Monthly Archive February 2013

Birds Need a Balanced Diet Too.

-Six runners posted this morning at Devil’s Turn. Turkey Leg and 49er arrived at 0510 for the 6 miler.  Stagecoach also arrived at 0510 but only to stretch before the 0530 4 mile launch.  The two 6 milers circled back to join the 4 mile group, and at 0530 one very loose Stagecoach and five other runners took off for a much colder than anticipated trek through McCalpine Creek Greenway.

-Turkey Leg, 49er and Purple Haze set just over an 8 minute pace for the last two miles only to have Turkey Leg announce that he was going to “light it up”  the last quarter-mile.  He then took off like Usain Bolt.  Impressive brother!  I predict a strong finish at your first half marathon next week.

-Hats off to Mall Cop.  Even after feeding the birds his pre-run banana somewhere around the 1.5 mile marker he still finished his 4 miles.  Birds can’t live on worms alone!

-It was great having  BRR runners out this morning already kicking off their training.  Should be a great F3 event.

The Gopher

Unknown

The pesky gopher reared its little fat head and tore through Death Valley for the first time today, and 30 brave men showed up for the beat down.  Full Disclosure: YHC stole this workout idea from Metro’s WIB.  Thanks to fellow GoRucker Spiller for mentioning the WIB’s- The Rented Mule was the toughest F3 workout he has ever completed.

The Thang:

Half mile loop around the South Charlotte Middle School athletic fields with 7 pain stations completed each lap:

     1) Bear crawl 50 yds across football field.

     2) 25 LBC’s–pain stations 1 & 2 were moved to the track after 1st lap due to the muddy field conditions, but I think the PAX enjoyed the cold wake up call when they got on their backs for the 1st round of  LBC’s.

     3) Run to end zone and complete 25 merkins.

     4) Run around track to opposite end zone and complete 25 merkins.

     5) Run to baseball field and complete 25 dips.

     6) Complete 25 up and over railing hops (over and back count as 1 completion).  Again YHC tried to over achieve on this one, and I believe most modified (including me) to around 20 to 15 completions after the 1st lap.

     7) Run up steps to concession stand and complete 15 burpees then run back to start line.

Repeato until 0615.

Moleskin:

-Not much chatter today amongst the PAX.  The usual warm up was skipped in order to allow more time on the course.  The lack of conversation could  have also had to do with the fact every breath was needed for running, merkins, burpees…

-I believe the max laps completed was 4 1/2 but there was one freak out there who may have completed 5 full laps ( I think it was Bulldog…hard to tell in the dark because everyone looks the same in head lamps) but if it was someone else stand up and be recognized.

-BS was called immediately when YHC explained the 50 yd bear crawl on the muddy football field and after the 1st lap was changed to 50 yd lunge walk on the track.  We can all thank Tiger Rag for this course adjustment.

-Quick summary for the mathematically challenged.   4 laps= 2 mile run, 50 yd bear crawl, 150 yd lunge walk, 200 merkins, 100 dips, somewhere between 50 – 100 over the railing hops, and 60 burpees.  Time spent on the course: 40 mins.

-As with any first time event there are always lessons learned.  The Gopher will need a few tweaks here and there before his next appearance at DV.

Announcements:

-Q’s needed for Area 51 Saturday workout.  Contact Far Side.

-New workout coming to Charlotte Catholic High School.  Runstopper to provide more details.

Cold, wet and skunky

wetskunk

17 embraced the weather and showed up for a cold, wet, skunky beatdown…and were not disappointed.

Warmup: SSH x33, mountain climbers x20, goblin squat jumps w/ kb x 10

Mosey to road, partner up, try to avoid partnering with TR and his 100 lb kb
– Partner 1 sprint 3 lightpoles, merkins until all of group 2 arrives
– Partner 2 farmer carry 2 kbs, goblin squats until everyone arrives
– Switch
– Repeat to end of road and back with merkins, wide arms, stagger left and stagger right

Mosey to school, lunge walk w/ kb

Now that everyone is wet, get under cover
– 2 hand swings x 25
– Front press/tricep press x 12
– Goblin squats x 20
– Around the word, reverse
– LBC x 30
– Louganis x 10 (it is wet)
– Mason twists x 15
– Peter parker x 10
– Parker peter x 10
– Planks

Mosey to hill

Jacob’s Ladder to 7, no kb, ascending burpees at top

Lineup in parking lot
– Goblin squats x 10
– Sprint past busses and back, no kb

Mosey back to lot

 

I was fairly surprised to see a strong 17 ready to get after it in the rain and cold this am…well done. Makes me a bit scared at the # we will get on a normal day.

Major props to the 2 FNGs that showed up today, true beatdown of a workout in hazardous conditions…all downhill from here for you guys.

Runstopper is a true gentleman to let an FNG have his normal size kb then take one of TR’s 45 lb bells and then partner up with TR. Impressive stuff.

My last two posts have been in the freezing rain, I’m ready for spring.

— Harley

Mutiny on the Burpee

Mutiny

20 bewildered pax appeared out of the gloom thinking they’d start their week off right with a little Matrix workout. Instead they got a huge dose of…

THE RED PILL

Fellowship jog to the back parking lot and back to the front of the fields for…

COP

  • x20 Burpees
  • x15 SSH (in cadence)
  • x10 Burpees
  • x15 Imperial Walkers (in cadence)
  • x10 Burpees
  • x15 Squats (in cadence)
  • x10 Burpees

[Burpee Total: 50]

Four Corners

  • x10 Burpees, Karaoke Left to first corner
  • x10 Burpees, Sprint to second corner
  • x10 Burpees, Karaoke Right to third corner
  • x10 Burpees, Backwards run to fourth corner
  • x10 Burpees at the finish.
  • Recovery Plank

[Burpee Total: 100]

Four Corners Repeato with x5 Burpees

[Burpee Total: 125]

Recovery Mosey to People’s Wall for…

  • x60 seconds People’s Chair
  • x60 seconds Balls To The Wall plus x5 wall pushups for extra credit
  • x60 seconds People’s Chair

Mosey to Little Baby Track for field work…

  • x25 yard Bear Crawl, x25 yard Reverse Bear Crawl
  • x5 Burpees
  • x50 yard Pepper Pot
  • x5 Burpees
  • x25 yard High Knees, x25 yard Butt Kickers
  • x5 Burpees

[Burpee Total: 140]

Partner Up for Track Work

  • Pax 1 Mountain Climbers, Pax 2 lap around the track.
  • Flapjack.
  • Pax 1 Squats, Pax 2 lap around the track.
  • Flapjack.

6MOM

  • x10 Burpees…KIDDING!
  • x21 Dollys and hold
  • x10 HTH and hold
  • x21 LBCs
  • x21 Double-time Flutter Kicks

Mosey back to parking lot for COT, but first…

  • x20 Burpees

[Burpee Final Count: 160]

 

Moleskin

Who starts a COP with 20 Burpees? I mean, really…WTH, man? I’m calling BS on that before I even hit the deck. Jeez.

Another 10? What? Where did this guy come from? Doesn’t he know it’s Monday?

Wait…another 10? Man, who peed in his Cheerios?

Ten more?! Who does he think he is? GORUCK Cadre?

Another ten?!? That’s it. Take him out next time his back’s to us. Just take him out. Hurry. Yes, you. No, not me, I can’t get up off the ground.

Burpee, burpee, burpee, burpee, burpee, burpee, burpee, burpee, burpee, burpee, burpee, burpee, burpee, burpee, burpee, burpee, burpee, burpee, burpee, burpee, burpee, burpee, burpee, burpee, burpee, burpee, burpee, burpee, burpee, burpee, burpee, burpee, burpee, burpee, burpee, burpee, burpee, burpee, burpee, burpee, burpee, burpee, burpee, burpee, burpee, burpee, burpee, burpee, burpee, burpee, burpee, burpee, burpee, burpee, burpee, burpee, burpee, burpee, burpee, burpee, burpee, burpee, burpee, burpee, burpee, burpee, burpee, burpee, burpee, burpee, burpee, burpee, burpee, burpee, burpee, burpee, burpee, burpee, burpee, burpee, burpee, burpee, burpee, burpee, burpee, burpee, burpee, burpee, burpee, burpee, burpee, burpee, burpee, burpee, burpee, burpee, burpee, burpee, burpee, burpee, burpee, burpee, burpee, burpee, burpee, burpee, burpee, burpee, burpee, burpee, burpee, burpee, burpee, burpee, burpee, burpee, burpee, burpee, burpee, burpee, burpee, burpee, burpee, burpee, burpee, burpee, burpee, burpee, burpee, burpee, burpee, burpee, burpee, burpee, burpee, burpee, burpee, burpee, burpee, burpee, burpee, burpee, burpee, burpee, burpee, burpee, burpee, burpee, burpee, burpee, burpee, burpee, burpee, burpee, burpee, burpee, burpee, burpee, burpee and burpee.

Altitude Sickness

11 men gathered at South Charlotte Middle School this morning for the launch of Base Camp. 

The Thang

-SSSH X20

-Squats X15

-CDD X10

-LBC X15

-Merkins X10

-Jog to baseball fields

-Dips X 15 and step ups X 20 – 3 sets of each

-Plank

-Jog to track

-Partner decline merkins – 2 sets

-1/4 mile Indian Run

-Plank

-1/4 mile Indian Run

-Lunge walk up hill

-Mini Jacobs Ladder – 3 times to the top, with five merkins each time

-COP – Squats and Wide Arm Merkins

Moleskin

-So we weren’t actually on Mt. Everest, in Nepal, at an altitude of 17, 598 feet.  But that’s OK; we still managed get the heart rate pumping this morning. 

-Kotters to 89… rejoining us in the gloom after taking a long winter break.  Despite his long absence, 89 was moving at a fast clip this morning with fresh legs. 

-Welcome to Cheese Whiz [FNG]… a Philly boy, as if you couldn’t tell.  

-We will back out for Base Camp every Monday at 5:30AM at South Charlotte Middle School.  It’s a perfect workout for an FNG — or anyone else — that craves the F3 experience, but is looking for a moderate intensity boot camp option.

Soaked & Smoked Pax

7 insane souls showed up to swim the Area 51 pond this morning.  The rain was cold but some hard work warmed the Pax up quick.  
 
Far Side:
Run around track then circle up
SSH x 30
IW x 25
squat x 30
Head to Rock Pile
uneven merkins with rock x 15
switch hands x 15
rock tricep extension x 20
rock curl x 20
Rock Diamond Merkin Berpie AYE! x 10
peoples chair – squat x 30
rinse and repeat
15 decline merkins, 30 dips
rinse and repeat
 
Countertop:
Run to back of school
 
3 sets
  • Balls to the Wall x30 secs
  • Imperial Squats x20
 
Run around school to front Playground
 
Seven’s 1-7
  • Pull-ups
  • Man Maker Merkins
  • Burpees
 
Run to back parking Lot
 
  • Mountain Climbers
  • run loop around parking lot
  • Reverse Plank
  • dancing Crab
  • run loop around parking lot
  • Plank-o-rama
  • Mack Tar Ji (no idea How to spell this???)
 
Mosey to Front parking lot for COT
 
Hats off to those who braved the rain.  T claps for the artist formerly known as Bob the Builder for making a re-appearance.  BTB enjoyed the spoils of a renaming due to there already being a BTB in the F3 Nation, therefore we welcome back the newly named Haka. Lots of huffing and puffing during CT’s round of 7’s on the playground – that place is supposed to be fun, not torture – good work.  Lobster Roll’s one handed, one footed balance during the crab walk that would have gotten him a job on cirque de solei.  Guest appearance by Dolphin at coffeteria who opted for donuts vs cooking pancakes #goodcall.  Stay dry brothers!

Who Invited Jack Webb!?

Aye! The bell tolled and & 7 pax slithered into the wet, soggy gloom to partake in Stonehenge. The goal was to give a “taste” of last weekend’s GORUCK Challenge. Unfortunately, Jack Webb showed up to assist in that effort. Great work by all the pax this morning. It’s unanimous, ALL THE PAX NOW HATE JACK WEBB!

The Thang

Run to “Stonehenge” statues

COP
Imperial Walker x 35
Squats x 40
SSH x 25

Run half mile toward parking deck
10 merkins on the way
Run over to soccer field

Rolling merkins half way
Backward lunge walk to goal line

Jack Webb Ladder up to 5 and back down to 1
– 1 merkin followed by 1 military press, 2/2…5/5…down to 1/1

Run to parking deck
Group run up deck with pain stations on each level (Pax choose exercises)
Level 2 – Harley chooses Louganis x 10
Level 3 – Market Timer chooses Russian Twist x 15
Level 4 – Puppy Love chooses LBC x 15; Frehley’s Comet – Burpees w/increasing merkins
Level 5 – Honey Bee chooses derkins x 10; Jamboree chooses squats x 20

Split into two groups
Group 1 – Run 3 laps around top of parking deck
Group 2 – Non stop burpees
Flapjack

Run down parking deck – Q chooses all exercises on the way down
Level 5 – Jack Webb up to 7
Level 4 – Jack Webb x 8, 9 and 10
Level 3 – People’s Chair x 1:30; Jack Webb up to 5
Level 2 – Jack Webb up to 7

Run half mile back toward launch place

Head to adjacent parking lot; pax split up on light pole concrete bases
– Dips x 20
– Curly Washburn x 10 on each arm

Gather on far end of parking lot
Jack Webb up to 10

COT

Moleskin
– Great work by all the pax today in terrible weather conditions. This was a tough workout, at least for YHC! Fair amount of moans especially when JW showed up.
– Taste of GORUCK Challenge: Wanted to give folks a small sampling of last weekend’s Challenge. Introduced Jack Webb and let pax “pick their pain” in the parking garage.
– Speaking of Jack Webb, by my count the pax completed 178 reps of that sucker – that’s 178 merkins AND 178 military presses. Now that is an introduction brothers!
– Rolling merkins were very tough in the inch deep muddy field, at least for YHC.
– YHC was his usual chatterbox with lots of discussing about how “fun” the GORUCK Challenge was. Don’t think I sold many pax though.
– Keep Haggis and Bulldog in your prayers. Haggis is sick and Bulldog hard committed but didn’t show. Kidnapped by a Fartsack?

Announcements
– All South Charlotte workouts are on normal schedule now.
– New workout Mondays at South Charlotte Middle School (site of Death Valley). “Base Camp” will launch on 2/25 and will be led by Strange Brew. Plan is to be a more gentle workout with less reps to give folks a lower impact option during the week. Let’s all make sure to get there some to support this. Great spot for FNGs to try out F3.

Straight Shooting

7 pax showed up on this cold February morning to run – straight out and back.

The Thang:

Those who show up at 5:15, go 3 out and 3 back. The 5:30’ers go down 2 and back.

The Moleskin:

Finally we’re actually running without the rucks at the Devil’s Turn. We’re all lightweight and free. I seem to have forgotten how to go fast though.

It was great to welcome back/in the runners, especially those we haven’t seen in a while.

Mall Cop and ZipADee are training for the BRR. Turkey Leg is getting ready for the Corporate Cup half marathon in a couple weeks (his first?). Bird Hole I think is just always fast and ready to run (#oldmanstrong). And Baked Beans is just getting started (though with a flurry – 6 posts in 8 days right out of the gates!). Meanwhile, 49er and I are just trying to recover from the GoRuck challenge (49er seems to still have something left in the tank).

We do miss RayCharles though. And Strange Brew. Hope you brothers are doing alright and well on the way to recovery!

If you’d like to join the South Charlotte’s Blue Ridge Relay team then contact Mall Cop. He’s in charge. If you’d just like to get faster, join us next week – same time, same place.

Which Q do I choose?

30 Pax braved the cold weather for their daily down PAINment.  Mall Cop and Stagecoach served as dual QIC’s.        

WARMUP:

  • Jog around the parking lot
  • SSH x 30
  • Seal Jacks x 30
  • Imperial Walker x 30

Split into two groups: group 1 – Mall Cop is your Q, group 2 – Stagecoach is your Q

Mall Cop:

Indian run from front parking lot down the left side of the baseball fields and around the back to the railings on the sidewalk:

  • Grab some rail for Outboard Supine Pull-ups x 15/Inboard Supine Pull-ups x 15
  • Repeato!

Mosey to the frozen metal bleachers:

  • Dips x 30
  • Squats x 30
  • Repeato!

Mosey to home plate on field 1 and split pax into 2 groups:

  • Baseball field suicides – Sprint to 1st base (or 3rd), back to home plate, sprint to right field fence (or left), back to home plate. 
  • Plank – Regular, Right Arm High, Left Arm High, Regular
  • Repeato!

Mosey to the Hill between baseball field 1 and parking lot for the remainder of the workout.  Partner-up for the following:

1)     Pax 1 runs the hill w/ Merkins at the top x 15 & run back down, Pax 2 AMRAP Flutter Kicks. Flapjack

2)     Pax 1 runs the hill w/ Carolina Dry Docks at top x 15 & run back down, Pax 2 AMRAP LBC. Flapjack

3)     Pax 1 runs the hill w/ Wide-Arm Merkins at the top x 15 & run back down, Pax 2 AMRAP Rosalita. Flapjack

4)     All Pax hook their feet under the outfield fence for GRANNY (she’s a mean old lady! Unsavory!) AMRAP sit-ups for 30 sec., hold in a 45 degree angle for 15 sec., still in a 45 degree angle raise arms over head next 15 sec., look to the sky and find a star for 15 sec., arms back in for 15 sec., and finish with AMRAP sit-ups for the last 30 sec.

5)     All Pax run Jacobs Ladder up the hill with increasing 1 up to 7 Burpees at the top.

 

Grab some wall for Peoples Chair x 60 sec.  Repeato!

Finish with more Mary: Wall Plank Mountain Climbers in cadence x 10, The Dolly x 20, Cumberland County Viaducts Left x 13, Right x 13.

50 yard sprint to the other group for COT

 

Stagecoach:

Jog, high knees, butt kicks, lunge walk and backwards lunge walk to concession area

  • People’s Chair x 45 sec
  • Wall planks x 30 sec
  • Wall mountain climbers x 15
  • Rinse and repeat

Little baby jog to the track

  • 1 Lap around track with 1-legged burpees x 5 in the corners

She-Hate-Me

  • Donkey Kicks x 10
  • Karaoke across football field
  • Squat Jumps x 10
  • Karaoke back
  • Repeat for 10 minutes-ish

Next, split into 2 groups:

  • 1st group – Run 1 lap around track
  • 2nd group – 10 decline merkins (feet on fence), 10 Carolina Dry Docks, 20 LBC, 10 Wide Arm Merkins
  • Flapjacks
  • Repeato

Indian run back to parking lot

3 minutes of Mary:

  • Flutter
  • Dolly
  • Dying cockroach (crowd favorite)

Entire group came back together for COT

Moleskin:

  • Awesome closing prayer from Monkey Joe.  Thanks, brother.
  • Great group this morning and great work by all
  • Not too much chatter during SC’s She-Hate-Me drill
  • Respect to the guys posting after the Go Ruck challenge this weekend.  I hardly recognize you all without the Ruck sacks.  I think you should start wearing them again just for fun!
  • Mall Cop was saved by what would have been a huge mutiny on his hands by the baseball field frozen tundra on top with water underneath, as he had all the GORUCK alum in his group.  He had planned on doing some bear crawl, low crawl, low crawl through plank tunnel on the field but thought better of it!  Not sure if it were the field conditions or the impending mutiny from the GORUCk crew that changed his mind!
  • We hope Joker heals up soon so he can stop modifying his workout and taking the easy way out!  We kid because we love Joker!  Get better soon brother!

Announcements:

  • Keep in your prayers:
    • Cottontail and his family as his 6 mo. old daughter battles pneumonia
    • Strange Brew after being injured in the Go Ruck
  • Mall Cop has a few more slots open to fill out a Blue Ridge Relay team
  • HDHH tonight – 6 pm at Vintner Wine Market at Arboretum
  • Small group focusing on 3rd F – Thursday, 6:30 at Panera Bread in Southpark
  • Devils Turn on Thursday – Running based and now focused on preparing for upcoming Spartan race and mud run
  • Kevlar workout on Friday – Covenant Day, 5:30

Goruckers on the shelf, but the show must GO ON!

AYE!!!!  16 brave souls entered the frigid gloom and posted at the Matrix on Monday morning, celebrating the bankers day off.  Most thinking that the holiday downpainment would be a nice leisurely gesture to kicking off a day of M-DO’s (aka Honey Dos), especially with rookie Q-Z at the helm.  As a rookie Q making his debut, TR began the hazing early and right off the bat telling Zip-A-Dee he needed to stop by the Petsmart for some dog hair trimmers for his scruff.  And then the jokes about “tights” ensued and how they speak for themselves – sorry boys but it was sub 30!  Joker even got in on the act over email wondering if anyone confused Z as James Harden (Houston Rockets) or Brian Wilson (SF Giants pitcher).  Short answer = NOT!

  The Thang:

 –          (10) Warm Up burpees on your own.

–          Not warm yet?  Okay let’s do (10) more!

 –          Mosey (Run I SAY) to the soccer field

  • Butt Kicks
  • Karaoke Left
  • Backwards
  • Karaoke Right

 –          20x SSH

–          20x Imperial Walker

–          10x Merkins

–          20x Mountain Climbers

–          20x Peter Parkers

 The Real Thang:

 –          Head up to the track, oh wait there’s a perty playground (Partner UP, size does not matter)

  • partner 1 runs around the school while partner 2 does pull-ups (AMRAPs)
  • Rinse and Repeat but run FASTER and do more pull-ups
  • Rinse and Repeat Again; however, partner 2 has option to do pull-ups, dips or decline merkins (AMRAPs)

 –          Grab some wall for Peoples Chair and analysis of the sporting events over the weekend!

  • Loved seeing Duke get throttled!  The ACC SUX and the BIG TEN RULES – “GO BLUE!!!!!”

 –          Line back up on the track for a mini-WIB: partner 1 sprints the length of the parking lot to the beginning of the track, partner 2 does AMRAP merkins x3 (regular, wide arm, diamond).

 –          Grab some wall for Peoples Chair and make fun of the bankers who have the day off today that will be returning to the fartsack after this morning’s workout.

 

  • I recall Turkey Leg raising his wing that he’d be off and was certainly headed back to the fartsack no later than 6:21am.

 

–          Grab some frozen tundra for 8ish MOM:

  • 20 LBC
  • 20x dolly
  • 20x flutter
  • 20x bicycle
  • 15x in / out
  • 15x russian twists

 

–          (1) minute remaining?  AMRAP merkins for 60 seconds.

 

Moleskin:

Z wasn’t sure how many would post after the wintry weather over the weekend, Larry Sprinkle forecasting the temps to be in the high teens / low 20’s and most of the Goruckers on the shelf licking their wounds in the fartsack.  Rumor has it Dora was indeed dead asleep in ridiculous pain dreaming of punching Jack Webb below the belt. #GORUCK!!!  Congrats and T-CLAPS to the insane clown possey also known as Goruckers for the work you put in over the weekend!!!

 As for this morning, the PAX brought it STRONG not knowing what the rookie Q had in store!  I mean, Mall Cop was looking like a Carl Lewis’esque SPRINTER torching the asphalt!!  There was definitely a lot of chatter (words of encouragement) between partners during the mini WIB.  Encouraging words such as: RUN FASTER <grumble grumble>, it’s not a jog it’s a SPRINT <mumble mumble>; Run Forrest Run; and those in plank performing merkins taunting their counterparts by sounding off 101 – 102 – 103 etc… as they approached.  The FNGs also got into the action as Costco (FNG) decided to chime in during our 8ish MOM advising Z his watch was broken (after announcing WE HAVE TIME FOR ONE MORE) and that’s why he’s always late for work.  Well sir, if you could get Zs coffee right the first time (how hard is it to prepare black coffee?), he wouldn’t mind being on time. 

And on that note, Zip-A-Dee is OUT!

ANNOUNCEMENTS:

–          If anyone is interested in participating in the BRR (Blue Ridge Relay), please contact Mall Cop this week.  Preferably in the next couple of days.

–          SIGN UP FOR SPARTAN!!!!