Follow me! (I promise I know where I’m going…)

Follow me! (I promise I know where I’m going…)

12 properly disclaimed PAX gathered in the middle of one of the largest AOs in the Southeast to follow me off site. Yes, it was my first time to the AO. Yes, I knew where we were going.

After a warmup run around the middle school, here is what we did:

The THANG

• Circle up for COP inside the tennis courts
  • SSH x20
  • IW x20
  • Merkins x20
  • Mtn Climbers x20
  • Flutter x20
  • Squats x20
• (Follow me again)
• Run past the high school, through the Harris Teeter parking lot (stopping for merkins at each speed hump), around the backside of McDonald’s and stop in front of the funeral home.
• Lining up, shoulder-to-shoulder and arms interlocked, perform 92 WWII (aka. old-fashioned) sit-ups.
• Run back to middle school soccer field.
• Soccer Challenge: Each PAX takes a turn calling an exercise (e.g., 20 merkins) and taking a shot from about 40 yds out. If shot is made, all PAX do exercise. If shot is missed, all PAX do 10 burpees.
• Mosey to basketball courts:
  • 11s on length of court – squat jumps and quality merkins (no short-armed head bobbers allowed)

COT

Moleskine:

• A few weeks ago, Horsehead texted me with a request: “Hey! Want to Q Outland?” “Sure,” I replied, “where is it?” I guess Horsehead had confidence that would I figure things out, because he sure wasn’t there today to pick up the slack if I dropped it. (Just kidding, have fun DR, Horse. And, yes, Glass Joe was on the scene to lead us home in case I got us lost.) So, with all the confidence I could muster, I told the PAX to Follow Me, and took off running around the middle school. In other words, I have no idea how many shrugs, sighs, questioning glances or other shades of doubt passed over the PAX, but Follow Me they did.
• As an attender of #F3Area51, I remember when #F3Outland began. It was also the last day we saw Counter Top. Good news! I found him hanging out with his Union Co. peeps! Nice to see you without a dress shirt and tie on, brother (we both work in the uptown bubble).
• A word about our FNG. First, he steps out of the car and introduces himself as “Bhupal, not to be confused with RuPaul.” That would have been prime nickname fodder right there, however, during the Soccer Challenge, he (a) made his shot, and (b) called out a minute-and-a-half elbow plank as the exercise. 45 minutes into the workout, he was the one to maintain it the best, thus earning the “84” nickname (i.e., he planks like a lumberyard).
• Nice work Smokey. You earn the #LarryBird award for the day. Looking strong and fast out there.
• Glass Joe would have been #LarryBird as well, except he continually circled back for the 6 on our long runs. That’s quality Site Q work right there – let the workout Q lead from the front, and leave no man behind. Well done, Glass Joe.
• The rest of the PAX pushed it hard as well. However, not many of us are going to be called up to the USNMT (soccer) anytime soon. 12 PAX called 12 different sets of exercises during our little challenge. Unfortunately, we did a lot of burpees…
• Thanks for bearing with me on the off-site run. The last time I was in the neighborhood was June 2014 when I saw my grandpa at the funeral home. I thought it a fitting tribute to remember him with 92 (his age) WWII sit-ups (he was a tail gunner in the Army Air Force over France and Germany). Linking arms seemed like the right thing to do as well. Also, my abs won’t let me soon forget what we did this morning…
• Horsehead, EE, Glass Joe — thanks for the invite and the privilege of leading the men of Outland this morning.

Announcements:

• 8/1 – Southern Discomfort tour — 14/10/6 miles of fun.
• Outland, however, will continue as reguarly scheduled next week.