19 years later – 9/11 – #NeverForget

YHC always tries to take the Q for 9/11 to honor those that lost their lives and those that sacrificed everything, as well as to make sure that we all #NeverForget this incident.  And my basic Backblast information is the same, but with new PAX and all, it needs to be said!  And it never needs to be forgotten!  This year, with 9/11 falling on a Friday, I figured we would just do a special opening of #WaveRucker/#Warthog/Open to All and roll.  I was back and forth between PT or stairs.  I asked a few of our dudes for their opinion, and the request was for PT.  So PT is what we will do.  The point is to do work and honor those that lost their lives.  Let me start off here with the basics:

This is the 19^th anniversary of this horrific event.  One that affected many of us profoundly.  Terrorism was brought front and center to our great country.  2,977 men, women, and children lost their lives.  Any of us old enough know exactly where we were and what we were doing when the first Twin Tower was struck 19 years ago.  The event resulted in many of us or friends or family enlisting, becoming a first responder or police officer.  Many of us had family, friends, loved ones, directly and indirectly affected by this tragic event.  YHC is originally from NY.  I have many friends and family with the NYPD and FDNY, and still others that worked in and around downtown NYC.  Calling, emailing, trying to find out what happened, who was there, who had been hurt or killed, the unknown minutes and hours that went by as we waited and waited.  Getting only news reports but no specifics.  It was brutal.  It is something YHC will definitely #NeverForget.

9/11/01 matters.  What happened to our borders and citizens matters.  So, I humbly take this Q and lead this workout.  As I get older, I realize that 19 years is a long time.  I had no kids.  Now I have three, one who is a year away from college.  Last year I realized that none of my 2.0’s really understood the significance of this date.  So I took the time to educate them about things.  Much like I recall learning about WWII from my grandparents and Vietnam from my dad.  Take the time men.  It goes by fast.

We were on the field.  The blocks were there!

Men lined up and we said the Pledge of Allegiance – found this online – thought it was interesting:  The Pledge of Allegiance was written in August 1892 by the socialist minister Francis Bellamy (1855-1931). It was originally published in The Youth’s Companion on September 8, 1892. Bellamy had hoped that the pledge would be used by citizens in any country.

In its original form it read:

“I pledge allegiance to my Flag and the Republic for which it stands, one nation, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.”

In 1923, the words, “the Flag of the United States of America” were added. At this time it read:

“I pledge allegiance to the Flag of the United States of America and to the Republic for which it stands, one nation, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.”

In 1954, in response to the Communist threat of the times, President Eisenhower encouraged Congress to add the words “under God,” creating the 31-word pledge we say today. Bellamy’s daughter objected to this alteration. Today it reads:

“I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America, and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.”

Section 4 of the Flag Code states:

The Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag: “I pledge allegiance to the Flag of the United States of America, and to the Republic for which it stands, one Nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.”, should be rendered by standing at attention facing the flag with the right hand over the heart. When not in uniform men should remove any non-religious headdress with their right hand and hold it at the left shoulder, the hand being over the heart. Persons in uniform should remain silent, face the flag, and render the military salute.”

I then showed the men the list of the 2,977 names.  I read the 1st column of A’s.  Hearing and reading those names was emotional.  Relatives, spouses, names of backgrounds that sounded like the melting pot that America is – We are all AMERICAN!  https://www.911memorial.org/visit/memorial/names-911-memorial

We then had a moment of silence.  Then we got to work.  On the poles were the printouts of the 2,977 that lost their lives.  Then there were large versions of the workout.  I explained how things would work.

Here are the facts:

On September 11, 2001, 19 militants associated with the Islamic extremist group al-Qaeda hijacked four airliners and carried out suicide attacks against targets in the United States.  Two of the planes were flown into the towers of the World Trade Center (110-story skyscraper) in New York City, a third plane hit the Pentagon just outside Washington, D.C., and the fourth plane crashed in a field in Pennsylvania.  Often referred to simply as 9/11, the attacks resulted in extensive death and destruction, triggering major U.S. initiatives to combat terrorism and defining the presidency of George W. Bush.  A total of 2,977 people were killed in New York City, Washington, DC, and outside of Shanksville, Pennsylvania, in the worst terrorist attack in U.S. history. This included 400 police officers and firefighters.  Specifically:
– 2,753 people were killed when hijacked American Airlines Flight 11 and United Airlines Flight 175 were intentionally crashed into the north and south towers or as a result of the crashes.
– 343 were New York City firefighters, another 23 were New York City police officers and 37 others were officers at the Port Authority.
– The victims ranged in age from two to 85 years. Approximately 75-80% of the victims were men.
– At the Pentagon in Washington, 184 people were killed when hijacked American Airlines Flight 77 crashed into the building.
– Near Shanksville, Pennsylvania, 40 passengers and crew members aboard United Airlines Flight 93 died when the plane crashed into a field.

Timeline
– 8:46 am ET – American Airlines Flight 11 (traveling from Boston to Los Angeles) strikes the north tower of the World Trade Center in New York City.
– 9:03 am ET – United Airlines Flight 175 (traveling from Boston to Los Angeles) strikes the south tower of the World Trade Center in New York City.
– 9:37 am ET – American Airlines Flight 77 (traveling from Dulles, Virginia to Los Angeles) strikes the Pentagon Building in Washington.
– 9:59 am ET – South tower of WTC collapses in approximately 10 seconds.
– 10:03 am ET – United Airlines Flight 93 (traveling from Newark, New Jersey to San Francisco) crashes in a field near Shanksville, Pennsylvania.
– 10:28 am ET – North tower of WTC collapses. The time between the first attack and the collapse of both World Trade Center towers is 102 minutes

The THANG
This will be done DORA style but in teams of 3 (I did this one year in teams of 2 and it took almost 3 hours to get through this and we cut out the running halfway thru):
2 will always be exercising and adding up reps; while 1 is running.  Here is the simple example:
A and B exercise.  C runs.  When C returns, add up A and B reps.
A runs while B and C exercise.  When A returns, add B & C reps & add that to the 1^st total.
B runs, while A and C do reps.  Etc etc.  Cumulative until total reached.

16 exercises – 186 reps of each exercise #’s 1-15, 187 of #16.  To total 2,977 total reps.  We will do the sets “together” stopping at the end of each “round.”  Feel free to use the blocks on any and all exercises you want (some require obviously).

The exercises are broken down – chest/upper body, legs, arms, cardio, core
1. Merkins
2. Squats
3. Tri extensions with blocks
4. SSH’s (single count)
5. LBC’s (single count)

We paused here and came together for men to share their memories of 9/11.  This was some powerful stuff.

6. CDDs
7. Lunges (count each leg)
8. Curls with blocks
9. Plank Jacks (2 count)
10. Flutters (2 count)

We paused here again and came together for men to share their memories of 9/11.

11. Diamond Merkins
12. Calf raises on blocks
13. Bent over rows of blocks
14. Mountain Climbers (2 count)
15. Heels to heaven

We paused here again and came together for men to share their memories of 9/11.

16. Shoulder press blocks
Burpees – 102 of them (as a group of 17 – thanks to our resident genius Valvano – 6 each!):
Think about this, the time between the first attack and the collapse of both World Trade Center towers was 102 minutes – slightly over an hour and a half.  102 minutes of so many people seeing, hearing, experiencing pure and utter horror.  First responders entering crashing buildings that were on fire; regular people trying to help others.  Think about what they went through.  102 minutes that seemed like it would never end.  We are just outside doing a workout.  And we know it will end.  It hurts, but nothing like what these people went through. #NeverForget

#NeverForget

“I can hear you, the rest of the world can hear you and the people who knocked these buildings down will hear all of us soon.” ― George W. Bush

We had a bit more time, so the groups did some more work
1 PAX Farmer carry 2 blocks 110 yards.  Other PAX Plank.  Rotate for each to do.  Think about carrying rubble or a child, or whatever trying to help.  Ignore the pain in your forearms.
OH Hold a block 110 seconds in silence.  Took about 30 seconds for the men to be silent so we started the count over each time.   

STRONG STRONG WORK.

STRONG STRONG STRONG STORIES/MEMORIES

THANK YOU ALL FOR POSTING!

1 last note – as we pause today for 9/11…Headgear brought up the Benghazi attack.  DO NOT forget this or the men that gave all.

Humbly led,
OneCall