Uncomfortable laughter. That is probably the first thing people do when I bring up the workout “Chad”.
For those that don’t know, Chad is 1,000 box step ups to 20″ box wearing a 35# or 45# rucksack. The workout is in honor of Navy SEAL Chad Wilkinson who took his life on October 29, 2018 due to the effects of numerous deployments, several TBIs, blast wave injuries and PTSD.
So. One Thousand Step Ups. For a guy you didn’t know.
Why?
This is where I turn the objective conversation subjective and make it more personal..
My dad wasn’t a Veteran. He wasn’t in the military. He worked on the slope his whole life until he retired.
However, my dad did commit suicide. 481 days ago, I got a phone call saying my dad had passed away. The next day, I found out he took his own life.
My dad and I did not have a perfect relationship. It was far from perfect in fact. But I loved my dad. Through his addiction and imperfections- he was my dad.
So. Tomorrow, when I don’t want to step onto that box one more time, I will do it for him. I do it for anyone that has struggled with mental health issues. Anyone that has had suicidal thoughts. All the Veterans that have seen more than our own hearts could handle.
“Because he died by suicide I see stepups to be a poetic representation of mental health,” Wilkinson continued. “They are not technical but at some point in the 1,000 you are going to really hurt, question and maybe doubt yourself while alone in your thoughts. It’s a reminder to keep going, keep pushing and as Chad used to say ‘uncomfortable can’t last forever.'”