“I guess it comes down to a simple choice, get busy living or get busy dying”- Andy Dufrene
“Owens, you have to stop opening essays with Shawshank Redemption quotes”- YHC’s Junior English teacher
Birthdays make YHC emotional. This is a known fact. A day for self-deprecating humor about YHCs body breaking down but also a time of reflection and gratitude for everyone in my life.
YHC arrived at the stage with perfect F3 weather and made a few laps around the track reflecting on lessons learned in a whirlwind of 34 years. The lone lights of a familiar Tundra cut through the gloom and YHCs sensei/F3 mentor joined the fray. The flag was planted and a two-man birthday beatdown commenced.
Warm Up
34 SSH, 20 IW, AC, Cherry Pickers, High Knees, Butt Kicks -Bumper to Stop Sign Mosey
The Thang- 5 Rules of Aging
Rule #1 Recognize your Danger Zone
YHC is approaching the age where things start to break. Physical fitness is vital when entering the health danger zone and F3 has been a gamechanger for consistency and accountability in this department.
JBL played “Danger Zone” by Kenny Loggins- Burpees on Danger Zone, Windmills on the rest then a lap around the track
Rule #2 Cleanse the Palate
As the years pass its very easy to pick up baggage. These stick to us like barnacles inhibiting progress and growth.
We added an exercise each round to represent the yearly barnacles with a track lap in between as the cleanser.
Round 1: 4 reps of 4X4: 4 Merkins, 4 mountain climbers, back to stand position with hands up- that’s 1
Round 2 added 21s (all clear 2/3 rounds, let my mind wander once and we paid 5 burpees)
Round 3 added 34 calf raises.
Round 4 added 88 lbcs
Rule #3 Stop and Smell the Roses
YHC has been learning to step off the hamster wheel and look around. God has filled our life with Graces waiting to be accepted.
We completed a round of Protractors. Start on your 6 in leg raise position, increased elevation slowly and incrementally by alternating the count until we reached 90 degrees. We both found it difficult to keep up with this cadence and many numbers were repeated. Went round 2 with low and slow squats.
Rule #4 We are all in the same Boat
F3 has given me a great sense of companionship with fellow 30- and 40-year-old washed up fart sackers. At the end of the day we are all rowing the boat together.
Alternated Bar lunges with 10 merkins from the stage to the benches.
Rule #5 If you get knocked down, get back up
No lengthy discourse here. ChumbaWamba did the talking.
JBL provided a thunderous rendition of “TubThumping” while we got down and got back up roughly 34 times with high knees for the rest. This one was dedicated to Enron.
Just enough time for an additional #rule 6, spend some time with Mary.
20 Wife Pleasers
Goose led Lazy Boys
20 Penguins
Grateful for the camaraderie and leadership opportunities that F3 provides. Solid way to start the bday festivities and get a jump on the next 34 years.
Announcements and plans for attending the Zoorich Classic.
Prayers for upcoming events
COT and Goose prayed us out
Till then next Gloom
-Paradox
