Let Your Life Speak

Circuit Rider reached out to me back at the end of March about being Q at FirstAid. I had a lot of irons in the fire, but replied about a month later. We finally settled on Friday May 18th. At the time I didn’t realize it was the 1 year anniversary of the passing away of our friend and Nantan Emeritus Nelson Cooper aka Papa Smurf; however, what an honor it was to lead 31 men through the rainy gloom this morning.

I had a workout route planned that would leave the AO site and go through campus. I’m not sure I have ever posted at FirstAid……if I have it’s been quite a while. I was pretty sure though that I needed to bring something to the table based on who I’ve seen post at this AO. So as it was brought to our attention that this Friday was a #CelebrationOfLife, what better place than to honor Coop at The Coop StrongHold ! It became evident that we were going to have a large turnout, and honestly panic set in. I wasn’t sure if my planned workout would be conducive to PAX who preferred not to run! So I chewed on it some last night and came into this morning with TWO workouts planned and would make a call at Gametime! Arrived around 5:20, planted the shovel flag, spoke briefly with Crack Corn regarding alternate route for our walkers, and we started at 5:30 sharp.

Warm Up

No FNG’s (Why the hell not??  Let’s EH some new blood ! ) Disclaimer given

• Good Mornings x 10
• Smurf Jacks  x 23
• Butt Kickers  x 10

The THANG

Instructed the PAX that we would be leaving the AO site.  Walkers should follow Crack Corn, and runners follow YHC.  We would meet up in due time on campus. The runners almost lost a PAX or two as Cousin IT stepped on a loose manhole cover! Brief stop to fix that issue and off running again. We made it down to Krispy Kreme; however the Hot Doughnuts sign was not on!  Someone joked we should “Grab a Rock” referring to their boulder landscaping and assuming we might do some curls for the girls. Instead YHC circled everyone up and we did Jump Squat Holds in cadence. Everyone would perform a jump squat, land, and hold Al Gore as we counted to 10; rinse and repeat and count to 9, then 8, 7,6, on down to the end where we counted to 10 again. Somewhere at the end String Bean, Stabler, and Patch snuck up and surrounded YHC. Not sure what they had in mind, but had some wild looks in their eyes……not to mention String Bean’s new Manscape. So YHC decided we should move out quickly!

Next destination Sonic Plaza. Some of the PAX were thinking I said Sonic. Food obviously was on their minds this morning! We ran to the Student Rec Center, turned into campus, and made our way to the sonic plaza beside the library. There are steps and columns, and when people walk through and break the laser beam, magically symphonic music plays. YHC told the PAX that sometimes in life we need to stop long enough to enjoy the music (or other wonderful things going on around us). The goal was to get the music playing and keep it playing! So YHC announced we would be doing Lt Dan’s in line as we weaved in and out of the columns……threatening that if the music stopped playing, we would do burpees. A couple of times around and no burpee penalties were issued.

Time to run join our walking brothers at the meeting point. YHC led a short run between and behind Bate Bldg over toward the Science and Tech building. There is an area that is ampitheatre like to honor minority greek life on campus. The layout fascinates me as it offers a rounded off wall for irkins/dirkins/dips etc.  It also has one large loop that goes around the entire area. Then a circle inside a circle, with a smaller loop down the bowl and to the other side. The “Walkers” were already there, and doing some Irkins, Merkins, and Carolina Dry Docks. By the way, it was great to see Crack Corn back from knee replacement, Steamy, Skully, Cold Cut and Charlie Brown this morning!  Love each of you guys and hope yall know that you represent what F3 is all about. Basically, the instructions were to pair off, and as your partner ran around the longer outer loop, the other partner would run the shorter loop and do either Irkins or LBC’s until their partner arrived. Flapjack. Rinse and repeat.  There was some standing water in the pathway, so it felt like a steeplechase at some places, but we made it through.

Judging by the time, our walkers had to head back to the shovel flag. The rest of us did Lt. Dan’s (lots of moaning about “again”) down the brick walkway to the Memorial Site beside Chrisenberry Gym where ECU Military Programs (headed up by Hot Pursuit) facilitates a way for family or friends to honor service members that have an affiliation with ECU by purchasing an engraved paver. I am honored to walk by this site every day because both my Father and my Grandfather have pavers honoring their service in the Navy. Both of those men were #HIM.  In honor of all HIM who have impacted our lives, we all did 5 burpees OYO before we moved on.

As we navigated our run across 10th street, and over the bridge to college hill drive, we could see our walking brothers making their way to the top of the hill. Looking at the time, YHC decided against the figure 8’s he had planned, and decided we should catch our Brothers and walk with them back to the shovel flag. Great opportunity for some 2nd F and catching up with some men of F3. We did have a near casualty as Circuit Rider either fell for no reason, or ran into a CSX train……not sure which. He arrived with a bloody leg, but still alive, and we ended promptly at 6:15am.

Count O Rama and Name O Rama

Prayer Request

• San Fran’s wife Kerry is awaiting tests results
• Papa Smurf’s family
• Butterworth (Knee issues; hurt himself running) Doubtfire (recovering from knee surgery), and other ailing PAX recovering from injury.
• Cousin IT – starting new job in 3 weeks (Praise and Prayers)
• Ma Bell’s Grandmother coming home from hospital today; had cardiac issues
• Prayers for the Rogister Family; Skully’s uncle passed away last night
• Prayers for the Hughes Family per Patch
• Prayers for Jock Itch and Blair as they exchange wedding vows this weekend. Good thing he wasn’t named Jock Itch when they met !
• Prayers for safe travels for all those traveling to Super Bowl this weekend in South Carolina

Announcements

• Pub Ruck at Town Commons 5/25/18 at 6:45p
• Steamy is Q at Clydesdales next Thursday 5/24
• 2nd F Lunch next Tuesday at Chico’s downtown (not the ladies clothing store). 5/29 2nd F Lunch is at Kickback Jack’s

Moleskin

String Bean read Papa Smurf’s final post on his CoopStrong Facebook Journal and there were some pretty powerful words and meaningful reflections on LIFE……..from the eyes of a man who knew he was facing death. However Nelson found a way to SHINE through his unwavering faith in God, and have a positive impact on all that he came in contact with……and even many that he did not know. One shining example of that is through F3, and our expansions this year into Farmville and Washington, and those men who were with us in the gloom today!

Papa Smurf suggested a book written by Parker Palmer titled “Let Your Life Speak”. It was required reading for some of his students when he taught at ECU.  String Bean has purchased a copy and plans to read the book, sign it, and pass it on to another man, and let’s see how many Men of F3 can read this book before next year this time! Now is the time men. Tomorrow is not guaranteed, so make an impact TODAY.