Warm Up
8 Pax’s tried to get off Gilligan’s Island for a full body workout.
Warmup run around the island parking lot. Stopping by the front entrance of the school.
The Thang
1st Island
Arms
2nd Island
Abs
3rd Island
Legs
The Moleskine
3.3 miles of running around the island, and 300 reps for the Arms, Abs, and Legs on a sticky morning. We never left the island, but for a Monday workout it was a job well done.
Announcements
Eight men answered the midweek bell to swing iron at Meathead this past week fighting off humidity and the dog day doldrums of the late summer. We began with a disclaimer that some would call eloquent and moving and others would call nonexistent and completely missing. Everyone hears things differently I suppose. Next came a warmup consisting of various exercises not including the side straddle hop, because as I have learned recently, when your running shoes are extended beyond their useful life, that particular exercise is about as much fun as being stuck in a middle seat on a cross country flight between a chatty vegan and a woman who is super excited about her new Rodan & Fields business (pyramid scheme). New shoes have summarily been ordered so as not to follow the cautionary tale of Gummy and Gloss and refusenik jumping jacks.
The holy spreadsheet of thunder and rock & roll let me know that press ladders and snatches were the order of the day. Snatches are terrible and snatches in humidity are terribler. First up was five sets of 1 press per side, then 2 per side, then 3 per side. Next was five sets of 10 snatches with each arm. The compulsory part of the workout finished we could move on to the things that I actually wanted to do, namely five sets of 10 swings, 10 merkins, 10 sumo high pulls, and 10 sumo squats. We then finished the morning off with some loaded carries and hollow body holds.
Now onto the part of the backblast that people actually read. This particular offering is terribly late for a variety of reasons, none of them particularly good. My ancient laptop is like Tennessee football, last viable circa 2012, and I don’t like writing on the iPad or the work computer. Also, I really couldn’t think of any theme I wanted to center my commentary around. The playlist was Motorhead because I was in need of a palate cleanser due to attending my first jam band concert the previous weekend. While the musicianship is undoubtedly amazing, the concept of one verse and chorus every 14 minutes is something I’ll never get used to. Oddly, over the 45 minute period, the Spotfiy algorithm selected three cover songs performed by Lemmy and the boys. Their rendition of Judas Priest’s “Breaking the Law” was good, though not much different than the original. Aerosmith’s “Train Kept A Rollin'” was interesting given the stark vocal differences between Lemmy and Steven Tyler, and their version of The Kingsmen’s “Louie Louie” was something that was unexpectedly delightful. While trying to think of a good topic to write about, my thoughts settled on the school year that is about to start, and how it represents a fresh start and a clean slate, a midyear do-over on New Year’s resolutions. This time of year gives the chance for a restart that many of us need, and by many of us, I mean me of course. The past several months have been more existing than truly living for yours truly. Too many weeknight glasses of scotch and vapid television, not enough intellectually enhancing pursuits. Therefore I have decided to hit take the metaphorical game cartridge out of the console, blow on it (those of us raised on the original Nintendo Entertainment System know that is how to fix any software bug) and hit the proverbial reset button on the year. I ordered a new laptop and have decided to finally get started on the nine year plan of becoming a freelance writer. Why nine years? Well, in nine school years, my youngest child will finish high school, and at that point I want to have reconciled my last spreadsheet for the man, constructed my last PowerPoint deck for senior leadership, and cease to be a cog in the soul crushing machine that is corporate America. Now that I have put this ambition out there in print (pixels, but you get the point), I have an accountability network, and this group of ours excels at holding each other accountable. If anybody else could use a midyear recalibration, I think the dawn of a new school year marks a good point on the calendar to reassess, realign, and get going. As Andy Dufrense said, it’s time to get busy living. Now, there are steaks to be grilled (get the outdoor flattop griddle, it’s life changing), backyard footballs to be thrown, and riddles of how to monetize writing things on the internet to be solved.
My brother Kenneth McCuistion doesn’t have an F³ name. He’s never even been to a workout. But, he is the first man to have EH’d me. On the last stop of my active-duty journey in South Korea, he introduced me to the 3F’s. He saw me and knew I needed to join him in workouts, he connected with me and took me along to bible studies, and he became my friend.
In Junior ROTC we called it camaraderie and esprit de corps, but after a few years of ending my active duty time, I began to miss something I didn’t even realize I had. I looked for it for a long time. I looked in the North Carolina Army National Guard, but it wasn’t the same. One weekend a month, 2 weeks a year, didn’t prove to fill the empty. I looked by getting married, and by going to school, and by taking jobs. And each glimmering mirage failed to fill the void.
I went looking for it again when I saw an F³ sticker on the back of a truck window. I got really excited when I saw that F³ stood for fitness, fellowship, and faith. I knew that I needed more development in each, but I stayed a sad clown because the Nation was growing, just not close to me. Flash forward a few years and I live closer to the birthplace of F³, and so I go looking again, and I find just a glimpse of what I’ve been looking for.
I start going out regularly to workouts, and yeah my fitness improves, and I’m seeing the same guys, but I’m still on the outside, still seeking that feeling, still lacking the secret sauce. I start doing Sanctuary on Monday nights, connecting with other men who carry a similar passion for Christ, getting a little bit deeper in fellowship and faith, and a little closer to the taste. Then we did some serving and some giveaways for Christ’s Closet and in the deepened relationships I found what I hoped would end my craving. But that mental battle of being worthy of that level of fellowship, of really being in it together with a common mission was always a struggle.
Go forward a few more years and I learn about a Grow Ruck happening in Charlotte. Now I am always down for a CSAUP and my brother is leading Grow Ruck training on Saturday nights. Right there, after the first ruck, I have a realization that feels novel and profound: the Bible commands us to carry each other’s burdens.
I remember carrying my load when on active duty, but I don’t remember much about others helping carry my load. I wasn’t a believer back then and couldn’t see the others bearing my burdens with me. Collins, Brother Dan, Ski, AJ, and McCuistion all knew about the depression, the suicidal thoughts, the anxiety.
In that moment I started to really see what it was like for others to carry my burdens. I got smacked in the head and realized that I’m not carrying my burdens alone, I’ve got brothers who are next to me, who are helping me carry my weights. I got to see again, and maybe in more living color, the 3F’s and what they mean. The why we should pass it on, the why it’s important that we give it away. When we are brave enough to give it away, we unlock and unshackle other men.
I failed the Grow Ruck 24 PT test. I wiggle-wormed my way through push-ups and didn’t have the ability to complete the two mile run in the time allotted. That was no big surprise to me. When we were asked by the Cadre to bear crawl and crab walk I was ready to throw in the towel. While we were going through the water, I considered tapping out. Walking toward the Community Matters Cafe, I felt light-headed, nauseous and was cramping, ready to quit. The spiral ramp of the Muthaship seemed to never end and I was so weak I had to rest our Old Glory on my shoulder. I didn’t spend enough time carrying the coupons. I spent a lot of my time in the six just trying to keep up.
I’m grateful for my brother’s words of encouragement and wisdom at sunrise. I really needed to hear Romans 5:3-4; suffering produces perseverance; perseverance produces character; character produces hope! We had come through the dark of the night and into the morning light and I finally had hope that I could finish!
Truly my hope was born in those who believed in me and believed I could finish. Born in those who were already carrying my weight. My brother took me aside and said “look at my eyes… I believe you can do it” and so I looked through his eyes, through all of their eyes, to keep going. When I wasn’t so self-focused I could look to my right and my left and see those trudging beside me hurting like me and wanting to give up as much as me, but just like me, they kept pounding, kept pushing.
I’ve lost Brothers to war and to suicide and have lost my connection with most of the men I served with because of the burdens they bear. Kenneth McCuistion doesn’t have an F³ name, because he never made it to a workout. I let him down and didn’t help him carry his burden. He committed suicide while we were in South Korea and that really messed me up for a long time.
I didn’t find out until recently that what I was searching for was more than camaraderie, it’s a brotherhood, a family, a connection… I know that it’s hard to ask for help, and sometimes it’s even harder to accept, but we are commanded to carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ. (Galatians 6:2) When we go it alone we deny others the opportunity to serve, to be like Christ.
Thank you to F³ Nation. Thank you for Sanctuary, for workouts, for Qsource, for all those opportunities to build the esprit de corps, camaraderie and brotherhood that I’ve been searching for since I left active duty. Thank you for the unshackling.
Six fine gentlemen we ready to follow YHC for the Brave today. I did warn the folks that my emotions were a bit charged today as the family had just dropped our oldest 2.0 off at school. The University of Tennessee. Yes, exciting times, but still not easy to have a kid move out after 18 years.
The Warm Up
Mosey east on Ballantyne Commons and stop at the first apartment complex.
13 SSH
13 Imperial Walkers
Plank with right foot to right hand, flapjack
The Thang
The course was to run BC, turn right on Elm, which turns then into Bryant Farms, turned left into the Y, then exit the Y onto Community House and head back to launch at the Gibson. 4.20 ish miles.
From the entrance of the Y to the exit, Indian run. Haz Mat had a shoe issue and stopped, but then like Willie Mays Hayes (name the movie) he shot past us as the lead runner and never missed a beat.
We made 13 stops along the way. Each stop was for 1 minute of work.
We finished with 30 seconds of plank at launch.
Great work men and I always appreciate the support.
Announcements
Blood Drive in October
Q School August 21st at Da Vinci (6:30am)
Discussion with War Eagle about the Brave being an IronPax Challenge site for the month of September. Keep an eye on slack for more details.
COT
YHC closed us out and hoping all the parents stay strong as they send their kids back to school, off to college or to school for the first time. Exciting but emotional. We have hopefully raised (and continue to raise) them correctly and allow them to spread their wings no matter what stage of life they are in. Be there to guide.
SweetWater
6 absolute studs came to have some rock fun.
Warmup/Thang:
Mosey to benches behind high school
50 dips IC
then 20 dips IC
To the stairs; 10 Tysons on top, at bottom 10 hand release merkins; repeat 3x
To rocks by HS parking lot; lifting rock, 20 goblet squats IC, 20 presses IC, 20 thrusters IC
To the benches behind the high school-10 merkins, 10 wide arm merkins, 10 diamond merkins, 10 derkins
To the rock pile on path, lifting rock 20 goblet squats IC, 20 presses IC, 20 thrusters IC
To rock pile by poop shed-running rock taken; 20 LBC IC, 20 Flutter IC; 20 heels to heaven IC
With running rock-run up path to rocks ready to go-complete 20 Goblet squats, 20 presses, 20 thrusters
Run back down to end of path with rock, 20 merkins
With rock, run back to rocks-10 goblet squats, 10 presses, 10 thrusters
Back down to path, 20 merkins; 20 low slow squats
Mosey to rocks in HS parking lot; 20 curls IC;
Then run to HS front benches; 25 step ups; 10 derkins
Run to front of middle school-50 donkey kicks, run to street, 40 donkey kicks, to street, then back to start
Done -3.5 mi
Moleskin:
Apologies to those that wanted more running Smithers. Tried not to bring a full Ignition workout to Swarm; Pretty sure the really humid morning sucked the life out of most of us as the legs weren’t moving that fast towards the end. Neither were our mouths as the chatter was getting quieter and that extra 15 felt especially long today.
Mute killing the rock lifting, not as fond of the rock running (none of us were). Blue Screen once again proving that age doesn’t matter out there. No stop in that man. Sugar Daddy must have been fired up because he even threw in a pre-run. Nice. Ghosted loves the 60 min workouts. Dude has the endurance. Smithers still satisfied post-workout despite the lack of heavy miles. Always good to through a few hiit workouts in your marathon regimen. Gerber loves the new warm-up routine. Big fan. Until next time…
4 PAX at Last Call for a change of pace.
THE GOOD NEWS: With the small crowd, it allows the Q to use gear and do different things . . . Kind of like when I started F3 and Transporter used to come rolling into Cutty Middle dragging his trunk due to all the gear . . . for a 5 man workout.
THE BAD NEWS: Not really any place to hide . . . If you want to modify or coast into the weekend with limited efforts, a small crowd makes it difficult . . . Since Dasher is staring at you the entire workout
THE NEWS:
I still get lost every time I’m there. Maybe it’s because it’s always dark at 5:20am when I visit. Anyway, this time I brought some Lawson locals to help me navigate the 32 cul-de sacs and trail system.
DICCs
Mosey a mile on over to Lawson clubhouse. Avoid getting hit by all of the Flash crew. Pretend not to hear any of the heckling about headlamps.
Warm up: Squats x15
Thang: at the playground-10 mike tysons then 10 pull ups, repeat 5x
To Deer Meadows Dr., to Sewee Ln and Southern Trace Dr., circle, then to Ringtail same thing; at every corner 2 merkins, then 4 merkins, etc to 10; start again at 2 up to 8; Basically we ran around the blocks twice, small rectangle, then bigger one; was supposed to be a third but that didn’t exist.
Down to bottom of Deer Meadows in cul de sac; 20 jump squats
Then: 10 Big Boys; run through the path to Ringtail Dr. cul de sac; 10 scorpion CDD each leg; repeat 3 times;
Time to head back; at every light pole to Lawson clubhouse 4 merkins
Then at every light pole to Cuthbertson street 8 jump squats
At cabin guys house (est. 12/16/19 backblast) collect crew and run down to stop sign 20 scorpion dry docs at speed bump and at stop sign
5 mi plus passed by many F3 homes
Moleskin:
Fast crew for this epic and delightful adventure down to the gold plated streets of Lawson filled with sunshine and rainbows pretty average run through Lawson again. Powerful and strategic marketing leads to enormous Ignition crowds as usual. No I didn’t just make this workout up the morning of. The nerve. Yes they all worked hard except for the nameless pax who we caught walking through the dark streets of Lawson.
Bottlecap-Took off his shirt at the 50 minute mark. Winner for longest shirt wearer. Also had the gall to try and push the pace on multiple occasions. Until 6:08 that is.
Dasher-Immediately took off his shirt pre-workout. Also loves his new and improved kippingless pullups routine.
Easy Button-Shirt came off at the 40 minute mark. Also tried to correct me about Goggle Maps being incorrect about a lack of street placement. Easy ignore.
Glidah-Never wore a shirt. Came shirtless. Also unsure if he actually owns a shirt. Doesn’t sweat. Just glistens.
Announcements: Yes
Written at the (winsome) request of Posse about GTE 24 – The Mutha
Our world teaches us to focus on ourselves: our reputation, fitness, looks, wealth, and power. Hundreds of organizations and gimmicks offer to help. From a distance, F3 can appear the same: “Join our free workout, get fit, make friends, and become a better man.” But unlike those organizations and gimmicks, F3 does not make you a better man through self-focus.
You might have a similarly incorrect idea about the Growruck: that it is a personal test of fitness and endurance. Again, the truth is different. It is the opportunity to serve your brothers by encouraging them, carrying their load, and sparing them pain by taking it on yourself.
Nearly 120 men arrived at 4pm at AG Middle School and lined up with rucksacks with a 30 lb weight, 6 liters of water, and other gear for a total of ~ 50 lbs. Then the PT test: 40 hand release merkins in 2 mins, 50 buttlerfly sit ups in 2 mins, and a 2 mile run in 18 mins. It was hot and we stood in the sun while each man passed or failed. Then we did exercises at stations at AG and got messed with for another hour or two. I did the minimum to pass the PT test. This generated cadre mocking, which I welcomed. Every extra rep for myself (to show how strong I was) was strength marginally less available to give to my brother later.
We lost 18 at AG from a bad mix of the heat, the PT, and the exercises. Then we divided into 4 platoons of 24-25 men each and set off for 20+ miles over the remainder of the night (16 hours total). Each platoon started burdened with sandbags of 120, 80, and 60 pounds, plus less heavy water coupons, ammo cans, and a shovel flag. Along the way, we heard about leadership, personal journeys, and some military instruction. We went to Freedom park, got in the lake for shenanigans, then went to Community Matters in part via ~1.5 miles wading through the slippery rocks of Sugar Creek. At Community Matters, we traded the sandbags for a phone pole (log), went up to the top of the Muthaship & down a couple times, and then traded the phone pole for a “dutch baby” contraption made of pallets and some kind of heavy machinery. Along the way, I made new friends and was particularly impacted by my new friend Mr. Fixit, a constant encourager. It was also good to be under the anvil with old friends like Uncle, Titan, CSPAN, and Kid Rock. I missed the opportunity to be with others in other platoons, and particularly missed not being able to lend a hand or word of support to other brothers, like my man Radar (who crushed it without me).
We headed home with a sunrise stop at the Myers Park CC tennis courts. At this stop, Moonshine got up and spoke, quoting from Romans 5 (with permission but without attribution):
We also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope.
This passage was impossible for me to understand until I had truly suffered. Now it is impossible for me to understand life without it.
Not that a Growruck is true suffering. Nor will a Growruck produce character, even though some of the guys left feeling that way. That 16 hours was but a dim reflection of real pain.
But which of you was able to run a marathon without training? Or to excel in whatever you do at a high level without practice? That is what a Growruck is. Practice. Practice enduring a small amount of suffering in order to train in how to respond. What I have learned that is my response to the suffering of others should be sacrifice. And the Growruck was practice for that. So if you are considering a Growruck, I suggest you consider it for that reason: one type of practice responding to pain in others by taking their pain upon yourself.
You will transform that way, and in few others.