FNG-1 = Osso (Spanish for Bear I’m told)

31 pax packed the venue to get a glimpse of (and to participate) in the QvQ Final Four today at Samson, or was it The Wilderness?  Mighta been Dragon Slayer?  Ok, it was at St Marks and it was a convergence (at the AO called Dragon Slayer).  

YHC would go first by starting with a warm-o-rama in which the exercises were spread out by varying speeds of mosey, the final speed being the sprint.

The pax would finish by the bars and blocks, which was intentional.  We’d then begin our beach-bod preparation as YHC used to do when preparing for the beach… when YHC was Popcorn’s age.

Lotta upper body block work, pushing the pax to a burn while trying not to overdo anything.

There wasn’t enough time for MWAR despite the fact that YHC had whipped out my big, long, thick, black… rope before the pax arrived.  Some things you just can’t do in 2 1/2 minutes. So the audible was called to burn the core sans rope.

At the 22 1/2 minute mark the workout was turned over to Popcorn and things really started heating up – in the insults and in the shoulders!  YHC was left out of one of the exercises when the Q called for the “10 finger stretch”.

Popcorn wore his Navy Seal bucket hat but it was more his chizzled physique that commanded the pax’s attention.  The pax (the “maggots”) was warned of the burn that was to come, and the promise was fulfilled.

Blocks and bells were used to burn out the shoulders, followed by multiple sets of merkins just in case the fire wasn’t yet hot enough.  Teams were formed (Team 1 and Team 2) and Team 1 enjoyed a couple sets of burpees and thanks to a very relevant comment from Ichibad, Team 2 got to enjoy a sampling once as well.

There would also be competition as Uncle Rico and Ichibad competed in a bear crawl race (Uncle Rico hauled his 900 lb kettle bell with him, so this race was not very close, nor was it very fair) then later BEP and Scrappy would face off in a sprint.  No hammies were pulled (that YHC is aware of) and there would need to be a photo finish in the end.  Team 1 – more burpees.

Popcorn would finish his Q with a series of core-burners and when all was done and “recover-recover” was stated, the pax were whooped, YHC’s back was locked up and both Q’s knew they’d done their jobs for the pax today.

The real battle took place in the shadows where Toby, Scrappy and Marker (goodness – just make Marker a judge from the beginning next year b/c he’s been a stand-in judge at just about every QvQ he’s attended!) would battle it out debate-style before narrowly avoiding a well-hung jury and announcing the split-decision winner.  YHC would humbly but proudly hold onto the belt and advance to the championship round, but t-claps to Popcorn for bringing a solid, heated beatdown today.

The Moleskine:

YHC may have earned an undocumented sympathy point when Popcorn called out my missing digit.  It does beg the question:  “Am I disabled?”  “Do I deserve a special parking space???”  

The belt was on display for the workout today, lit with all its glory in the gloom.  YHC continues to wonder how much longer YHC will have it to sleep with, bathe with, do yoga with, have coffee with, read to, talk to and seek knowledge and advice from.  When Popcorn grabbed it and wore it while the judges were in chambers, YHC thought it was likely out of reach forever…  But not yet, Isotope.  Not yet.  

PS.  YHC cleaned Popcorn’s DNA off the belt immediately after COT.  

Prayers up for Laura, Chilly Willy’s cousin who was diagnosed with lymphoma just after learning of her pregnancy.

Drebin is putting together another trip to Western Carolina to serve those there still suffering loss from the hurricane last Fall.  Reach out to him for deets.

QvQ Final Four wraps tomorrow at The General.  Post in the gloom there to participate in the epic match-up between Gnarly Goat and Possum.