I was just thinking about you.

13 sets of legs ran and one set peddled on this the 48th Anniversary of YHC’s entry into the world. Weather was, again, perfect at sunny and 70.

Routes:

4 Milers: West on Grove, right on Libbie, quick left at Patterson, genuflect at Pearl’s, then east on Patterson. Right on Malvern. Right on Grove and BTTF.

5 Milers: West on Grove, right at Three Chopt (on the side street – Henri), right on St. Christopher’s, right on Patterson, genuflect at Pearl’s Cupcake Shoppe, then continue on Patterson. Right on Commonwealth. Right on Grove and BTTF.

6 Milers: West on Grove, right at Three Chopt (on the side street – Henri), right on St. Christopher’s, right on Patterson, genuflect at Pearl’s Cupcake Shoppe, then continue on Patterson. Right on Reveille. Right on Grove and BTTF. Or, just turn on Malvern and make it 5.1.

Number-am-a, Name-a-ram-a, Bodo’s took us out.

NMS:

Good chatting with HoneyDo, Bodo’s, Splinter & Co. this morning. Special guest star Shakedown, who was apparently Q-ing at Spider Run this morning, made a cameo and joined HoneyDo and YHC for the last 3.5 miles. Nice birthday treat to run with two F3 friends who have run more miles with YHC that just about anyone.

Announcements:

The first F3RVA Convergence of 2021 will be held on January 1, 2021. Out of respect, all fields will be closed (Campos Cerrados) until dawn. Meet Satan at his Hill in Amelia, or Powhatan, or Lewisburg or wherever you run out of gas. Definitely Clown Car to this one. Charging stations will be available on site. Rumor has it 07:00. Details to follow.

That day is also the 10-year Anniversary of F3. Whoever came up with the starfish model really nailed it for the needs of F3’s men. In a world with so many cookie-cutter, top-down, one-size-fits-most solutions, the starfish model works fabulously well for the task at hand. For those unfamiliar with the origins of F3, 10 years ago it was started with one workout. That first workout only started because a separate group (The Campos) was deemed “too big.” F3 split off new workouts as the size grew, thereby allowing (really, requiring) each region (and even each workout) to develop its own independent identity, traditions, personality, and people without a home office telling everyone what to do or how to act. In short, men building something that they own locally without unnecessary infrastructure or anyone doing it for them or telling them what to do. Initiative, leadership, action. If a group of men wanted to grow, then they took responsibility for the growth. About 6 years ago, a handful of men started F3RVA, and now we own F3RVA. Boom! Super way to maximize impact with limited/no all-knowing or all-controlling home office.

Lots of prayer requests unspoken today, but mentioned now. One of YHC’s best pals lost his MIL to undiagnosed pancreatic cancer and another is going to lose his FIL shortly. Apparently, 2020 does not want to go quietly. This year is like a boxing match that the referee won’t stop. YHC feels like the fight was scheduled for 10 rounds, so apparently, we are going the full 10 rounds this year. Game on.

Prayers also for the driver who flipped his/her car onto someone’s porch at Horsepen and Glenside this morning. Looked like a doozy (not our Doozy; it’s just a figure of speech).

Happy 93rd birthday to YHC’s Aunt Eileen, one of the kindest souls in this world.

As my friend Hardywood says, “Fun fact.” It’s also Josef Stalin’s birthday. Can’t make this stuff up.

UpChuck spits the bit.