My focus lately has been on the Murph challenge coming up the end of May and a Super Spartan race the end of July. Myself and about 10-15 other guys have embarked on a very tiresome pull-up challenge that Zinfandel managed to talk us into with his salesmen wit.
My thought is that a lot of Pax will attempt the Murph even though they have not committed to the pull-up challenge. So, since I am a caring guy and want all my brothers to be their best, I have decided to make every Q as hard as possible and focus solely on areas that I know will prep them for success on May 27th!
The 1st F isn’t meant to be fun or enjoyable! I don’t get up at 4:30 (if I prerun) to hang out with dudes and miss my sleep. I get up and do what I do to progress physically and mentally while pushing others in the same direction. Some of you like a push, others of you like to talk and give it 75% and that’s fine, I’m merely telling you how it is for me. There is a time to joke around, before 5:30 and COT and there is a time to bust your a$&, 5:30-6:14.59. If you are talking and doing a 2-mile burpee run then you are giving it about 50% and cheating yourself and the person that has to listen to the mumble chatter. Or you’re in Hollywood/Wolverine shape and can do it, which none of us are.
I challenge all of you to pick someone in your range of physical ability that is just a little or a lot faster than you and bust your tail to catch them each time you post! For me, I chase Dasher, Bottle Cap, Gerber and the other Gazelles you all know. Sometimes I beat them, most of the time I don’t but I always try to. I challenge you to push other pax that you know to have more and can dig deeper. I challenge you to get out of your comfort zone and become faster and stronger. If you are happy where you are, great, I’m glad you made it. But like Will Ferell said in Talladega Nights, “If you’re not first, you’re last”. If you’re not first you still have room for improvement. I know I do!
DiCCS given
Warm up
Run around Pet Smart to target – Circle up
The opening mosey I kept super slow so I would not lose anyone. I don’t have names and only saw bodies but half the group stopped about 20 yards from the circle and walked up. Guys we ran .25 miles SLOW and I lost you. Hence the reason I started before the circle was formed. Let’s get the energy up!! We are men of F3, we are supposed to be in top physical shape or at least push ourselves to get there!
10 SSH
10 IW
10 Merkins
Calf Stretch
The Thang:
Back to COT – Done!
Well done guys! I don’t normally say my workouts are hard or talk about them to the group but today was hard and yesterday was just as bad or worse. It killed me and all of you. Keep pushing! When you want to quit go a little more and when you get there go just a little more. My abs were on fire during CT but I powered through! Mentally I knew I could and I will have Dana abs one day because of it.
Everything I said above is not to be a DiCC. I just know all you men have more to give. A lot of you have huge hearts and will do anything for anyone, are strong in your faith, are good fathers and give good advice, so I know if you want to you can push your self to another level. I enjoy being a part of this group and building relationships with all of you. Thank you for following my lead today.
Even though I don’t see (see what I did there) your struggles and know what you’re going through I see you show up so I know you must want to improve. Let’s improve together!! #TheSwarm
[I went deep into the Chevy Chase filmography for that quote – Funny Farm. Not his best work, but still…]
Purell continued his mission this week to try to to make us run in circles for an hour. 8 men weren’t having it and showed up at Latin for Rogue Twitch. Inspired by a 4-year-old backblast from the days of yore when Cheese Curd posted at Fast Twitch, when we actually did exercises, and when there were a lot more normal-speed guys, we got after it this morning. I worked up a 1.5 mile route through campus with just the right amount of hills to make it awful. There were four stops where some guys did 10 reps of an exercise. Everybody got four laps in, some got almost 5. It was a beast of a loop.
I was hoping for a little more interaction with the Hawks/Hawk’s/Hawks’ Nest guys, but Sardine kept them on the lacrosse field most of the time. They all looked pretty angry when we joined them at 6:15.
Turkey Leg missed the introductory lap, but was happy to ditch the Hawks Nest guys and join us at 5:30. After a slow second lap, Alf recovered and joined Joker towards the front. In a rare FT appearance, Voodoo went out strong then came back to the pack a little. Not all the way back to where I was, but still. One Eye, Ductwork, Fault Line and I took turns at the six but all kept working hard. Those hills didn’t stop.
Beer Mile is on 6/7 at 7:00 pm. Join the Slack channel for details.
14 PAX conquered the gloom: Lamont, Turnpike, Shepherd, Lumberjack, Unplugged, Arsenal, The Wall, Bernanke, Woody, Houdini, Christmas, and Bonhoeffer on Q (and eHarmony and Hairband running around with backpacks).
The Warmup
Started with a warmup lap around the volleyball courts to the courtyard with the bucket.
The Thang
Moleskine
In Glass Joe’s absence, the PAX all took a secret oath to stay completely silent the whole time and not mumblechatter.
Lumberjack said he wished their were Dice.
The backpack boys said the Q isn’t allowed to assign their exercises because Dora put Boots and Swiper the Fox in charge of their schedule.
YHC enjoyed much internal chuckling when he did a normal count voice on the 20th Zebra Kick and many PAX let out a simultaneous Zebra groan.
El fin.
Announcements:
Today I accepted a position with my company that is moving my family out of state. We’ve been here 6 years. I told Bottlecap this was the “most bittersweet decision I’ve ever had to make”. I had no idea how to tell the group so I figured as a founding father of the Playhouse and the Floater, it only made sense to put it out there where I feel most comfortable…on GroupMe and in a backblast.
This message had to come out this way. It’s cathartic to me. It allows me to pour out my soul…even if only in starts and fits. Most likely the vast majority of you didn’t know this, but me and a band of misfit toys hijacked a serious comms channel on GroupMe and turned it into the Playhouse. This is my digital home. This is where F3 started for me. I named the place! So, this is what I had to say. I’m not gone and won’t be for a few more months, but it is the beginning of the next chapter in my life. Before that all formally begins, I had to get this all off my chest. Here goes:
Thank you F3. Thank you from the bottom of my heart. Thank you for being my outlet. Thank you for rescuing me from male loneliness. Thank you for introducing me to friends…no, brothers. Thank you for allowing me to reach others. Thank you for allowing me to offend those who needed offending. Thank you for helping me learn to say “I’m sorry” when I actually did cross the line. Thank you for the Playhouse and the #SlackSux fiasco, and for all the other juvenile antics I’ve had a hand in. Thank you for Floater and the #streak. Thank you for cops catching us hanging ridiculous signs of Recalculating down by Waxhaw’s playground. Thank you for athletic fit shirts and the jokes that go with it. Thank you for bloody nipples. Thank you for man touch Monday’s. Thank you for Frack and Doc and Transporter and Dasher and Turtle and Shampoodle and Posse. Thank you for Lou Nali and Ray Noonan and Marc Lehane and Keith Balaniz and Jeff Thoms. Thank you for Phillip and Ben. Thank you for my circle. Thank you for OUR circle.
Thank you F3. Thank you for being available where I’ll need you next. Thank you for reaching your tentacles into Northeast Tennessee. This is not the end, only a new beginning. Luckily for me, I still have another 60 or so days to post on GroupMe before my rights are revoked by our resident police force. Until that day, I plan to defend my Playhouse Triple Crown. It’s what any respectable E333ie Winner would do. God bless you guys.
Your friend,
Derek (or Moneyball)
12 men enjoyed a double helping of fun at Flash this morning. Here’s how it went down:
First helping belonged to Deadwood. He had some new moves lined up for everybody. There was a palpable buzz filling the lot. Would these be the best thing since Sushi Rolls or would they be the next bad idea to hit our group. You decide.
Warmup:
2 hot laps around the parking lot and circle up
SSH/IM/Merkins/Plank Jacks x10 then complimentary calf stretch (thanks DW!)
Thang:
Mosey towards Transporter’s Office for first new move, the “Duck and Weave.”
Duck and Weave- Duck walk in a line. Last guy does 2 merkins and runs to the front. An Indian Run with dudes walking like ducks. It was not pleasant.
Jog to Transporter’s Office, second new move “Lt. Dangers”
Lt Dan with Jump lunges in place of walking lunges. Also, not pleasant.
3rd new move, “Donkey Kickoffs”
Donkey Kickoff- 20 Donkey Kicks. On completion of 20th kick, keep feet on wall and hold it for matching number of seconds (20 seconds). Then 19, then 18, then we skipped to 15, then 10 then done! Also, really not pleasant.
4th and final new treat, the “Captain Therkin”. 1 WW2 Situp/4 American Hammers. 2/8, 3/12, etc…all the way to 10 and 40. Mosey back up the trail of tears towards parking lot. Alarm on Deadwood’s watch sounded. That could only mean one thing…Round 2!
Thang #2:
Mid-jog, YHC took over. Time for a Dock Webb. 1 Dry Dock and 4 Bear Crawls. 1/4, 2/8, 3/12 all the way up to 10/40. Not pleasant, particularly after the Donkey Kickoffs. Mosey to front of the school. Poor instructions (yet again) by YHC for the next move, the standard Jack Webb with a hot lot lap. YHC got cute, had pax partner up and instructed them to alternate Webb exercises until completion. Pax mistook that to mean they only had to have a Webb. My bad fellas. Didn’t mean to keep that other half from you. Luckily my partner understood my gibberish. We completed the full Webb and banged out our hot lap.
Mosey behind the school to where picnic tables are. Partner 1 runs to cut out on old AMRAP course, Partner 2 does Derkins. 200 150 Derkins as a team. This was the last straw for the ol’ shoulders. Mosey back to the front of the school for a pallet cleanser, 10 for 1’s x 3.
10 burpees in 1 minute for 3 minutes. Ignition rolled up in a “Jailbreak” as we wrapped up our 3rd minute. Finished.
Skins:
Deadwood and YHC enjoyed scheming on this co-Q. I would strongly encourage finding a partner and sharing a workout. Whether you’re a wet behind the ears newbie who has never led, or you’re like my partner who Q’s every day that ends in a “Y”, then by all means, do it.
Announcements:
Bottlecap begging for Clyent Dinner Q. We’re told backblasts are not requirements and may even be frowned upon. That was all I heard.
When Hollywood asked me to Q Ignition a few weeks ago I laughed out loud for nearly 4 minutes and then responded with “sorry you have the wrong number….”
I was a bit apprehensive of leading this crew of gazelles on a 4+ mi journey and that was solidified after having done 6mi with Gerber the week before. “Nope, not gonna do it!” (Insert Dana Carver voice doing Ross Perot)
The family and I spent the week in Nashville with family making memories and eating more fried food than I have in a while. Varying degrees of success from a hot chicken perspective but the brews being made there are right on time. I share this all because I relived everything I ate and drank during the 60 minute workout this morning….
I didn’t want to go off campus this morning so I mapped a run to get the mileage and inserted a lot of pain I learned from the fellas in Nashville and Augusta.
Brief DiCCS given. No man left behind reminder and if we finish early we would circle back.
THE THANG
Mosey to Darkness and then back to the parking lot path. Circle up for a brief warm up:
OYO run down path to Rudy’s Pants Party stopping at every light for 2 burpees per light.
Mosey to circles. Partner up. 5 hand slap Merkins when you meet. Complete 6 times.
Mosey to big lot for circuit training. Quantities of 2, 4, 6 and 8. Monkey Humpers 1st lot.
Mosey to next lot for circuit training. Quantities of 2, 4, 6 and 8. Jump Squats 2nd lot.
Mosey to small lot for circuit training. Quantities of 2, 4, 6 and 8. Burpees last lot.
Mosey to corner. 10 x Balls to the Wall Merkins. Jail break to other side and repeat. Then 10 x Balls to the Walls Plank Jacks. Jail break to other side and repeat.
Mosey long way in front of high school to bus exit & entry. Team up. Run opposite sidewalks and meet for 5 x hand Release, hand slap merkins.
Meet up under portico near middle school for 2nd set of 5 x hand Release, hand slap merkins. Audible called due to Flash being in the front of the middle school but also because I was experiencing a breach in the southern portion of my body.
Mosey to Rudy’s Outhouse. Team up. One partner runs a hot lap while other partner completes exercise. 100 x Mike Tyson’s. Sorry.
Mosey to back of Middle school. 20 x LBCs IC and 50 x dips OYO.
Mosey back to start. Knock out 20 x Heels to Heaven. Mosey to COT and Lou yells to jail break it. Let’s get it!
MOLESKIN:
Great job from the 10 that joined me this morning! We kept it moving, we circled back, one 5 count, surpassed 4.5 miles, some got 5.5 and everyone was silent for a majority of the workout. All the boxes checked for a successful Ignition!
Speaking of silence, Shake n Bake was the nosiest this morning “booing” every single exercise I called out. I loved it.
Then we had Bottlecap challenging our speed of the jailbreak so I kicked it up into high gear. I get it but at this point I had a spicy neighbor knocking on my rear “door” and I was clenching more than I was running. I will say that those ball sweat to chin balls to the Wall Merkins were a shredder and adding in the plank jack on the 2nd half got the blood flowing to our brains. Which is important I think…
I audibled to the newly “crowned” jewel on this campus, Rudy’s Outhouse, to pay respects and drop off my “offering”. Cold sweats and clenching I told everyone to partner up and knock out 100 Mike Tyson’s. It was written on my weinke so I didn’t feel bad missing half of it while I took care of business.
Thanks to the site Qs for asking me to step up to the challenge and supporting me this morning. It was great to challenge myself to a new AO and hope to see more and more getting outside of their comfort zones. Today was my 18th Q and it was a doozy. I still hate running with a passion. Now a day of conference call hell….
SOAP BOX:
Who’s not seeing the results? Who is not improving physically? Who is not losing weight or not noticing new parts of their body developing? I’m 12 weeks away from my 1 year anniversary and I couldn’t be more hyped for it. I’m at a personal milestone after doing nearly nothing for 10 years but this post isn’t about my journey. This post is about all of our personal journeys…. Each of us is going through something wether we like admitting to it or not.
Some of us have strong leadership qualities and some of us don’t. Some of us have too much confidence and some have very little. Some of us are struggling with our marriage, some of us aren’t the best fathers, some of us are too sensitive, some of us are terrible communicators, some of us hold others to higher standards than we are willing to hold ourselves too. Insert other shortcomings we as men deal with.
As for the point of my soapbox, where am I going? I’m not entirely sure but I challenge each of you to grow your relationships within this organization by showing up more often. I’ve personally grown incredible relationships with men in this group. We challenge each other physically each morning, bust chops all day long and hold each other accountable to missteps, crossing lines, etc.
I don’t know the best way to go about doing so but if you keep showing up and giving your all they will just naturally happen. If you aren’t making relationships you are missing out on what I believe to be the best part of F3: the silent C stands for camaraderie. Defined as “a mutual trust and friendship among people who spend a lot of time together“.
If you feel that a clique is building, I would challenge that a lot. What some people read in GroupMe can be taken in a much different way than the original poster intended. Or the person they are calling out is a friend and they know they can take a little good ribbing. I worry more when I’m not being made fun of.
If you are looking to F3 to improve your health then find a friend in a “like” place that you can challenge each other. Watching people like Wedding Singer go through physical transformations like they have are people I would be asking more questions of. He did it right, what can you learn from him?
If you are having trouble waking up early, what’s the real challenge? It’s probably going to bed too late and not finding a neighbor/friend to carpool with. That’s easily fixable in the grand scheme of things but takes a dedication and accountability by a brother. I mean if Tupperware, Flipper and Sprinkles can make it before high school, so can you. Who lives close to you to make a relationship with?
I mentioned our relationships as a father and husband, we have Q Source, Bible study and Open Door weekly. If religion isn’t your thing ask questions of those that host/attend those events. This is a safe place with very open minds from everything I have seen.
Not everything I mentioned above can be solved in F3 but I believe a lot can be put into perspective. A lot can be discussed with people that are posting on a regular basis because of the relationships that are being built each morning. But you have to commit. This is personal. Make your goals visible. A sticky note on your bathroom mirror to read while you brush your teeth. Tell your pals your goals for accountability purposes. Tell your wife. Tell your kids.
My issues: I’m personally too sensitive and at times can give it, but can’t take it. It’s a work in progress. I at times hold others at a higher level than I might be willing to hold myself. Taking notes and understanding why. I was a bit depressed with where I was physically because of my weight. Not even a thought anymore. Luckily I’ve got a great relationship with my wife and kids but I’m still look to learn how to better communicate by reading and listening to podcasts. I still have other things I’m working on but it wasn’t until I came to grip with some of my bigger ones that I could even start on the others. It’s a endless journey…
This was a random stream of consciousness and is NOT directed at anyone or anyone thing. If you took it personally, ping me to discuss. It’s not my intention. This has been on my mind for a couple weeks because I think what we have at F3 is so freaking special. Honestly it was an HOA issue over the weekend that showed a select few neighbors losing their mind about nearly nothing with such hate and anger. These guys don’t have what we have. Everyone is here for different reasons but I hope everyone shares the need/want to push themselves and to help others around them. We won’t all be great friends and that’s completely fine too. But find guys with like interests/goals/sarcasm and continue to grow. Start with yourself and as time evolves challenge others. {end scene}
ANNOUNCEMENTS:
The reviews are in. Last years runners (soccer armed or not) all agreed that this race was a blast and it’s going to be even better this year. Among some other small changes, this year we are going to kick the event off with a bang and hold the Live Draft one hour before the race starts. You really don’t want to miss this.
Join your F3 brothers once again on Friday, July 26th at 9 PM in the Ballantyne Corporate Park for The Crane Relay, Part Deux. (SOB Summer Picnic to follow in the evening on July 27th — all SCLT PAX and their families invited — more details sometime in the future in another blast from another person).
The Crane Relay is a Ragnar style running race (everyone based at the same location running 3 loops), but with shorter loops run on roads/paved greenways and, most importantly, teams picked in a draft. Total distance is 12 miles over 3 loops.
If you can get through a boot camp, you can (and should) do this race. More details are below or you can jump straight to the sign-up sheet here: http://rebrand.ly/theCraneRelay.
We need all signups by June 1st, no exceptions.
What
When
Where
Why?
Now that you are convinced and ready to sign up, here’s what’s next:
4 Pax leaped out to of the #Fartsack for their #DRP at Area 51’s premier kettlebell/gear workout.
COP:
SSH x 20
Windmill x 20
Low Slow Squat x 20
8 Count Body Builders x 10
The Main Event
Kettlebell Rollers x 10
Upright Rows x 20
Overhead Presses x 20
Lawnmower x 10 (each arm)
Thrusters x 20
Merkins x 20
Suitcase Carry
Flutter Kicks x 20
Dollies x 20
Levers x 20
Lunges x 20 (10 each leg)
Goblet Squats x 20
10 burpees (only the last round because YHC forgot)
Repeato
Mary
Rosalina x 20
Hello Dollies x 20
Merkins x 20
Moleskin:
A light crowd this week as the Area 51 pax wrapped up Spring Break.
Header and Chin Music got in some extra credit with a pre-run.
We learned that that Header used to rock not only a tail but a mullet as well. He claims all evidence was destroyed, allegedly.
YHC always enjoys talking baseball with Chin Music and hearing about his days in professional baseball.
Header and Chin Music are looking to buy some white pants for a party. There was some talk about not wearing white after Labor Day.
Avengers Endgame was awesome, go see it before spoilers are released on the inter webs .
Tulip put in a strong performance as always.
Voodo rucked his 2.2 up a mountain while down range in Hawaii.
Thanks go Voodoo and Witchdoctor for the opportunity to lead and please sound off with any mumblechatter.
Announcements:
F3 beer release 5/1 Stumptown in Matthews.
Wedding Singer sent out a request for a Q at Commitment today and of course, I jumped at the opportunity…why not? The weather was going to be nice and I knew there would be a smaller group due to spring break and a convergence Q by Dredd. Smaller groups tend to work harder and stay together…the ladder was not true. Half the pax got lost and myself, Bottle Cap, Transporter and Chicken Little set out to find them.
The Thang:
Di Cell Cpr Safety
YHC came in super Hot at 6:31 yelling “Get your DiCCS ready” out the window. Sick kid and injured wife at home, I was late!! I pulled a Money Ball and stepped out of the truck running, “Lets Mosey”
The Moleskine
We moseyed from the traffic circle down the gravel road towards the playground at the clubhouse. 40 minutes in the vest was killing me, I think it was all the burpees Transporter obliged us with during the Circle of pain. I thought we were moving pretty slow, but I did just lose 20lbs and felt super lite!! Myself, Bottle Cap, Transporter – who promptly put on my vest once I dropped it- and Chicken Little arrived at the clubhouse and planked…and we planked… and we planked. Quickly someone said something is wrong. Bottle Cap hit the main road to search for a missing group of Pax. Transporter, myself and Chicken Little went back down the paved trail to the gravel road. The chicken went right we went left… no pax in sight. Where did they go? How did they fall so far behind?
Finally, I hear counting at the playground and Fuse is leading Marry wondering where we were! Now we are all back together, time to work again. But wait, where is Chicken Little?? He’s a big boy, let’s proceed with Suicides. We get in about one rotation and CL comes jogging up. He ended up running down the main road all the way to the traffic circle in the neighborhood. Great effort on the search and recovery fellas!
Everyone showed up today to work and that’s what we did! Thanks to Transporter for all the burpee call outs during the circle of pain…he stopped at each Pax as he ran and did a burpee with them, nice job!
Shop and Chainsaw partnered up and put in huge effort during all exercises, much RESPECT!
Fuse and Transporter partnered up and were on my and Bottle Caps heels during the partner work. Well done!
Fellow B and C neighbors Eli and Chicken Little teamed and made light work of all exercises… I think CL can do more pullups than he thinks!
Last but not least I teamed with the coke man himself Bottle Cap. We pushed hard and the 20 lb vest wore me out!! He can knock some kip style pullups!
Well done men, thanks for posting and following my lead! 3.11 miles today. I have Flash Monday and Watchtower Tuesday, plan to get your work on again!!
No Announcements