The Original 13 Colonies

What better way to start the holiday where we celebrate the birth of our nation than with an F3 workout?  That seemed like a better idea on Saturday than at 5:30am on Monday, but 3 PAX got the celebration started early.  For YHC, it was my first post at Derecho which is a running AO, but I wanted to tie in Independence Day in some fashion.  If we are celebrating the birthday of our nation, let’s take it back to the birth.  So we tied in the running with a tribute to each of the 13 colonies that signed the Declaration of Independence, 13 exercises with 13 reps each.  Note that the disclaimer that I’m an idiot/you’re an idiot for the workout also applies to the facts on US history below.  In Google, we trust.

We started with the pledge.

The warm-up involved the first 3 states.

Merkins – New Hampshire – New Hampshire was the first to declare its independence from Mother England – a full six months before the Declaration of Independence was signed.  They got it started so we did Mericans to honor them.

SSH – Massachusetts – Hops go into brewing beer; Sam Adams is a beer; Sam Adams was born in Boston, MA.

LBC – Rhode Island – Smallest state so therefore “Little” Baby Crunches

With the warm-up over, the running started.  Quiche and Tool TIme set a strong pace, and I did my best to keep up.  May have been one of the few times that the Q was also the 6.  Thanks to those guys for being patient and letting me bark out directions from the 6.  We ran to the Goat Island parking lot for the next round of state tributes.

American Hammers – Connecticut – Headquarters of Stanley Black & Decker tool company

Nolan Ryans – New York – Nolan first pitched for the New York Mets

Travoltas – New Jersey – John Travolta was born in Englewood, NJ

Don Quixotes – Pennsylvania- Richard Powell wrote Don Quixote, USA and was born in Philadelphia, PA (Tool Time was especially excited about this exercise.)

More running through Goat Island with a lap around the small loop at the playground, lap around the large loop at the playground, and then over the bridge.

Diamond Merkins – Delaware – Thomas Jefferson supposedly referred to Delaware as a Diamond – small in size but great in value.

Crab Cakes – Maryland – Guess they’re famous for their crabs (Personally, not a seafood fan).

More running to the light up the hill, back down the hill, and a lap around the square.  More state tributes…

Newton’s Cradle – Virginia – Wayne Newton was born in Norfolk, VA

Mountain Climbers – North Carolina – Mount Mitchell is the highest peak in the US east of the Mississippi River.

Ran back across Goat Island to the parking lot for the last round of exercises.

Pete Chilcutts (elbow planks) using Whoopee’s 10 second count from last Saturday – South Carolina – Pete was born in Sumter, SC, and why not work #32 into the conversation any chance you get?

Dolly – Georgia – Dolly Parton was born in TN, but she married Carl Thomas Dean in Ringgold, GA.

One final run back to SCHS.  Approx distance 3.1 miles.  Unplanned distance, but an appropriate inverse of our 13 colony tribute.

Prayer Requests – Continuing to lift up T-Square and family in our prayers.

22 Merkins for the 22 Vets who commit suicide daily.

Closed in prayer.

Thanks again to the guys for joining me this morning and setting a pace that I couldn’t have set on my own.  Hope everyone had a wonderful Fourth of July!