EndeavorTeamChallenge, OPT challenge.

  We had just spent the last 4 hours speed walking, jogging, searching, on a moonless night for targets marked on our map, and hidden as only Army Rangers can hide them.  It was 0230 (thats 2:30 am for you Mickey Mouse watch wearers) and we were beat.  We took a gamble on racing back and earning an hour or two more rest than our closest competition, so we would be better rested come morning run and OPT Challenge.  Little did we know that 'morning OPT challenge' would begin as soon as we finished Night Navigation.
  We had a few minutes to grab grub and down drink before a spot opened and we began our timed Optimum Physical Testing phase.  This was where the winners were separated from the whiners.  This test was broken down into three sections.
  First was the Jump and Throw.  Competitors were to establish their max broad jump, max 16# throw (toss a shot overhead) and max "L" sit (sit in a "L" position for as long as possible, legs extended off the ground)
  Next came the Share event.  Each team had to share 40 box jumps / step ups on to a 24" box, share 40 hand release pushups, and share the joy of carrying that same RXR tie from Feats of Strength, 50 yards.  As many rounds as possible in :20 minutes or five rounds max.
  The final OPT challenge was the Run and Hop. 5 rounds or as many as possible in the remaining time (all events must be completed in :60 minutes or less.)The Run and Hop involved the Suicide Sprint where  you ran / jogged / sprinted down to the 15 yd mark and back, down to the 25 yd mark and back, then down to the 35 yd mark and back.  Once back to start line the same competitor began doing Broad Jump Burpees down to the 25 yd mark and back.  After both teammates completed their turn that was one round.
  As I may have mentioned we were beat.  Jack had bonked, I was pretty tired, but I figured so was every other team was coming in behind us.  Lets get this over with and go lay down.  We took the max amount of time on the first events, trying to catch our breath and trying to let our legs and body recover.  Jack being the better jumper jumped first.  He hit and held a 6'9" distance.  Maybe the best of the night.  On my first attempt I hit 5'9".  I knew I could do better than my height so I opted to go again.  My second jump was a beaut, but I didn't hold my position, so I tried again.  On my third jump I looked up and saw all the stars aligned, my breathing and timing were in sync. Three, Two, One, rock and sproing!  I flew, I soared, I landed, I stuck my landing.  6' 3".  A new personal record!  When you get over 40 years old you discover it's not the jumping that is so bothersome, It's the landing.  OOOW.  Oh well I was about done with my knees for the night anyway...
  On the overhead throw Jack had already tossed his shot.  This was a collegiate size shot put shot, 16 pounds.  Women tossed an 8 pound shot.  Jack still had his gloves on from the night hike, He doesn't like to be cold.  Having the gloves on helped his toss. 20' 3".  This toss you turn your back to the direction you want to throw, then bend and heave the shot backwards over your head.  I stepped up for my toss.  I gripped, I breathed, I bent, I swayed, I exploded.  The shot went basically straight up and landed about 12 feet away.  What?  I could do better than that.  With no gloves on hand for me I did the next best thing.  I linked my fingers into a loose sling for the shot.  I figure it worked for David vs Goliath it might work for me. Again I gripped, I breathed, I swung and swayed, looking for some timing, I exploded up and back.  Yes! that felt much better.  I was not ducking and looking for cover.  My toss went 20' 3".  The same as Jacks.  Should I try one more to beat him or...No we were teammates a tie was fine.
Next came the L sit.  Jack was just finishing his hold when I walked up.  19.6 seconds.  OOh  that was good.  In my practicing I had the hardest time beating 16 - 17 seconds and that was over two weeks ago.  I sat, I breathed, I posed over the handles, I lifted my legs and sat, suspended by my arms.  I counted in my head...13, 14, 15 Ok ease them down like it's no big deal... I was happy with :15 seconds. No need to prolong the pain, we had step ups and push ups ahead of us.
  At the Shared event we opted for the tandem step up routine.  Some teams jumped up, 10 per, then rested as the other one jumped or stepped up for 10... We went Jack, me, Jack, me, Jack, me... doing our next step up as the the other was coming down.  It looked faster to us, than waiting for the other to finish.  Once we completed our 40 step ups, (actually the first round was 41 because one of us didn't quite stand all the way straight up at the top of the box)  we immediately dropped for the hand release push ups.  This time we opted for ten each before giving over the pushing to the other.  On a hand release  push up you must lay all the way flat down, remove your hands from contacting the ground and then push back up. This ensures you go all the way down plus gives added effort in the pushing up phase, over coming static weight at the bottom.  (Back to body in motion, body at rest...)  We completed our 20 pushups each and went to carry that rail road tie down around the 25 yard marker and back.  No problem.  We completed all 5 rounds in about :15 minutes.  Ever onward to Run and Hop.
  I went first. Jack was beat.  He needed as much time as possible before pushing on.  The sprint was easy (ish).  I knew the Broadjump burpees would not be. For a broad jump Burpee (also known as a Squat Thrust if you've been around as long as I have) You first jumped out as far as you could, then dropped down, prone on the ground, feet thrust back behind you.  Then you reverse that motion, bring your legs back towards your hands, shift weight on to them and jump forward again.  Sounds easy?  Try it.  Try 50 or 60 of them, in a row.  Let me know...  we had :25 minutes remaining on our :60 minute cycle when we began this event.  It took us about :09 minutes for each of the first two rounds. There was no way we could go faster on the last round as we only had less than 8 minutes left when Jack finished his 2nd round.
  We Give.
   Lets go find a place to sleep and hope we did well enough...

  As it turned out we did quite well.  for old guys, for any guys.  Second overall in the OPT.  I think Jack had the longest jump, period.  Not bad.    Most teams did bare minimum to not get eliminated, which was one round of each team challenge...  Good for us for not quite understanding the rules... If we had known we might have opted for bare minimum also... (I doubt it though....)
 The team that won this event was the third place finishing team overall.  Another older than most team of 40+ year olds.  They heard we "crushed it" and were hell bent on beating us.  They did.  Congrats to them.  It wasn't easy stuff.

  Special thanks to the midnight volunteers out there counting and judging our efforts during those long, cold, lonely morning hours... Lauren, Vicky, Tim I know in particular, but all of them.. Thank You.