When YHC pulled up to The ER there were PAX and cars all over the place. What in the world? Why so many . . . then it slowly began to dawn on the Q that they must be here for ol Abe’s last ER. Are they that glad to get rid of him??? Hmm, nothing to do but get out of the little white truck and find out.
Everybody milling around in the gloom of the light, pre-dawn rain seemed to be in a good mood. YHC started to explain the penalty for not wearing a weight vest: all those without weight vests were to do 10 burpees to start the workout and 5 burpees back at the start when finishing the 1st lap. Then 4 burpees following the 2nd lap, 3 following the 3rd, and so on. All with weight vests could take off and run the ER as usual.
“Anybody need the ER explained?”
“I do. I’m from Charlotte.”
YHC turned to see who said that and bless my eyes but there stood OBT!
“We got a democrat!” YHC yelled and threw a big ol hug around our founder’s neck.
Somebody, obviously not the mushhy type, hollered “let’s go” and the weighted ones took off. The naked hit the deck for their 10 burpees and it was on.
Jordache’s finished first with like a 100 laps. The rest is a blur. But it was a good workout.
BOM
OBT stepped forward and said a whole bunch of really nice, underserved things about YHC. Sadly, I can’t remember any of it. Too emotional. The whole thing was overwhelming.
Then YHC delivered a short farewell address. The scripture was THE SCRIPTURE that changed YHC’s life. Jeremiah 33:3, “Call unto to me and I will answer you and show you great and mighty things you do not know.” 40 years ago YHC learned this verse and started calling on God. The answer was, “Follow me. Go preach the gospel and love and serve the people of the church.” That answer has made pilgrim people of Betsy and me for over 30 years. Now God has called again, as He has done a several times before, and so we’ll fold up our tents and follow once more.
God brought us here over six years ago and we met you. You men have been a blessing to me. You give me hope. I see the world, read the news, and the world is just awful, frightening, and despairing. Then I see you. Men who love the Lord their God with all their heart, soul, mind, and strength. Men who love their neighbors as themselves. Men who love their wives and their children. Men who love the Body of Christ, the church. Men who are decent and work hard to provide for their families. Men who are strong, and brave, and serious about life. I didn’t know you were out there but F3 showed me who you are and showed me your character. And this has filled me with hope and joy beyond words.
You are the light of the world. You are the salt of the earth. And I love you. Thank you for the awesome privilege of serving you.
Come see us in Manning. I’ll show you some real bar-b-que.
Abraham
Like I told you this morning on Lap #3. You may not remember. You’re OLD and it was raining and I was standing there naked in the rain and you said something like: “I am glad you came out this morning Crop.” I said…”I came for one reason – to show tribute to you.”
For Clarification:
Naked means I was NOT wearing a weighted vest. I have no idea why anybody in their right mind would want to wear a weighted vest.
Cousin Eddie (and others) only twisted my arm and insulted me to the point that I felt like I had to show.
But I didn’t come for them – I came to pay tribute to my friend Abraham. Without you F3 would have eventually found it’s way to Hickory, but you brought it 3 years ago. Plus you have been my pastor for 6 years. We’ve run marathons together, along with shorter races. You did actually cross the finish line ahead of me ONE TIME – and it was that EPIC finish in the Charity Chase that will be with me until they cart me away. You’ve cried with me and for me. You’ve prayed with me and for me. I know your favorite AC/DC song. We’ve talked about Puerto Rican girls. And I will end with that. Just know this: I “Miss You” already. 🙂
Croppie (somebody pass me a hankie)
Cropduster, thanks for everything. And the truth you and I know is that it wasn’t just me that started F3 in Hickory. It was me and you and Taz. You two were my running partners then and when I told you about some crazy workout I had attended in Columbia with my boys you and Taz jumped on it and said, “Let’s do it!” Wouldn’t have happened without you.
You’re a true friend. Come see us in the “remote peanut field.”
I ran my first relay with this guy and I’ll never forget it. At 2 am during our first BRR, just before we lost a guy (yea, we did that), he was slightly irritated at our van because we were tired and had stopped cheering on runners as we passed them. He said “Come on guys! I’m running out of cheers!”. When we passed the next runner he yells “Dewey defeats Truman!”. I still laugh at that.
The next year, before my first leg, I asked him if he had any advice for me. “Follow the signs” he said. I told him I was seeking divine intervention too. He said “Well, it’s too late to pray. You should have trained harder.” Good times.
During my first introduction to F3, as part of C9, at the Palmetto relay, in the middle of the night, in the middle of nowhere Abe says “You ever think your getting too old for this HBC?”. My reply was “Not yet.” Some 3 years and a bunch of relays since, thanks to Abraham and men like him, thats still my answer.
I’m proud that we became Red Wood Originals together Abraham. You make me proud to be a Respect. You have a heart of gold, yet you are tough as nails. Your leadership and encouragement have helped me to be a better man in more ways than you will ever know. You have been the conduit of love and toughness that I needed in my life. Thanks for reminding me to “Follow the signs”. Aye!
HBC, thanks for the undeserved kind words. There is nobody I have raced with in Hickory more than you. Relay partners come and go but it seems like you and I are always there.
We had some fun, didn’t we brother? Heck yeah we did! I’ll see you in the mountains come BRR time.
Weird thing happened during the COT. My eyes starting leaking. No explanation needed, I’m not a proud man. Sincere thanks are owed to you Abraham. I can’t list everything that I – nay WE – owe you for what you’ve done for f3hickory. You gave it all away and then some. From stupid burpees, all of your son’s miserable workouts, talking me into stupid BRR ’16, your beer tickets at P200, a love for misery – especially that most miserable of events the SMR, planking for the 6, planting flags all over NC and TN, trying to lay folks out during Ultimate Frisbee, heckling the Q when something wasn’t right, to just being my favorite Angry Preacher. I recall when I first found out that you were a man of the cloth…my reaction was WHAT? That mean ole SOB baptizes folks for a living? It still surprises me but then I hear the things that you preach during COT and it all makes sense. Jesus was no lamb, and you sir aren’t either. There are big shoes to fill with your absence. Figuratively, not literally. What do you wear, size 8’s? I digress. Can’t wait to hear stories of how Manning was a town of sad clowns until a certain preacher came casting fire and brimstone and burpees on everyone. Godspeed sir!
Cuz, it’s true that I helped start F3 with the help of Taz and Cropduster but it was you and Beaker who changed F3 Hickory into what it had become. I’ll never forget when you two first showed up. I had two thoughts after your first workout: those dudes are tall! And dang, they’re slow!
And now you’re a runner. A real one. I don’t want to hear any more of that, “I’m not a runner,” crap. You is, my friend, you is.
And now you are 1st F regional Q. Keep pushing, keep launching new AOs and plant the flag in more towns in western NC. Carry on, my wayward friend. Got all the confidence in the world in you.
Hate I missed this one. It has been great knowing you the past 2 years. You are a inspiration. Thanks for bringing F3 to T’ville (even though I live 20 minutes from there). F3 has filled a void that I didn’t realize I had. You will be missed brother!