Earlier in the year, I had heard that Tidwell wanted to CoQ one of the monthly rucks. Fast forward to a few weeks ago when Viking was looking for an August Q. I had never led one, so I reached out to Tidwell and we began planning it.
Being a CPA by trade, below are some of the interesting facts/numbers on this monthly ruck: Youngest ruck CoQ for a leading a monthly ruck Tidwell (16 years old), first use of a pool in the monthly ruck, first to move a chicken coop (more on that later), raised nearly $1,200 raise for Critically Loved (this mean Tidwell is going to repel down a 10 story building on September 19). We plan to share more specifics on time and location so you can come out to watch it. If not, we are hoping Tidwell can smuggle his GoPro camera on it.
The theme of the ruck was fire, ice and cold beverages. Tidwell and I worked to come up with different locations across the County where workouts were led by various pax at each location. We had 4 locations and 4 different pax leading each workout.
I had scooped up Tidwell prior to event and we dropped off the two cooler with cold beverages at Airplanes. Wouldn’t you know it, Airplane was eating pizza (but no pizza box in sight). Next, we made our way over to the County. We were not in a rush because a few were running late. Perhaps Dauber was listening to ads in advance of todays Q featuring Taylor Swift music. He surely wasn’t reading the preblast.
Sump Pump had a bag of watermellon he was offering to everyone prior to the event. Apparently it paired well with his cold beverage.
Here were the pax that made it to the event at the start: Dauber, BigBird, Captain Crunchberries, Focker, Asian Zing (R), Deflator, Sump Pump, Gisele, DeVitto, Meter Maid (Co-Q) and Tidwell (Co-Q). Tidwell provided a disclaimer before we went on our way. Backflop would catch up with us at the Firehouse and we also caught up with Airplane and Valdez at their homes along the way.
For those that remember the station / firehouse, it always seemed to have a train blocking the County on Thursday mornings. Apparently it also blocks just after 7pm on Fridays. We decided to go down Mount Mercy and continue moving toward the firehouse. Those who at the last Station workout before closing would remember Pelican’s social Q.
For the fire theme, Captain Crunchberries led this one tasks that a firefighter would perform. His first exercise was down hose. The goal was to stay low and drag your ruck from one side the other and then switch sides for your leg. The second exercise was a manmakers overhead skull crusher. For the last exercise, we performed was step ups. There was a curious nice older lady watching us workout from a nearby house. Focker offered to let her join us and she declined. Focker hadn’t yet lost his shirt.
By this point, we were all sweaty. We stayed on LaGrange Road at which point Backflop catches up with us. Backflop wore crocs. It may have been an 1st for a monthly ruck. The group splits into two which Focker lead the “standard” crew as we headed to Tidwell’s house.
For the water theme, Tidwell split us into two teams. One would carry a bunch of weight to the start of his entrance. The other would do 10 pool burpees and 15 pull ups on the other side. Once the team carrying weight returned, the teams swapped. Some of the weight included 20, 40, and 60 pound sand bags. A 45 pound play sand bag and several 5 gallon buckets filled with water.
We then started rucking toward Airplane’s house. He also has a pool and planned a workout around water. It was the perfect Airplane Q barking out lots of orders minus his usual truck tailgate. He had everyone raise their rucks overhead. Then he sprayed everyone, well about half of us. The second half of the team were outside of his hose. I called them the dry dockers. For the second exercise with rucks overhead, we did flutter kicks while the water for half of us continued.
By this point, everyone has already gotten into the coolers for cold beverages. It was a good time for second F.
As part of the workout, we had to take the remaining cold beverages in two coolers to Valdez’s house which was about a mile away.
The work continued as Valdez was waiting for us to give us a taste of log PT. He had us line up quietly (well maybe not) in order so PAX sizes were similar. He taught us the basics. The four logs were different (some were heavier than others and some had colonies of ants – ask Dauber about that). We did rotating overhead press from shoulder to alternating shoulder. Then we did squats (I thought was the hardest) and log curls.
Valdez had a strong bon fire going to dry us out and he threw the PT logs on it too. We all grabbed a few more beverages and the mumblechatter was strong. Then, we did COR, NOR, announcements, intentions and closed with a prayer.
I was floored that at least three unnamed PAX that reached out to ensure we reached our charity goal which we did. We raised nearly $1,200. Thanks to all those who contributed!
Just when you thought the event was over, Valdez asked for us to help move a chicken coop weighing over 500 pounds. At one point they pull out chains and Focker started pulling it like a sled (think worlds strongest man on ESPN) with the help of other pax. For the 8 of us that helped, the words do not do it justice.
Always humbled to lead,
-Meter Maid
F3 Louisville 