The Oracle (6am) – “Planes, Trains, and Automobiles” (1987)
26 November 2022
Boys Town Campus
30 degrees, clear, wind would not pick up until 7am
QIC: Gator
I drove up the hill at Boys Town in time to see a large group of pre-runners. I rolled down the window to wave and share my morning Tom Petty tunes. My almost 200,000 mile SUV was struggling to get up the hill though – in part because of the 10 coupons in the back. I unloaded the coupons and quickly wore myself out. I had been laid up early in the week with a fever (and not the kind that needed more cowbell). As I started to set up, I batted around the idea of modifying my Q to make it easier. But my thoughts were pleasantly interrupted by DOA walking up to offer his help.
As DOA helped me set up the coupons, we enjoyed some great mumblechatter. I knew he had a powerful story behind the name, but listening to DOA tell it was extraordinarily compelling. Keep accelerating, brother!
I saw Longneck, Old Spice, and T-Swift return from their runs. Old faces and new ones began to appear. I met Laser Jet (respect) and Duct Tape. Edison was back! Cyclone and I checked in on how the seasons went for our respective football teams (our F3 names are the opposite of our teams). Long time, no see A-Bomb! I was delighted to see Patchy Adams – he has been posting and Qing more and more – love it! I greeted Oracle staples Cheap Seats, Vandelay, Slow Pitch, Armbar, Cataracts, and many others. Soon, we had 22 PAX.
Welcome to F3. This is the Oracle. I will be your Q.
F3 stands for
Fitness
Fellowship
Faith
Our mission is to plant, grow, and serve small workout groups for the reinvigoration of male community leadership.
Our credo is to leave no man behind and leave no man where you found him
Our featured movie today is the 1987 comedy classic “Planes, Trains, and Automobiles” starring John Candy and Steve Martin.Â
With that in mind, F3 has 5 core principles:
(1) We are free – no Diner’s Club card required
(2) We are open to all men – even men who take their socks and shoes off on commercial airline flights
(3) We are – like a man with $2 and a Casio watch – always outside
(4) We led by our peers in a rotating fashion – like when you change drivers on long road trips
(5) And we always end in a COT – a Circle of Trust (not a Chicago Overland Train)
Obviously, I am not a professional. There is a risk of injury. Modify as necessary. This is you vs you.
No FNGs.
Let the Burpee Movie Trivia commence!
Trivia Question Number 1:
Steve Martin plays Neil Page, a marketing executive on his way home for Thanksgiving from New York to Chicago. He mets Del Griffith, played by John Candy, a traveling salesman. What product does Del Griffith sell?
Armbar was first on the buzzer with the correct answer:
Answer to Question Number 1:
Armber led us in Bobby Hurley’s x 7
Mosey over to the practice football field and circle up for
Warm-A-Rama
SSH x 20 IC
Tappy Taps x 20 IC
Big Ones (20 Seconds each side)
Broga with Gator
Plank / Down Dog / Runner’s Stretch / Pigeon / Child’s Pose Arm Stretch / Manatees
Trivia Question Number 2:
The director of PT&A is a Chicago native known for directing such films as The Breakfast Club, Ferris Bueller’s Day Off, and Sixteen Candles. What is his name?
The Q did not even finish asking the question before Water Boy sprung forth with the correct answer:
Answer to Question Number 2:
John Hughes
Water Boy led us in Bobby Hurley’s x 7
Mosey to the Field House Wall forÂ
Pre-Thang #1: The Neil Page Pyramid
Wall Pyramid
5 Australian Mountain Climbers IC / 10 Chicken Peckers IC / 15 Donkey Kicks / 20 BTTW
10 Count
Back down. The thought returned to modify my Q… but seeing these PAX push themselves motivated me to keep going!
Mosey to the picnic tables…
Pre-Thang #2: Del Griffith’s Dips and Derkins
Dips x 40
90 Degrees / Right Leg Up / Left Leg Up / On heels
Derkins x 20
rinse and repeat (groans! mostly from Tater Tot)
Trivia Question Number 3:
In the beginning of the movie, Steve Martin tries to buy a cab from someone whom had just hailed one. Steven Martin pays him $75 and calls him a thief. The man responds and says, “Close, I am a _____” What did the man say his occupation was?
Kryptonite was super quick with the right answer:
Answer to Question Number 3:
Attorney.
Bobby Hurley’s x 7 led by Kryptonite
Mosey to Shovel Flags for Tha Thang
The Thang: New York to Chicago
(Carefully) Count off into groups of 3 and then combine into 6Â – Vandelay is the master of this complicated move
2 guys in New York (bottom of hill)
2 guys in Wichita / St. Louis (middle with Coupons)
2 guys in Chicago (top of hill)
Stay with your partner for this. AMRAP until pushed.
N – Norris, Chuck Merkins
E – Elbow 2 Knee
W – Werkins
Y – You Pick: Monkey Humpers or Burpees
O – Overhand Claps
R – Ranger Merkins
K – Kraken Burpees (Burpee with 3 Hand-Release Merkins)
UP HILL: Bear Crawl
Wichita (up the hill) 10 Coupon Curls
St. Louis (down the hill) 10 Goblet Squats
DOWN HILL: Crab Walk
C – Carolina Drydocks
H – Hydraulic Squats
I – Imperial Walkers
C – Captain Thor ( 1 Big Boy and 4 American
A – Air Dramas (squats with a calf raise)
G – Gorilla Humpers
O – One-Legged Burpee
Great 2nd F time and mumblechatter this morning. We made it about halfway through these exercises until the final boarding call was announced for Flight 645 to OMAHA!
Trivia Question Number 4:
While Steve Martin is sleeping in the car, John Candy almost crashes the vehicle while jamming out to this Ray Charles song?
A perfect score was in jeopardy. Then, I heard the correct answer from over my shoulder… it was Duct Tape for ther win!
Answer to Question Number 4:
Duct Tape led Bobby Hurley’s x7
6MOM
Gator Core Steinel
Name-o-Rama: PAX (22) Spacebar, Cyclone (respect x2), Laser Jet (respect), Vandelay (respect), Easy Rider, Edison, Da Vinci (respect x2), A-Bomb, Tater Tot, Duct Tape, Patchy Adams, Longneck, DOA, Cheap Seats, Water Boy, Armbar, Cataracts, Old Spice, Kryptonite, T-Swift, Slow Piiiiiiiiitchaaaa, and Gator
Announcements:
There was delicious cornbread courtesy of Da Vinci (respect x2) and Water Boy! They also gave a hearty endorsement for PAX signing up for the Encounter Retreat
Vandelay let us know the Thankful Trot was a success and that more 3rd F opportunities would be coming up soon – check Slack for details
Prayer Requests
Please pray for Kryptonite and his family as they recently lost Jane (Kryptonite’s Gram) and Easy Rider’s friend Bill.
COT: “Planes, Trains, and Automobiles” (1987)
There are many things to take away from this movie. Not judging people. Being kind to others always because you never know what people are dealing with. And never assuming that your hand is between two pillows.
But for me, I love how this movie shows the two sides to adult men. On the one hand, we have Neil. He works hard. He wears a suit. He travels for work. He is good at his job and is well off. He has a nice house. He is married with kids. By all appearances, he is a successful adult man.
But Neil is cynical. He is impatient. He judges others. He has no friends. No close relationships. He is a sad clown.
Then you have Del Griffith. He is a big kid. He is always laughing and telling stories. He tries to enjoy every minute of life. Even though he is homeless and still grieving over losing his wife.
I feel like Neil and Dell are two sides of the same coin. Sometimes we struggle with our Neil side – we take ourselves too seriously. We focus too much on work. We have a negative attitude. And then we distract ourselves with our Del side – drinking, partying, smoking, eating too much, and avoiding the things in our life that are hard to deal with.
The answer to the Neil-Del struggle is clear in the movie: they need each other. They give each other balance. They need each other’s friendship.
Sometimes I find myself too focused on work, like Neil. Sometimes I am drink too much, like Del. Either way, I know I have my brothers in F3 that I can turn to for help and accountability. I am very thankful this year for all my F3 brothers for bringing balance to my life.
I encourage all of you to lean into your brothers. Share what you’re dealing with – Neil problems or Del problems are all the same to your friends. Unless your problem is a lack of pillows.
With Gratitude,
Gator