25 PAX came out to Rolling Stone for an anniversary horseshoe workout at the track:

 Mosey to the track for warmup:

  • SSH X 30
  • Windmills X 20
  • Squats X 20
  • Stormtroopers X 20

 The Lucky Horseshoe:

  • Lap 1
  • MericansX20
  • Lap 2
  • MericansX20, Storm SquatsX20
  • Lap 3
  • MericansX20, Storm SquatsX20, Scorpion Dry DocsX20
  • Lap 4
  • MericansX20, Storm SquatsX20, Scorpion Dry DocsX20, WW2 SitupsX20
  • Lap 5
  • MericansX20, Storm SquatsX20, Scorpion Dry DocsX20, WW2 SitupsX20, LungesX20
  • Lap 6
  • Storm SquatsX20, Scorpion Dry DocsX20, WW2 SitupsX20, LungesX20
  • Lap 7
  • Scorpion Dry DocsX20, WW2 SitupsX20, LungesX20
  • Lap 8
  • WW2 SitupsX20, LungesX20
  • Lap 9
  • LungesX20
  • Lap 10

Moleskin:

Thanks to everyone who came out to Rolling Stone today! Strong work today by all of the PAX. I was hurt on my 1yr anniversary and it meant a lot that you guys came out to celebrate with me today on my 2nd.

Two years ago I was skinny fat: 35lbs overweight with a physique that resembled an early third trimester pregnancy. My blood pressure was a concern (165/95), I was suffering dizzy spells, and I was easily winded at any attempts to play with my four sons. I was headed for a mid-40’s heart attack.

I had no friends. A move from Greenville, SC several years ago to Concord led into a busy career and family life. While there were many work and church acquaintances in my life, with the exception of my wife and kids I felt utterly alone.

I now look back at 2 years in F3: The weight is gone and the blood pressure is in check. While I am forever grateful for the change in my fitness, F3 can’t be summed up with a before and after selfie. What I am most grateful for is the group of men I am surrounded with who know and support me. I’m thankful for:

A Free Ride: Pox EH’d me the first day I met him at the neighborhood pool. I overheard him talking about exercise and I approached him to ask where he worked out. He asked if I had heard of F3 and, without going into many details, he offered to drive me to a workout the next morning. That offer turned a “might go someday” into a “going tomorrow”. I took him up on it and Pox continued to drive me to the next several workouts.

I have learned from Pox that a leader actually leads. He didn’t tell me what to do with the hope that I take the first step. Instead, he took that first step with me. If you want to EH someone properly, don’t ramble on about F3, point them to the website, and hope they show up some day. Instead, offer to pick them up for tomorrow’s workout.

Acceptance: 10 minutes into the first workout, it was clear I was in over my head. I was spilling merlot well before Mary. That was the story for the next several workouts. It can be extremely uncomfortable to be the newcomer, who can’t hang with the group, and is throwing up mid-way through the workout. The other PAX (especially Haskell, Pox, Skipper, KGB, and Hammer) went out of their way to let me know it was normal and that, before long, I’d start to see changes in my fitness and stamina. They rarely commented about where I was at but instead commented on what I would become.

For the first six months, I found myself at the six at most workouts (especially running). However, I was never there alone. Guys like Chowder and Gump took it upon themselves to forgo their own workout ambitions and to invest in the guys (like me) struggling in the back.

I have learned from all of them that leaders don’t consider others who are struggling to be less than themselves. Instead, they reach down to their level to pull them up.

Getting Picked: I have heard F3 referred to as “adult recess” and I believe it to be so. On any playground, nobody wants to be the last guy picked for a team. In the beginning, partner exercises were an uncomfortable situation for me because I never wanted to hold someone else back. It meant a lot to me when guys like The Nanny, Chowder, Skipper, and Col. Mustard chose me to partner even though I clearly couldn’t keep up with them. They made me feel like their peer even though I wasn’t; at least from a fitness level.

I have learned from them that leaders consider all men to be their equals; even if their capabilities aren’t currently up to par.

Respects: As I approached my 40’s, I began to accept the excuse of getting older. That is, until I met respects like S.S. Minnow and Pharaoh. They’re technically old enough to be my father and yet they smoke the PAX at every workout I see them.

From watching them lead up front (from far behind), I see that age is never an excuse and that F3 can be a 30 year adventure for me.

Those in Front: I have spent much of my life attempting to excel and “look good” in whatever station I find myself. I now see that mindset is only an illusion. At every workout, there’s always a PAX member (Stoli, Chowder, The Nanny, Frodo, Loco, Mattress King….the list goes on) that I will be chasing. While I always make it my personal goal to catch them (and I will), I also hope I never do because I will then have to find other guys to chase.

In trying to chase the PAX in front, I have learned that winning is only a relative goal….the true goal is continually improving.

The new Guys: At every AO, there is a new guy who is in the same place I was a couple of years ago. For them, the workout is infinitely harder than for those in front. Watching the new guy give his all is some of the best inspiration.

I remember once standing in a COT wondering where Dingo (at the time a new guy) was. It wasn’t long before we all realized that he had chosen to hang back to finish a WIB; no matter what time he finished (other PAX had called it quits when time was up). Dingo is now the backbone of an AO in our region. The same can be said of Waterboy; who pushes harder than anyone and is the heart and soul of my current AO.

In watching the new guys, I have learned that physical capabilities aren’t the measure of a PAX member. Strength, speed, and stamina will all improve over time. It’s what’s in their guts and hearts that matters.

Hard Workouts: There have been a number of Q’s (Fishwrap, Stoli, Col. Mustard, Gnarly Goat to name a few) that dish out workouts that always kick my ass. It’s those workouts that I look forward to the most. It’s because their workouts hold me in a higher esteem than I hold myself because they demand more of me than I believe I am capable of.

Inevitably, there’s a point in their workouts where I don’t think I will finish the rep, set, or the workout altogether. Their words of encouragement, combined with the push from the other PAX, results in me doing more. I come away from those workouts physically spent, but with a new found confidence because I have done something I never did before.

I have learned from these Qs that a great leader asks other men to do hard things because he knows they’re capable of it.

Transparency: I don’t know many men who are willing to be transparent. Put into a group situation, most will prop up an image they have made of themselves. In F3 I have encountered a number of men who are strong enough to be genuine. I have admired guys like Frodo who are willing to reveal the good and bad because it gives God glory. I have appreciated the weekly drive to El Dorado with Law Dawg, because the 2nd/3rd discussions in the car always eclipse the actual workout.

From these guys I have learned that true male friendship starts with transparency and it’s the strong ones who are willing to be genuine.

Commitment: A year into F3, I pulled my groin badly at a sprint workout; which resulted in months of specialist visits, x-rays and MRIs, rehab, and injections.  Barely able to walk, my fitness level dropped almost immediately. After many missed workouts, I also found myself in an emotional funk. Guys like Chowder, Bling, and Winnebago are the reason I am still in F3.  Throughout my time away, they (and other PAX members) reached out on back blasts, Twitter, email, etc. to let me know I was missed, that I was needed.

After several months away, Winnebago invited me to a workout that he led. He chose exercises I could still do in spite of my injury. That was my turning point. From that point forward, I attended workouts and did what I could despite the injury. It took another six months, but I am now back up to speed.

Guys fall out of F3 for a variety of reasons. I will admit that there are many in my PAX that have left and, months later, I have wondered where they are but have made no attempt to reach them. I have learned through guys like Winnebago that reaching out to a missing PAX member and showing you care can make a major difference in their life.

In closing….I have a lot to be thankful for and there’s no doubt I have neglected some PAX on this post. You run that risk anytime you start naming names. To everyone named and unnamed, I offer my deepest thanks. You have impacted me greatly and simply being around you makes me work to be a better man.

 

 

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