While sitting at Starbucks on Monday morning following Berean and a 4-mile stroll, YHC received a text from Chilly asking if I would Q Viking on Tuesday morning. I begrudgingly asked Canuck if he would be willing to co-Q and he begrudgingly agreed.

YHC sent a text to the Viking regulars asking if they were interested in a later start. Everyone, including Hippie and Waffle House, were vocally affirming of an 0700 kickoff. Canuck messaged me later in the day to suggest how we would handoff the lead and we were a go.

At 0656, there were 5 pax assembled, including Shaken who was double downing after posting at PAINinsula and Chilly who had knocked out a half marathon (I may be slightly off on the exact distance) for a standard. Canuck opined to Goat that that an early departure to coffee was out due to the headcount. Chilly asked if we would be able to cover at least a mile to meet his daily goal, and Shaken suggested we start a minute early. Hippie and WH were nowhere to be found. At 0659, Canuck ordered us to sit on the deck and we began a back stretch as Bagboy was pulling into a parking space.

Following a couple of stretches and a few Imperial Troopers (during which the pax chattered incessantly throughout), Canuck was fed up with the lack of discipline and — apparently having nothing left on his weinke — handed the reins to me. The pax were instructed to reassemble by the tennis courts.

On the way to the rock pile, with the sun just peeking over the horizon, we were blinded by the headlights of an oncoming vehicle. It slowed as it approached and as we wondered who it might be, we heard Lawn Dart bitching about why we started without him. He had been waiting on us by the soccer fields rather than in the church parking lot where Viking has begun for the past 10 years.

“For $@#% sake!” he swore, and we would adopt his exclamation for the rest of our workout.  

We proceeded to the rock pile as LD parked his truck in the middle of the road and tried to catch up. The pax were instructed to grab a rock and assemble at the bottom of the hill. Grumbling and bellyaching began despite the simple instructions.

FFS

We completed a round of PLOP (Parking Lot of Pain) with Curls, starting with one rep and increasing by one at each parking line until reaching 10 reps. At this point we would set our rocks down and run back to the rock pile where Lawn Dart was just arriving.

FFS

More grumbling was heard as the pax were instructed to grab another rock. “But we already have a rock.” “All the good rocks are taken.” “I don’t want to be responsible for two rocks.” and so on. YHC would have none of it. We reassembled at the bottom of the hill for round 2.

FFS

A 2nd round of PLOP ensued with the new rock. This time it was the Overhead Press and then the 2nd rock was placed on the ground beside the first. Return to the rock pile. Knowing there would likely be a mutiny if the men actually had to select a third rock, we instead ran back to the pre-chosen rocks with instructions to pick up a rock that you hadn’t used yet. Canuck may have flipped me off in not so many words.

FFS

With your new, favorite rock we PLOPped back the way we came doing a round of Skull Crushers in much the same format as the preceding two sets. At the end, we returned the rock to the pile and ran back to the remaining rocks waiting patiently in the parking lot. Again the pax were to choose a rock they had not hefted yet, and again Canuck picked up his original rock leaving two of the heaviest rocks remaining for Lawn Dart, Goat and YHC.

FFS

For the last round, we PLOPped with Squats. Lawn Dart and Goat shared a rock (and a few intimate moments) and at the end we returned all rocks to their rightful place then moseyed to the picnic benches by the basketball courts. Six of us continued the workout while Goat headed for the restroom.

FFS

We did a round of Incline Merkins followed by the Praying Mantis and then a lap around the building. We repeatoed to give Goat a chance to participate and then headed for the soccer fields now that Canuck had come up with something else to do. The first thing he did was make us run all the way to the far corner of the track.

FFS

At the bench in the far corner, we did a set of American Pushups (these are very similar to Merkins). Then we ran back to the parking lot to introduce Lawn Dart to a BLMFer. In fact, we did a set of 13 on each side.

FFS

From there, we ran back towards Lawn Dart’s illegally parked truck with a brief stop at the top of the hill to do a few LBCs. Then it was back to the church parking lot where Canuck had us stretch for a minute before passing the baton back to me. When I didn’t respond immediately, he snatched it back again and led us in a round of Pigeon.

FFS

When we finished the stretch, Chilly Willy suggested we could stop despite having 3 minutes to go. But Chilly isn’t the MQ going forward and F3 gives the pax every minute they paid for so YHC ignored him.

FFS

We did Pretzel Crunches on each side before ending with an Elbow Plank. At exactly 0745 we recovered. We counted off, shared our names and ages and had Canuck take us out. We had 100% participation at #coffeeteria where we made fun of Waffle House and Hippie in between solving the world’s problems. There was some chatter about NYE plans, but with the exception of the former MQ, we are all old and the general consensus was to be in bed by 9 PM.

FFS

It was a pleasure wrapping up 2024 with these fine gentlemen. I look forward to what we can accomplish in 2025. We may be seeing less of Chilly as he transitions to more running workouts, but I suspect we’ll see more of Hippie and Waffle House. The only question remaining to round out the year is whether a skinny backblast for last Saturday’s Brickmas Tree at Mighty Jungle will be published before midnight.

FFS 🤗