Opener: Dox
2 roads diverged in then den
And sorry YHCc could not travel both
And being 2 pax long they stood
Until 8 more HCs knew they should
Cardinals claim, was it right and just?
The answer is no but the CoQ was a must
Yet knowing how way leads to way
We’ll keep his Q for another day
The CoQs built a beatdown rep by rep
There’s a big race coming we still need the prep …
Duke! Stop ripping off Bob Frost and roll that beautiful footage
Warmup: Goose
When the Cardinal-ready PAX heard that YHC and Dox were co-Q-ing, there was an astonished moment of silence. Was this scientifically possible? Two heavy hitters with two very different styles; both frighteningly all-in, tall, and good looking, but was there room in one beatdown for both? What would happen? It was like putting a gorilla in a pen with a walrus, or an alligator with a jaguar, or a bull and a bear, or a shark and Mike Tyson. Could they join forces, or would they just stare at each other wondering what move the other would make?
Ultimately, it was a mixture of both as YHC told Paradox to come up with his usual warmup mashup ridiculousness, while I went the practical route. But, after the forward arm circle/high knees, it seemed only appropriate to match the Yin with the Yang and do backward arm circle butt kicks. This then led to P-dox leading self-love lunges, which, of course, was followed by YHC’s Moroccan Night Club Windmills. The chemistry had begun, and there was no stopping the fallout.
Song 1: Paradox
The coQs had a few jams planned to get the muscles loose. YHCc wanted to started with “Move Along” by All American Rejects as a tribute to moving along from last years SV500 trauma and to talk about the first time I was dumped. Did I cry in my 02 Chevy blazer with the factory 10s? (I kept them clean)
Yes
Did my now ex girlfriends dad have to jumpstart my car after the battery died in their driveway. Also yes
But here I am after Moving along and better for it and this was my hope for the pax.
We released the pain with hand release Merkin burpees on each “move along” and let the pain tears flow on the concrete.
Popeye is our local burpee variation expert and I could see he appreciated it a lot.
Song 2: Goose
One of YHC’s fondest memories from when I was a student at LSU was the time spent in shared suffering with good brothers at the Rec Center gym. We enjoyed quality time together most days, working out before heading to class. This included a refreshing shower surrounded by mostly old men who tended to clear out relatively quickly not long after we arrived. It might have had something to do with the singing, but the jury is still out. We gravitated mostly to 80’s hits, our favorite being “We Belong” by Pat Benitar, which we sung with all the passion we could muster after a tough workout in a strikingly accurate pitch.
YHC figured we could harness that same energy this morning to bring a sense of belonging to the PAX, especially after Dox’s story of isolation and whoa.
We split into groups of three (one with four), and laid down with our heads together looking at the stars. The PAX were then directed to hold six inches (Legs, Yankee Joe. Get your “belonging” straight.) for the duration of the song, and execute a leg raise for every “belong”, touching toes together at the top.
It was good. It was really good.
First Thang: Dox
The SV 150
Mosey to the basketball court and partner up
Buy in was 1 full suicide to get to the signs at the other end of the court, and after completing the chosen number of sets (given on the sign) frog hop back to get your bling
Bronze: 10 points
Silver: 15
Gold: 25
Stations for your choosing:
1 Bobby Hurleys
2 SSH
3 freddy mercuries
4 mountain climbers
5 leg raise Dora with fence run
6 Bonnie Blairs
You cannot repeat a station and
10 minute timer till we had a winner
This went along with what YHC planned for a cardio torcher mixed with some core work. As always, it was great to be under the watchful Eye of Yankee “Sauron” Joe for an iron sharpening form critique. Great team efforts across the board. The jello legs set in very quick with frog hops and huge T – claps to Safety Valve his 4th in a row post and for continuing to pretend that being YHC’s partner is a good time.
In the end Team Ronnie/Jeaux rekindled that old flame from last years fling to take 1st place with 100 points.
YJ conquered his inner zinc demons and was all about the Climb with his new found knowledge that Miley Cyrus and Hanna Montana are the same person (not a Finkle/Einhorn situation).
Second Thang: Goose
We gathered ALL the gear and headed back to the flag. Again, YHC had to decide between a practical grinder of 11’s, or a fun, yet challenging competition. And, again, the chemistry took over, so the fun spirit of competition continued.
YHC grabbed some baseballs (actual baseballs, YJ) as the PAX split into new teams of three. Each team got a ball, and YHC introduced Rarajipari, a game in which teams run and kick a ball a given distance. The only rule given this morning were that the ball couldn’t be kicked by the same PAX twice. The starting line was the entrance driveway, and we had to kick it around the civic center to the mouth of the opposite driveway (a little over a quarter mile, I think). And, since it only took five minutes to complete this, we turned around and took it back the other way (to the delight of all).
Athleticism was helpful, and endurance was a must, but the drive to get to the ball was the ultimate factor in this one. Most ran the loop faster than they otherwise would have–this caused the PAX (minus those who had attended the NOLA convergence a couple of years ago) to be surprised at how physically demanding this game is. Ultimately, though, since this crew was made up of some very driven men, it seemed that the soccer skills of Yankee Joe and Safety Valve were the deciding factor in giving their team the win. (YHC could get to the ball but couldn’t seem to kick it more than three feet, and even then, in an unhelpful direction.)
COT, Valve got the loaded GiGi, and Pope prayed us out.
Conclusion: Dox
I shall be telling this with a sigh
At some AO ages and ages hence
The men of F3 take the road less traveled
And that has made all the difference
