Well, here we are. The end of the IronPax Challenge. Some of you are rocking some sweet swag, like shirts and patches, while others of you are — based on some of the tweets I’ve read — thrashing your computer screens as you see that you finished 73rd. I mean, that can’t be possible … can it? That’s a debate for a different day, even though we had it nearly every day in the month of September.
Being a military guy, the first thing I do after I finish anything is ask myself a question: what did I learn? Now, I understand that the backblast is my place to use my voice and communicate what I want — and anyone who knows me knows that WILL happen — but I lose that question to you, @F3Nation. What did you learn?
Answers are going to fall into one of several categories.
Category one. The Endorphin Junkie. You love EVERYONE. At times, you’ve been brought to tears by how hard you and your homies pushed yourselves and you saw it on Twitter, too. This is a love fest and your new name is Rico Suavè. Hey after it, Tiger. Grrrrrr
Category two. You’re all a bunch of f@$&!! LIARS! You know you’re a badass and you know everyone else can see it, too. Some dude named Fluffman from F3BFE thinks he can do Sugar’s Pick Your Poison TWO MINUTES FASTER?!?! Your boys have done the math (math isn’t really your strong suit, after all, because numbers are hard) and you know it’s impossible. Ease up, Roid Rager. There is always a bigger fish and your boys are right behind you with another dose of midol.
Category three. The Happy Clown. You don’t give two rips about getting more fit, winning a competition, or wallowing in the quagmire of twittah chattah. You just love to be around your boys and see them do well. You DNF’d? Who cares? Ya boi Fluffman just set an IPC record.
Category four. Mr. Pleasant. It was you v you out there and nothing more. You did your best. You busted through your self-installed glass ceilings and got better. You also got to cheer on your homies as they did the same. Bravo Zulu, shipmate!
The reality is, we are all each of these in various degrees. At various times I have exhibited all of those characteristics and still do on a daily basis. It’s the fallen nature of this life. But I never stopped striving for excellence in both performance and character.
So, what does IPC do? It hold up a big, mostly uncomfortable mirror in front of us. Pissed because you just KNOW so-and-so cheated? I was. I needed a lesson in grace. Who am I to question Fluffman? Maybe he is a CrossFit Games regional-level athlete. Me, I’m a mathlete. Excited because that guy whose been posting for two months got out there and did every single one of those terrible workouts? You’ve seen the better part of yourself and you should embrace that.
This F3 thing has taught me two of the most valuable lessons I’ve ever learned. The first one comes from the book about the guy I was named after. I AM THIRD. The second lesson is that actually living third is difficult and a daily struggle.
F3 starts with a workout. The workout ends with a Circle of Trust, but F3 doesn’t end there. It continues on throughout our days, permeating every little facet in some unexplainable way that we, and those we love, appreciate to no end.
In spite of a loud vocal minority, that was on full display for the month of September. F3 nation has grown exponentially over the last few years, fueled by the desire to share this thing with other men. We are bigger and less proximate than ever before, yet, for this one month, it was like we were all posting at the same AO. There were men pushing harder physically than ever before. Others pushed their boundaries of their introverted nature and found themselves cat-calling alongside their brothers as man after man finished the workout. Still others pushed the boundaries of their mental and emotional states and learned that the workout is the laboratory for life where we practice strategies to deal with difficult things while maintaining a “Never Quit” attitude.
I know I’m biased (y’all have probably figured that out as well), but I believe the IronPax Challenge brought the Nation together in a whole new way and it was exciting to watch. The amount of work that had gone into this thing is enormous. And while everyone is aware of the UncleJesse’s out there, I wanted to take a minute and recognize Kobayashi for all of his hard work. This was his brainchild and he has worked the magic behind the curtain in the most amazing way. I can’t even begin to compute the hours he has spent putting this thing together and making sure it was the best possible experience for everyone involved. No easy task of you keep an eye on Twitter at all. So, if you enjoyed IPC (or of you hard it, for that matter), make sure to drop Kobayashi a note on Twitter to let him know.
So, without further ado, please welcome the 2019 IRON PAX Smokey from Naperville! Not sure what y’all are feeding that boy, but keep it up ‘cuz it’s workin’!
And, #TClaps go to a region after my own heart (again, as a recovering journalist I am NOT biased) to 2019 Regional Champs F3Birmingham! Love what y’all are doing down there!
As for me, well, I didn’t win again this year. I’m fairly convinced that I should have placed much higher than I did, but I’m even more convinced that there are some BEASTS is F3Nation and I am glad to be associated with ALL of you, even if you did cheat and beat my time. (Kidding)
So, until next year, let Iron continue to sharpen iron!
Aye!
Oh yeah — I think a few of y’all have been waiting on the full results, so here they are!
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