A Halifax-area gym held a special Father’s Day fundraising workout in honour of the fallen RCMP officers killed in the Moncton shootings.
Called the Three Fathers Challenge, Osprey Athletics brought out several dozens of people to take part in the workout and enjoy a barbecue, with all donations going toward the existing charity that provides scholarships to students.
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“We want to pay tribute to the officers that lost their lives in Moncton,” explained Rob O’Brien, one of the owners and coaches at Osprey Athletics. “In the crossfit community it’s tradition for us to have big events in honour of fallen soldiers and first responders.”
Many signature crossfit-style workouts are known as Hero WODs. Workouts of the day were inspired by fallen military members.
O’Brien said they felt compelled to challenge their members with one of those types of workouts, and with the event falling on Father’s Day, honouring the three fathers who were killed was the perfect way to support local troops.
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“In the states they do one called Murph which is a huge deal, and it seemed appropriate that we have one for a Canadian event.”
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The workout gets its name from Michael Murphy, a United States Navy Lieutenant killed in Afghanistan in 2005.
Focusing on fallen troops from our side of the border Osprey gave the workout, usually distanced in miles, a Canadian twist.
“We have to run a kilometre, do 100 push ups, 200 sit ups, 300 air squats and then run another kilometre,” explained PJ Makinen, a member who took part in the day’s exercise. “We hope that anybody who’s taking part in this particular workout is going to struggle a little bit but understand that those who lost their lives struggled a lot harder than we did.”
Both O’Brien and Makinen say the atmosphere at their gym is one that is always looking to lend a helping hand, and therefore whether the Three Father’s Challenge would be a success or not was never in question.
“Our community here at Osprey Athletics is really amazing at coming together at these times to put something together to really raise awareness but also help raise some funds for an important cause,” said O’Brien.
“People that come in from other gyms are always surprised at how supportive people are,” explained Makinen. “Everybody’s a little nervous when they start a new workout routine and they’re surprised how much support they get.”
Osprey plans to make the Three Fathers Challenge an annual event.
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