F3 PAX Testimony : Why do I workout?
When I try and EH guys I always get the same response, “Why do you get up at 5am to workout? I couldn’t do it.” There are many answers we all have; training for an event, for my health, for the other guys, etc. During our family vacation to Colorado, I finally found the best answer. We went for a short hike around Guanella Pass at the base of Mt Bierstadt. The scenery was breathtaking. We hiked to Deadman’s Lake at the bottom, but everyone in the family couldn’t stop looking at the peak of Bierstadt. We went to the trailhead and discovered that the peak was only another 3.4mi and 2800ft higher. We could do that!! As a family we decided we would come back the next morning and hike Bierstadt; a Colorado 14er.
That night we ran to the store to get a few extra layers in case the weather turned on our hike. We read reviews on All Trails and our confidence was high. We discussed the plan; out the door by 6am, start the hike by 7, summit by 9, off the mountain by 11……
“A well crafted plan never survives contact with the enemy”
Someone Smart
We managed to get out of the house on time and started our hike by 7:30, but that is where our plan began to fall apart. The base of Bierstadt is already +11,000ft elevation so any physical exertion for a flat lander is a bit more laborious. The hike starts with a gradual descent over a marsh and past Deadman’s Lake, then the fun begins. The trail immediately steepens and does not let up for 4mi (Advertised as 3.4mi, more like 5 to the summit for a total of 10mi). This is where the F3 kicks in…...
There are 2 overlooks before halfway and it takes us 2 hours just to reach the halfway point; we are supposed to be at the summit based on our naive plan. I have carried my ruck containing provisions for me and my M, as well as another backpack and water for my children. We are to the point where we walk 50-100ft and my wife is out of breath. 2 of my 2.0s want to just quit at this point and my wife is on their side but knows better than to say it in front of me.
If I had not been training with F3, I would probably be right there with my M sucking on an oxygen bottle trying to make it the next 100ft. Instead my fitness helped me at that altitude and could carry the extra weight. If not for F3 I might be thinking that it is probably a good idea to quit so the bitching will stop. Since I am used to mumblechatter, I ignore the complaints and encourage them. The whole time I am encouraging my M and 2.0s with stories from BRR, the Swamp Fox, and how tough some of the F3 guys are that are 20 years older than me; they wouldn’t quit!. If not for F3 I would have not been able to carry the burden, both mentally and physically
F3 has prepared me for those burdens both physically and mentally. So when people ask me why I work out at 5am, it is because I am training for life. You never know when someone in your family will turn to you and ask you to help them carry their burden. This can be a physical burden of a backpack or it can be one of the many burdens that life throws at you that are carried out of sight. Do you really want to be the husband/father/leader that says, “sorry, my burden is already too big, I don’t have room for yours.”
A Lot of times I have thought of our F3 community as a bit of a selfish endeavor. I do it without my family and it is something that I really enjoy without them. But this experience opened my eyes that without F3, we likely would have not made it to the summit and had this once in a lifetime experience together. Now when I am EH’ing someone and asked why F3, I have a much better answer.
“F3 is like graduate school for life. It helps you train physically and mentally for the burdens of life. It is also a group of the 1% of the 1% that are there for you at the drop of a hat with help or advice. It will elevate you as a man/husband/father/leader. When you decide to set your alarm that first morning and you get to see for yourself, you will understand. I will pick you up tomorrow.”
AYE!!
Goodell
