For Brotherhood, For Amy

Most F3Nation backblast are written with the Moleskin at the end. Not today. Today it comes first. 18 runners and Ruckers posted for The Commons and a dozen more engaged in #CollateralGoodness at The Bunker.

Yesterday, Half-Pipe and Abu joined me for a 22-mile LSD training run (Slim Jim explained that means Long Slow Distance). This week was a high mileage week. After that run my Garmin had me at 62.5 miles. At the beginning of that LSD training run, I could feel it. The pace was purposely slow, but the legs felt sluggish the first 10 miles. Then we his mile 14 and it got hard to move. What I found is that the brotherhood we found while talking along the backside of the greenway was powerful. Half-Pipe and I kept track of the pace and we kept it decent and we kept talking.

It got deep and personal. On a level I never expected. My mind switched from any discomfort to focusing on my brothers. It inspired me.

Todays running route was designed to allow pax to find another stud similar pace in the first mile to the Nipple Hill on 10th St. Then run and listen and learn with that brother.

I got to really connect with Urraca and Breezy the first 3 miles. We talked about our ULP (Ultimate Life Purpose) and how to get that aligned at work, home, and F3. I formed deeper bonds with those two HIM. Then I got to run with Slim Jim for the last 2 miles. He told me 4 times to keep going. It took me four times times to explain I was doing what I wanted – I wanted to run with him. It was an honor to talk to Slim about his son in law, about working out in Fort Mill, about his daughter. It was a conversation I will cherish.

The during COT, Handyman said something that got my attention about the loss of family, his sister, and that we will talk about it at QSource in the Bunker. Honestly, I brought a change of clothes just in case but really wanted to go home and sleep a couple hours before church. I was exhausted. The look in his eyes told me not to. It was one of those moments in the COT where I was able to “be still and know” that I needed to listen to God.

That QSource was powerful because of the vulnerability that several HIM showed this morning in the Bunker. Men who are foundational rocks in ENC and in their Church. Men who shared their fears and loss. Handyman talked about #CollateralGoodness and that reframing it to preframe it was a powerful message. I can tell you that every man’s eyes were sweating when he talked about losing Amy last month. Amy is his little sister. 17 years old. It hit home.

Know this, the power of F3 is not the 1st F Magnet that often attracts men to this group. The power is in the 2nd and 3rd F that we saw today. Using bonds of brotherhood in times of vulnerability to connect with a higher purpose. Today was a day I needed and I’m honored to be a part of F3 Nation and most importantly F3ENC.

The Thang – Runners – Today we took off down Pitt to Dickinson before looping to get on the Nipple. We then went down 10th to 5th. Everyone found a different way home and finished on time.

Ruckers – Simple down and back. Down 1st up elm to 14th and came on back. Lots of mumblechatter

BOM/COT – Prayers/prayers for Bono’s girls; for Amy, Handyman’s sister; injured pax; Bill, one of Scats people with COVID

Prayers for GrowRuck 26 Eastern Fleet. It will be an event to showcase how all the regions in the East do business. How we can connect. How this event will be a World Class event.