“Every morning in Africa a gazelle wakes up and knows it must be faster than the fastest lion or it will be killed.
Every morning in Africa a lion wakes up and knows it must be faster than the slowest gazelle or it will starve.
It doesn’t matter whether you are a lion or a gazelle, when the sun comes up you better be running “
-African proverb
Todays beatdown inspiration was a bit of a “give a mouse a cookie” situation. YHC recently saw the above quote and tucked it away into the “beatdown ingredient “folder for later. Shortly after that YHC read a Nola backblast (shoutout to Charmin) with a “catch me if you can” modification called lions and gazelles. Shortly after THAT Gooses new years beatdown had pax 1 mile run times posted and YHC wondered what type of burpee handicap would put the pax on an equal running field. The blend was coming together, was just missing another ingredient when I saw my 2.0s running scared in the yard…hmmm….a dash of fear…just right! Now just need a heat source to cook this meal …or perhaps …perhaps this is a dish best served cold…
Duke!! Get away from that watering hole and roll that beautiful beatdown footage!
7 pax fought through icy windshields and hastily searched pants drawers to get better on a Tuesday Tuff at the stage. 25 degrees at alarm time with 15 mph wind puts us at a respectable F3 nation GMI of 14 (32-current degree F plus PAX attendance). We felt the kindred spirit with our F3 brothers in the northeast and midwest that call this weather “spring” .
YHC started the partner work early at home when attempting to unfreeze the truck too late but Valve was ready and waiting with the cutting-edge Ford technology across the street so we headed down 308 together silently waiting to see if Yankee ever found pants. Team Platinum soon found Goose and Ronnie (with leg coverings!) loitering in the cold with Jeaux and Popeye close behind.
Today’s goals were simple. Never stop moving and get the pax home with all their fingers and toes and wives leggings intact.
Warmup
Heavy Cardio warmup with a double dose of MCs to get the heart charged and blood to the fingers if only for a second.
Continued Warmup
Indian Run around Richmans Loop to let the pax see the Serengeti and prime the watering holes (drop off cones)
Drop off to 3 Jillian Michael’s (haven’t missed those)
YHC tried to find the song that would transport the pax to a sunny tropical state of mind so we ran while the Beach Boys told us about a place way down in Kokomo. This served to warm our hearts for about 2 seconds until turning the corner on the flat land of richmans loop and feeling the full force of the wind. We did not get there fast or take it slow and the Beach Boys would be ashamed but we did end up where we wanted to go and picked up a wild Dilly while out in the bush!
Da Main Thang a Lang
LIONS VS GAZELLES
Da Rules:
-Lion starts by doing 15 burpees while gazelles take off from starting line
-Gazelles must do assigned exercise and reps at each “watering holes” before progressing
-the lion can kill (tag) you at any time and is immune from watering hole exercises
-You can only run forward
-Pax must stay on the road
-When tagged you are “dead “, complete 10 burpees and mosey back to starting line
-if you make it back “home” no penalty
-The lion will do 2 penalty burpees for every living gazelle who makes it home.
Round 1
Lion Goose vs Gazelle PAX—Score: Goose 6 Gazelles 0
Gazelles made a respectable trek to in between the second and third watering hole before Lion Goose unleashed carnage. The ever cunning strategist Lion Goose ran down the leaders in cold blood then circled back for the rest. I shudder to think what Pope will do in this format.
Round 2
Lion Jeaux vs Gazelle PAX- Score Jeax 1 Gazelles 5
Only change is 10 merkins which in Jeaux’s defense went much quicker than YHC expected and may have put us ahead early. Most of the gazelles made it home to their families. Lion Jeaux did not starve but later commented that the Gazelle Dilly was “a little gamey” for him. Sadly there will be a zoo truck coming soon to “transfer him to a better place”.
Round 3
Lion Popeye vs Gazelle PAX- Score Pop 6 Gazelles 0
12 Burpees for the Lion this round to start, 5 Jump Squats at watering holes.
Lion runs forward while pax Nur and stare down our impending death. YHC tilted this one a touch in the favor of the Lion to ensure maximum effort. The nur/jump squat combo took the gazelles down fast and Popeye came around the first bend of Richmans loop like a persistent tank rolling down gazelles with reckless abandon. He took YHC and Goose just after cone 2 with a gentle tap that and nod that it was time death and for more burpees.
Round 4 – Partner race for home
P1 sprint to next light and MC
P2 MC till p1 is stopped at next light
YHC sowed some confusion early by saying leap frog but performing something different. The pax adjusted well and every team stayed in close contention.
Formed up to finish a standard Indian run home with a sprint finish
Just enough time for a little Proud Mary, this is an old Goose classic and never gets old
Assorted abs on the song with Big Boys on “Rolling”.
Just before the song we realized the wind had taken down Ole Glory on our shovel flag. Goose fiddled with putting it back together but he is not one to miss a session of Mary so he resolutely held the stars and stripes up and off the ground while torching abdominals down below. Never been prouder of my site Q.
The Counting, the Naming and we found ANIMAL inside of the seventeenth layer of YJs clothes. It was given to Pop in honor of his Gazelle feast in round 3.
Announcements:
RCR sign ups and prep
It’s Only a Mile – Feb 17th
COT and Ronnie prayed us out
Moleskin:
We can be motivated, at least temporarily, by many things.
There can be comfort (Kokomo in 25 degrees weather), control (how many reps?), fear (is that Popeye or the grim reaper?). These are mostly internal motivations that we reach for in the face of adversity. But what the pax of F3 Thibodaux consistently teach YHC is the value of an external motivation. One detached from my own needs and desires. Reaching outside of oneself for your children, your spouse or just that sweaty dude next to you who keeps making 3 inches jokes. When we find this extra gear of shared suffering it’s amazing to see the reservoir of strength that God provides with it.
Thanks for the effort despite the brutal condition’s today men.
It’s a privilege to lead
Epilogue
Every morning in Thibodaux the Gloom awaits men knowing it will capture many with struggle and snares.
Every morning in Thibodaux the pax wake up knowing they must work hard to beat the gloom.
And that when the sun rises, there will be men at his side, pushing to make each other a little better each day.
SYITG
Dox
