This is not the way I expected to wake the day before GTE Mid-West. I expected to be at the airport ready to fly through CLT to Kansas City. I expected to join 65+ studs from KC, St Louis, and Omaha at the Rally tonight. I expected to be able to thank Bartman for his leadership, his initiative, and his steadiness in person as he served as the Event Q. I expected to give Blistex a huge man hug and thank him for his hours and hours of work and leadership of a team of studs to make the event a reality. But that is not the case.
Instead, I posted at the F3ENC #Blastoff AO. I talked with Popeye and Frank The Tank about how we met our brides. It was a little of the ALR normally employed when meeting new Rucker’s. Instead, Bartman sent several briefing documents to the travel team to insure they had last minute details. Instead, Blistex loaded up gear, including a truck full of Clorox wipes in this vehicle (he works at Clorox). He is prepared. Instead Slaughter, Dark Helmet, Cadre Danny, and Cadre Dredd loaded their rucks to head to the airport as a more efficient travel team. They know what to do. Lots has changed from what we envisioned, from what we wanted. Lots will remain the same.
Men will push themselves further than they knew possible. Men will stumble only to be caught by a brother. Brothers will face “implements of woe” and feel the burn in their forearms and traps. They will question the sanity of their decision to “ruck up and buckle up”. They will feel thirst, exhaustion, and pain. They will push past it, because they have the lead and when leaders are in charge, they take charge. They already got prepared for the expected so they can be prepared for the unexpected heading their way. They will focus on the 43 feet ahead of them to move closer towards their goal.
GTE Mid-West is the first event of the new GrowRuck format. The men of F3 are leading this entire weekend. The preparation is done. Plans have been adapted over and over to make sure we are as safe as possible. We are not walking into the day we wanted or expected. COVID changed that. We are walking into the day we need.
The sun rises every day and the birds begin chirping. It’s what Victor Frankl calls hope. My love goes out to the studs in Kansas City today. The men who start this GrowRuck Training Event will exit so much more. They will smile a quiet smile when they first hold that new patch. One day in the future, I hope to be able to shake the hands of each of you.
“The Gloom Belongs To Us”
Bono
