The forecast for this morning’s running of the Coconut Horse was ominous. Fortunately the temperature was a pleasant 61 degrees at game time and the rain was barely falling, if at all. The rare occurrence that I was 7 minutes early I observed Stroganoff stretching and Gavel getting an early start out of the gate. The rest of the Sum-britches gang arrived right on time. Apparently everyone got the hidden memo to wear neon tops. In this case, “seeing to be seen” is a positive and not just a social media post. At 0630, Stroganoff gets the itch to head out – I shove their bat-flipping boat off the dock as Flintstone’s pre-warm up routine required more muscle rolling.

I roll out of the parking lot with Flintstone – I share that Gavel is already on the course to which he replies “let’s go catch him…” That was not the challenge I was seeking this fine morning. I manage to stick with the svelt First F Q, discussing a variety of topics including the Convergence and Slaw appropriately winning the Belt! (BTW – NC State v. Va Tech is in Blacksburg on November 18th). We hit the bridge entering the greenway and Flintstone hits a stride that he begins gliding over the trail. After the Convergence, I spread 50 bails of pine needles yesterday afternoon and had nothing to offer at that point except watch the vapor trail (not that I would have kept up had I been fully rested and drank rocket fuel either).

Flintstone accomplished his mission to not only catch the neon Sum-britches gang, but Gavel as well. He then circled back for the slow Q and guided me home. Leading from the Six still counts I guess.

QSource – Dichotomy of Leadership which is a great discussion as we have learned through 4 chapters what is the answer? “it depends.” What Jocko and Leif outline are situations where hard decisions must be contemplated. No one enjoys the pressure of difficult decision, especially one that shapes your life. In Ramadi, the SEAL members of Task Unit Bruiser were faced with those pressure situations on a daily basis. In our personal and work lives, the challenges we face are not typically life threatening, but they can still be difficult and unique where one response may be different than the next. Today’s chapter on “When to Mentor, When to Fire” deals with personnel issues of when training or mentorship is not working, and the person is struggling. Jocko shares “most underperformers don’t need to be fired; they need to be led.” How much time do you invest on that person? (a: ‘it depends’) Are they trainable? Is there a different role they should be doing? Or is the Black Tahoe best for all involved? This chapter resembles QSource on Accountability – Team (Q4.8). Today’s group agreed documenting low performance is a necessary tool to cover a leader. Make sure the person understands the “why” and the consequences. We all shared some thoughts and questions, including the true source of “FNG” (Whoopee swears DREDD got it from Forest Gump…).

Prayer requests: Huck, Jane Fonda, the Long family traveling; Announcements: look for pre-blast from Purple Haze about 2nd F bike trip; 5/13 – JJ leads Annihilation at GasHouse – JJ promised a burner – I expect a combination of SA’s physical beatdown with Linus’ mental trickery – should be special.

Happy Birthday Whoopee

Philippians 4

6 Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.

7 And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

When we pray are we just throwing a list of needs at God or do we also pray thankfully for the things he has already given us?  Better yet do we even recognize when our prayers have been answered?  Living in a world of instant gratification it can be easy to lose sight of something you’ve been asking for that has happened, then it just seems to get lost in the mess. God works in his own time and for his reasons.  These verses just help me to remember to pray thankfully and look closer at the obstacles that have been put in my way to get where I am.  I look at things that have happened for me and think about all it took to get there.

Announcements

Convergence 29th Midoriyama

Pony boy VQ

Prayer requests

Ratchets son Jackson

Chubbs friend getting a heart biopsy

Huck

Turtleman

All the traveling PAX

Six PAX this morning at The Labyrinth.  Seeing no FNG’s I gave a brief disclaimer and we circled up for the warm up.

WARM UP:
SSH x 20 IC
Windmill x 10 IC
Imperial Walkers x 10 IC
Plank Jacks x 15 IC
Merkin x 10 IC
Stretches

After the warm up we took off toward Martha Rivers Park for the first beat down.

The limit was 5 trees as you enter the parking lot.

TREE #1 = 5 burpees
TREE #2 = 5 burpees, 10 diamond merkins
TREE #3 = 5 burpees, 10 diamond merkins, 15 squats
TREE #4 = 5 burpees, 10 diamond merkins, 15 squats, 20 American hammers (count one side only)
TREE #5 = 5 burpees, 10 diamond merkins, 15 squats, 20 American hammers, 25 SSH.

We then took a long mosey around the parking lot and ran toward the picnic shelters for 11’s.
10 derkins, then run toward the street and one big boy sit up.

After 11’s we headed toward the diamond and performed 7 of diamonds.
Round 1 – 7 hand release merkins at each base for a total of 28 reps.
Round 2 – 14 squats at each base for a total of 56 reps.
Round 3 – 21 Freddy mercury at each base for a total of 84 reps.

Seeing no time left we did a mosey toward COT and did a minute worth of ab exercises.

ANNOUNCEMENTS:
Convergence is Saturday April 29 at Poston Park beginning at 7 a.m.
Time Laps relay is the weekend of May 19.

PRAYERS:
Continue prayers for my sister Mackenzie.
EZ Rider asked for prayers for his son.
We also asked everyone to make a conscious effort to check the prayer channel daily and lift those people up.

Eight HIM joined YHC at the Sandlot for some fun with sharks and Tics.

Warmup:

15 in cadence  – SSH / Gravel Pickers/ Imperial Walkers/ Seal Jacks/ Mountain Climbers/ Plank Jacks and a little stretching.

Mosey to the park to the center of the Sharknado.   Start the play list and get to work.

25 reps followed by a lap around the islands.

Low Slow Squat – Run

Merkins – Run

WWII Sit up – Run

Apollo Ohno – Run

CDDs – Run

Flutters – Run

Rinse and repeat…

Next up a little tic-tac-toe and more music.

We split into two team.  One member from each team sprints with a cornhole bag to the tic-tac-toe board taped on the ground and selects their spot.  Runners return to tag their teammate who then runs to select their spot on the board and repeat while trying to line up three in a row.  The teams were pretty evenly matched.  Some brain fog came into play a few times when runners got excited and dropped their bag in the wrong spot.  After a few games it was time.

Back to the flag we closed out with announcements, prayers and praises.

Thanks for playing along!

Pledge

Warm up

Mosey to parking deck for Route 66 on each floor

Shoulder taps

Mike Tysons

Sumo squats

Flutter kicks

Calf raises (heard it wasn’t hard enough so we turn around and did 11 at each line)

After route 66 on each floor with did 50 of a few different exercises: LBC, flutters, Michael Phelps , Air press Michael Phelps

Return to start and finished up with some Mary.

Had a few burpees along the way.

Announcements: Convergence tomorrow at Poston park   / trail run coming up

Prayer:  Westside’s family, Turtle Man, Huck, and others .

I prayed up out

Thanks for the opportunity to lead today – I have missed a lot in the last month with sickness and this is what I needed to get me back at it.

EZ out!!

11 Men showed for some Ultimate Frisbee at Midoriyama. Competitive game but in the end Team Montross won. Q made the call about 6:05 that next score wins and we pulled it out. Sorry Team Blart yall put up a good fight.

Good to be back at Midoriyama, I really miss these guys. Really wish Freight and Leppard could have been there. Its always entertaining to see Freight foul Leppard so blatantly.  Track season will be over soon and hope to become a Midoriyama regular once again.

During Leppard’s Q Tuesday the two old geezers lamented on getting old and always being sore. Pair of bad hips. I’ve named mine Taylor Swift since my quad muscle and my femur had that bad breakup at the 2022 P200. It’s a song of which the pain never goes away.

Any dang way, enough belly aching and bitching on to this backblast.

It’s pissing down rain like a cow on a flat rock.
Drive up, tell all to go to the shelter by the playground. Slaw was good enough to start the warmup while YHC changed clothes and check to see if anyone else was stupid enough to post at the usual spot.

Will Smiths. Hand slapper things. 20 IC.

Merkins 10 IC.

Discuss a dumb exercise for comment. Saw a bone skinny fitness influencer chick do this on you tube, facebook, tik tok or something like that. 1 kg weight squeezed between back of hands, arms out front hold for 60 seconds. Then on belly, hold six inches for 60 seconds in superman pose. On back and do hands outstretched above head and hold.

At least 5 rounds of 100 single count of cherry pickers, droppers, overhead claps, MNC.

Due to the rash of soccer arms in region, here’s my cure:

(Dumb thought if we duct tape Mayor and Sargento together Siamese twin style could we get a proper form merkin using just their good arms?)

Incline merkins 5 rounds of 10 IC.

Mountain climbers One round of 20 IC.

Hop on tables because it’s pouring rain.

At least 5 rounds of 25 IC LBC, pretzel, Freddy Mercurys & flutters.

Couple rounds of various numbers of low slow squats & calf raisers.

Two rounds of 10 burpees back to back.

Announcements:
Convergence Saturday at Midoriyama 0700.
Blart 5k at Common Ground Stanley 1800 Friday.

Prayers:
Happy Trees mom praise report on aneurysm

Huck
Slaw mom
Sargento
Mayor

Had some round table style discussion about Whetstone and Shieldlock.
Discussed depression and suicide.
This issue has affected my family this week as my wife’s niece’s husband committed suicide Sunday evening.
If you are having an issue, please reach out to talk to someone. We are here to help.

YHC took us out.