13 brave men attacked WDOG in the gloom and here is how it went down.

COP: Regular Merkins, Right leg high merkins, Left leg high merkins, fist merkins

Curb crawl : start on curb  5 decline merkins –  bearcrawl to next curb 5 incline merkins crawl bear back repeat 3 times.

Polarbears: polarbear (5 step bearcrawl then merkin) to the center of the circle – crawl polar  bear back – repeat 3 times.

Field: On the end line run backwards to the middle of the field – 5 merkins – sprint back to the start 5 merkins – repeat 3 times.

4 corners on the brick patio: 10 merkins – 10- hand release merkins – 10 workins – 10 clerkins – repeat 4 times

Amp Theatre : 2 incline merkins at each step to the top

Indian run merkin style : runner at the end goes to the front once he reaches front pax stops and does 2 merkins

Ring of Fire : 2 rounds  10 fist merkins – 10 regular merkins – 1 round  10 regular merkins all together .

The story: If you have not guessed it yet YHC was wanting to make sure the pax knew that today was the start of the November Merkin Challenge!  YHC also wanted to make sure that everyone had the opportunity to get off to a good start and it seems we certainly did that by completing 400 merkins – well done guys ! Although there seemed to be lot’s of complaining – grumbling – calls and pleads for side straddle hops – there was not much mumble chatter as the pax locked in on banging out some merkins this morning.  Those of you that are only doing the breathing challenge this month – my apologies 🙂 but you did know this was a Swirly Q!

Speaking of challenges allow me to clarify the rules of an F3 RVA challenge. When a member of the pax puts out a challenge for the group it is obviously open to everyone – you choose to participate however if you choose to participate you must complete the minimum # on the challenge or increase the number you are not to sign up and write in less than the standard unless you are injured – recovering from an injury or have special permission/consideration from corporate. (if you want to do an independent challenge with your own number or exercise  – go for it) but an all out pax challenge has a standard minimum # which if you sign up for is your goal unless you would like to increase it . These challenges are there to push us and I encourage everyone to participate and push yourself while involved in some friendly competition . Example : YHC may consider the breathing challenge – cause( you don;t just participate in the challenges you are good at) – if that were the case YHC would not be doing this 100k in a month Labrat  – boom !

All this is to say – keep pushing yourselves fella’s – a great way to continue to do this is continue to come to F3 everyday because when you do –  you will be inspired / encouraged by those men around you that give it their all everyday, and this will allow you to accomplish things you did not imagine you could.  I’m so proud/blessed  to be part of this group of amazing men – you each inspire me in some way all the time – I am grateful for that and for your friendship.  Way to bang out some freaken merkins today !

Whether it’s merkins, breathing, running, reading, time with the family – whatever – challenge yourself – dig deep and make it happen put the effort in – (Growth does not happen by chance) and if you desire to be a winner – know this – Winners don;t sleep when they are tired – Winners sleep when they are done!

Swirly out!