FOREWORD
The first order of business was figuring out who was supposed to Q. YHC replied in the affirmative to a text request from Samsonite in the late afternoon, but didn't preblast until 9:00pm. Bagboy heeded a later call on Twitter (wassup wit dat Samsonite?) and preblasted at 8:00pm. Both men showed up ready to Q, but Bagboy kindly capitulated due to the fact that he's the better man.
We did not even mention General Westmoreland, but we honored him nonetheless with a war of attrition against our own bodies. The Q’s body, in particular, attrished more than most, as an unusual popping noise emanating from the hip was loud enough to be heard by others, followed by a strain in the upper neckal area and shoulderish region (these are medical terms, so don’t be upset if you have to Google them). The exercises that led to these bizarre injuries are noted below.
For the first time ever, YHC decided to load up the stack of dirty landscaping bricks from the ol’ back patio, temporarily depriving the skinks, frogs, and spiders of their favorite place to poop. The little blue Honda rolled in at 5:23 to an empty lot and by 5:27, the bricks were unloaded and four men had assembled for the festivities. There were enough bricks for nine, so no worries. By 5:29, however, EIGHT MORE CARS came in like Starsky and Hutch chasing the Dukes of Hazzard. Partner exercises it is, then!
WARM-O-RAMA
- Goose-Steps
- Bear Squats
- Long Snapper
That's it. There was work to do.
THANG-O-RAMA
Partner 1 ran about 1,000 feet after each exercise while Partner 2 did AMRAP of the following with the bricks:
- Head, Shoulders, Knees, and Toes (Yes, an Oxford comma. Grammar matters.)
- I in the Sky (this is the one that took out the hip of your humble correspondent)
- Lawn Mower Merkins
- Side Lunges
- Flex Curls/Front Shoulder Raises
- Reverse Fly/Triceps Kickback (I believe this was the source of the neckal/shoulderish injury)
ALL SKATE
- Aflac (duck walk with brick)
- Lunge Walk
- Praying Mantis
- Sheryl Sandberg Lean-In
- Slow Wide Aussie Pull-ups
QUITE CONTRARY
- X’s and Ohs
- WWII w/Shoulder Press
- Masonry Twist (see what I did there?)
- Halo (2-leg circle)
- Fruit Roll-Ups (only the Q did these, but they still count)
MUMBLECHATTER
Not surprisingly, it was mostly Jazz Hands with the color commentary, but there were plenty of exploited opportunities to razz the Q for the weird exercises and other failings. Props to those who sang the “Head, Shoulders, Knees, and Toes” song.
COT AND BEYOND
Bagboy invoked the names of Ruth, Stephen, and Loretta, who are each enduring serious health challenges. YHC gently admonished the pax to be grateful for their good health and good fortune. Cofeeteria was held at Starbucks Birkdale, where multiple flocks of F3 devotees congregated, blocking the entrance (to the chagrin of the non-F3 App-n-Go crowd).
What a rewarding experience it is to walk from group to group, knowing that it’s OK to come in mid-conversation, ask for an update, perhaps contribute, and then leave whenever—all without expectation or judgment. It’s an honor to be a part of this awesome organization. Thank you all, gentlemen!