Major Lucas F. “Gaza” Gruenther is an F-16 Flight Lead and the Chief of Flight Safety for the 31st Fighter Wing, Aviano Air Base, Italy. As Chief of Flight Safety, he develops and executes all aspects of the wing commander’s flight safety mishap prevention and response program. He is responsible for conducting mishap investigations and safety inspections. Additionally, Major Gruenther directs various working groups, writes and maintains the wing Mishap Response Plan, and coordinates safety concerns on all matters relating to airfield construction and maintenance.

On January 28, 2013, Lucas was on a training mission over the Adriatic Ocean in Italy. During the training sortie Lucas was forced to eject from his F-16 and did not survive the ejection. Luc is survived by his daughter Serene Gruenther born on February 7, 2013, his wife of 7 years, Cassy Gruenther, his mom Romel Mathias, his brother and sister-in-law Alex & Britton Gruenther, his brother Chance Hildreth, his grandmother Melba Mathias, his grandmother Brigitta Gruenther. His Aunts Megan & Marissa Mathias and cousins Sara, Eza, Max, McKenzie and Isabella; and the rest of his family and friends.

Gaza
5 rounds for time of:
35 kettlebell swings, 53/35
30 push-ups
25 pull-ups
20 box jumps, 30/24-inch box
1-mile run

Gaza is a long, serious workout with an extremely high volume of reps. Average times will be around 90 minutes for the full WOD. Please scale the number of rounds to an appropriate level based on your fitness level. It is OK to complete 1-4 rounds rather than the full five.

Please prepare accordingly for a challenging workout. The July heat combined with the length and volume of this WOD are potentially dangerous if you show up dehydrated and not rested. Pretend you’re running a half-marathon in the morning and please eat, hydrate, and sleep properly in preparation.

There is a 3-hour block on the calendar from 8AM – 11AM. We will start one class at 8AM for the early risers and a second class at 9AM in case you prefer to sleep in. For the running route we will do three laps around the 600m block so that we can stay closer to the gym. I will set up a table where you can leave water bottles or drinks during the runs.

In memory of Gaza, Vintage CrossFit will donate $1 per round completed to the Major Lucas Gruenther Legacy Foundation which bestows scholarships to Americans in need. Read about the foundation here or follow Live Like Luc on facebook.