have gained a strong network of men who support and encourage each other to become better.

My life is on a completely different trajectory.

I am not alone. I am not isolated. I am a grateful part of this community, and I thank each of you for being a part of my life.

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