I was stuck in a rut. My comfort zone was too comfortable. I found myself posting at the same AO’s week after week. There were other spots out there to explore, but it was too easy to simply rinse and repeat week after week.
The Mix26 Challenge came along at the right time. It was a team competition this summer to see who could Q and post at the greatest number of unique AO’s. You got 2 points for Qing at an AO and 1 point for posting at an AO, though after you Q’ed and posted at the same AO, you had maxed out your points at that spot. You had to mix it up to keep accruing points.
Soon I was showing up to AO’s I had never been to before. Ambassador. The Rock. Stair City. Brother’s Keeper. Yoda, Tabasco, and I played 21 at Brick City. Freydaddy led an impactful Q at The Arena to celebrate 10 years of sobriety. High Life and I were the only two one morning at The Forge.
After years of hearing about The Triple, I finally experienced it firsthand. Ball Bearings on Wednesday, The Judge on Thursday, and Fight Club on Friday. Money Hose gave a speech about the Mexicans at Yorktown as I relished my McDonald’s breakfast burrito. It was sublime.
I even ventured out of the Raleigh bubble to accrue points. I Q’ed the Crick at Brier Creek and Tony’s Arcade in North Raleigh. I posted in Nashville, TN on a business trip. Geddy, Peace Pipe, Shake n’Bake, and YHC made F3 Killarney happen in Ireland. Mix26 was the catalyst for all of that.
The competition part really encouraged teams to get after it. The Forge (Pocket Change, Nomad, Brunswick Stew, Rice-a-Roni, Milk Money, and Katahdin) was locked in a battle for #1 with Brother’s Keeper (Don’t Fix It, Hashbrown, High Life, Bike Shorts, Blue Lagoon, and Hot Tub Time Machine), with The Forge finishing first. General Assembly (Joey Chestnut, Boitano, Band Camp, My Pleasure, Norwood, and Dow) fought off Sasquatch (Heifer, Jimmer, Couch Trip, Studio Space, McMansions, and Dr. Quinn) for 3rd place.
Individuals also competed for the top point totals. Nomad, High Life, Bike Shorts, Brendle’s, Katahdin, Jimmer, Norwood, Yoda, Mandlebaum, and YHC aggressively Q’ed and posted all over. Congrats to Nomad for coming out on top.
The best part about Mix26 was crossing paths with guys I don’t normally see. F3 Raleigh is strong, and you truly get to see that when you venture out beyond your comfort zone. Here’s to continuing to mix it up going forward.