Quotes from the Gloom:
That’s pretty much how the mumblechatter went the rest of the time. But now onto…
The Thang
Moleskine (i.e., Spreadsheets from the Gloom)
It was a great time posting with these guys in SOB-land that I had met during my Passport Challenge travels. I’d crossed paths with Lex Luthor, Tagalong, and Rousey at least a couple of times and always enjoyed sweating alongside them. During the workout today, there was plenty of mumblechatter until everyone got too gassed to say much. =)
The 2nd F Coffeteeria afterwards at Einstein’s Bagel’s was equally awesome. I shared with the Pax there that, on the days when the weather is intense (i.e., heavy rain, low temperatures, high wind, snow, etc.) I always wake up and just smile, because I know it’s going to be one of those more “memorable” experiences. We rarely remember the sunny, 65 degree workouts as much as the beatdowns in the pouring rain. Deep thought for the day: One of the reasons why we men of F3 get up early to do hard, memorable, meaningful things while those we care about are still sleeping, is so that we can then go back home and do hard, memorable, meaningful things for and with those we care about. Life training happens in the gloom.
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Quote from the Gloom:
As some dude named Eric Paskel once said, “Yoga is not about tightening your a** rear end. It’s about getting your head out of it.”
Great job to the men who showed up this morning with an open mind and endured whatever came out of Zin’s tailpipe (sorry Paper Jam; you apparently made a poor choice with mat placement). More specifically, this morning’s broga practice went something like this…
The Thang
Moleskine (i.e., Spreadsheets from the Gloom)
Note to self: Include in the pre-workout Disclaimer: Prickle & Goo comes the morning after Taco Tuesday; space your mats accordingly.
Self-Progress: It has now been 75 days since I started with F3 here in Waxhaw. I love it. I started out doing one workout a week (as my body adapted) and have upped it quite a bit lately. Today was my 47th Post and my second Q. I have really enjoyed both the progress in my fitness and meeting so many great guys around the area. I even got to reunite with a former colleague this morning with Hot Yoga joining us in the gloom after being absent for a while.
I will be out of town for the next month or two visiting family out West, mostly in the Salt Lake City, UT area. It looks like they have a much smaller F3 group out there, so I’ll see what I can do to help them out. I’ll try to keep y’all posted.
Reflections: I had a couple of goals today: (1) Not bomb my first Q at Prickle & Goo and (2) prove that yoga can be a killer workout. The jury is still out on the first goal, but I think that there was plenty of sweating beyond just what the humidity brought.
One thing that I love about yoga is that it brings together flexibility, strength, and balance—all things that we need more of in our lives, both physically and metaphorically. And, it can be a killer workout. I remember EH’ing a coworker to come to a yoga class a few years ago. The dude was very fit with muscles to spare. After one yoga class he told me that he wasn’t going to be coming back because it was “just too hard”. To those doubters out there…the gauntlet has been thrown. We’ll see if you pick it up and challenge yourself with some broga.
Goodfella is on Q next week and he loves to channel his inner Tony Horton.
Announcements
Quotes from the Gloom (heard at various times throughout the workout):
Yes, the mumblechatter was riveting throughout, but on to…
The Thang
Moleskine (i.e., Spreadsheets from the Gloom)
Note to self: Apparently I should have come early and spread some grass seed and/or turf across the outfield, as there was probably more dirt than grass out there while we were doing walking lunges across the field. I think I still have some pebbles lodged in my knee skin (and I’m the one who recommended knee pads, too).
Flashback: I showed up for my first F3 workout exactly 52 days ago, on a chilly Friday morning. Even though the AO was Swarm and Dasher was on Q, I still came back the next week, and every week since. I am so glad I did. It has been a great ride so far and it was a pleasure being able to have my VQ there at The Lycan with some great Pax.
Reflections: One question that came up towards the end of the workout this morning was, “What’s with all of the 14’s?” Good question. Today is actually my 14th Wedding Anniversary. For the last 14 years, MDunkin has been a great companion, an amazing light and support to me. Over the last couple of months, she has seen the good that has come from me being a part of this F3 fellowship and she loves it. I dedicated this workout to her both with the number of reps (almost always 14), as well as with the “up and down” symbolism of the specific exercises. While we were planking in pain this morning, I shared with my fellow Pax that marriage (like most relationships) can definitely be filled with a lot of ups and downs. For me, it has been about tempering those highs and lows—not necessarily being a flashy guy, but being a dependable and faithful husband and father. That is what is important to me. Just wanted to share it with all of you. Thanks for being great examples to me and my family!
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