Blackbeard Challenge

  • Saturday, May 28, 2023
  • 0630-0815
  • 36.132175, -79.880630
  • 52 °F, 93% humidity

Pax:

Pax from near and far gathered at Natville’s Mothership AO for the 8th annual Blackbeard Challenge. Found by Matlock while searching for the next CSAUP, we’ve always found camaraderie in supporting the Matthew A. Pucino Foundation each year. After a quick history of our partnership and the “why” behind the event, it was time to #RuckUpAndBuckleUp

Two “platoons” were formed, a flag led the way and off we went into Country Park for:

Warm-A-Rama

  • SSH x 25 IC
  • Copperhead Squats x 15 IC
  • Sun Gods > Chinooks > Moroccan Night Clubs > Wonder Woman > Sun God (unwind) x 10 IC each
  • 5 Penalty Burpees OYO (1 for each set of arms that dropped before “recover” was ordered)

Fall back into formation for a speed ruck along the high side of the lake to the War Memorial for

The Thang (part 1)

Hero WoD: “Piestewa”

    • 6 Rounds
    • 50 yd. Ruck
    • 7 “Double Push Up” Get Ups with Ruck On

Hold Water in your mouth throughout the entire workout like the Apache Run.

Significance:

Lori Piestewa was the first Native American woman KIA. Ambushed in the attack where Jessica Lynch was taken POW. Her surname is derived from a Hopi language root meaning “water pooled on the desert by a hard rain”; thus, Piestewa (Hopi: [piˈɛstɛwa]) translates loosely as “the people who live by the water.”

 

 

 

We then paused at the War Memorial for time to reflect and #HonorTheFallen as well as a lil’ story time with Merle Rosenbrook. The full story can be read HERE. #PutYourNameOnIt

Time to Ruck Up and move on to the lower side of the lake for:

The Thang (part 2)

Hero WoD: “Harrison”

  • Picnic Shelter (picnic benches)
    • Leg press x 10
    • Bench Press x 10
    • Dips x 10
    • 3 rounds
  • Treetop Deck
    • High Pulls x 3
    • Overhead Press x 3
    • Ruck Pushups x 6
    • Ruck Situps x 12

Significance:

Sgt. 1st Class Calvin B. Harrison, 31, was killed Sept. 29, during a combat operation in Uruzgan Province, Afghanistan. He was a Special Forces medical sergeant assigned to Company A, 2nd Battalion, 7th Special Forces Group (Airborne).

Harrison was born March 11, 1979, in Cleveland, Texas. He graduated from Jones High School in Coldspring, Texas, and enlisted in the U.S. Army in 1998 as a psychological operations specialist. He served with the 4th Psychological Operations Group (Airborne) at Fort Bragg, N.C., as a psychological operations specialist.

Form up and head back to the EXFIL (the gate) for one final surprise… casualty evacuation. 6 men were “dropped” and had to be evacuated the final .25 mile to the shovel flag. If nothing else, the #friendlys were entertained as we rucked by.

One last message for the:

Circle of Trust

Executive Mansion,
Washington, Nov. 21, 1864.

Dear Madam,–

I have been shown in the files of the War Department a statement of the Adjutant General of Massachusetts that you are the mother of five sons who have died gloriously on the field of battle.

I feel how weak and fruitless must be any word of mine which should attempt to beguile you from the grief of a loss so overwhelming. But I cannot refrain from tendering you the consolation that may be found in the thanks of the Republic they died to save.

I pray that our Heavenly Father may assuage the anguish of your bereavement, and leave you only the cherished memory of the loved and lost, and the solemn pride that must be yours to have laid so costly a sacrifice upon the altar of freedom.

Yours, very sincerely and respectfully,

A. Lincoln

YHC is always humbled by the Blackbeard Challenge. A man we never knew paid the ultimate price and brings us together each year to honor the true price of the freedoms we enjoy every day.

Grace & Peace,

Tommy Boy