I was told, this AO ends promptly at 0615

My VQ at the Pub coming years after this AO was created has a very good reason which proved correct Thursday morning. No, not because a poor deer was shot out of its misery as we moseyed (yes, that was true). Unlike Sunday mornings where the 0630 start ends “loosely” at 0715 with a 15 or so minute buffer for COT to be completed ahead of QSource. No, these running AO’s have a time constraint because I learned a few years ago when my turtle-like pace prompted Sister Act to announce: “Short Sale, we end promptly at 0615,” tapping his watch for emphasis, then continuing: “some of us have to get to work!” So, there was always some trepidation to Q the running workout. I don’t claim to be a runner, though I’m committed to participate in the Austin Half next weekend. Since committing to more running the past few months, I’d secretly hoped the by-product was I’d get a little faster, maybe even a sub-9 pace? But even with running more miles in a week than Flintstone on a Sunday afternoon, my legs have become heavy, and I feel like an elephant migrating in the jungle. Oh, well, F-That!

0530 – a large circle assembles to hear the route: “Run to Martha’s and back!!” I sped out of the gate, “Quiching” the PAX in my dust. Defib complains (was it a complaint? maybe it was a statement of fact – see Sunday Q-Source led by Stroganoff), Defib “states” I just ran from my house and will now run by it twice more only to return after the PUB. And? Just like when these clowns thump their chest on how hard their EC was before a Saturday bootcamp – “#1) Who asked you to perform EC? and #2 do you think the Q gives a shit?” 5 miles is 5 miles, doesn’t matter if it’s via a treadmill or if you run up and down your street 500 times. Soooo, back to the workout – I’m not a fan of out and backs, they seem pointless, and loops are more scenic. But if you can’t Q-it, don’t do it – so I knew Sister Act would be on me about a prompt finish at 0615, or so I thought. The route was designed for that purpose (and in case we saw a lame deer in the road get shot – bonus). I led the PAX for maybe 0.2 of a mile but the PAX began speeding by me. I even tried the blocking scheme on Sargento to no avail. Soon I had been quickly replaced by the entire population of PAX to last place.  “Don’t worry guys, Q has the 6!” Here is another thing I learned about being the slow poke Q of a running workout – it’s all about the ego – Everyone has to run as fast as they can. What if some 300 lb FNG shows up? I guess “sucks for them.”

Oh, well – F-That! Once I got 22 minutes and two miles down the route, I 180-ed and went back the other direction whence we came. I took a quick lap in a patio home community and then circled the long way back to the Pub via Duke Street to kill some time (still ended up at 4.5 miles). Waterboy and Slaw sped into the parking lot. Defib was close behind, disciplined to avoid breaking off the route and into his neighborhood (Discipline = Freedom). The others trotted in and then we waited. 0615 had arrived and still 2 PAX yet to join the circle. 0615.30 and still waiting. 0616 – Stroganoff tells me he has “the opportunity to attend work” (not a complaint!) and he must leave early to embrace the opportunity. 0617 – Defib also informs me he must leave to run back home (again, I think that was a statement, not a complaint, but he did not use the affectionate words of Stroganoff who is reading the book on not complaining). Ah, here we have our straggling PAX at 0618. I tap my watch to emphasize the time – “Hey Sister Act, I was told we end this AO promptly at 0615.” (Roscoe was his sidekick btw). SA shoots me a douchey look of disgust. I guess on his new work schedule his nap doesn’t begin until 10 am now, so he has time to lollygag on his pace and avoid another injury.

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