Gut Check Challenge

November 09, 2013

Gut Check Challenge

“Whenever a man does a thoroughly stupid thing, it is always from the noblest motives.”
― Oscar Wilde, The Picture of Dorian Gray

The dirty bastard himself

I have to disagree with Oscar Wilde from time to time. Sometimes a man does a thoroughly stupid thing for the most thoroughly stupid of reasons. It's one thing to run a 10k for health. It's one thing to run a marathon to cross it off a bucket list. It's one thing to lift weights at a gym to attract members of the opposite sex. But to participate in a low key, low reward, highly strenuous marathon length event that you can't even explain to people what it is? Is that not thoroughly stupid?

On Veterans Day, 2013, I participated in Joe Decker's GCC. Held at Mt. Woodson, just north of San Diego, I drove down the day before in my van, loaded up with required gear (gloves, hydration, 2 5-gallon buckets, duct tape, 2 50# sandbags) and recreational gear, in case I had energy later (mountain bike, surfboard, yoga mat). Did I mention I was doing something thoroughly stupid?

Billed as a 4-hour event, we didn't really know what was in store for us. We started with some short sprints and calisthenics, sit-ups, push-ups, burpees, etc. Then on to the buckets. With 50 lbs in each hand, we carried the buckets for somewhere between a quarter and a half mile. Women carried 30 lbs sandbags in their buckets. Once there, we placed one of the sandbags on our shoulders and proceeded to pump out 100 squats. One. Hundred. Squats. I was not prepared for this.

Two bucket loads of fun

Sprinting back to camp, sans buckets, we did more push-ups, sit-ups, burpees (25 each), and a series of "strong-man" events: tire flipping, overhead lifts of 70-100 lbs dumbbells (in case you're wondering, this dumbbell weighs 164 lbs), and hammers, which seemed a little ridiculous to me after spending the last few winters chopping wood. Only one pull-up was required, I guess due to space constraints. Following that was a series of hill sprints that Joe calls snakes, up and down a very steep (30-40% grade) hill.

That was round one. Run back to our buckets. Carry them yet another half mile farther out for... Another. One. Hundred. Squats.

This time, we start with a sandbag in front of our chest, and press the sandbag overhead as you stand up. So another hundred, but with your arms and shoulders joining the party.

Run back to camp and do another round.

Round three. Carry the buckets UP a steep ass hill. Another. One. Hundred. Squats.

For the final hundred squats, we drop the sandbag on the ground, and then press up overhead, so whatever part of your body is not yet awake gets to join in on the fun.

Now carry the buckets back a mile and a half to the finish.

OK, this is my pathetic part. Before I got to camp, Joe called the event. It had been 5 hours and he had to get us out of the park. 5 hours, I still get a medal, but for something I can't explain to anyone.

I somehow dragged my ass to a friends house and immediately crashed on his floor for a couple of hours. Beer came later.

The next day on my drive up to San Jose, I managed to surf a little at Ventura and go for a bike ride at Pismo Beach. So Joe, you didn't kill me, but I still struggle to explain what the hell I did, and especially, why the f*ck I even did it.

* Bobby Lipton recorded his completed GCC. Enjoy!