Monthly Archive January 2020

Popeye forgot

So I know Popeye did a lot of SSH

 

He had us get lifting rocks and made us run with them

 

He forgot the BB so now I need to write it so people get counted 🙂

Chilly

It was chilly start this morning.  20 men not afraid of a little wind and chill decided to come out.  There was also 1 Tuck out there running all around Ballantyne Corp.

Gave a quick disclaimer and reminded everyone to warm up properly since it was chilly.  We took the usual route to Rushmore then a right to the bull ring where we did our fancy warm ups that Fast Twitch does not believe in.

Instructions were given to run at your 10k pace.  All vets here today so I am confident everyone can on memory tell me their 10k pace right?

We were running intervals with the time going up two minutes each time.  The rest was half of the interval time.  We started at a 2 minute interval followed by one minute rest returning to pick up the six.  We got 4, 6, 8, and 10 minute intervals in before heading back to the AO.  Everyone got in right on time which I consider a great accomplishment.

Despite the cold we warmed up quickly and some may have even broken a sweat.

Spoiler alert we are doing the same thing next week but on a harder course so get ready for that.

Thanks again for Citgo and Thin Mint taking the Q in marathon taper absence.  Appreciate it.

Sorry if I forgot anyone in the pax count.

Go Dawgs

College visit to Univ of Georgia in Athens – looked up F3 ATL and saw that they had started one in Athens – Cool.

Head to Intramural fields – Flag out. 3 Brothers – Stroke Seat (a rower), Wham-O (plays frisbee) and Frenchie.  Can you believe 3 college dudes would get up at 5am during the week.  Stroke Seat did an internship in Greenville and one of his co-workers took him out and he got hooked on F3.  He came back to Athens and decided to start it up;  I believe Frenchi and Wham-o’s dad’s are F3 out of Atlanta.

Disclaimer – well done, warm up (some windmills aka Abe Bagoda’s, SSH, LSW).  Did some partner work 50 Burpees, 100 Bonnie Blairs, 150 Squats – run across field.

Ran around the exterior for various pushup clock and graduated step ups.  Hit the parking deck for some ab and stair work

I introduced them to Jack Webb (standard – merkin and air press) and the Bobby Hurley – CAN YOU BELIEVE a FEW of THESE GUYS DID NOT KNOW WHO HE WAS!!!!!

Anyhow these guys are juniors – 2 are finance majors – so good chance they could end up in Charlotte after graduation.

COT – out

Warmed up early & often!

Fun group of 8 War Horses out this morning, most dawning old cotton hoodies that are no longer socially acceptable to wear outside of F3 workouts when temps are in the 20s (27 today…felt balmy compared to Tuesday’s 27 but with wind chill).  Pre-workout discussion about “VSCO Girl” – yes sorta “Granola”, but with $120 sandals and $50 water bottles…like “upscale crunchy granola”.  My gaudy old Packers sweatshirt tends to egg on the statement: “you’re from Wisconsin, so you like this weather.”  I wouldn’t say “like”, but I’d say it’s not a bother.  To be clear, Wisconsinites don’t tend to “like” cold – they just know how to dress for it because it because it’s cold so much of the year.  Then again, Heartbreaker has worn shorts the past 2 mornings!

At 5:31 we launched, realizing it would only be the 8 of us.  (Nobody “coming in hot”, and nobody still hiding in their heated cars.)

Disclaimer given as we got Moseying – not a pro, suggestions, modify, watch safety, can’t sue

The Thang:

Skipped warm-up circle and went strait up to Elm to get moving, and get warm.  Seemed to work.  Each short lamp post along the sidewalk (around 20?) do 3 Merkins & 3 Jump Squats (watch form!…head up on Merkins).  Most seemed sufficiently warm already.

Crossed to other corner of Elm & BallComm-

  • 10 Romanian Dead Lifts (no weight…yet),
  • 10 Peter Parker,
  • 10 Parker Peter.  

Mosey down to rocks at St Matt’s, grab lifting rock, bring to parking lot.

  • 10 Romanian Dead Lifts (with rocks!), and then
  • 10 Yugoslavian Gonad Stretcher…YA!  (distant cousin of several other exercises from Bulgaria, Transylvania, etc  but this one with rock).  Leave rock, for now.

Around St Matts – stop at each speed bump.  Keep switching off every other speed bump… (meet back at rocks)

  • 8 Diamond Merkins & 8 Monkey Humps
  • 8 Wide Merkins & 8 Flutters

Rocks…went around the horn, each Pax calling one.

  • Curls, Rows, Triple Lindy, Tri’s, Curls (again), Squats, Shoulder, etc

Mosey toward Harris Teeter, brief stop for

  • Superman (x10),
  • Plank Jacks (x10),
  • 6-inch plank jacks (x10),
  • That awesome Yoga stretch (that needs a name) that gets hammys and then hips (learned when Big Tuna Q’d a few months ago, and have do it every since).

All you’ve got back to base for brief Mary.  (Heartbreaker called like 300 Rosalita’s, and then Loogie called Heals to Heaven).

Moleskin:

  • Wednesday’s are not a usual workout day for YHC.  I have an agreement with my M on number of days to be home in the AM, and when I’ll be gone.  Important to have those candid & healthy discussions from time to time, so see how we are doing as it relates to the home & family.
  • Great to see both Danica & Graffiti out there, both Kotter’s that “blame” Big Tuna for EH-ing them awhile back (all are colleagues).  Awesome job, and keep coming back out!
  • Strawberry & Heartbreaker are clearing on it in the new year.  Great push by both.  And great work by Heartbreaker who is still clean on his “Dry-uary” commitment.
  • Loogie turned 49 yesterday and celebrates by posting in the Gloom.  Even with one arm, he keeps pumping along.  At one point I’m sure he was spinning a rock on his finger like a Harlem Globetrotter.
  • Patent Pending always has comic relief, and keeps posting and pushing.  Always great to have him in the mix!
  • Teddy showed up cold, but warmed up very quickly, going hard as always.  Great workout, and also to catch up personally.
  • Shout out to Doc McStuffins, who will have surgery in a week.  In his honor called out Plank Jacks & 6-inch Plank Jacks (which I dread when he Qs).
  • Yugoslavian Gonad Stretchers were really on the Weinke!
  • Takeout by YHC.  Graffiti sprinted out mid-prayer, only to let us know later that his PB&J toast he ate before the workout was about to be “exercised” – that would have been a colorful way to end COT.
  • Thanks ToolBag for the invite to Q – great group, and always an honor.

Announcements:

  • 3rd F:  Tonight “The Question” at Middle James Brewery.  While “the question” is still in question, it’s always engaging.
  • 3rd F:  ChurchOnTheStreet (COTS) has had good participation, but can always use more (Strawberry)

17 for 26

26 degrees with a “real feel” of 16 degrees this morning.  Cold and windy so not sure how the numbers would be.

17 men decided to fight the urge to say in bed.  Only 1 confirmed farsacker (Banjo) that I know of.

DiCCS were given (Disclaimer, Cell phone, CPR, Safety)

Mosey around the high school parking lot to the back of the high school.

  • Side Straddle Hop x 20 IC
  • Merkins x 10 IC
  • Imperial Walkers x 20 IC
  • Calf Stretch

Short mosey to the speed bump on the road that wraps around the side of the high school for some Paula Abdul

  • 2 lights up for Inchworm Shredders x 5 (inchworm out, merkin shredder, inchworm back in, burpee jump)
  • 1 light back for Mountain Climbers x 10 (2 is 1)
  • Continue all the way down the road around the globe

Mosey to the start of the road in front of the middle school

  • Alternate between every light pole on either side of the road:
    • Squats x 10
    • Walking Lunge x 10 (single count)

Mosey to the front benches in front of the middle school

  • Derkins x 10
  • Step Ups x 20
  • Dips x 30
  • Hot lap around the entire front middle school lot
  • Rinse and repeat for a total of two laps

Mosey to the back parking lot of the high school where six plates are wating

  • Break into six groups of three
  • P1 stays at the bottom of lot and does Burpees
  • P2 runs to the top of the lot for Big Boy Situps
  • P3 pushes the plate on the ground for a Hairburner half way up the lot to the cross walk and then runs the rest of the way to switch with P2
  • P2 runs down to the cross walk to the plate for a hairburner back down to switch with P1
  • P2 starts doing burpees while P1 does a hairburner to the crosswalk and then runs to switch with P3
  • Continue until everyone has does 3 rounds of hairburners up and down

Mosey with the weight plates back to start

  • Quick round of Heels to Heaven led by Zinfandel

Done!

MOLESKIN:

Chilly morning today.  As cold as it seems today it could always be colder and there are other groups of guys working out in colder temps.  My brother in F3 KC said it was 8 degrees yesterday morning with a “real feel” of 0.  So, the goal today was to keep moving and delay my frozen fingers and toes for as long as possible.  Inchworm Shredders are my new combo exercise I keep messing with and I thank everyone for indulging.

It might be better to call exercises on the light poles only on the left side of the road going down past the middle school.  Calling for both sides turned into multiple back to back lunges into squats. I will say the hairburners always suck but seemed really tough today after the road of squats and lunges on the legs.

Everyone pushed hard this morning, great job.

As Bottlecap said today, now is the time where some guys not at F3 may be losing their steam with their new year resolutions.  It’s a great time to EH someone to come out.  Stay focused on those around you that could benefit from joining us in the morning.

Thanks for taking us out Endo

Thank you for the opportunity to lead today.

ANNOUNCEMENTS:

  • Going away party for Wedding Singer this Saturday at Queens South from 3:00pm – 5:00pm. M and 2.0 friendly.  Heineken 0.0 will be stocked and ready.
  • Christ Closet folding workout this Thursday, 7:30pm, at the house on the corner of New Town Rd. and Byrum Rd.

#haterunning

3 Pax made it on time to LRC and a 4th (Smithers) came in late for today’s installment of LRC.  Today we returned back to our roots and went about the Original Loop (1.5 mile) on the old side of Lawson.  With pax all at the start we synced our watches and were off and running with a target of 5 miles.

Pace was hot from the start (sub 9:00/mile) and few time YHC requested the pace to slow down to no avail.  Around the 5K mark, our elder Pax (Recalc) took a detour and headed back home.

Remaining 3 musketeers finished the 5 miles and recovered back to COT.

 

Announcements:

  • None

Next week Smithers on Q @ LRC.  Start time 5:30 at Poop Island (Periwinkle/Riverbank).

Winter of Our Discontent

7 PAX made Bernanke’s heart warmer by showing up at #F3Thrive to get stronger together. The Warmup Started by the cars. Ran around parking lot and over to the football field, where we found the gate locked. So we ran over by the not-stinky dumpsters for warmups.
  • 23 sidestraddle hops
  • 11 Imperial Sqwalkers
  • 8 Windmills
  • Sprinter Stretches
  • Calf Stretches
The Thang
  1. Ran to the square in front of City Hall.
  2. Quarter Pounder
    • Sprint 25 yards to corner of square & do 25 merckens. Run backward to start.
    • Sprint 50 yards to corner of square & do 50 squats. Run backward to start.
    • Sprint 75 yards to corner of square & do 75 mountain climbers. Run backward to start.
    • Sprint 100 yards to corner of square & do 100 sidestraddle hops. Run backward to start.
  3. Mosey to street by the business north of Carolina Courts w light poles. Stop and do 3 jump squats at every light pole along the way. Continue moseying all the way to the end of the road where we found a steep hill.
  4. 7s ON THE HILL
    • War Hammers at top of hill (World War II sit-up by adding 4 American Hammer reps at the top)
    • Lunges at bottom of hill
  5. At start of light road do 30 merckens.
  6. Webbicide (suicides to each light pole +5 merckens at each pole)
  7. Mary at wall by school entrance
    • Zebra Butt-kicks (From plank, bend that knee to 90 and kick skyward)
    • Fondas (on side, point toe, touch ground in front of extended leg, make a large arc in the air and touch ground behind extended leg, then arc back … that’s one.)
    • ABCs (spelled F3Thrive in the air with feet)
  8. El fin.
Moleskine Yup, it was colder than a well-diggers nappy. The site Q forgot what time the 5:30 workout was. At the end of Mary, our hips all just about died with the Fondas, proving Madison’s point that we don’t do many lateral workouts. El fin. Announcements:
  1. Start posting again.
  2. Bring an FNG.

O Shoulders, Where Art Thou?

8 Hackers rolled into Bushwood all bundled up and ready to go. Most were probably expecting some more running but I was a bit afraid of venturing off campus into the dangerous streets of Marvin and getting Gerbered.

Waxhaw disclaimer provided

Warm Up:

Run around campus for a bit until the fingers were no longer numb (failed, still frozen)

Circle up in main parking lot: All IC—Mountain Climbers x5, Plank Jacks x10, Merkins x15, Peter Parkers x20, elbow plank 25 seconds, Mountain Climbers x20, Parker Peters x15, Merkins x10, Plank Jacks x5

Thang:

Mosey back to loop-Plank work – Elbow plank Peter Parkers x15 IC

As a group-

Mike Tysons x15 IC, 5 burpees, run lap

Mike Tysons x10 IC, 5 burpees, run lap

Mike Tysons x15 IC, 5 burpees, run lap

Maktar Ndiaye x 15 IC

Mosey to main parking lot-

10 merkins, run to first line, 15 squats, frog jump/bunny hop to next line, 15 jump squats, to end line, 10 merkins-Repeat 6 times

Plank work + Elbow plank Plank Jacks x10 IC

Suicides— 2 sets, no exercises, all you got to each line and back to start in parking lot

Mary—Heels to Heaven x20 IC, Dolly x20 IC, Flutter x20 IC, American Hammer x20 IC

Back to gym entrance walkway-

7’s-Merkins and Burpees, in between bear crawl one end to other, including turn

Run around loop to hit 2 miles-time’s up

Moleskin:

Wasn’t really planning to do a lot of shoulder work today but yes, sometimes the weinke just goes in that direction. PAX weren’t complaining about the cold weather and really not much chatter from the Bushwood regulars (One Star, Boitano and Lazy Boy run a tight ship at the club, must be the high member dues leading to even higher standards). As usual Goodfella took the burpees as a way to show us all how slow we are at them. Long Haul smoking everyone in the suicides like he was waiting for that all morning. Big Ben and Delta working hard all morning, no quit, great attitudes, strong stuff, etc. etc. And we didn’t freeze to death.

Announcements:

None

 

Am I Done?

Here is my backblast disclaimer…I care about your safety, but I’m not responsible for it.

Ok, alarm sounds at 5am, get out of bed at 5:02.  Head to the throne, check email, twitter, internet, you know, doing some serious business…multitasking.  I wouldn’t say it was Melissa MaCarthy’esque in Bridesmaids (hot lava), but I had to ask that three word question that no PAX wants to ask, especially when you’re up against it and need to get dressed and leave the house by 5:15ish…AM I DONE??

Got in car sans shoes on at 5:18 (this can be done on the way to Latin), the beginning of Shot in the Dark by the Oz Man starts playing on Hair Nation.  Ahhhh yeah, everything’s gonna be just fine.  After that, turned it over to Classic Rewind just in time for Eyes Without a Face by Billy Idol.  Fun fact, my wife for the longest time thought Billy actually said, “How’s about a date”.  Try it, it makes sense.  Said no one ever.

Pulled into Latin in time to see Hops unrolling the shovel flag.  We were both surprised that he got it in so easily. #terrafirma #thatswhatshesaid

All other PAX decided to dismount their warm climated (word?) chariots to start the chatter.  Outlined my morning timekeepers for the morning, Hopper and G-man, and gave the disclaimer and left the lot.

Mosey to the parking lot south of Ductwork’s building that he donated for COP:

IW

Hillbilly

LSS

Mosey to top end of the island we run around at the entrance of lower school and partner up.

P1 runs the island ring

P2 does excercise (dips, merkins, CDD)

Mosey through middle of campus to the parking lot we used to meet when HN first got started.  Stay with partner.

P1 runs the hot lap

P2 does exercise (LBC, Dolly, Flutter)

Mosey back through campus to the hot box (in middle of campus) for three rounds of Step ups, Dips, merkins

Mosey to landing above the stadium, partner back up.

P1 runs down to the track, back up ramp

P2 exercise (wide arm, military, diamonds)

Mosey down to track, lunge walk 50 meters, AYG 200 meters x 3

Mary

done

 

What’s the Haps

It is crazy that I had a full movement pre-workout, but absolutely ripped one during the Hillbillies in COP.  It’s pretty crazy to rip one like that when you Q, I think that’s the first time I’ve done that.  There is really nowhere for the PAX to hide.  By the time this happened. IHOP and Slingshot came running up.  I had to ask them if they were late, or G-man made us launch early.  Slingshot outed IHOP saying he was tardy.

Seemed I wasn’t the only one to be asking THAT question this AM.  Hops was lamenting that he might have one in the chamber, but Defcon level seemed to be at a solid 5, so no huge worry.

Everyone came correct with the layers this AM.  Gloss seemed to get by in his “required uniform”, you know, tights.  While Sardine was wearing pretty minimal layers, even though he had some kind of “body armor” on under?  Gross.  Or wait, maybe he said under armor…who knows.

Jet Fuel is back from his latest jaunt over to Korea, sharing kimchi with Kim jong fat boy.  He’s gotta go back in a couple weeks, I might start calling him Rodman.  He said there is a Korean whiskey he’s stumbled upon that is the absolute jam.  Interesting.

G-man recently got back from a trip to see his in-laws in Buffalo.  Thanks for bringing these crap temps back down with you buddy.  On a very serious note, I am very sorry to hear about your friend that recently passed.  Really appreciate you sharing during our track work.

IHOP nor Slingshot expelled any flatulence this AM.  Don’t let them fool you, they can play.  IHOP ripped one during Snowflake’s Q a little while back that was something to be proud of. #neverforget

Marge was rocking his Touchdown Jesus sweatshirt of Trevor Lawrence.  Pretty sure Trevor would find offense to this act of demi-God ‘ery (word?).

Thunder Road and Hopper were fairly quiet, but they were in the other group than me, so didn’t get to hear their banter.  Solid work tho gents.

That’s it, thanks to Hopper and Hops for the Q this AM.  Hops said we are approaching the two year mark for HN, time flies for sure.  Great site, great PAX week in week out.

 

Announcements

Hops went to a Metro workout yesterday, and heard from Dagger about a recent death of someone he knew of a heart attack.  Just reminder to always check up on your other PAX, buddies, etc.

Thanks also to Hops for the strong prayer this morning.

Birthday celebration on the Frozen Tundra!

11 Strong Men came out to face whatever cold Mother Nature could muster up.   As these fearless men approach the AO, you could tell many had layered up more than usual.  After briefly discussing why anyone would be outside in 26 degree weather (felt like 15 with the wind), my watch struck 5:30am and a thorough Disclaimer was conveyed.  Moseyed downhill — with the wind at our back to a circle up for COT.

Warm Up: SSHx15 … IWx15 … LBACx10 (both ways) … MCx15 … MERKINx15 … Hold 30 sec plank

THE THANG:

  • Our illustrious Bagpipe Site Q’s had informed us a few weeks ago that (3) laps around the Loch Ness = a mile.   So, we ran the (3) laps around the freezing cold Loch Ness and end up by the rock pile. YHC encouraged everyone to push themselves and off we went.
  • Waited for the 6 with a round of flutter kicks then dove into some rock work.  Partner up.  Partner #1 does Triple Nickle (5x5x5)  with the lifting rock (curls, shoulder presses, tri-ext), while Partner #2 does (5) Pull-ups on the bars down by the freezing cold creek.  Flapjack. Repeato x3.
  • Mosey over in front of one of the adjacent office buildings.  YHC called for 15 Step-ups each leg followed by 15 Derkins OYO.  Repeato x3.
  • AYG to the next office building.  LBCs to wait for the 6.
  • Mosey back up near site of COT.  Partner up.  Facing each other and locking hands out in front, Partner #1 pulls Partner #2 backwards – while resisting to the random black car 50 yards in front.  Flapjack.  Repeato x2.
  • Mosey back to the start as the SWIFT men were rolling in.

MOLESKIN:

  • It was a cold and chilly start to the beatdown.  YHC wasn’t sure when the warmup was coming but I think for most it happened after the Mile run.  As we approached Loch Ness, our birthday boy Loogie (HBD!!) was the 1st to mumble that we should NOT run around the pond.  Within seconds YHC was calling out the Mile run much to his chagrin.  Per usual, Bucky effortless galloped through the laps while nursing a nagging calf injury.  Kirby, Cooter, and Freehley’s came on strong down the stretch, likely beating their own time from the last post we ran it.  During the partner pull exercise, Freehley’s modified to a push movement versus pull.  It initially caught my eye as YHC thought a minor skirmish between Freeley’s and Bucky had broken out.  Thought perhaps a Freehley’s wise crack had gone too deep (that’s what she said?).  Patent Pending took notice of YHC’s sweatshirt selected this morning.  An old Wisconsin Badger sweater with a subliminal connected to the Frozen Tundra of the Motherland.  Had to channel my waning tolerance to the cold.  Minutes later certain PAXs were taken aback while doing Step-Ups that Patent Pending wears a size 13 shoe.  Not sure I caught the context but you know what they saw about big feet —- big shoes.

ANNOUCEMENTS:

  • “F3 Dads Playdate”: This Sunday 3pm at Polo Ridge Elementary.  Bring the 2.0s.  Look for details from Paper Jam on Slack
  • 3rd F Timekeeper: 6:30pm on every Tuesday — starting next week.  Starting the book 12 Rule of Life by Jordan Peterson.  Pick the book up, someone will lead the discussion.  It’s a drop in thing so don’t worry if you miss a week.
  • Beer Run: Feb 8th;  5 miles and 6 breweries.  Check Slack channel for more details.
  • Bagpipe is looking for Q’s for February and March.  Hit up Cooter2 on Slack.

*** GREAT work this morning men.  We overcame the temptation of the warm fart sack and we are better because of it.  Great message from Bucky this morning on Slack challenging us to not let the weather deter us.  Appreciate the opportunity to lead this fine group of men!  See you in the gloom!