Fort Meigs Ruck (The Necropolis)
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Date/Time
Date(s) - 10/09/2018
5:30 am - 6:30 am
The Q:
Buttermaker & Flo
Location
Fort Meigs
Categories No Categories
Tags:
Perrysburg, ruck
What the ruck is a ruck? A hike with a weighted backpack (approx 30 lbs) while stopping along the brisk walk to do some invigorating exercise. Excellent 1st F (fitness) and 2nd F (fellowship). If an FNG (Friendly New Guy) is a bit timid to post for a workout the ruck is a great intro to the pax.
Boulder’s “Beach Body Brainwash” Backblast
70 degrees Fahrenheit.
92% Humidity.
20 PAX.
Dew.
Mosquitos.
Rucksacks.
42 lb water jug (x2)
40 lb sand bag
60 lb sand bag
80 lb sand bag
Welcome to “Squat ‘Tober”
20 men started their day with a victory and posted to support the return of a few long lost faces and the welcoming of a new Sylvania expat. Even if that word doesn’t fit, I wanted to write it.
Started with a Count-O-Rama around our shovel flag reminding us of the blessings and freedoms we have to live in the United States.
During the Count-O-Rama, with rucksacks on, everyone held a squat. The lower one was, the more burn he felt.
20.
To be responsible to lead 20 men in a morning workout isn’t something taken lightly, and I gladly took the challenge and spent time preparing something that hasn’t really been done much in these parts.
“Welcome to F3.”
Fitness Fellowship Faith
We are a band of brothers who work out, encourage each other, and pull for each other.
F3 is open to ALL men
it is ALWAYS free (besides all the gear you may end up buying) 😉
it is ALWAYS held outside
ALWAYS lead by one of us (non professionals)
and F3 always ends in a COT.
A quick little message, while everyone holds a squat, rucksack on.
“Get FROM the day, instead of getting THROUGH the day.”
Each PAX was encouraged to take life lessons and nuggets throughout the day. Before the COT, each PAX will share something they got FROM the morning workout, so, PAX were made aware to be open and glean FROM the day.
You against you was explained. Today’s ruck and workout is designed to take folks to the limit. Step aside or modify if needed.
The mission of F3 is to plant, grow, and serve small workout groups in order to reinvigorate male community leadership.
“Why invigorate?”
PAX give definition, ears are open, thoughts are moving.
“What is a sad clown?”
Thanks to an interruption by Stark, everyone got a break from the squats…
To do Merkins.
In cadence.
Rucksacks on.
Lead by Stark
(x25)
The Necropolis had 3 PAX who completed a 50 mile ruck in Cincinnati over the weekend bless us with their presence.
Tots shared a little about his mindset, and thoughts that got him through.
Tore up feet and all, Tots lead us in Flutter Kicks.
In cadence.
4 count (x25)
Time for the water and sand.
50 mile star course PAX got the 6 and were responsible for calling the rotation of the coupons.
At the base of Fort Meigs, PAX learned about the things we tell ourselves and how those things heard audibly, mixed with emotion, over a period of time, tend to be what we believe at a subconscious level. Essentially, the things we hear often, mixed with emotion, program us. PAX were encouraged to CHOOSE those thoughts, to be the CREATORS of their programming, to not let self doubt or lies get in the way of being the men they were created to be.
We are ALL LEADERS! Whether we feel like it or not. We need to change our thoughts to match our reality.
What better way to do that than when our hearts are beating and the endorphins are running.
Reverse walk up the hill to the fort. Those PAX that reach the top first come back to get the coupons from the six.
50 milers were there to encourage and remind the PAX that “they got this,” that “they are leaders.”
Part funny or weird, but the message got through.
I guess over 260 lbs of coupons was no where near enough to cause these PAX to want to quit.
SAVAGES!!!
Duly noted for next time.
Circle up and hold a squat with rucksacks on.
Q-Bert decided to take his mother fricken’ time while everyone’s quads started to blow out. I have no idea what he said because all I wanted to do was crush his face. The amount of burn happening in my legs was about to erupt and make me Vesuvius and Q-Bert Pompeii.
Fleeting flashes of “F3 Brothers” “picked up the 6” and “carried my ruck over the next hill” were some of the encouraging bits that I remembered. “The other men are what got me through.”
Ruck and coupons to the bottom of the hill, about 30 yards further than the base.
PAX reminded again that the things we say audibly, mixed with emotion, over time create our beliefs. As an extra anecdote, I shared how Tony Robbins has his affirmations (he calls them cantations) and he repeats them loudly, with emotion, as he works out and runs for the day. His heart rate is up and it does more for his mind than sitting idle, with no emotion, low energy, and basically just hoping.
With about a 15-20 second head start, the coupons sprint up the hill and the rest of the PAX were encouraged to catch them.
“For every PAX that doesn’t beat the coupons up the hill, we will be doing 10 burpees.”
I am not confident that more than 3 folks caught at least one coupon.
We did NOT do 150 burpees at this time. Due to the time constraints of the planned workout, those 150 burpees will be added on to a future AO.
Break.
Breathe.
Water.
Hacksaw stepped in and shared a bit about his personal story of transformation and encouraged everyone. Small incremental changes add up over time. Essentially, compound interest doesn’t work only in finance but in our lives as well. We were encouraged to keep showing up and showing out. The consistency, over time, will what makes the long term lasting changes.
Smurf Squat Jumping Jacks
Lead by Boulder
4 (ish) counts
(x20)
Hazmat stepped in to share some victories and challenges with weight loss and encouraged the PAX.
Boulder down for the count.
In all of the workouts I have posted in, I have never witnessed the leader go down.
This was not an “I cannot finish this,” or an “I quit” type of going down.
It was a “hey jackass, you need to breathe when you lead smurf squat jumping jacks.”
Light headed and woozy, several PAX got their 6 and showed out.
A humbling and encouraging experience.
The PAX slowed it down and started to travel back to the start, completely skipping the BEAR CRAWL with rucks from the bottom of the hill to the top. Duly noted. Add that to the 150 burpees for next time.
To their credit, they did not know what was coming up next.
After I was able to compose myself, we did a mini bear crawl up about a 15 foot hill. Hey, it was better than nothing.
Returning to the circle, Flo lead off with a life nugget and shared what he got FROM the day so far.
Romans 12:1-2. “Be transformed by the renewing of your mind… ”
All PAX were encouraged to look up those verses during the day to go deeper in understanding and see how those words relate to time spent acknowledging God and chewing on His Word.
Each PAX shared what they got FROM the morning and encouraged each and every one of us.
From celebrating the small victories, to removing the negative thoughts and installing positive ones, to never leaving the playground (enjoying life and having fun), to appreciation of each other, many different ideas were tossed out.
With 3 minutes left, we did 3 burpees.
Yes, 3 burpees.
Ended with a Name-O-Rama
and a COT.
20 PAX total
Cobra
Shaft
Buttermaker
Q-Bert
Bourbon
Dutch
Ponzi
Casper
Tots
Woodstock
Yeti
Stark
Haz-mat
Mile High
Huffy
Hacksaw
Flow
Jennay
Coal
Q- Boulder
PS- One giant takeaway for me was to breathe and allow time for recovery. There is value in oxygen. Also, every one of these guys was willing and able to take the ruck, offer water, offer Gatorade, etc. Truly humbled to know these men.
Quick supplement to the backblast as I have had time to process.
The F3 Mission is to plant, grow, and serve small workout groups in order to reinvigorate male community leadership.
I’ve been chewing on the leadership portion over the last 24 hours.
When one has the opportunity or privilege to Q an AO, it shouldn’t be taken lightly. Just showing up and fumbling over things is not something that inspires or reinvigorates anything.
Leading should be considered a responsibility and care should be taken to do our best as site Qs.
I like the fact that I lost a bit of sleep planning and trying to tire out the PAX with my planned coupons…
Turns out, if 20 PAX show up, I needed to have about 2 to 3 times the amount of coupons that I had. Lesson learned. I’ll be a better leader next time.
Another lesson I learned is that PAX are no joke. Someone ran up a real deal, real life, fort’s hill with 80 lbs of sand on their back faster than most PAX chasing them. I need to find a bigger hill or find more sand. Also, if I plan on providing an opportunity to gas folks, I need to think bigger and harder.
Rotation of coupons could’ve been managed better. With so few, some folks might not have touched the coupons. I’ll be better next time.
One last thing, I will manage my breathing better. Ha!
Thank you gentlemen for the opportunity and privilege to lead.
-Boulder