The beat down is a formality at this point, a race to the 48 hour mark. But we won’t let that get in the way of a feeding frenzy kind like you’ll find on TV if you’re fond of the only best parts of Shark Week.

We just don’t know any other way, even when we all want Jon to finish and we all basically know he will.

I see a panorama like this and I’m like why not open this thing to the public, this vile event called GORUCK Selection. Before it’s extinct anyway.

The sharks take their turn on the whatever fish you’d call Jon at this point. How civilized.

Lots of sympathy right there. Lots and lots and I’ll say it again lest we forget: we’ve all done this and far worse in our Selections. As we’re removed from this event now, the more I think how ridiculous it is that only one guy passed it. Out of the 84 who showed up, out of the 278 that registered.

It’s only 48 hours you really just have to want it and train accordingly.

Red meat red meat.

In the water all the way red meat red meat.

Splash splash red meat red meat.

Sand sand red meat red meat.

More sand red meat red meat.

Get up red meat red meat.

Oh God the drama red meat red meat.

It’s all mental. And by the way if you look closely you can see Jon’s fly is completely busted. Won’t go up. So yeah, wear all the Gucci stuff you want here but it doesn’t matter. If your pants fall apart you adapt. If you don’t have a spare you ruck in Ranger Panties or whatever else you have. If you have nothing, we’ll probably find something for you if you can endure the cost.

Gear doesn’t define the man, it just sometimes oh sometimes determines how much unnecessary pain he has to endure.

And all the beach red meat red meat comes to an end as all things do and we’re off to HQ for the grand finale like when they send off all the fireworks last and you’re glued to the sky.

We cleared out the backyard aka the parking lot to HQ and then we filmed in real time all the screaming and yelling made for TV style.

Red patch red meat red meat.

More hose red meat red meat.

Then came the just quit just quit just quit just quit you can’t do this anymore and there I am as a Cadre like yeah this is what it was so that’s about right. Then I know we’re like 5 minutes from being done and what if he says OK I’m done. We’re filming live how do you rewind his life to take back something he says.

You can’t, that’s how you don’t do it. You can’t. And you can’t do it to your own life, either.

So it was what it was and I held my breath a bit cause I’m human like everyone else and how are you not rooting for Jon at this point.

Tyler and I talked about it later and we couldn’t believe how Jon was still doing all the exercises so well. And I don’t know what exactly Tyler’s looking at (above) but man he’s studying something hardcore and I guarantee behind the shades and the standards he’s like no way is this guy still actually doing this.

Meanwhile inside the live stream rages on beneath the yelling and the screaming out back and the end will come.

All in due time. The flag’s not perfect yet so it may be a little while longer.

Next up: Part 9: The Finish