Cut your hair, drop some pounds

Cut your hair, drop some pounds

15 PAX finished the run and stretch at Blakovery on Monday morning, but that’s not how it started.

The THANG:

• Route pre-blasted as the “Providence CC” route, which for the regulars meant:
  • Head East on Ardrey Kell from the fountains of Blakeney near the Brixx pizza.  Head toward “The Fountains” shopping area at Tom Short and Ardrey Kell.
  • Turn Right on Tom Short (or use the Fountains shopping area as a shortcut).
  • Avoid Bratwurst’s knee wall that takes out shins of his running compadres, and take the first Left into Providence CC (entrance is also directly across from the fountains shortcut).
  • At the T intersection, take a Left (last left for a while).
  • Then, pretty much, keep taking every Right turn either to avoid a cul-de-sac or coming to the end of the road.  For those playing along:
    1. Right
    2. Right
    3. Right
    4. Right
    5. Right onto Tom Short
  • Left on Ardrey Kell (or use the Fountains area again to shortcut) and continue back to Blakeney while trying to avoid low branches, thin mud spots, and cracks in the sidewalk.  Not exactly a “Danger Zone” like Rea from Bevington to 51, but it definitely keeps you on your toes to not eat concrete.
• FIN! Part 1
• Part 2 – Fleetwood and Wingman draw straws, and it’s Fleetwood that leads the stretching as the group files in.
• FIN! Part 2
• Thin Mint took us out.

The Moleskin:

• It’s hard to lead a running route when a) you’re not there at all; b) you’re not there on time; c) you haven’t told anyone where to go; d) the directions are so confusing that everyone abandons and runs a different way; e) all of the above.   Definitely YHC has answered E often to this question, so there are a few things you must do to try to be successful (and it still may not turn out):
  1. Preblast the route
  2. Show up before the start of the run to use the last minute before it starts to make sure everyone knows the route, shortcuts, regroup points, and overall objective.
  3. Start on time
     1. If 2 and 3 fail, make sure that you TRY to have trained the PAX by now to do 1, 2, and 3, and have an idea where to catch them.  This may involve parking away from the start.  In your attempt to find them on the route, hope your attempts to train 2 & 3 are followed in your absence – which was your fault no matter the excuse.
  4. Check on the PAX and make sure that PAX are checking on each other – buddy system works great here.
  5. Finish on time
• YHC is very thankful that things seemed to work out this morning.  Despite a late start by the PAX to due YHCs absence, Bunker got things going and everyone seemed to know where to go.
• Fountains were ON this morning, so no background music could be heard making it’s way over from the shopping square, but that also made mumblechatter easier despite Fleetwood’s directions to relax and breathe.
• These 2nd F runs mean something different to everyone.  Some guys push it from the front, some guys choose to mix a little more 2nd F in and chat the whole time, some guys push it from the six and accomplish 5 miles.  But we all get it done together.  While 15 PAX is likely near the all time high at Blakovery with even a few regulars out, it’s hopefully a testament that you give the PAX consistency in the plan, and some will like it enough to keep coming back.  Or maybe it’s just the Journeyman challenge…
• Thanks for following even when YHC wasn’t there this morning.  It’s an honor to be thought of.

Announcements:

• Bratwurst cut his hair.  Apparently this equates to weight loss.  Despite trying to give up sweets for the past 3 weeks, it’s the haircut that does the trick.
• Sign up for the Crane Relay – https://f3southcharlotte.com/2018/07/14/the-crane-relay/
• Check out the 24 Hours of Booty video (up soon) that JRR Tolkien was up all night finishing for Speed for Need: https://www.youtube.com/user/mrkevinmyoung
•  Swift will converge with Fast Twitch tomorrow at Charlotte Latin school.  Main parking lot off Providence Road.  1600 or 3200m time trial.