Cinco de Mayo

Crazy 8s

The Triple Nickel crowd this morning rocked the field at E Rivers this morning with Crazy 8s and hand weights. We split the breakfast club into two groups, men and women. As the beautiful ladies cranked out various upper body exercise, the gentlemen trounced the field in a tight pack. Then, as the guys pumped iron, the gals gallivanted gaily about the grounds. The total was 600 repetitions of various arm/shoulder/back exercise, 5 tempo miles.

Princess Boot Camp

We try not to take ourselves too seriously. After all, we run around town in our underwear every day dodging traffic while helping ourselves to whatever property we feel best suits our needs. This morning was a fine example our our daily folly. In our PBC platoon today, we had a French man following a two foot tall sombrero all the way down Peachtree Street and back. To understand the irony, we have to examine the history.

It is actually widely mistaken to be Mexican Independence Day (which Cinco de Mayo is not: that holiday takes place on September 16), given that the fifth of May is in celebration of Mexico's victory over a French army twice the size of their own. Cinco de Mayo instead celebrates the Battle of Puebla, one that was fought, in short, over money and debt owed to - surprisingly - the French. Even more surprising, however, than the history behind the celebration is the fact that Cinco de Mayo is celebrated to a significantly lesser degree in Mexico than in the United States. It has, quite frankly, become more of an excuse for both Americans and Mexican-Americans alike to don sombreros, down Coronas, and play hooky from work.

Check. You can imagine how many horns were honked this morning. We were actually cat called by a Latino fellow we presume to be of Mexican heritage. Princess Boot Camp always attracts attention. This morning was no different.

Tomorrow is the final day of the current session. Please help recruit new participants.