11 PAX posted at Crossroads Sunday morning. There wasn’t a Q as far as anyone knows. So Sua Sponte kicked in and since I had Q source I figured why not. I slid in right at 6:30 despite what Dr Seuss says and we were off! Most stayed for Q source. Great job everyone1
Tag: Crossroads (Page 17 of 20)
Some started early, some ran the regular route, some ran 5 miles, some ran more. In all 14 PAX got better by putting in work on another hot and humid fall morning.
Announcements
Ragnar Oct. 5th – Meet at Roses in Belmont at 7am for clown car
Convergence Oct. 19th at The Yank (all other AO’s closed)
Still collecting money for Rotary Pavilion bathroom project
Prayer Request
Broke’s Sister in Law – breast cancer
Def Leppard’s M – recovering well from surgery
Those battling addiction
Whetstone program Stone’s/Blade’s
Medicine Woman – medication changes
YHC took us out and 9 made it to Q Source for a discussion on Courage.
Thanks for the opportunity to lead!
I’m Broke
1 PAX posted at Crossroads at 6:30 on Sunday. YHC arrived to a parking lot full of cars but no PAX in sight. There were 4 FNG’s that walked up so I told them it didn’t look like this AO existed and they should probably leave and go to SOGA for the Coconut Horse. By the way I was not the Q and no Q showed up. This is not the first time this has happened to me at Crossroads! The last time I was told I gave everyone a tongue lashing but I don’t recall it that way. I just reminded everyone that the actual start time is 6:30 and if an FNG came it would be nice if people were there. At the very least the Q needs to be. I can appreciate all the EC people are putting in but there is more to this than our personal gains. Try to circle back for the actual start time. Ok so I fudged a little in the beginning. There was actually 2 PAX. Bedpan was there also but this was a close call. What if he or I didn’t show? That would leave a PAX without any support.
The group decided this BB would be right up my alley(constructive sarcasm and all) so I picked up the Q. This is usually not an issue at any of our AO’s but this was a failure of the Q(if there was one) and the site Q. This is a leadership group guy’s! Lead and fill up the Q sheet. If you need help ask!
Anyway Bedpan and I took off for a run. I’ve been struggling getting my run game back lately and could have used a push or someone to chase. There wasn’t anyone out in front of me so I gave in and stopped shy of 3 miles. I’ve said I’m a recovering sad clown because even though I’ve been doing this for 4 plus years I have to fight with Fat Ricky everyday. He is lazy, likes to eat bad and he will not shut up! They say to get faster you have to run with faster men. Well they weren’t around and Fat Ricky won.
While I do not think that the guy’s weren’t around because they didn’t want to run with me it did get me to thinking and looking inward. I know I have a reputation of being a sarcastic A-hole because….. well I can be. Most of the time it’s just smack talk. I do enjoy the trash talking! I don’t have feelings for the most part so I don’t mind it coming back at me. Truth be told I usually smack talk to the ones I like and respect the most(I’m looking at you SA)! However I’m sure this is a turn off to some people. So I got to wondering who dislikes me because of something I’ve said? Who have I hurt or pissed off or they just don’t care that much for me because of this? Part of me(probably Fat Ricky) wants to say who gives a shit(sorry Leppard) but the other part of me wants to be the bacon. My friends have always been a huge part of my life, I guess mostly due to me having a screwed up family and now most of my friends are people I have meet through F3. So if my attitude is that much of a turn off I would hope someone would correct me with candor. That’s where the shield lock comes in right? So then I started thinking about who my shield lock is. I’m close with some guys and talk to them fairly regularly I suppose but will those guys call me out when needed? I’ve been mulling this over for a few days and while I was thinking about this(struggling with it a bit) a PAX randomly text me and said “hey brother I was thinking of you. Hope you are well. Is there anything I can pray for you”? That message at that moment felt like God talking to me. One of the few times in my life I have felt that. What I heard was you are not alone in your struggles. See I know this PAX cares and I in fact know he will call me out when needed. Whether we realize it or not we all need that in our lives. So thank you for that text Sir! Ok I’m done. All of this is starting to make me feel something.
So in conclusion…..I don’t know. Sorry for the rambling.
Bathrooms coming soon to the Pavilion!
The Rotary Centennial Pavilion has been home to the F3 Downtown workout since July of 2015, a few short months after the F3 Gastonia launch. E4 was the original site Q before he handed it off to the elusive Spiderman who then turned over the reins to Bedpan. By my calculations, F3 has posted over 200 Friday workouts at the Pavilion besides running through the site during our three 50 mile relays.
The big cheese, Sargento, happens to be the Nantan of the Gastonia Rotary Club this year. Both Gastonia Rotary Clubs are raising money to install public bathrooms at the Pavilion soon. Bathrooms would be a great thing for downtown as well as for any F3 PAX who routinely run late to the workout due to those “emergencies”. (you know who you are)
To raise money for the bathrooms, the Gastonia Rotary Club is hosting a Chili Cook Off on November 2nd of this year. I am aware that you should probably have bathrooms installed before eating chili but I am not in charge. There are four levels of sponsorships, with $1000.00 being the “Four Alarm” sponsor. I propose giving back to the Pavilion and raising money for this cause. F3 Gastonia can assist in raising money for the bathrooms and if we meet our goal sooner rather than later we will be recognized in all advertisements and social media, leading to more exposure for F3 and hopefully draw in some FNG’s.
I am calling on all site Q’s to collect donations from PAX throughout the month of September until we reach our goal of $1000.00. PAX may contribute cash or checks (made payable to the Rotary Club of Gastonia). The good news is Diablo Sammich has already said they were going to raise $100, and that was immediately countered with a $150 pledge from the PUB. The Coconut Horse then said they would raise $151.
The purpose will be to raise awareness of F3Gastonia and support the community through adding an amenity to the premier Friday AO in our region.
This initiative is “Nantan approved” as well as “Site Q approved”. If each PAX that posts contributes something we should reach our goal in short order. F3 is free so there is no obligation to give but Site Q’s please take up the collections and let’s hit this goal and put F3Gastonia on more men’s radars in our region.
Aye!
Cooler morning at Crossroads. Some ran. Some biked. No ruckers. Broke ran 7 and coughed after being stuffy. Most ran 5. SA and Seuss were leading the way. Hacksaw got an early start as he often does. Freight and Mayor are hardcore road bikers now and they seem happy about that. Oompa is getting over the crud but still getting after it. Mr. Garvey is making it look easy. Nice work young man! I chased Blart but never caught him. Gold Digger was taking it slow and easy after logging a lot of miles the day before. It was a good morning!
Q Source was on Exhortation which is defined as “Encouragement on steroids.” and my favorite part of the lesson on this was the last part.
“Can you name a man in your life who is an Exhorter who exists outside of a celluloid fantasy? If you can, you are lucky. If you can’t, maybe its high time you became that kind of man yourself. They are in short supply.”
Without ALL of us F3 guys being Exhorters, F3 will not grow or even remain the same. It will go away. Push yourself to be that “Encourager on Steroids” to every man in the gloom and the many who haven’t realized they need to be there too!
8 men avoided the sack this morning and put in a few miles at crossroads!
Q source was about Persuasion this morning, and how it is a necessary tool for leadership! It is a tool we use to help lead each other, our community, and especially our family!
Thank you men for allowing me to lead!
10 runners and 1 biker showed for a fair weather day at Crossroads. Most were able to stay for the Q Source discussion on Articulation that followed and glad to have Pizza Man, Roadie and Huckleberry join in for that. Sunday mornings at Crossroads and Coconut Horse are places where you can get all three F’s, come give it a try.
Announcements
8/17 – Event in remembrance of Pizza Man’s niece at Rankin Lake from 10am-2pm. Sign up in the pre-blast
8/18 – BRR ruck mtg at McAllister’s at 3pm
9/14 – 911 stair climb in Charlotte
9/21 – SFN at Stop Soldier Suicide in Belmont
9/28 – JJ 5k in Stanley
Check out the recent F3 podcast concerning growth and changes and also the one about Painlab
Huckleberry has tix for sale for F3 Dads camp this weekend
Prayer Request
Def Leppard’s M – upcoming surgery
Big Pappy and Family
F3 Dad’s camp this weekend
Mayor and family travelling
School starting back – kids, parents, teachers
YHC took us out.
I’m Broke
We ran. Or walked. Either way, errbody got better.
Mother’s Day, a chance of rain and an alleged “Smartsack” hindered attendance but we had 5 Runners for Crossroads and 1 tall, lonely Rucker Montross representing The Boar’s Nest Rucking AO showed on a gloomy Mother’s Day Sunday Morning. All the runners ran 5 miles, except me. I slogged through a slow 4 miles and called it a morning. I’m just going to say Montross or anyone else should NEVER have to ruck or run alone.
COT
Prayers lifted for Pizza Man and his family in the passing of his niece, Mayor as he recovers from surgery, Wheezy, Roadies family and a reminder to be available for guys around the workouts for anyone who needs someone to listen. There are lots of guys going through things right now. Broke took us out!
A Reminder from the Q Source discussion that followed about “Live Right”.
To Live Right a man must have an ultimate Purpose in mind.
To Live Right requires self-sacrifice.
Living Right helps a man to stay Right.
…but we ran anyway. Some brought umbrellas, some didn’t. Some were ridiculed, others weren’t.
Usual announcements. Mt. Mitchell was cancelled. If you didn’t know that already, I don’t know what to tell you.
Pray for the PAX and their families.
Until next time,
GD