F3 stands for fitness fellowship and faith don’tcha know. Our mission is to plant, grow, and serve small workout groups for the invigoration of male community leadership. Our five core principles are these: we are free, open to all men, always outside, led in a rotating fashion, and we end in a circle of trust. Motto: Leave no man behind and leave no man where you found him.
We numbered off ones and twos. I told the pax to remember their numbers. I suspect many of them did not.
We moseyed South to the intersection, for maximum visibility to passersby for our warmarama.
Warmarama
– David Cloyed AKA the Batman, AKA Bruce, AKA Merch led the warmarama. And let me tell you, it was a high energy, murph themed unit.
– Squats, Merkins, Burpees (repeat)
Ground rules for the thang: This is a competition between the ones and the twos. There are four stations. At each station, there is the possibility to score up to 3 points. You get the first point if your group wins the challenge. Your captain then selects someone from your group to compete in a feat of skill. They will get two tries at this feat; each successful try will earn your team a point. While your champion is attempting this feat, we will all either do mountain climbers or Al Gore (your choice).
Thang: String of pearls 4 sports
• Heartbreak hill – Baseball 4 bases (OYO) (2 laps) (15 minutes)
o Home – 20 merkins
o First – 50 air squats
o Second base at the top of heartbreak hill – 10 burpees
o Third – 20 lbcs in cadence
o Grab the baseball bat
o Feat of strength/skill: Hit a baseball past the pitcher’s mound (two tries)
• Practice track field – football (Partner up) (10 minutes)
o Run 2 laps partners
o Grab the football
o Feat of strength/skill: Kick a field goal (two tries)
• Court near the picnic tables – Basketball (groups of three)(10 minutes)
o 1 burpee hurley
o 5 down and backs
o 2 burpee hurley
o 4 down and backs
o 3 burpee hurleys
o 3 down and backs
o 4 burpee hurleys
o 2 down and backs
o 5 burpee hurleys
o Down and back
o Feat of strength/skill: Shoot a free throw (two tries)
Mary –
– American hammers rancid style
Announcements/prayer requests
– Convergence 5:30 on April 22 at Oracle.
– The pax lifted up Hei Hei’s son, Almost Famous’ wife, and Delilah in their prayers.
The pax named the newest FNG. After hearing about the most important things in his life, like his wife and children, the pax asked if there was something more worthwhile he could tell us about. He said oh by the way I was a mascot for a European football team. He was a Thunderbird, so the pax decided Chickenhawk made sense.
CoT –
– I knew about F3 for almost two full years before I joined. Now that I’ve had about a year of consistent posting under my belt, I’ve been questioning “why did it take me so long to join?” I actually brought this question to prayer recently, and I realized that the main reason I did not come out was my pride. I knew that I was in horrible shape and that I was going to be working out with guys who had been doing this for years and years.
– In other words, I had an expectation that I should be in better shape than I was, and I was ashamed to really demonstrate that in front of other men. And when I did come out, my expectations were met exactly. I puked at the end of my first workout. I rejoined the circle of announcements and I was really embarrassed. I remember saying “sorry” and my man Slick just patted me on the back and said “we’re glad you’re here.” That memory has been sort of an icon for me when I think about all of the support my brothers in F3 have given me.
– It’s April Fool’s day, and I think we have a rebranding opportunity in front of us. My challenge to the pax today is to do something that your pride has kept you from doing. Something that you know that you will suck at. Something you know will be good for you. You can’t be great at something until you are first a fool.
– So consider taking one step today that would get you closer to doing the thing you’re afraid of. You want to run a marathon? Start researching the right fit for you. You want to climb a tough 14’er? Plan a 5 mile ruck with your F3 brothers (or make a plan to join Oscar Mike and put more weight in your pack than you think you can handle).
– All I’m suggesting is this: take one small step today to do something that makes you feel foolish. Like me, you might just discover something that you’ve been deeply missing in your life.