AO: The Patriot
QIC: Maj Payne
The PAX: Horsepunch, Prenup, Lazlo, Dr. D, Bone, Two-Percent, Tea Party, Subprime, Jenner, Apollo, Vegan, Jag, Lucius
Saturday, marked the 50th anniversary of the first moonwalk. “The Eagle has landed,” said Neil Armstrong on that day, July 20, 1969, and he placed his foot on the moon’s surface shortly afterward. Today, the 14 PAX honored the Apollo program as a whole, which succeeded in landing the first humans on the moon from 1969 to 1972.
Mosey around the track, interspersed with high knees, butt kicks and karaoke. Circle up.
- Side Shuffle Hop x 10
- Imperial walker x 10
- LBAC (front and back ) x 10
- Merkins x 50 SC to honor the 50th anniversary of the first moonwalk. Broken into 3 sets (30, 10, 10) Rest between sets…or hold plank…if your F3 name is Jag.
Main Event
Apollo 1
The Apollo program had a rough start. The Apollo 1 mission ended in tragedy on February 21, 1967 when a fire in the cabin killed all three astronauts on the launch pad. YHC asked if any of the PAX could name just one of them. Apollo, with what could be seen as an unfair advantage, being an active duty Air Force officer and pilot (and, well, named Apollo), responded correctly with fellow USAF pilot Lt. Col. and Command Pilot Virgil I. “Gus” Grissom. The others were Senior Pilot Ed White, and Pilot Roger B. Chaffee. Rest in Peace brothers. In memory of those three astronauts, we completed a ring of fire with each PAX completing 3 x Burpees.
Mosey over to pick up concrete blocks (AKA payloads). Almost all grab blocks (more PAX than blocks — it’s a good problem to have!) and continue on to the arena.
Space Race
The USA was not the only nation working to get to the moon first, and we were in the midst of a full-on space race with the Soviets now. The Soviets were the first to send living organisms to the moon and back, including two tortoises, fruit fly eggs, and plants. the PAX did not know the name of the Soviet spacecraft — the Zond 5.
Split into two groups – group 1 Americans, group 2 Russians, or something like that.
Russians head off into high orbit, which equates to a lap around the arena perimeter. Since we don’t have enough blocks, Two Russian pairs must buddy carry up the stairs and around the perimeter. Americans stay in low orbit for now, and pick up their blocks to execute 5 x curls, 5 x overhead press, and 5 x squats. Repeat the cycle until the Russians return from their high orbit lap. Flapjack. Repeato until both groups get to experience high and low orbit twice each.
Apollo 8
America eventually did leave low Earth Orbit. Which Apollo mission? The PAX did not know and were treated to 8 burpees to help them remember that it was Apollo 8, for the next big Apollo anniversary.
Apollo 8 was the first to leave low Earth orbit, reach the moon and return to Earth. The three astronauts aboard orbited the moon 20 times before returning triumphantly to Earth. To honor this, PAX split into groups of 4, with three astronauts and a command module. Command modules bearcrawled, and astronauts secured payloads over their heads for the walk to the moon (near Samara). Switcheroo as necessary, because no one wants to be a bearcrawling command module the whole time, Once at the “moon,” complete 20 Burpees OYO in honor of the 20 moon orbits.
Apollo 11
Mosey onward to the basketball court for the grand lunar landing itself, Apollo 11. Buzz Aldrin, Neil Armstrong and one more flew this mission. Who knows? The PAX were not up on their Apollo trivia this day, and failed to guess Michael Collins.
To commemorate, the PAX completed an Elevens sequence across the width of the basketball court, frolicking as though in 1/6th Earth gravity. 10 hand release merkins on one side, skip to the other side, and 1 jump squat on the other, and so on. Skipping is harder than it looks in full Earth gravity…
Time to circle up for Mary.
Mary – Apollo 17
Given that time had run away from us with all the frolicking on the lunar surface, we stayed at the basketball court to commemorate the final Apollo mission, number 17. The mission resulted in several records, to include the longest moon landing and the most lunar orbits (75). Time was short, so instead of 75 reps, the PAX completed just 17 (in honor of the mission number) heels to heaven.
COT: It’s been 50 years since brave men set off into space to explore the unknown. The obstacles the PAX faced today pale in comparison to what the Apollo astronauts faced, but no matter what, there are always obstacles that stand before us in our pursuit of excellence. Break through those obstacles, whatever they are, and make the world a better place. Be the better father, husband, son, brother, boss or co-worker. Be excellent and strive to make the world more excellent. Aye!
F3 The Capital 