Tuesday, February 9, 2023 |The Sandlot|Halleck Park, Papillion, NE | 35 degrees, 5.8 mi/h SSW Wind, feels like 30, 75% humidity, it got colder as the morning went on.

 “Hot Damn, Let’s Go, Let’s Question”

10 Pax: Low Flow, Magnolia, GirlDad, Stranglehold, Cosmo, Black Tuesday, Ray-Bans, Simmons, Zorro, Swiper

QIC:  Swiper

5:00 am Pre Run: Raybans, Stranglehold, GirlDad, Simmons, Swiper                           

5:30am – It was a nice morning for running in February.  I have been thinking about hitting the track for a while, its been a while.  I dropped off my lighted cones and headed to the parking lot for the pre run.  Nice group to pre run.  Also guys doing pull ups, and we had other pre runners like Tater Tot and Khakis who were here for Styx VQ next door at the Steel Mill.  More to come on that later.

We got back from the pre run and some pax headed over to the Steel Mill, always encourage Pax to go to VQs.  I kicked off the workout and welcomed the Pax to F3 – Fitness, Fellowship and Faith – reminding them of the mission to Plant, Serve and Grow small workout groups for the Re-invigoration of male community leadership.   

Then I covered the 5 core principles of F3.  1) Open to ALL men. 2.  Always Free.  3) Always held outdoors, 4) Lead in a rotating fashion and 5) Ends with a Circle of Trust (COT).

I then mentioned our Credo: Leave no man behind, but leave no man where you found him.  At a running AO – we always pick up the six!  I ended with a reminder to the PAX that I am not a professional.  Modify as necessary.  Workouts are all a suggestion.  From this point forward there is a real risk of injury.  

I told the pax ahead of time and reminded them, we would converge with The Steel Mill for Styx’s COT.    So my COT would be within the work out.  I told the Pax I would challenge them with Questions today, that would get progressively harder.  But the Pax should look at F3 and the wonderful HIMs showing up everyday as a great, safe environment to get vulnerable and open up.  I challenged each Pax to answer some questions today.

We ran to the “The Pit” or the track by PMS.

5:32 am  Warm-a-rama

We jogged a quarter lap and stopped at the first cone to stretch:

  • 10 Tappy Taps IC
  • 10 Tater Taps IC
  • Hip Stretch 10 count each side
  • Sprinter Lunge Stretch – 10 count each leg.

5:42 am The Thang – Wind Work

First Sprint:  Sprint 100m, then jog 100m to the next cone.

First Question:  Who will win the Super Bowl?  Lots of Chiefs fans, especially GirlDad.  One Pax might have pulled for the Eagles.

Second Sprint:  Sprint 200m, jog 200m to the next cone.

Second Question: Who will win the Big 10 Conference?  Michigan and OSU…Follow up:  Who will win the West?  Lots of Rose Colored Glasses and optimism for the Big Red.  One Wisconsin.  

Third Sprint:  Sprint 300m, jog 100m.  

Third Question:  What project or task do you need to accomplish in the next 30 days?  Stranglehold has some home remodeling to get finished.  Some pax mentioned a few work items.  Valentine’s Day gifts.

Fourth Sprint:  Sprint 400m, jog 100m.  

Fourth Question: What is keeping you up at night or what is on your mind?  Pax talked about their jobs, family life, marriages, money.  Big projects, Magnolia talked about a big job their bidding on that is really important for their future.

Fifth Sprint: Sprint 800m, jog 200m.

Fifth Question:  What’s on your mind that you need to share?  Stranglehold talked about upcoming Baby, Black Tuesday talked about Family.  Stranglehold asked Me/Swiper – what’s on my mind.  Perfect timing:  I talked about struggles the M and I have been having lately, not connecting and becoming very distant to each other.  It’s been going on for 6 months.  After 20 years of marriage, you have peaks and valleys and we were in a deep valley.  I mentioned that I am looking for a new therapist.  I had done therapy in the past and the M and I have done some together.  I mentioned therapy is not something a man should be afraid or or afraid to say he is doing.  We all need folks to the talk to and this group is a great start.  But we should not be embarrassed to talk to a professional.  Is there any more important relationship then our M?  Outside of our God, our creator, who is Jesus Christ for me…..the answer is No.  So why wouldn’t I do everything possible and invest everything necessary to mend, fix and put this relationship back on the right track?  I mentioned that I called the clinic that I used to go to and my therapist retired a few years back (probably because a of me….lol), but in all seriousness, I researched all of the new therapist and read their bios and found one I thought would be perfect that I could really connect with.  I called and found out he was not taking new patients.  I heart sank.  Then I found out they’re entire practice was actually not taking new patients.  The evil one at work in my life.  This was just a minor setback- and I will keep looking.  But it felt good to talk about it, to these great men……time for one last sprint.  

Sixth Sprint:  400m or 100m – Pick up the cones. Your choice.

We met back at the path / gate to leave the track.  I said let’s do the NOR here, its always fun to do a mobile NOR.  Then we would run back to the Shelter and listen to Styx COT.

6:12 am 6MOM

We got back to the shelter and had a little time did the following:

  • 31 Sarpy Slammers IC, Rancid Style

6:13am The Name-a-rama was completed already, duh – see above for list of those who posted.   

Announcements:

  • See Styx’s VQ Backblast at the Steel Mill

Prayer Requests:  

  • See Styx’s VQ Backblast at the Steel Mill.

COT Hot Damn, Let’s Go, Let’s Question!

Styx VQ COT – Sandlot Pax already having coffee

See above for my COT and See Styx’s Backblast for his.  Great Group.  Styx prayed us out.

Aye! Swiper

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