AO: The Octagon
May 13, 2024
59 degrees, cloudy, rain threatening… a gorgeous morning
PAX- Room Service, Hooah, Farva, Folsom, Vanilla Ice, Sweet Roll, Knoxville, Bambi, Slow Pitch, Magma
Q: Roadhouse
The alarm went off at 4:45 AM. The ride to the Octagon was quiet and peaceful and I pulled into the parking lot at 5:09 AM. It was at this point that I realized that for the first time in my history with F3, I was completely unprepared to Q.
I didn’t have a beatdown planned. I had no wikis, no cones, no lights. I didn’t even have a COT. And I hated every second of it. I pride myself on being prepared. On being ready. On prioritizing the men in the gloom and the experience they have in terms of the workout and the message they receive.
It was in this moment I realized I had become the thing I hate the most. Arrogant. Not being ready for the morning was basically saying that I can do this in my sleep and don’t need to prepare. That I am better than the cause, more important than the group. A fellow pax member would later tell me it was just lazy and they were right.
I want to take this moment to apologize to the ten men who got up early today and chose my Q and I showed up unprepared. You deserve better.
All that being said, at 5:30, we got started. I welcomed the five men who were there with me. I stumbled through the 3 Fs, tripped over the 5 core principles and mentioned more accurately than ever that I was not a professional.
We started to mosey when a string of cars quickly pulled into the lot. We adjusted our mosey and did a few laps around the parking lot and waited for the rest of the PAX. Once everyone had arrived, there were 11 of us. Now it was time to figure out what the fuck we were going to do.
We moseyed back behind the school and circled up for some warm-a-rama. I don’t know what they PAX needed but I needed to stretch a bit. And since I was leading… we stretched.
WARM-A-RAMA:
Big Ones
Deep Stretches
Downward Dog
Cobra
High Stretch
After WAR, we moseyed to the South side of the school. During COVID, I came to a workout at this site which was then called “Death Valley” and experienced something awful for the first times. They were called donkey kicks and I hated every second of this exercise. The only silver lining was that I was next to Slow Pitch and he equally hated them. We cursed the Q and anyone else who would listen.
Today, it was time to relive that moment. It was time for some wall work and we were going to start with the donkey kicks.
Wall Work:
Donkey Kicks
Chicken Peckers
Australian Mountain Climbers
Balls to the Wall
Donkey Kicks
Chicken Peckers
Australian Mountain Climbers
Balls to the Wall
After the Wall, we headed back to the West lot behind the school. There is a great space out back and it sets up beautifully for a grinder. So, let’s do some grinding…
The THANG:
Two man Grinder
At one end, one man would be doing core work AMRAP. The other man would run to the other end of lot and do 10 merkins. It was simple but effective.
At 6:07, we called Omaha and headed back to the flag to do some Mary.
Mary:
Starfish Crunches
Dying Cockroaches
Heels to Heaven
American Hammers- Rancid Style
Name-o-rama:
NOR went smoothly highlighted by a Slow Pitch HiYa!
Announcements:
Busy week of Flag Passes, VQs, and site launch of Fury Road
Lots of Third F opportunities coming
Prayers:
Hooah’s Nephew
Room Service’s Mother in Law
Other prayers
COT:
Yesterday was mother’s day and a time to celebrate those women who have taken such good care of us. My mom is selfless and generous and loves everyone and wants everyone to be happy and in harmony.
But upon reflection, I realized that I do not always focus on those wonderful traits or how amazing she is. Instead I tend to focus on the small things that can bother me or annoy me. Things like not listening or offering unsolicited advice. I get upset when I feel like she is taking my ex-wife’s side and I get frustrated when she calls me one of my brother’s names.
But these things are so small in the grand scheme of things. This is a woman who gave me life, gave me the best childhood and despite financial hardships, somehow always got me everything I wanted. This is a woman who supported me in my career, believed in me, and always told me I was special.
This is a woman who was so sad when I moved away and then encouraged me to stay there because while it made her sad, it made me happy. This is a woman who has come to every one of my comedy shows and films my sets even though most of them are making fun of her at times.
The fact is my mother is the best person I know. She loves with her whole being and sacrifices for the people she loves. And I, like a dipshit, far too often focus on small things that bug me.
It’s actually embarrassing to say out loud. But it true.
If you are like me in this respect, start focusing on the right things. My mom is remarkable and I need to pay more attention to that.
I love you guys!
Roadhouse, CLB