The First Leon

Preamble:

Warmer than expected weather greeted us as did two pre-runners (start time 4:45).  Stretching was completed, disclaimer given and we were off.  YHC pre-informed the PAX we would be attempting so Strava art this morning and following directions was encouraged.  Funny how you have to remind them to follow directions.  Strava would be the judge.

Warm-O-Rama:

A dubious playlist was started and then a mosey around the parking lot including some DB drills then circled up for:

• Imperial Walkers x10
• Windmills x10
• Weed pickers x10
• SSH x10

At some point in the warm-up, the playlist started “Chipmunks Roasting on an Open Fire” which set the tone for the music to come.  Mosey to the pitch.  Halfway there YHC noticed I had not started my watch.  Doh!  So much for Strava art…but we would recover.

The Thang:

The plan was to spell something out on the pitch so that our Strava maps would look cool.  YHC decided we could not spell it in order or the PAX would figure it out before the last letter was revealed so we went in reverse order:

L

Starting at the corner of the pitch, bear-crawl along the sideline to the red line.  Then burpee broad jump the red line all the way across the field.  Run back across the red line then crawl bear back to where we started.

E

Run along the end line to the other red line.  PAX were instructed to do 11 merkins then run to the next point (led by YHC) where they did 11 squats.  Rinse and repeat across 9 more points led by YHC.  We ended right back where we started have completed 66 merkins and 55 squats.

O

Run to the corner of the other pitch for a standard four corners.  Run to corner 1 and perform 20 crab cakes (right/left = 1).  Run to corner #2 for 20 No Surrenders.  We should consider calling these Knee Sanders.  Mosey to corner #3 for 20 Reindeer merkins (see Superman merkin in the Exicon).  Finally on to corner #4 for 20 BBSUs.

N

Starting on the sideline near the far red line (I never actually saw the red line) we performed 20 monkey humpers then ran across the red line to the other side of the field.  There we enjoyed 20 Turkish Getups.  Mucho mumble chatter including a suggestion that those were not REAL Turkish Getups.  Whatever you call them, they suck!  Run diagonally to the far top corner for 20 star jumps.  Last, run the end line to the other corner for 20 Carolina Dry Docks (aka Stone Mountains).

We had officially spelled out LEON which, spelled backward is NOEL.  YHC is pretty sure that was the first LEON spelled out at the Gladiator.

Mosey to the hill by the flag for some 11’s:

• HR merkins at the bottom (we need to get our 100 per day in, right?)
• 4-count flutters at the top

The gazelles finished early and started some mary including burpees and dying cockroaches.  YHC finished things out with some gas pumpers including a lot of deceleration near the end to finish right at 06:00.

COT:

Praises lifted up for Tebow’s SIL having twins this week.  Prayers they can get out of NICU quickly.

Prayers for Shiner’s friend in the hospital, for Shrinkage’s house guests as they find out the next steps with trying to have a child, for the Levin and McHugh families as they mourn Kathy and Barb, and for all the unspoken requests on our hearts.

Naked-Man Moleskin:

Good times at the Gladiator.  Thanks for the encouragement, fellowship, and strong effort on the beat down.  It’s an honor and a privilege to lead and be a part of this group.  Thank you.

–Speedo out