BackBlast for Sparta (Typos and all)
YHC is not a prolific orator like the great Demosthenes of Athenia who would tell stories and spin tails to incite the most passive of Greeks to defend the great lands.
No…. I am but a simple servant for the Great Q in the sky and this is SPARTA!!! Where talk is cheap: Sweat, Dirt, Cold, and Pain are what sets us apart from those with the gift of Mumble Chatter. Merkins, LBCs, IWs and long Moseys are our common language shared by ALL the PAX members that take up the battle against the morning gloom locking shields to help one another drive accountability. Today just such a glorious battle occurred that defeated most my fellow noble PAX members, but not all. 3 HIMs of great fortitude took up the call of Sparta this perfect morning to help urge the sun to rise and stars to set as we started off on a cold Spring morning.
The Thang:
Our Q for the mission today had an obligation that occurred last minute and at least one of the Site Qs had already indicated he would not be able to attend as well. Arriving at Socrates Academy the concern became real that I may be not only taking leading today’s Post but also rolling solo.
5:15 time to start:
Ok.. real question here… if you post alone and you have on a F3 shirt but there is no one around to hear you recite the declaration of you can not sue anyone, the site, F3, etc… does it still count or is your non-F3 persona (Hospital name) allowed to agree for you??
“I’m Gypsy, I am not a professional, work out at our own risk, cant sue yourself or anything… yada yada yada.. Understood Gypsy, I’m John, lets get to work its cold so stop all the talking and run..”
5:17
After having an extremely intelligent conversation with some guy named John that obviously had not had any coffee yet, I was headed out to run as many laps around the academy as possible… but wait.. what are these lights pulling in!! 2 cars and its way to early for anyone except fellow crazy pax members that also want to run around in the dark at 5:15 (ish) in the morning while it is 33 degrees with made up names, compression running pants, and frequent stops to lay on the cold asphalt to do LBCs.. There is something seriously wrong with us when you actually read that out loud?!??!?? Or is there more to it??
After a late start: it went like this. (no Weinke so we are winging it)
MoleSkin
Great work by Shake-N-Bake and PopTart today. Having PopTart out front most of the way kept S-N-B and I pushing ourselves even harder to keep up.
S-N-B: Glad to hear that your pending move is still going well and I look forward to helping on moving day. (Chappa and M coming as well)
PopTart: Enjoy the new coupon.. Tons of ways to help motivate the PAX into getting stronger with that one. Good luck tomorrow Cerberus PAX!!
The Naked Moleskin
Yup, its ugly.. Although most will see it as someone else… Kinda like nobody thinks their own baby is ugly (but lets face it, we have all seen an ugly baby before)
However, 1st I want to thank everyone in this great F3 Nation for everything you do every day. YHC hears of amazing Opportunities, Stories, Fellowship, and growth as I have traveled the country posting at different AOs. But I have to ask each of us to look inside and ask “why do I F3?” and YHC is not casting stones in a glass house here. I realize I need to step up my game and get better every day to help lead, support, and encourage those around me.
Conversations about the way F3 use to be with all AOs having shovel flags and close bonds, or mumblechatter about it being to cold/ or wet/ or early, AO Site Qs not holding Qs accountable for the simple things like opening declarations/COT/ or heaven forbid a Backblast. If these are items you have seen, fix it.. You are free to lead.. but don’t propagate the negative and darn sure don’t support it if you are the site Q. F3 helps to invigorate male community leadership.. so be a leader. I promise: YHC will intentionally work at getting better at this.
F2 events: You may be surprised how many of your peer pax actually look completely different when it’s not 530 am in the dark and they have actually brushed their hair. Get out and talk with your F3 nation brothers. Yes.. I know I know.. you use to.. but how many members are new, do they have 2.0s, what do they do for a living, do they need any help with anything? Attend the Saturday post beatdown coffee from time to time. So.. you don’t drink alcohol and I respect that, but showing up to a monthly Happy Hour is more than a beer. Pax member needs assistance: Show up or at least respond. Is it always convenient to take time out of your day to help others? Of course not.. but if all you are looking for is a morning workout? Why F3 at all? The theme is… “Show up”
I had a real hard lesson a few months back when we had a convergence at Conviction with the Mint Hill Pain Academy. That following Saturday a pax member that was at MY AO site, at MY Q beatdown, in MY COT, that sweated with me for 45 mins died that following Saturday and I had no idea who he was. I was informed by a fellow pax that his last bootcamp he attended was the Convergence that YHC co-Qed and I never took the time to actually recognize he was there in a shield lock with me.. I F1ed hard… but glanced right past the glue of F2 to actually “see” him as my Brother until it was too late. Don’t make the mistake I did.. F2 guys!! and include with your 2.0s and Ms where and when possible.
Enough of a Naked Moleskin. I think anyone that actually read this far understands the point. Lets lock shields and help all get a little better every day. Whether you have been here since day one or FNGed today.. you are what makes F3… so help make it the best you can.
Announcements:
I ask each of you to hold YHC accountable and I in return will do the same for you.
Respectfully,
Gypsy (John)
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