Victories Don’t Come too Often – Time to Celebrate

My M changed her workout schedule (again) so last week I had the privilege to make an appearance both Monday and Wednesday at the Martha’s AO’s currently named the Dark Knight and Snoballs. After Stone Cold and Gastone took it to the PAX I asked Gastone for the keys to the car (upon making sure my M’s schedule did not suddenly change – it didn’t – lucky for 17 men). I got some advice after church from Whoopee yesterday – “make it a hard one – we might have a special guest.” So I went to work on my Weinke; inspired by Whoopee’s challenge and my Wolfpack’s performance Saturday afternoon in Chapel Hill.

Monday morning at 0530 presents the great opportunity to get your week off to a solid start. Post and get the hardest part of your day checked off, at least that was the idea. We were unable to top last week’s 20 but 18 men gathered into the circle of the damp parking lot left behind by the day’s previous rain that moved on only hours earlier (and don’t think I wasn’t checking weather.com before and after taking the Q…). All familiar faces including Tool Time – our Nantan seems to be checking up on me. Should I be nervous? I am making a killing at this Weasel Shaker job. Time to get started.

The circle is really more of a horseshoe due to the large puddle in the parking lot. Whoopee gleefully stomps into it and splashes to his internal enjoyment. I think his M must push him out the door each morning to burn off this energy. Here we go:

Warm-up:

• High knees IC x 10
• Butt kickers IC x 10
• Toy Soldiers IC x 10
• Imperial Walker IC x 10
• Squat Merkins SC x 10
• Side Straddle Squats SC x 10

We said the pledge and then Whoopee asked for the floor then shared a few thoughts about supporting each other. The special guest we hoped to see did not post but that isn’t unusual. When guys are going through tough times we can get mired in our own muck. We can’t always get ourselves unstuck and need a hand. It has been said many times before and proven to be true, the guys standing among your circle didn’t come to work out alone. You might be the guy that makes the difference. Lets mosey to the old Harris Teeter parking lot.

Thang:

The pre-tweet advertised this was going to be an upper body beatdown. In order to do that, I better have a challenge at the top of the menu. Line up against the blank wall.

• Hip slappers x 10
• Bear crawl about 20 yards to the first median
• Baby dips x 10 using the median
• Run to the end of the parking lot (~50 yards)
• Merkins x 10
• Return; rinse, repeat; rinse, repeat

A quick count off and it was back to work using the wall again:

• Mike Tyson’s x 10
• Plank Wall taps x 10
• Donkey kicks x 10
• Run to the end of the parking lot (~70 yards)
• Return; rinse, repeat; rinse, repeat

For a mini rest, I had the PAX go into groups of two on a not so fast mosey to the end of the parking lot, allowing the others a breather. It was going too slow for my liking; so I started sending them off at a faster pace.

We moved into the parking lot section. All PAX were asked to find a space of their own. I had not done this one in quite a while, so I resurrected “Walk the Plank.” In honor of Allerik Freeman’s 7-7 effort from the three point arc, leading the Wolfpack’s scoring in their 95-91 victory over the arch rival Tarheels the PAX began with 7 merkins then plank walked right to perform 1 Bobby Hurley (no State player has an exercise named after them – yet). Drop down, plank walk left and do 6 merkins. The routine continued until completing 1 merkin and 7 Bobby Hurleys, always plank walking between the yellow lines.

Saturday, while sitting in the Dean Smith Center you can help but absorb the history. My old friends know but I’ll make a confession that I grew up a Tarheel. My father graduated from Chapel Hill and as a youngster I attended games and had a plenty of baby blue attire. But UNC didn’t have an architecture program, so I set my goal to attend school in Raleigh and I converted to a Wolfpack fan (BTW – I ended up with a business degree). Let me tell you the grass is not always greener, at least in terms of pulling for your team. Since converting to the Pack, I have learned a great lesson in patience in perseverance. The Sky Q may in fact be a Tarheel or at least not much of a Pack fan. The Heel’s have won 4 National Championships while the Wolfpack have made a few Sweet 16’s. It’s been a tough road. So while I celebrate my school’s victory over my former childhood love, the next set was a mini-Four Corners made famous by Coach Smith.

Each pax got a double parking spot to perform the First Half:

• 16 Sumo Squats
• 20 Merkins
• 20 Burps
• 29 Mountain Climbers
• Rinse/Repeat

Second Half:

• 4 Burpees
• 19 Peter Parkers
• 15 Diamond Merkins (don’t know about you but these punished my arms)
• 30 Plank Jacks
• Rinse/Repeat

I normally stick with even number of reps, groups of five or ten. Why such an odd count you wondered? Well there is some meaning. I announced the reps and exercises several times to ensure the PAX heard the proper instructions. The first half reps were derived from NC State’s leading scorers (Omer Yurtseven: 16, Torn Dorn: 20, Markell Johnson: 20, and Allerick Freeman: 29). The second half set was based on each team’s three point shooting. UNC went 4-19 and State went 15-30.

We had about 8 minutes remaining. Rather than go back to the AO and have Whoopee play in the puddles, I moved the PAX to the dry pavement under the covered porch fronting the dry cleaners and sandwich shop – you’re welcome.

Mary was:

• Flutter kick IC x 20
• Leg lifts IC x 15
• American Hammer IC x 15
• Dying Cockroach IC x 15

At this point I wanted to make sure my boss was happy – so for people’s choice Tool Time selected V up Roll ups for about 15 and then Squirt called out LBC’s for about 15 reps. Then it was time to mosey back.

COT

A few announcements were shared. Bandit is leading a fly fishing lure tying/casting session a First Methodist Church on Tuesday evenings and welcome to members and non-members alike. Bandit tweeted the information or contact him. Sargento shared he has a 2nd F bowling event planned in February with M’s and 2.0’s welcome. More information to come. Roscoe has planned a F3 Dad’s event at Chutes (Camp Crowder’s Ridge) on 2/18. Check the pre-blast. I took us out in prayer lifting up prayers for our brother Brownstreak.

Moleskin

Shout out today to Boudin. If you haven’t noticed, he has been posting a lot – should win the Iron Skillet award. But for his posts, at least the ones I’ve been, he is pushing the rock and then some. Each workout is a “you verses you” but his “you” is pretty strong. Nice job Boudin.

Since Roy Williams returned to Chapel Hill as Head Coach of the Tarheels the four, yes four Wolfpack coaches he has faced have won a collective four games out of the 28 times they have competed. Last year’s 107-56 victory in Chapel Hill most likely had some part of Mark Gottfried being fired (there are a bunch of other reasons, but we’ll save it for the message boards). For a brief moment State fans have the rare opportunity to enjoy a win. It was a classic lesson to overcome the odds. Not many outside the coach, players and the diehards gave the Pack much of a chance but that is why the game is played. Kind of like posting – if you don’t show up, how are you going to get better? How are you going to connect to that guy that you didn’t know a year ago. It takes some measure of belief and commitment to the goal. Thanks for the opportunity to lead; Go Pack!