Thomas Glover

I wish that sometime someone would find a cure for the arthritis I have had for 15 years.  I am a bit tired of the pain.

The good news is that the pain didn't wake me up at 3am like yesterday.  It woke me up at 5am.  Once again the Witch Doctor turned the screw into my ankle via the voodoo doll of my likeness.  I am sure the good doctor was smiling.

Being awake I decided to at least give a work out a try.  Sitting on the stationary bike at 6am suddenly brought back the memory of participating in Physical Training when I was in the Army as a young Lieutenant.

As a young officer I was lucky to be placed under the care and supervision of a very experienced and professional Platoon Sergeant.  Platoon Sergeant Thomas Glover was a career Non-Commissioned Officer of the highest caliber.  A former Drill Sergeant, SFC Glover stood  6' 4" and tipped the scales at over 260 pounds.  In a good mood he was an imposing figure.  When upset his small brown eyes could look through you like x-rays, his nose, broken once or twice during a brief stint as a professional football player expanded and contracted with his deep breathing.  I have no doubt he could put fear into God if the situation required it. 

SFC Glover loved Physical Training.  He loved to run the Platoon as the Sun rose in the morning.  Glover walked with a funny gate.  Not a limp but more like a half step walk.  It looked like he was walking a bit sideways but in fact he wasn't.  This was the result of a hip injury years before in combat.  It never slowed him down a step; especially when it came to running.  Well he didn't really run; it was more like a shuffle at a quick pace, a really quick pace.  He could run forever at his pace and his pace was the pace his Platoon would run.

If SFC Glover liked to run in the morning he Loved to sing the Jodie calls... and he was among the best at singing Jodie's.  Jodie's are the glue that keeps military units together as they run or march.  They bring the team together with a focus, and practically they help members breath correctly as they run.

Glover could run and sing forever.  His low melodic voice could be heard to echo for over a mile.  " I could run to New York just this, all the way to New York  just like this."  The Platoon would echo his call and the Jodie would go on and on as we ran as group.  Glover would pick cities and towns representative of the members of our platoon.  This focused the individuals.  Our Platoon would start each day as a team.  He was a genius as a leader and a great mentor.

SFC Glover would never quit and he would never let me quit as the Platoon Leader.  "Sir, I ain't gonna quit and you can never quit, cause if you do the men will quit", he told me once.  " There is just no quitting" he would say.

So this morning the words of SFC Glover came rushing back.  No quitting.  Once again I got through a workout and it hurt.  Glover would have smiled just a bit and offered a slight nod of approval.

45 minutes on the stationary bike, hill course, level 12.  Max HR 95 MR 22

Not great but a workout w pain and no quitting.  Thank you Thomas Glover.

See you at the Top!

John