There are no hills like home (or, I’m not in Iowa this morning)

Preamble:

Full Disclosure: Cornhole asked me to act as his ghostwriter for this backblast.  A few life events have transpired since I was at the Wreck last August: I graduated from college, married the love of my life and turned another year older this past Friday the 2nd of August.  But, being that the Wreck does such a good job tracking birthdays, I was reminded by Sprocket that I was on the Q sheet to lead my birthday workout.  After driving through the night to Roswell with my new bride last Thursday night/Friday a.m., I figured it was best to wait until this a.m. (before driving all the way back to Iowa today to begin grad’ school) to lead the men of the Wreck in a very un-Iowa-like beatdown in celebration of my birthday.

Warm-O-Rama:

After Sprocket showed up wearing the Wreck’s bday boy armor plate carrier (had forgotten about that part), I quickly put it on and adjusted the workout plans accordingly to accommodate the weight of another year.  Circled the PAX up in the parking lot for several rounds of warm-up exercises with the help of several PAX that included cotton-pickers, windmills, hillbillies and side straddle hops at 10-20 rep’s each.  Then, an easy mosey to the football field to keep the celebration going.

The Thang:

Requested PAX to form two-man teams and line up on the goal line.  I like to run (plus I have marathon coming up soon, so…) it was time to get some sprints in.  With each teammate taking his turn, the work went like this:

Partner 1 runs to 25 yd. line and back; Partner 2 performs as many Merkins as possible

Partner 1 runs to 50 yd. line and back; Partner 2 performs as many big boy sit-ups as possible

Partner 1 runs 75 yds and back; Partner 2 performs as many lunges as possible

Partner 1 runs 100 yds and back; Partner 2 performs as many squats as possible

Flip flop b/t each partner as distance sprinted increases. Hold a plank for the Six when finished.  After a 10-count, Rinse and repeat but with Partner 2 beginning each set for the team.

For the next two rounds, exercises were changed somewhat to:

Partner 1 runs to 25 yd. line and back; Partner 2 performs as many burpees as possible

Partner 1 runs to 50 yd. line and back; Partner 2 performs LBC’s as possible

Partner 1 runs 75 yds and back; Partner 2 performs a plank hold

Partner 1 runs 100 yds and back; Partner 2 performs as many squats as possible

Flip flop b/t each partner as distance sprinted increases. Hold an air chair for the Six when finished.  After a 10-count, Rinse and repeat but with Partner 2 beginning each set for the team.

YHC thought he could tell that all PAX were enjoying everything so much, he decided that a trip to the Wreck’s incline of many names was in need of a visit.  Mosey to base of hill (which Iowa has none of, I’ll tell you).  Beginning with 10 big boy sit-ups at the bottom of the hill, all PAX then bear crawled up the hill to the street where 10 Stone Mountain push-ups were performed followed by another uphill mosey to the gymnastics building where everyone enjoyed doing 10 burpees before moseying to rest of the way to the pond.

Just enough time left for some “Catch me if you can” around the pond.  As a 2-man team, select a partner to run forward around the pond while his teammate runs backwards until caught where each would exchange places.  YHC was so glad about getting more mileage in before the LONG drive back to Iowa, that he nearly forgot that time was running out.  An audible was called to all PAX enjoying their runs around the pond so that everyone would get back to the flag in time.  Arrived at flag with seconds to spare (Of course, there were a handful of PAX getting some Mary in just because they could).  And, just like that, I had more elevation gain that almost the entire last year working out and running in Iowa.

COT:

After counting off and hearing some concerns for families with physical as well as emotional/spiritual needs, YHC closed the workout with prayer.

Naked-Man Moleskin:

While there were some new (to me) faces at the Wreck, it was also good to see some familiar faces from last summer before I became an old(er), educated and married man.  And, that’s one of the great things about F3, no matter where men are in their own journey through life, all can meet-up to enjoy spending some time getting stronger, encouraging one another, and, once-a-year, being handed a heavy reminder that even though life will change for him, a man can accomplish more that he thought possible and make it so that other men can too.  Until next summer, Cornhole out.