Monthly Archive April 2017

If Memory Serves Correct

Easier to wake up than some mornings, it felt nice outside at first but grew to be pretty muggy for a workout. Little rain beforehand, enough to make the ground wet and make me regret placing any crunches and sit-ups on the menu.
Warm-Up:
1 lap around the track, circle up in the middle
15 SSH IC
5 Merkins OYO
15 Imperial Walkers IC
5 Merkins OYO
15 Low-slow Squats IC
5 Merkins OYO
25 yd. Bear Crawl, 25 yd. Lunge Walk
The Thang:
Start at the end zone, with different exercises listed for each 10 yd. mark on the field (see below)
0 yd. (End Zone) 10 x Arm Raises
10 yd. 10 x Merkins
20 yd. 10 x Squats
30 yd. 10 x Big-Boy Sit-Ups
40 yd. 10 x Carolina Dry Docks
50 yd. 10 x Lunges, 10 each leg
60 yd. 10 x Russian Twist/American Hammer, 10 both sides
70 yd. 10 x Plank Shoulder Taps, 10 each arm
80 yd. 10 x  Mountain Climbers, 10 each leg
90 yd. 20 x LBCs
100 yd. 20 Burpees
Each iteration of the suicide starts with 10 arm raises at the 0 yd. line. The exercises stack up on each additional run, so you must complete all preceding exercises at their respective markers before advancing further. If you forget which exercise belongs to which marker, the punishment is a 5 Burpee substitution, with the exception of the 100 yd. 20 Burpees. So a little bit of a memory game too.
All in all, that’s 100 merkins to deal with at some point during the suicide.
Jog a lap around the track, stopping at the bleachers.
Pair up in groups of 3, send one partner (P3) to the other side of the bleachers.
P1 runs the bleachers, winding up and down until he reaches the other side. P2 stays and does squats while P3 does merkins at the other side.
P1 relieves P3 on the other side and they switch roles. Now P3 must run the bleachers back to P2 while P1 does merkins.
Essentially a 3 person relay with a set of bleachers in between.
2 rounds before time ran out. Run back to the parking lot.
20 LBCs IC to finish it out.
Count it up and we’re done.
Moleskin:
Really great work done by the PAX this morning, plenty of Merkins for one day. Smokey earned his name on the suicide by smoking us. He did well enough for me to put off the Burpee Challenge (where everyone has to do their age in Burpees…feels good being 22) til next time. Also extra credit to him and Leo for carrying that kettle bell all the way back to the lot. Thanks everyone for letting me lead.

Always have this one in my back pocket…

Planted the shovel flag, No FNG’s, Disclaimer given, and we were off.

21 men completed the following.

The Thang:

SSH x25

IW x20

Mountain Climbers x20

Muderhorn- Dollies up top while we wait for pax

Front theater

Lunge/Squat ladder- every 2 park spaces/up to 8, run back & plank

Burpee suicides- 2 spaces= 1Burpee—back- up to 8, run back & plank

Bear crawl/Merkin ladder- every 2 spaces/up to 16,

Plank waiting for Pax

Mosey to the corner of the Regal-Jack Webb Abs-1-Heels to Heaven= 4LBC

Up to 10 Heels to Heaven=40 LBC

Peoples Chair- Right leg out, Arm presses x15

-Left leg out, Arm presses x15

Behind Theater-Balls to with Verkins on your own

Peoples chair

Mosey to launch point for Mary

Circle up

Dollies x30

20 merkins on your own

Flutter x30

15 merkins on your own

Rosalita x30

10 merkins on your own

Bicycles x30

5 merkins on your own

Moleskin:

This workout was my 3 year anniversary workout. Although my official anniversary is 4/30/15. So is the 3rd year of this workout Mighty Mite created on my FNG post. As always lots of moaning and groaning on the Jack Webb Ab’s and the Burpee suicides. Great group of guys. Appreciate all of you for joining me this beautiful morning. Thanks for coming out.

3rdF Starting Thursdays at Chick-fil-a Stonecrest 6:30 following Rebel Yell. Reach out to Fire Marshall Bill for more details.

Thanks to Strawberry for taking us out.

Sweat, Wet, Got It Going Like A Turbojet!

SUMMARY

8 men aimed to exfoliate their pores using mother nature’s humidity, and not a Loreal cucumber mask at Commitment today. Boyz it was HOTTT!!! 4 men (Posse, Doc, Hollywood, and YHC) took a 2.5 miles tour of the AO in prerun, attempting to draw an A-Wing Rebellion Ship to show up on Strava, well thats what it looked like. Scrap the weinke, it’s too hot to PR the 1-mile on a time trial out of the gates! YHC audibled to a total body workout, plus some SPEED over miles AYG on the track.  Only 2.1 miles covered, but don’t discount it as easy for the mileage. As they sometimes say about other things:  “It’s not the size of the boat, it’s the motion in the ocean.” or more appropriately, “Never judge a workout by it’s Strava Miles”.  Having too much fun here… YHC needs to run off to F3 Dads Camp now that soccer is over, so will try to make this quick!

THE THANG

2 minutes late to start. Doh! An even 8 PAX for the workout today, so 4 track batons were handed out to 4 dudes who partnered up by size/speed. Mosey from launch to the grassy field adjacent to the track just to mess up someone’s new shoes (can’t remember who). YHC calls some SSH / IW in a half-hearted attempt to get loose (since 4 of us already did ~3mi prerun and were warm #selfish). Mosey over to the concrete pad for what is YHC’s patented 31 consecutive merkin salute in (Q-called UP – DOWN cadence): 5 regular / 5 wide / 5 diamond / 5 right had offset / 5 left hand offset / 3 right leg high / 3 left leg high.  Chesticles worked for the day. Mosey to under the bleachers to work on some grip strength hanging on the slanted beams, lift your left up to work on some abs as well.

Mosey over to the track, for some 2X200 meter relays. Partner 1 sprint AYG 200m around the track to partner 2, hands off baton to Partner 2 who sprints AYG to the finish line. We did this 4X in the sweltering heat, with 50 LBC in the middle of each sprint.

Next we went to the bleachers for alternating sets of Dragon Flags and alternating single-leg squats. If any of you have not done a dragon flag before, check out my main man Bruce Lee and the proper-form:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_mf_TLDVwIs   Yeah, we weren’t really doing THOSE.

Head to the concrete bleachers across the track to the stairs. Set 1: Partner carry up the stairs, flapjack. Set 2: Partner wheelbarrow up stairs, flapjack Set 3: Climb the stairs, with 1 low deep squat on each step, all the way to the top.  At the top, we did 3 set of 10 (left and right) hip-slappers on the wall, and amazingly no-one broker their neck or teeth or both.

Mosey back over to underneath the bleachers for some more hanging from the beams underneath, only to find out that all of our grip strength was pretty much gone. Mosey back to the short wall by the concrete pad for some dips with leg raised for added difficulty. Mosey back to launch, with a few min left, do the 31 consecutive merkin salute in Q-called UP – DOWN cadence one more time…. 7:30 and FINITO!

NAKED MOLESKINE

Great group of guys this morning… YHC always states Commitment AO is 2nd or 3rd best in all of F3 Nation workouts YHC has attended (which is a lot of different ones! #SOBA51MetroUCFortMECANashville). Apologies, something special about the Muthaship, and it’s 12 story parking deck dizzyback. But back on topic…. YHC plans on making more appearances at Commitment now that the reigns to Stonehenge are being handed off by YHC as co-site-Q, in the coming weeks.  Few musings:

  • Doc Mcstuffins was ribbing FLO about posting for the first time in a while, and picking one of YHC workouts to come back to.  Glad you came out buddy, and remember if you DO ask for a new F3 renaming… it can be much much worse. https://twitter.com/nick_nolte
  • MoneyBall didn’t look fatigued on the hip slappers and held his own all day. What he did have to modify in, he made up with mumblechatter, so he definitely got a full workout in.  Great posting with you brother.
  • Impressively, Bottlecap nearly caught Hollywood on one of the 200 sprints which was spectacular given Hollywood made the final heat of the 100 meter dash at BROlympics.
  • Speaking of Hollywood, he somehow got to be the poster boy for the cover of the BROlympics video… but NOT on the running event. the BENCH PRESS! Whutttt? YHC is guessing thats because he has movie-star abs from his solid form on the dragon flags.
  • Snowflake beat me for the furthest distance driven to the AO this morning, but he normally wins that.  Also beat me on the 2X200 where he led down the homestretch and could not be caught!  If YHC had participated in more events at the BROlympics other than the bench press, Snowflake would have dropped the hammer on me even further.  Think YHC is going to put this in every backblast that Snowflake shows up … “I want to be like Snowflake when YHC is 55yrs old”.  Thanks for the kind words and the takeout today.
  • Doc Mcstuffins is still a force to be reckoned with. He’s gotten faster, as evidenced in SOB workout SWIFT, and today couldn’t be caught in the 200s either. YHC was worried he would have separation anxiety from his partner-in-crime Transporter being away, but no crying occurred.
  • Posse is really inspirational. Did great running with us for few extra miles in prerun, and was strong in all the exercises today.  Dude knows how to push himself, and it shows having lost 30-40lbs…. and 10 more by next month in the KidRockChallenge! Keep up the running and the speed will come!

***Thanks again for the workout clothes donation to the Charlotte Rescue Mission.  YHC had the honor of delivering the F3 Nation Mudguard jerseys to them (21 total) and the guys were so elated to have them!  Plus they will come in handy, three of the guys were wearing long pants to the workout, and one was wearing jeans since he did not own workout gear.***

ANNOUNCEMENTS

  • Yeah, we’re proud of it, and it’s been less than a week, so marketing is still allowed in my book!… Next year we are IMPLORING you to be a part of the action… #F3BROlympics2018.  Until then you’ll have to keep watching the EPIC 2017 video!  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jMnOHWs9Q7k
  • Stay tuned for the pre-blast about F3 Nation: SPEED-FOR-NEED racing chariot pushing for children with disabilities, which should be coming out in the next week.  Would love to identify a race in Union County that you all “sponsor” by simply can push a rider, and signing up for the race yourself to support it.  Really think this should attract new men to your region to grow F3 Nation.  In the interim, check out this inspirational video to see what SPEED-FOR-NEED is going to be all about! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KaSnJBbieuk

TOLKIEN’S TWO CENTS

I love my UC brothers… talk about a welcoming group. You all are supportive of other regions and  travel to A51 / SOB, treat all PAX with kindness and support whether they are at the top of the fitness ladder or just starting the journey to get in better shape. You all challenge each other positively, and call themselves to be men of action, not just speech, as evidenced by their work with Debbie’s House.  You all actually inspired me to step up and lead the children’s chair pushing charity, and look outwardly, rather than running races purely for for self-edification. It’s no wonder Snowflake drives past 26 F3 workouts, 45 grocery stores, and 4 Waffle Houses on Saturday to get to Commitment! You guys, UnionCo is what F3 is all about, and it’s inspiring. Keep up the good work men and SYITG next time.

“They may take our lives, but they’ll never take our F3DOM!”  ~ JRR Tolkien

That Summertime Feeling…In April

Twelve men gathered on this July…I mean April warm humid morning to put in some work. Here’s what we did.

The Thang

Circle up at launch point for COP. Merkins x 10, Mountain Climbers x 10, Low Slow Squats x 15, Diamond Merkins x 10, Plank Jacks x 10. All done IC. Finished COP with the Burp n Merk going up to 10.

Mosey over to the big rock near entrance 4. Instruction were given for the circuit that was to follow. There would be 5 pain stations along the outer road of Calvary. Station 1 was 10 Burpees at the starting point. Run to Station 2, the rock pile near the baseball field. Find a rock and do 10 reps each of Curls, Shoulder Presses, and Tricep Extensions. Run to station 3, the play ground. Burp Ups x 10. Run to station 4, the hut near the soccer fields. Perform 10 each of Dips, Derkins, and Step Ups. Run to station 5, the end of the road near HWY 51. Do 10 LBCs. Then run all the way back to the start. We did the first round together so the PAX could get the idea. We then did the whole circuit 4 more times OYO. Those who finished first did some Mary while waiting on the six. When the six came in, mosey to the cars for a couple of more minutes of Mary. Done.

Moleskin

Nice work out there today men. Good effort by all. Hopefully everyone got something out of it. It’s a privelage to lead. Thanks to Flipper for giving me the keys.

The art of distraction

12 men showed up for a site Qless DaVinci.  Heartbreaker and Strawberry ran in.  Nice!

Disclaimer given and off we went.

The thangy thang: Run across the street to a building I help build Charlotte Ear Nose and Throat between my son and myself.  Old school/classic warm up: SSH x 10; IW x 10; MC x 10 and two minute elbow plank.  This is where we learned the art of distraction or the clinical term displacement.  Paper Jam was in particular good at this skill.  He was also good at helping other Pax learn how to displace.  Some appreciate this more than others.  Warm up and therapy skills done.

Mosey across the street to the playground that poses as a playground but is really just interesting art that causes carnage to little people.  Instructions were given that we would do the mini Murph. Run .5 miles, 150 squats, 100 merkins, 50 pull ups and run .5 miles.  You versus you but we ran back for the six before starting the exercises and at the end of the second run.

Phase two.  We moseyed through the parking lot of Blakeney.  Every time we hit a stop sign we did five merkins.  We made our way over to the stairs by the yoga and noah’s ark store.  We did five 180 jump squats at the top of the stairs and five merkins at the bottom five times total.  Last round we hopped up the stairs right leg/left leg.  Good option for yoga pants for Run Stopper or Tolken when the store opens later today.  Always plank or stand around until the six gets there.

Mosey over to the wall behind Old Navy.  By the way 40% off most of the store today. Here we did an exercise that may or may not have a name.  No one was creative enough to give it a name and I was too lazy to look up the lexicon to see if it has a name.  Basically you face the wall in a plank position.  You put both hands on the wall and go back to plank going straight into a merkin.  Pop up and jump up on the wall standing straight up.  We did this ten times.

We stayed up on the wall and did American Hammer x 25.  Hop down and mosey back to the parking lot in front of Old Navy stopping at all stop signs for five merkins.  Just in case you are in the mood 50% off at Banana Republic.  We did four corners after a snide comment by Mighty Mite about UNC class credibility.  First round ten merkins at each corner.  Six inches to hold until six arrives.  Second round five turkish get ups without the weight.

Time was drawing near and so we headed back.  Stopping at all stop signs for five merkins and stop lights were worth ten merkins.  Timing was perfect for two minutes of plank.  There were some rude comments from Paper Jam about my profession but I have to be honest I stopped listening.  Classic therapist move.  Although I did nod a lot.  Done!

Moleskin: It was humid.  It took at the time to get out of the car to get a good sweet going.  No one brought water so that was a bummer.  We did a lot of merkins.  Not sure how many but a lot. Holding plank for two minutes is hard.  Great work out there today men.  Commish there is no way you are bailing on the BRR.  Plenty of time to get your mind right.  Anyone can run 14 miles total cut into four segments.  I encourage everyone to sign up for a relay race Ragnar, BRR, Palmetto, etc.  It is the best second F you can get.

Announcements: The usual.  May 24th FNG recruiting effort at The Maul.  Start working the crowds early and often.  We are all at some sporting thing this weekend with the kids.  Headlock a guy today.

Enjoy the weekend.

AMRAP Wet T-shirt contest

Since becoming Site Q, Hollywood has suggested an AMRAP challenge to test the PAX progress on a monthly/quarterly basis.  To get the word out, Hollywood and YHC have taken to all the major airwaves to attract the finest PAX in Union County and beyond (i.e. Doc McMecklenburg)

All the latest and greatest technology was used to get to the masses including telephone calls, postcards, 911 Beeper pages, Text messages, Instant Messages, and even Email,  With that comprehensive marketing campaign, we got HCs from 3 Respects.  While that is good, we knew we had to reach more PAX.  After extensive research, we spared no expense and utilized the latest and greatest technology . . . Slack!

As Hollywood and YHC rolled into the parking lot in the gloom, it looked like “The Haw” channel on Slack was for REAL.  Parking lot was loaded with cars at Cuthbertson Middle.  We got a little nervous that our Weinke would be a little much for all the FNGs who showed up.

Turns out there was a Middle School field trip sooooooo . . . Disclaimer given as we moseyed down the path behind the school circling up along the way a few times for Warmup:  SSH x 20, MC x 20, Flutter x 20

THE THANG

AMRAP challenge.  Consists of about a 1/3 mile lap with 7 exercise stations along the route.  30 minutes to complete as many laps as possible.  Stations included:

Merkins x 20

Dips x 20

Box Jumps x 20

WWII sit-ups x 20

Curl to Press x 20

Suppines x 20

Burpees x # of laps completed

After 30 mins, we gathered up the PAX and headed back with some Mary along the way to get to the COT.

MOLESKINE

Other than a couple “veteran” PAX who seemed to be sandbagging their baseline number, tremendous effort by the PAX.  It will no doubt be tough for each of them to go further than their result today but this group continues to impress.  As “The Mouth of the South” so eloquently put it, he “would have won a Wet T-Shirt Contest.”  After reviewing the videotape from COT, YHC realized that there were a number of PAX who would give Posse a run for his money but YHC thinks that is best left to others’ imagination.  Great effort by all.  We will try and beat these distances on the last Friday of every month:

Goodfella:  3 (Laps) and Rocks

Doc McStuffins:  3 and Sit-ups

Transporter:  2 and Supines

Shop Dawg:  3 and Merkins

Hollywood:  3 and Rocks

Dirty Bird:  2 and Merkins

Posse:  2 and Rocks

Foley:  3 and Box Jumps

Shampoodle:  3 and Merkins

Recalculating:  3 and Box Jumps

Foundation:  3 and Sit-ups

Legal Zoom:  3 and Sit-ups

Rockwell:  3 and Dips

Gator Cub:  3 Laps

Moneyball:  3 and Merkins

Bottlecap:  3 and Rocks

Announcements:

F3 Sanctuary:  Mondays at Brooklyn Pizza in Wesley Chapel at 7:30pm   Studying “Un-Offendable.”  Come join the discussion and/or come for the pizza/beer

Q-School:  Saturday at 6:30am at Bojangles across from Sun Valley High School.  Learn from the best cadence counters in Union County

Moneyball – Thanks for letting us make fun of your shape-ups and the take-out prayer

Meathead Merry Go Round

12 studly gents came to Meathead for a kettlebell workout that got the muscles, heart, and lungs all a flutter.

THE THANG

Quick stretch

20 swings 5 curls
15 swings 10 curls
10 swings 15 curls
5 swings 20 curls

20 goblets 5 OH press
15 goblets 10 OH press
10 goblets 15 OH press
5 goblets 20 OH press

20 UR rows 5 deadlifts
15 UR rows 10 deadlifts
10 UR rows 15 deadlifts
5 UR rows 20 deadlifts

Circle of pain (40 secs exercise)

Form a circle and depending on weight of bell pax were given a specified exercise to perform for 40 secs. At end of 40 secs pax moved right performed merkins/burpees during the 30 sec rest. Heavy bell was 50Lb plus, medium 45-40LB, lighter below 40LB. Exercises below:

Heavy – tbags
Medium – high pulls
Light – lunges
Heavy – swings
Medium – snatches (double)
Light – clean and press (double)
Heavy – goblets
Medium – alt swing
Heavy – UR row
Medium – cleans
Light – Romanian one legged deadlift

Round 1 – Between each – 10 diamonds
Round 2 – Between each – 15 wide arms or 5 burpees

Dolly with KB press

COT

YE OLDE MOLESKINE

Good crowd and lots of debating the music which was supposed to be from the 90’s. For some this was college and others it reminded more of high school and then for others the ride to kindergarten # RESPECT!
Brown asked for some cardio KB’s today and there was a lot of heavy breathing and sweat stained sleeveless going on some hopefully mission accomplished. Good seeing Scratch N Win back out although he looked very peekish and didn’t say a lot and was as the guy next to him in the circle I was awaiting a merlot spillage.
YHC helped the tall guys out today especially Freedom, Tackling Dummy, and Hoover in the option of merkins over burpees for anyone over 6 feet. It seemed like several others were very generous with there height estimations or they were just #smoked.
Thanks for the lead.

Recycling Day

Packed the Toyota with 6 cinder blocks and 2 KBs (40 & 45).  Utah rode with me and was in the dark on the gear.  He noticed the blocks while stretching next to the cargo hold.  He uttered a remark of disgust that I quickly forgot.  Likely due to the Anvil gear hangover provided by Alf on Wednesday. TR came in hot, but in time for the 13 PAX to count off 1 and 2 prior to disclaimer.  Off we went.

Brisk mosey down Conlan.  Left on Brixham across Bally Corp to Bull Ring.  Circle up in plank.

COP

MC x 15 IC

Merkin x 10 IC

Diamond Merkin x 10 IC

SSH x 10 IC

Mosey up Bally Corp hill to the bridge.  People’s chair plank.  10 Turkees.

Mosey back down the hill.  Left at exercise trail.  Continue to Loch Ness.  Plank-o-rama.

Mosey back to launch to pick up the gear.

Team 1 vs. Team 2.  Shared gear carry back to the bridge on Bally Corp Pl.  Winner: Team 1.

10 Turkees.  Gear carry back down hill and follow previous route to Loch Ness.  Drop gear at end of exercise trail.

Mile

Run the loop 3 times with stops at Corp 1 (20 Derkin) and Corp 2 (5 Box-Jump Burpees)

Plank-o-rama to regroup.  Grab gear and drop it the back of Thin Mint’s truck.  Quick mary to regroup.

Mosey up Conlan.  Dodge Starbuck’s traffic.  Continue to top floor of parking deck.

Burp-and-Merk

Burpees with increasing number of merkins.  1-10.

Down stairwell to ground floor level.

Sprints.  2 decks at a time to the top.  Back down stairs.  Flutter x 20.

Head home at whatever pace you choose.  COT

Moleskin

Ran this workout the last time YHC Q’d The Brave 01/29/2016.  Really enjoyed the workout and had some great feedback afterwards, so decided to run it back.  Mario called it from the gate on the run to the Bull Ring.  Felt compelled to tell the crew it was a recycle.  MT threw a jab at lack of Q creativity.  Fair enough.  The weather was much better for round 1 when we had 4 fewer cinder blocks and 4 more men.  The humidity #smoked YHC.

Fast group of guys today.  No real surprises.  Welcome to site FNG’s Meatloaf and Rachel.  We realized we were a man down upon arrival at the deck.  Quick survey and our missing PAX was Meatloaf.  Site Q Thin Mint took off to look for him.  No sign of him on the search mission.  We realized his car was gone when we got back to launch for COT.  YHC followed up electronically to make sure he was OK.  Good news, he was just fine.  Some minor cramping and the stop at launch provided the perfect exit strategy.  He assured me he will make his exit known should he bow out early again.  He was crushing it.

T-claps to Frasier for carrying a cinder block from launch lot to bridge.  Pop Tart did the same with a KB.  Utah appears to enjoy running with large objects.  He was crushing as well.  Mario was right next to me on two occasions to offer relief, thankfully.  TR has gotten quite fast and Champagne really impressed on one of the sprints.  Great to see Hairball out today.  Had to give him a hard time about hands hitting pavement #purerunner.  He had gloves and killed it.  Buckeye took his tank off in COT.  Just as jacked as last week at BROlympics.  Whole crew pushed hard today.

Appreciate the invite from Thin Mint to Q The Brave.  Always a tough workout.  Solid work men.

Announcements 

Richard Sheltra Memorial 5K.  Tomorrow in Pineville.  Good number of F3 guys registered to run. REGISTER  

Bucky’s M organized a charity event for tomorrow: Spring Fling Craft Brew Fest to benefit an orphanage in Kenya: LINK

The Arsenal in Indianland.  Change in format.  30 minute pre-run (HILLS) followed by 45 minute bootcamp.  MT says it is HARD and you should try it.

Swift like Eagles

Isaiah 40:31- but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.

The PreBlasted THANG:

#PreBlast – Swift 3year Anniversary

What we actually did:

  • 19 men took a tour of the Ballantyne Corporate Park to locales that we’ve used over the last 3 years.  Along the way, we did some :30 second sprints and 1:00 sprints (some longer or shorter depending on the challenge) with at least 2x recovery (1:00 or 2:00) after each.
    • 1) The Bull Ring – the roughly 800m circular parking lot ring around 3 buildings where there are conveniently landmarked 200m intervals.
    • 2) Bagpipe Hill – now easily the busiest street in the park with the opening of the new Y, it’s on Ballantyne Corporate Place running from the fitness trail, past Chiquita, TIAA, and BofA up to the bridge over 521.  It holds a sought after challenge of being a Segment that several men want to try to fly up a very challenging hill.
    • 3) Rushmore Dr – a mostly flat and long quiet street that borders the park on the northside from the Bullring to Ballantyne Commons past Lending Tree and ESPN.
    • 4) Ben Nevis – the steepest hill in the land, and while technically outside the corporate park, it’s the most challenging hill for length and steepness in the area.  Over 1/4 mile long.
    • 5) The Brixham Green – another roughly 800m semi oval around two buildings and a nice fountain that is pretty quiet, well lit, and mostly flat (watch dem bumps!)
  • Even though we didn’t get to the strip in front of SPX (love that out and back starting from the bridge), to the “landing strip” of North Community House (generally the widest and most well lit of any street in the area), or anywhere into Ballantyne Country Club, we got in a full tour of the places we normally go that are nearest to our starting point with everything within a 5 minute jog away.
  • Challenges included the Bagpipe Hill (trying to beat Frasier’s 0:36 course record – which all gave great effort to, but no one came close – must have been the wet streets?) and Ben Nevis (which is a whole lot worse to do later in the workout because the country club entrance never seems to get closer) to do as All You Got.  Otherwise, :30 and 1:00 segments done at your 1mile race pace.
  • In all, we got in about 5ish rounds of the 30/30/1:00 intervals.

Moleskin:

  • One of the very first Swift workouts was PreBlasted with, “If you are looking for a little more cardio in your weekly workout with a break from boot camp style, give Swift a shot.”  In reality, it may have started as a way for Haggis to get back at the “Twits” (a.k.a. the Fast Twitch PAX) after a beatdown they gave the SOBs at a Mile showdown, but it also coincided with YHC changing jobs and leaving the SouthPark area SIB (Speedwork in a Bag) workout in capable hands. The first three Swift workouts were billed as “extra credit” for Bagpipe PAX, but in subsequent weeks the Swift crew broke off and did their own thing at 0515 while still pulling back into a joint COT with Bagpipe at 0615.  Two of the first Backblasts http://f3nation.com/2014/04/29/f3swift-entrance-to-entrance/ and http://f3nation.com/2014/05/06/f3swift-conquering-ben-nevis/
  • This week, as a tribute this week to some of the “feeling sillier” warm-up drills we have done in the past, we reinstated “flapping wings like eagles” borrowed from the Rhythm Skip drill at http://runcoach.com/index.php?option=com_k2&view=itemlist&task=category&id=8:training-videos&Itemid=105
  • This workout would have continued solo if it wasn’t for the PAX like Haggis, StumpHugger, Frasier, and Madame Tussauds, who were at the very first few of the Swift workouts and are still posting at Swift even today.  Honeybee is another longtime attendee, but the fartsack must have gripped him today.
    • Newer PAX to the Swift workout there today that have kept the momentum are DepthCharge, Bunker, ThinMint, Chipotle, Hairball, TigerRag, Gumbo, FireHazard, DasBoot, Teddy, and JRR Tolkien.
    • And the newest PAX to join us that continually bring new community like Rebar, Birdcage, Picasso, and Tuck.
    • Other Swift PAX regulars (and semi-regulars) we missed today that may or may not have had valid excuses are Outback (Qing Bagpipe today), Cheddar (coming off the Smokey Mtn Relay), WildTurkey, OneNiner, Ringer, NardDog, Fahvra, LongHaul, Citgo, Tootie, and General_.
    • Thank you to you all for helping me not run alone on Tuesday mornings.
  • Eric Liddell, the Scotsman for whom we thought of when naming this workout (after all, Haggis lived in a dorm named after him in college), was the inspiration behind “Chariots of Fire”.  If you’re a “hate” or “hate hate”, then you probably never saw the movie, but can still gain inspiration from the running story and the post-Olympics life of Eric Liddell.  Here’s a short summary.  Eric Liddell was a champion sprinter who specialized in the 100meters.  He was a favorite going into the 1924 Olympic games to win the gold medal, but when he found out the 100m event finals would fall on a Sunday, a day on which Liddell had religious convictions against competition, he pulled out of the event and decided instead to run the 400meters.  The video linked above is a record of that race where Liddell, who was known also for a wild running style (we all can’t be as picturesque as Fahvra), went out very fast but ended up winning the race in an event he wasn’t expected to be competitive in (does Usain Bolt run the 400m?  Uh, no) and setting a new world record.  After Olympics life, Liddell went on the mission field in China where he ultimately died in a Japanese prison camp, but his impact on China was lasting and there is now a plaque bearing his name with the verse from Isaiah 40:31: “but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.”  From that verse and eagles, we got “Swift” like an eagle.

Announcements:

  • Tuck, WildTurkey, and JRR Tolkien were thankful for the assistance at the Brolympics.  Here’s the Backblast with links to Videos and Pictures from the event – http://f3nation.com/2017/03/03/f3-brolympics-sat-april-22/
  • Richard Sheltra 5K/10K in Pineville this Saturday.
  • Frasier is on Q next week 5/2.  Q spot still open for 5/9.  Let me know if interested.

Lesson on How to Audible

As usual, the best AO in South Charlotte (including SOB – ie The Brave) on Friday morning had 20 strong, including 6 Respects.    No Hate Hate’s this morning – guess they thought a birthday party for an old man would be boring (easy) – shows how little they know.  This one hurt but that may be because YHC stayed up late last night and had a few toddy’s at dinner.

The Thang

COP – SSH X15, Merkins X15, Mtn Climbers X15, 5 burpees (good thing we warmed up in parking lot – Runstopper roles in just as we are starting burpess).    He’ll need a doctors note next week for his tardiness.

Mosey across 51 to Palentine for The Cross.   Start at top and go down one side for 10 of called exercise, back up for 1 burpee, down next side for 10 of called exercise, back up for 2 burpees, down 3rd side for 10 of called exercise, back up for 3 burpees, down 4th side for 10 of called exercise, and back up for 4 burpees.   Keep repeating up the ladder.  Originally called for ladder to 12 but years of training (10,000 fails) prompted me to audible to 8 (except Marconi and Swiper didn’t hear me so they get some extra credit).  Exercises were merkins, jump squats, mountain climbers, and knee ups.

Mosey back to the tables in front of the school for quick circuit work of 10 and then 15 step-ups, dips, and decline merkins.

Over to fence along side of football field for next ladder.    5, 10, 15, 20 Dragon Flys at bottom and 5, 10, 15, 20 wall merkins at top of deck.

Back to parking lot for a few minutes of Ring of Fire to run out the clock.

Naked Moleskin

Combination of heat, wet hill, and slope of Palentine made this one tough.   Would have gone to 12 on The Cross except the M birthday party last night had me dragging a little bit.  Two of our Respects, Marconi and Checkpoint were out front on The Cross, along with Brilleaux, while I’m pretty sure Swiper skipped a segment or 3.  Just wish he had passed on the fart – smelled like a cat crawled up his rear and died.   Mr. Brady warned the pax early enough such that we were able to create some space.

LIkewise, the Dragon Fly/Wall Merkin ladder on the deck was a grind.   The stairs were really starting to burn on the last set – hell even on the first set. Tolkein gave us a lasting gift when he introduced the Dragon Flys to Centurion a few weeks ago.

YHC stayed in front of the “younger” brother (Abacus) today but tax season just ended so I”m sure he’ll be pushing me soon.

Welcome to The Wall and Wrinkle – I think you guys are site FNG’s.

Left the Fruit Cake (ie pavers) at home this am but Udder didn’t seem disappointed.

Announcements

We wrap up the “Augean Series” (also know as the load of crap) next week with Hairball on Q.  Should be lots of “fun”.

Contact me (pchepul@gmail.com) if you are interested in mentoring disadvantaged boys and helping with our ministry.   We are organizing weekend outings where PAX share their interests and we are open to all kinds of activities.    Fishing, golf, biking, tennis, car show, whatever.  The boys love new experiences.    Looking for guys to commit to at least 1 outing per quarter.

Look for Memorial Day convergence pre-blast.   Shoe wants to lead us in The Murph but we’ll see if he’s earned enough Area51 points to get the nod.

See Udder or Margo to sign up to Q.   If you have been coming out to F3 for more than 3 months then it’s time to step up and lead.    F3 doesn’t cost you money (except for the gear, the race fees, HDHH beer, and a few other add ons) but we do ask that you step up and take a lead role in some way.

Humbled by all the great men I was privileged to lead this am.