Author Archive Fuse Box

Where’s Ralphie?

5:14 struck and Loafer joked that he hoped the Q showed.  5:15 and there was no Ralphie so I jumped in and started the disclaimer hoping he would arrive on 2 wheels.  5:16 we took off.

 

WARM UP

Mosey around Pet Smart over to the Target parking lot.   Pax got a sneak peak at a dynamic stretching warm up I have planned for the Floater.  Glad I tested it on them as I was able to work out some kinks.  I was trying to figure out a way to keep heart rates up during the much needed stretching portion so this was my first try (since the Workout I debuted it at – Black Hawk didn’t count since there was only 2 of us).

Circle up in plank position.  Calf stretch right over left with a merkin circle.  Four rounds then we flap jacked for an additional four rounds.

Downward dog with a Carolina Dry Dock circle.  I think we did 5 rounds.  Lets go.

 

THE THANG

Mosey into the neighborhood up the hill to what I consider the road leading to the main road.   Alternating 10 Ranger Merkins and then 10 Wide Arm merkins until you reach the “main road”/ stop sign.  Swimmers, Smokey, and Sugar Daddy leading the way and doing a good job of circling for the 6.

Cross “main road” and alternate the following exercises at light poles:

  • 10 Monkey Humpers & 10 Jump Squats
  • 10 Sister Mary Catherine’s & 5 (each leg) Russian dead lifts.

Clarification question from Swimmers – so 20 total at each light.  Yes sir.

I was worried throwing this many exercises at the pax along with a different number on one of them would throw them into a tail spin.  But Kudos to the group as everyone jumped right it and nailed it.  I think it helped that Damascus continues to fart sack.  Speaking of Damascus….where in the hell is he???  Several pax have heard from him an excuse about coming out once he gets new shoes.  Are they still on a slow boat from China???

Made it almost to the end of the road before I decided that was enough legs.   Found a slightly up hill cul-de-sac for 7’s.  Burpees and Dry Docks.  Only got two rounds in before I realized we only had 20 minutes left and it will take us as long to get back as it did to get where we were.

Quick Mosey to another intersection before partnering up Gazelles and Clydesdales for Leap Frog.   P1 Reverse lunges backwards while P2 Jail Breaks to a mailbox.  P1 then “leap frogs” by sprinting to the next mailbox while P2 is reverse lunging backwards.   Continued back to the “main road”.

At each light post up to the stop sign stop for 10 dry docks.  Swimmers (I think) lead Mary.

Short Mosey to the hill leading out of the neighborhood back to Target.  Run backwards up the hill and jailbreak back down.  We completed twice with the Gazelles Squatting up top waiting on the 6.

Divided group into Gazelles and Clydesdales (sorry to the two guys that identify at Gazelles that I pulled in as Clydesdales… I needed even numbers).  Clydesdales got a 2 light pole head start.  If Gazelles catches them before COT – Clydesdales have 10 burpees.  If no Gazelle Catches a Clydesdale – Gazelles have burpees.  Apparently 2 light poles was not enough of a head start.  Clydesdales did burpees with Sugar and a few other (but not all) gazelles jumping in too.   30 seconds left when I finished my 10 so I had everyone continue burpees until time.

 

MOLE SKIN

  • The Gazelles were able to take the reins off today and scamper….and scamper they did.
  • Smokey was begging for Ralphie to show up mid workout so I guess I will take that as a compliment.  However….
  • I didn’t hear any “Oh Yeah’s” out of Loafer today so I’m assuming it was a bad Q.  I judge my Asylum Q’s based on the number of Loafer “Oh Yeah’s” (again in that midwest accent in which apparently Loafer has never lived).
  • Ex Lax putting in some serious effort today on the runs.   He’s getting faster with a 2021 goal in mind and I love seeing the progress.   Keep pushing.
  • Schnitzel was his usual silent assassin self today pushing hard with zero complaints.
  • By Pass gave me a dirty look when I pulled him into the Gazelles with me.  He was in front of me the entire day so yes it was unfair….and no, I don’t care.
  • Per the Mash Channel, it appears Penalty Box put quite the beat down on Bunyan.
  • Sledge still rehabbing the knee tore off on a walk on his own only to be seen again at COT.
  • Great discussion afterwards at “Q Source” where we are covering the book “Extreme Ownership”.   This weeks discussion focused around the idea that there are no bad teams, only bad leaders with both a military example (Seal Team Hell Week Training) and a corporate example (A CTO that constantly pushed the blame on others).  Join us next week for Chapter 3 – Believe where Loafer will be leading us.  Sugar Daddy with a great example pulled from his peach basket days on the hardwood.

 

ANNOUNCEMENTS

  • Blood drive is January 30th from 9:00 until 1:30.  Use the link below to sign up and post it across your social media channels (I’ve found in the past that neighborhood facebook pages tend to bring in the highest number of signups).  If you haven’t seen this posted in your neighborhood, take a minute to go post this up now please.
    • https://www.redcrossblood.org/give.html/drive-results?zipSponsor=f3
  • During the prayer I asked pax to take some time today to reflect on Dr King’s message.  What can we do to be a light in the darkness.  How can we improve our community.

The Waffle (Mini CSAUP)

So shortly after the Five Stones trails were cut, Posse had this horrible idea that we should combine three workouts and two locations into a single workout.   I took off with that idea and came up with today’s “mini” CSAUP.   Mini because it was only 90 minutes (though I feel the guys that joined today may take issue with me calling it “only 90 minutes”).   The original idea from Posse also included a way to tie together all the Waffle talk from last year into a “lets come together” workout where Impromptu and Diesel join hands and workout together.  Unfortunately, that idea quickly fizzled with the Friday Site Q’s decided 90 minutes wasn’t welcoming to FNG’s and Kotters (and they were right).  But the name and idea lived on anyways.  So how exactly will we accomplish 3 workouts into two locations?   Here’s how:

Start with a 30 minute Boot camp (Impromptu).  Then Run 1 mile to Five Stones Church (Swarm) for a 30 minute gear workout (Diesel).  Once the Friday Site Q’s backed out, I decided to turn the Diesel portion into an Iron Pax Challenge.    And finally a 1 Mile run back to COT (second dose of Swarm).   So there was the plan.   Here is what we actually did.

 

WARM UP

Mosey to lower bus parking lot for Side Straddle Hops and various stretches.  Then Mosey to the round a bout for an AMRAP workout.

 

THE THANG

Hub and Spoke.   5 outer exercises and 1 inner exercise.  The inside exercise was 10 Fence Squat Jumps (Posse was pleased the Russian Get Up’s had been removed from the previous Q I had recycled this from).  The outer excercises were:

  • 2o Dry Docks
  • 20 Merkins
  • 20 Step Ups
  • 20 Dips
  • 20 Heels to Heaven

 

We made it through two full rounds.   This is where Hurry left us to go join the 8:00 am workout.   Indian Run towards the entrance stopping at the middle school drive for a quick calf stretch since Drive By has apparently barrowed Moneyball’s calves for the winter.   Reverse Lunge walk up the hill for 20 yards and the turn to mosey to the light.

Safely cross Cuthberson together then run to the four way stop stopping at lights on both sides for 5 jump squats.  Collect everyone at then head left towards the pool.   Quick right on the trail and gather folks at the concrete bridge.   This is the closest point that the Five Stones trail comes to the Champion Forest trail.  Its about 20-30 feet of walking through the woods.   Five Stones trail were slick so we carefully mosey’ed to pick up blocks and gather in the gravel lot for Iron Pax.

For the Iron Pax portion, I attempted to combine two Iron pax workouts from this past fall into one workout while sprinkling in my own suck as well.  It was designed to be an out and back workout with stacked exercises on one side and increase rep exercises on the other.  Here is what we did:

  • 1 Blockee and 10 Block Hops.  Murder Bunnies for 25 yards.   10 Block Merkins.   Riffle Carry back 25 yards to start.
  • 2 Blockees and 10 Block Hops.  Murder Bunnies for 25 yards.  10 Block Merkins and 20 Curls.  Riffle carry back.
  • 3 Blockees and 10 block hops.  Murder Bunnies.  10 Block Merkins, 20 Curls, and 30 overhead presses.  Riffle Carry back.
  • 4 Blockees and 10 block hops.  Murder Bunnies.  10 block merkins, 20 curls, 30 OH press, and 40 Rows.  Riffle back.
  • 5 Blockees and 10 block hops.  Murder Bunnies.  10 block merkins, 20 curls, 30 OH press, 40 Rows, and….just to be an ass hole two 50’s.  50 foot release squats on your block and 50 chest presses.   Riffle back to start.
  • Finish with 6 Blockees and 10 jumps.

This sucked on paper and I can assure you it was worse in real life.  My timing worked out well here as we had just enough suck to fill the 30 minutes I intended.   15 minutes to make it back to COT.

Gingerly navigate the mucky Five Stones trail and collect on Champion Forest concrete bridge.   Jailbreak back up the trail (fairly steep incline) to the road.   Slow mosey to 4 way stop.   Team up for leap frog sprints.  Team 1 sprints to first driveway, then team 2 leap frogs them to driveway 2 and so on.   We did this all the way up to Cuthberson Rd.   Crossed safely together then short mosey to the middle school road.  Another Indian Run to the bus lot entrance and the all you’ve got to the middle school entrance.   About 2 minutes left so I called for 10 burpees on your own and then we caught up with the group (that exceeded the governors mandate of 25) to finish their Jack Webb of 10 Merkins and 40 presses.   90 minutes, three workouts, two sites….Done.

 

MOLESKIN

  • Posse was right.  It was dumb, it sucked, but I’m glad I did it.   It felt great starting the year a little outside of my comfort zone.  As my Shield Lock knows, and those that attend Q Source with me.  I think CSAUPs are dumb.  The risk outweighs the reward for me.   But I may be on board with these mini CSAUPs.
  • Thanks to Honeycomb and Drive by for joining.   Honeycomb crushed the Iron Pax.  He was in the lead the entire time.   Drive by pushed through a calf issue to complete the workout (and talked my ear off the entire time – but in a good way that kept my mind off how bad iron pax was).
  • Posse was stuck coming regardless.  It was his brain child, I only took his idea and brought it to life.
  • Have a good New Years Day.  I can’t wait to see the groupme trash talking between our Clemson (Posse), Ohio State (Rubbermaid and Dasher), and Notre Dame (Rudy) fans.  I can’t think of any Bama guys.
  • Doughboy, I’m coming for you and your KY Jelly Wildcats tomorrow at the Gator Bowl.  (Nevermind that our D Tackle ((#1 in the country) is skipping the bowl against a team that prides itself on its running game).   Go Pack.

A Wolfpack Win = A Happy Q

I had no other title ready…so why not continue to crow about my Wolfpack beating the Tar Holes.

Heard from Posse that Coco Crisp was visiting from Raleigh so I connected with him on Twitter yesterday for the personal invite to Chiseled (suck on that Dromedary).  After seeing the Sloberin’ Wolf on his tire cover, I knew he was a good dude.  Later found out we were both Unicorns (business majors instead of Engineers from NC State).

Any who….DiCCS covered.  Warned of no warm up.   Lets go.

 

WARM UP

THE THANG

Mosey towards the rock pile.  Audible.  Few late stragglers with no blocks.  180 back towards the blocks.  Apparently we will warm up while stragglers grab blocks (Shout out to Loafer for the assist here).

25 SSH

10 Merkins

5 T Merkins

That killed enough time for everyone to locate a block.  Mosey to the rock pile.  Grab a lifting rock and do Curls while waiting on the 6.   Line rocks on one curb (with our blocks being at the other end of the parking lot).   Run to blocks for 30 chest presses.  Run back to Rocks for 10 staggered Merkins.  Repeat 3 times.  (It was around here that Posse decided to join us).  Once done, circle back for the 6 (Dang, Coco is fast) and gather on the rock side.

20 tricep extensions with Rock and 20 curb dips.  Repeat for 3 rounds.  Posse started channeling his inner Damascus here questioning counts.  This theme continued through the rest of the workout.

Rocks up and In/Outs while waiting on 6.  Mosey back to blocks and get in groups of 3.   P1: Curls.   P2: Block jumps.   P3: Runner (timer) half lap around the lot.    Repeat for 3 rounds.

30 Block presses, crawl bear (roughly 10 crawls), 10 Dry docks.  Repeat 3 times.   Several pax started getting angry about the reps here.  I clearly remember Posse and Ice 9 questioning but there was more mumble chatter that I didn’t quite pick up.

Watch Check, a few more minutes.   Groups of 3 again.  P1: Block Squat.   P2: Row.  P3: Half Lap.   We had enough time for one time through.

Quick Mosey back to COT.   Finito.

 

MOLESKIN

  • Great work today by so many.
  • Turn Buckle continues to push through and run at his pace at the workouts.   Great job.
  • Chainsaw, the double respect, putting most out there to shame.  He is leading next week and we should all be scared of what pain he has in store for us.
  • Coco was out front all day today.  Learned that he is the 3rd F Q in Raleigh.
  • Posse continues to the the stick poker at my workouts.  Since he showed up 5 minutes late I was able to poke back today.
  • I thought I was going to get a dry heave out of Ice 9 today, but he was able to get it under control.
  • Welcome Pennywise brought out by Ice 9.  There was a long reason why we went with Pennywise….but I forgot it.   Something about his writings and travels.   He is a Lawsonite (like we need any more of those guys).
  • Banjo arrives to a site he use to Site Q asking if we needed gear and if so where was it.   Really???   Has it been that long?
  • I had the Christmas playlist going starting with one of my favorites – Clarence Carter singing Back Door Santa.   If you’ve never head it, I highly recommend a quick listen as its only a 2 minute song.   (Yes, the same Clarence Cater who sings “I get the women saying Clarence Carter, Clarence Carter, Clarence Carter, ooooh shit, Clarence Carter).
  • Ex-Lax continuing the finance discussions with me after the workout.   Love the Finance channel.
  • O-69 pushing through a severe leg cramp earlier in the week out there getting steps in.
  • Last minute substi-Q while Transporter recovers from his back injury (who says you cant get injured while rucking).  Hoping he recovers quickly and comes back out to deliver a Chiseled beat down in 2021.
  • Thanks to Posse for last minute organizing a 2nd F breakfast at Stacks.   Coco, Posse, Radar, Surge, and myself were there.  It allowed us to grill ask Coco Crisp to share some experiences from Raleigh as well as pass on some unique culture from Waxhaw.   Some things he added to his list was DiCCS (once we got the spelling right for him), 6th man, and our use of FOMO (backblasts, family photo’s, and Groupme meme’s/call outs.  Being the 3rd F Q for Raleigh was interesting hearing all they have been doing and are doing.  For those that don’t know, Raleigh organized trips down to the coast to help with Hurricane Florence clean up for over a year after it hit (that’s right over a year).   They truly led during this time when leadership and help was needed.   They’ve also held several fundraisers, most recently an over night half marathon through Oakwood cemetery (creepy).  I must have heard the number wrong because I sear I think I heard him say they raised over $70,000 dollars.  They’ve also combined the Q source and a third F alternating weekly between the two (It would be like if we combined Open Door and Q Source).

 

ANNOUNCEMENTS

  • 3rd Waxhaw Blood Drive.   January 30th at Five Stones Church.   Sign up here: https://www.redcrossblood.org/give.html/drive-results?zipSponsor=f3   Scroll down to the Five Stones location.
  • Rice and Beans feeding the homeless in uptown Charlotte continues on into next year.   Get with Centerfold for details or to sign up.
  • Turn Buckle collecting gifts and Food Lion Gift cards for the Monroe family until today at 4:00.   He is going over there later this afternoon to deliver.
  • Client Diner shut down tomorrow.   Floater wear a Christmas sweater.   Rea Farms Convergence at 6:30 near Improper Pig Field.

 

F3 Scavenger Hunt (#2)

TLDR (Posse taught me that).  Gerber’s team won.  Gerber, Speed Bump, Orkin, FNG Hot Print, and C3PO beat Wrigley, Double Dribble, T1000, Drive by, and myself.

 

I enjoy the night time Q’s.  Mainly because it allows the Q to spread their wings and think outside of the box.  The 2.0’s add another mix that tends to make to Q’s fun.  With that in mind I decided to dust off a Q from about 2 years ago.  I changed up some of the clues to give a wide age range from Elementary level questions to some more advanced questions.  As Gerber put it, if you enjoy the Facebook trivia questions, you would have loved this Q.   So here was the Scavenger hunt.  Try and run though it and see if you were able to get some of the questions correct.

F3 Scavenger Hunt

After teaming up, start with a mosey around the parking lot.  Keeping your head on a swivel to avoid cars look for the booklet of clues.  Once your team completes a lap, go grab the booklet of clues and start……no one saw them.   After what felt like minutes I started giving hot and cold clues until finally Drive By picked off a set on a beautiful ANSI green transformer.  From here on out is the booklet as written:

 

Rules

As soon as you are handed this paper the scavenger hunt begins.  Please keep an eye on time.  No matter where you are on campus or where you are at in this Scavenger Hunt, at 6:10 please start heading back to COT.

Please read through the rules and then turn to page 2 to view your first clue titled Clue # 1.

Because it would be too difficult and time consuming to place clues at various spots around campus, all your clues are contained in this document.  While it would be pretty simple to cheat…..don’t.  Don’t look ahead for correct answers, play the game fairly.  Ultimately, we are here to get a good workout and cheating defeats that purpose.

Other teams will be traveling the same path as you along the way.  I suggest keeping your answers a secret so you don’t give away correct answers to other teams (or perhaps you can intentionally shout out wrong answers?).   There are questions to be answered along the way that if answered incorrectly, will take you on further or harder routes.  Just because you see a team in front of you going a different way, it doesn’t mean they are right.

Phones, especially google, are not allowed.

No matter where you are, when it gets to 6:10 please stop what you are doing and return to the starting parking lot.  I’ve made it longer than likely we can finish so the winning team will be the one who is at the furthest clue as of 6:10.

Because I developed the scavenger, I will not be allowed to answer or help any teams.  I will be traveling with a team but only to get a workout.  Because most people skim directions and don’t completely read them, I am putting in this extra sentence that negates the start below.  Look at the very last page for an easier start than the one on the next page.

STA RT

Clue # 1

In order to start the scavenger hunt, your team must do a combined number of Merkins that equal the following riddle.  Split the merkins how ever is best for the team.

 

John does 10 merkins a day.  Sam does 5 merkins a day.  Dave does 100 merkins a week.  Sam and Dave only work out 6 days a week.  How many Merkins do the three guys do combined in a week?

 

 

 

Once you have completed the proper number of Merkins, please proceed to the place where Rudy prefers to squat.  Stop at each light pole for 2 Burpees per light pole per person on the way there.

 

 

 

 

DO NOT TURN THE PAGE UNTIL YOU ARRIVE WHERE RUDY LIKES TO SQUAT.

 

 

 

 

 

ANSWER TO CLUE # 1

If your team started off splitting 200 Merkins.  Congrats you were correct.  If your team was smart enough to read the entire first page of directions and you skipped to the last page for an easier clue and only did 10 Merkins – Great Job!  If you did neither, please to a 10 burpee penalty each before moving on to Clue # 2.

 

 

 

Clue # 2 – Rudy’s Poop Palace

Please answer as a team the question below.  The answer will direct you to do an exercise and then take you to your next location.

Which of the following movie character names is not a named Star in the night sky?

Beetle Juice (Movie: Beetle Juice) – Do 10 each (on your own) Mike Tyson’s then Run to Baseball Field as a team (Lower Round A Bout).  Read clue # 3 only after your team arrives.

Maximus (Movie: Gladiator) – Do 20 each (one your own) Donkey Kick’s then Run to the wooden bench amphitheater as a team. Read clue # 3 only after your team arrives.

Castor (Movie: Gone in 60 Seconds) – Do 10 each arm (on your own) balls to the wall shoulder taps then Run to the High School Stairs.  Read clue # 3 only after your team arrives.

Pollux (Movie: Gone in 60 Seconds) – Do 30 wall sit air presses then Run to Football Field Fence where the Cavalier mascot is in the fence.  Read clue # 3 only after your team arrives.

 

ANSWER:

Beetle Juice (spelled Betelgeuse) is part of the Orion’s belt constellation.  It is the Orange Star in the shoulder region.  Castor and Pollux are from the movie Gone in 60 seconds.  Both are the two brighter stars that make up the twins in the Gemini constellation.  Maximus is not a star and is from the movie Gladiator.

If you are not at the wooden benches then you answered incorrectly.  Please proceed to the wooden benches at the Amphitheatre.  (Your penalty is the extra run).

 

 

 

 

 

Clue # 3 – (Wooden benches).

David Thompson is widely considered the greatest collegiate basketball player of all time.  Do a combined number of team dips on the wooden benches for the year his NC State basketball team won the National Championship (If you think they won it in 1933 then do 33 dips).   Once you are finished doing dips, turn the page for the answer and penalty if you were wrong.

 

 

 

 

David Thompson won the National Championship in 1974.  Close but no cigar award if you chose 83 (That was Jimmy V’s Championship).   If you did not do 74 dips, your penalty is to bear crawl around the triangle in front of the wooden benches (All three sides).  If you were correct (or once you finish your bear crawls), proceed to Clue # 4.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Clue # 4

Find the parking spot in the football stadium parking lot that equals the following formula:

200-50*0+80-(100-70)

Don’t turn the page until you are in the parking spot.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

ANSWER:

PEMDAS – Parenthesis first, then multiplication, then left to right addition & subtraction.

If you are not in parking spot 250, then perform in cadence (4 count) 25 side straddle hops and then 15 mountain climbers in cadence.  Run to parking spot number 250 once done.

Once you are in parking spot # 250, do 50 LBC’s & 20 Heels to Heaven each.

 

 

 

 

 

Clue # 5

Once you are finished, decide as a team if you want Door number 1, Door number 2, or Door number 3.  Once you have made your decision, turn the page for Clue # 6.  Choose wisely.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Door Number 1: What is the Little Mermaid’s name?  Please proceed to Rudy’s Poop Palace before checking the next page for the answer and penalty if you are wrong.

 

 

Door Number 2: Name the two sisters from the Disney movie Frozen.  Proceed towards Rudy’s Poop Palace and then turn the page to see the correct answer and penalty if you are wrong.

 

 

Door Number 3: What is the nick name of the little girl in Monster’s Inc.?  Please proceed to Rudy’s Poop Palace and then turn the page to see the correct answer and penalty if you are wrong.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

ANSWERS:

 

Door 1: The Little Mermaid’s name is Arielle.  If you answered incorrectly, please grab a rock and do 30 curls each.  If you were right, proceed to Clue # 7.

Door 2: The sisters from Frozen are named Anna and Elsa.  If you answered incorrectly, please grab a rock and do 30 curls each.  If you were right, proceed to Clue # 7.

Door 3: Sully and Mike Wazowski called the little girl Boo.   If you answered incorrectly, please grab a rock and do 30 curls each.  If you were right, proceed to Clue # 6.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Clue # 6 – Rudy’s Poop Palace.

Add the digits of the famous phone number in the song below together to get a total number.  For example, the phone number 123-4567 would equal 28 (1+2+3+4+5+6+7+8).  Once you think you have the correct answer, each person does that many overhead rock presses.  Check the next page for the answer only after you have completed your overhead presses.

 

  • Tommy Tutone – Jenny

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Answer:

  • Tommy Tutone – Jenny. 867-5309 = 38

 

If you did not do 38 presses, you must do an additional 38 presses as a penalty.

 

TIME CHECK – if it is 6:10, return to COT.  If not, proceed to Clue # 7, but keep an eye on the time.

 

 

Clue # 7 – Middle School Cafeteria Benches

Run to the middle school cafeteria benches and do the following exercises on your own.

40 dips, 30 foot release squats on the bench, and 20 Derkins.

 

 

Once you’re teach is finished, answer this last question in order to proceed to the finish line:

 

The longest living mammal can live up to how many years?

 

Once you have an agreed upon answer from your team, turn to Clue # 9 to see if you are correct.

ANSWER:

The Bowhead Whale can live up to 200 years old!

 

If you answered incorrectly, do 200 Squats as a team.  If you finish early, start taking reps from your teammates to help them out.  Once your team finishes, jail break to the finish line (COT) for your final clue.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Final Clue

How many triangles are in the picture below?  Answer correctly and you are done.  Answer incorrectly and face the penalty on the next page.  Check the next page for the answer.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Answer

There are 27 triangles.   If you answered correct – Congrats!  You are finished.  If you answered wrong, run to the closest rock pile (down the yellow brick road and down the hill around the third light) for 27 curl presses.  Once complete, return the rocks and run back to COT.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Easier Clue # 1

If you have reached this page, congrats…you read the directions.  Instead of doing 200 merkins as a team (which is what everyone else is doing that didn’t read all of page 1), you only have to do 10 merkins each.  Once completed, head towards Rudy’s Poop Palace stopping at the light poles on the way to do two burpees at each light pole.  Once at Rudy’s, start with Clue # 2.

 

 

MOLE SKIN

  • Its painful to watch your team pick wrong answers time after time, especially when you know they will lead to extra work.  But true to my word I offered no help.  In fact once, I stepped in to make us do more (Wrigley skipped over the 2 burpees per light pole start).
  • Drive By started off reading the entire first sheet of rules.  (Yes, I was thinking in my head).  Then Wrigley stepped in and said “We ain’t got time for this, skip to the first clue!”.   Damn it.  That means 200 merkins split 5 ways instead of just 10.
  • I learned tonight Wrigley needs glasses to read – or at least that was his excuse after he cost us extra merkins/burpees.
    • In all fairness, I think all four of the team members got a question wrong so no hard feelings Wrigley.
  • I slipped in a special NC State question just for Gerber who then acted surprised to learn State has 2 national championships.  While its a distant memory, yes NC State was a powerhouse basketball program, a founding member of the ACC, and started what later turned into the ACC championship basketball tournament (Everette Case started the Dixie Classic Tournament) which was then copied by other leagues.  I digress…
  • Team Fuse Box took an early lead but we quickly relinquished it when PEMDAS tripped up our robotics wiz kid.
  • We came roaring back and caught back up to Team Gerber at the next to last station and the retook the lead after knocking out 200 suspect squats (thank God Zin or Recalc wasn’t there).
  • However in what can only be called the come from behind victory of the century, we squandered the lead guessing 21 triangles which caused us a 21 curl press penalty and left the door wide open for team Gerber to swoop in.  Much to our disbelief amazement, team Gerber correctly guessed 27 triangles for the win.
  • Hot Print got named by the 2.0’s.  Its their grandpa (pop pop?, Poppa?) so its only fitting they got to name them.  He is the one that printed the F3 shirts so thats how it correlates.  He is from Baltimore and had the 2.0’s not been there (and had he not been Gerbers dad) I was ready to blurt out Baltimore Handshake as the name….not sure what that is (urban dictionary it).  Then ask me at a site the story of the first time I heard that used by a customer…its a good story that involves Banjo’s home state.
  • Thanks for the invite Wrigley (was it an invite….I think I kinda crow bar’ed my way in saying you cant cook dinner with out oven fuses since I was screwing up you food theme).

 

ANNOUNCEMENTS

  • CSUP coming Feb 6.  More details to come
  • Waxhaw clean up this Saturday
  • F3 Blood Drive #3 coming Jan 30th.  More details to come.  Looking for someone to work with TB or take the load off him and run it.

 

Thankful

We had two Pax at Blackhawk today.  Not 2 plus me, but 2 total.   Low numbers due to all the third F things going on in Waxhaw today?  Low because two site Q’s are out?  Low because Blackhawk pax have failed to EH new Walnut Creek FNG’s?  Or I could go real dark, turn it internally and say it was low because it was I that was on Q.  None the less, I am thankful for Atlas showing up.  For if not for him, it would have been a one man workout.  Original winkie crossed out as a workout planned for 8-12 doesn’t work as well when its just 2.

WARM UP

Mosey around the parking lot for a lap and end up at the small circle near the fields.

I had hoped to try a new variation on stretching where we combine stretching with a merkin circle to keep the stretching somewhat active and heart rates up.   Calf stretch then 1 merkin when its your turn up to 100.    20 Merkins.

Continue the circle theme with Jimmy Duggans and dry docks when its your turn.   20 Dry Docks

Jimmy Duggan

Calf Stretch

 

THE THANG

Mosey past the pond to the other circle for another circle with mountain climbers and merkins when its your turn.  20 Mountain Climbers followed by 20 Slow Peter Parkers.

Using intersecting roads as our stopping points, we do 5 Gas Pumpers, 10 Merkins, and 15 Speed Skaters down Pennington drive.  7 stops in total.

Intended to continue that back but felt like we needed a change of pace (needed to run more and stop less).   Going back up Alston Dr. we stop at each intersection for 20 15 make that 10 squats.  Also stop at each Christmas decoration for burpees.  White lights = 1 burpee.  Colored Lights = 2 burpees.  Blow up = 3 Burpees.  Thankful again most decorations were on a timer that had them already turned off.   The roughly 25 burpees we did was enough.  Another 7 stops and legs feeling tight.  Currently 1.8 miles done and about halfway into the workout.  Pacing well as I wanted to get at least 3 miles in today.

Found a bar that we could use for rows.  Partner up (Again thankful for Atlas).  P1 10 Merkins.  P2 10 Rows.   5 rounds until everyone has done 50 Merkins and 50 Rows.

Mosey around the pond.  Stop at the hill for reverse walking lunches up the hill.  Mosey some more until we found a fairly high rock wall to do step ups on.  It was there that I realized the high step wall for me was much higher for Atlas (sorry dawg).  10 one legged step ups each leg.

Mosey to Rock Pile for a Chastain Make it Stop special.  Curls until someone puts their rock down (we got close to 40 curls in) then mosey behind ball field to the paved shed area for 3 Atomic Merkins.  Back to Rocks for make it stop Tricep extensions (about 45) mosey and changed up to 5 in/outs.   Military (Army? since Popeye claims they didn’t do these in the Navy) Presses (around 40) mosey for 5 In/Outs.   Rows (Close to 50! before we stopped) Mosey to Shed for 50 LBC’s.    Got about 5 minutes.  Back to Rocks to quickly knock some reps out.   21 Curls…that wasn’t enough, lets keep curling the full curl until we break.  We broke around 25.  30 Tricep Extensions.  30 Presses (Ouch, lots of lactic acid burn on this one).  30 Rows.   Mosey back to COT for 50 more LBC’s.   Watch check…3.18 miles.  7:30.  Done.

 

MOLESKIN

Again, thank you to the lone other pax (Pack?) that decided to beat the Fart Sack today.  I will be meeting him and a few other dads later today for an impromtu girls softball practice so perhaps I can tell him in person because I know he won’t read this back blast.

Biting my tongue fingers to avoid the soapbox blast about poor attendance and lack of Indian Land/Walnut Creek EH’ing.  Again, maybe its me, not them.

Hating that I can’t participate in the third F things today.   My folks are going to be here any minute for a late, driveway covid free birthday celebration for my daughter.  I was looking forward to clearing some trails for my own AO’s use today.  Thank you to the guys that are showing up to do that today.

Today is Army vs Navy.  It usually is the only game on this time of the year but do to Covid, several games will also be played today.  I always enjoy watching this game.   I saw a poster that read its the only game where both teams playing are willing to die for the ones watching the game.  Thanks for all of you that have served.  I’m sure today is a special game for you with lots of trash talking.  Wish we had a few more army folks in our ranks so we could see some army/navy level trash talking in the Playhouse today.

ANNOUNCEMENTS

CC Now.

5 Stones – Now

Back to the Shadows

11 guys fought the cold to come lift blocks at a 0.0 workout.  I arrive early to get the playlist set.  New faces so I go introduce myself to.  (Kotters Bookworm after a 2 year hiatus).  DiCCs given.  Lets get started.

WARM UP

10 Atomic Merkins

10 Block Jumps

 

THE THANG

Jack Webb of Block Jumps as the 1 and chest press as the 4.  Thanks to Posse, Mayhem, and Dough boy for helping with counting.

Line blocks up on the curb and do an assortment of foot release squats, toe taps, and one legged lunges while one pax at a time takes turns wheel barrowing 6 parking spots.  I don’t have a name for this so I will go with Wheel Barrow – but you take two small plates (2.5 lbs) and put your feet on them.  Plank position and bear crawl except you don’t move your feet….you kind of drag them.   (If you were at my last Diesel Q, we did them then).

Line up blocks at the end of the parking spaces away from curb.  30 air presses block presses (thanks Jwoww for the correction), crawl bear towards the curb, and 10 feet on the curb dry docks.   3 Rounds.  I was called out by Posse for “Don’t Q it if you can’t do it”.  More on that in the Moleskin.

Partner up.  P1 does Curls while P2 is the timer with 50 toe taps.   Bread Bowl living dangerously today asking me if 1 is 1 or 2 is 1 (For those that don’t know, when I asked I always respond with 2 is 1).  Do this three rounds.  Mayhem with the tongue in cheek feedback that Diesel is a no cardio site.  I shut that down quickly reminding him that its a no running site, not no cardio.  Now get back to toe tapping.  Posse with feedback that it looks like we were doing some Irish jig and we needed Irish music.  He jokingly asked if Springsteen had an Irish Jig (actually yes – American Land).

That’s it.  Circle up for COT.   Damn it, winkie is done and we have close to 15 minutes left.  How did all that only take 30 minutes?!

Stay with your partners.  P1 does curb dips and P2 is the timer with (licks finger to check the wind) 12, yes 12 In/Outs.   3 Rounds.

(Sill more time???!).  Jwoww asks if he needs to jump in with some special merkins.  Hell No!  I’ve seen your special merkins and they are only possible for people under 200 pounds.

Back on the curb for Hungarian Get ups???  (Thanks Golden Plates for the attempted naming).  So its a Russian Get up, crawl out to do a merkin, crawl back and do another russian get up.    Do 10 on your won.   Posse with the call out mentioning Russian Get up’s have made an appearance at my last 3 Q’s.  Yes…another sign that I’ve Q’ed too much – same stale workout moves (see mole skin below).

Circle up for more curls.   21’s  7 bottom half curls, upper half curls, and full curls.  Biceps aren’t burning yet, lets do 7 more curls.  And while we are at it lets just finish out a second set of 21’s so bottom half and top half 7’s as well.

Watch Check….3 minutes.   10 block jumps on your own.

Watch Check….2 minutes.  Aussie Burpees.  Watch Check….keep doing burpees.   Mayhem tells us we have 20 seconds left….keep doing burpees…..Time.

 

MOLE SKIN

  • Not my finest work today.  I’ve left some Q’s before and thought “I really kicked their ass”.  I didn’t have that same feeling today.   It was a last minute thrown together Q without much thought to timing.  My apologies guys.
    • On that same note…lets cover the title – Back to the shadows.   I’m typically a 10-12 Q’s a year type of guy.  While preparing for this Q, I was beginning to feel like I was over doing it.  I glanced at the wonderful database Deflated put together to find this is my 26th (is that right???!) Q this year.  What the hell?  Scroll through the names to find I’m in the top 5 and above both Deadwood and Zinfandel….yup, time to slink back into the shadows…I’m Qing too much.  No one wants to be led by the same guy that often.  Time for some of you guys that have only Q’ed a couple times to step up. (Checks calendar to see Draper, Chatter Box, Cat Fish, Schnitzel, High Hat, and Ricky Bobby on the calendar for this next week.  Lets keep it going!).
    • So why volunteer to take Diesel you might be asking (your not, but I’m going to answer it anyways)?  Because week in and week out I look at the schedule and it shows “Diesel – TBD” or one of the site q’s is leading it (yes, there are exceptions).  Are the Diesel Site Q’s bad at asking other people to Q their site, or are the people that go to that site not stepping up to lead (another core F3 principle)?  I actually don’t know the answer to that question.  Maybe my perception is wrong.  Either way, I’m calling out Diesel pax to step up and start leading workouts (Hint, per the calendar no one is scheduled to lead again next week so go get with Brutus and tell him you want to lead.  And Brutus, get off your ass and go find a Q).
  • Welcome back out Bookworm.  Posse has apparently been EH’ing him while seeing him out walking (Sound familiar Drive By?).  Hope to see you out at some more workouts (Mash 6 days a week has no running).
  • And lets give a hand to OG Posse.  Not only EH’ing random guys walking around his neighborhood, but following through to make sure he came to the workout….and also bringing extra gloves just in case he didn’t have any.   Wow.  Way to raise that bar.
  • No Site Q’s today.  Both had semi valid excuses.   Chastain Q’ing another site (is that an excuse though?) and Brutus out with a bad back (is that an excuse though?).
  • Mayhem was near me and giving me plenty of feedback today.  Apparently my constant zingers about mashers being late has been both registering (way to be on time lately guys), but also upsetting.  We learn in Q Source about Candor – graciously telling the truth.  I’m really good about the truth part (or at least giving my opinion) but not the gracious part.  So I will apologize for my communication style, but not for actually telling the mashers to get their act together and be on time to COT (another core principle of F3).
  • So the whole being called out by Posse for “Don’t Q it if you can’t do it”.  (Hint, here is where you can check out because the next paragraph will just be a lot of excuses).  So in addition to the rotator cuff issue that constantly nags me, I have an elbow issue that comes up from time to time.  I hyperextended it playing pick up basketball in my teens and it comes back when we do a lot of bear crawls (or when I play tennis – so I don’t play tennis).  I did the wheel barrow thing at my last Diesel Q and it (elbow soreness) came back with a vengeance.  Its kinda been popping up during bear crawls.  Recently (in the last two weeks, its been hurting more – thus I didn’t do the bear crawls at Watchtower Tuesday).  So after doing the wheel barrow things today, it was really hurting.  Should I have audibled and not called a crawl bear…probably, but I didn’t.  And Posse did the right thing calling me out for asking others to do something I wasn’t willing to do (though in my defense an injury that I had just sustained was preventing me).  Anyways, there’s my defense of violating ANOTHER F3 principle – Don’t Q it if you can’t do it.
  • So I’ve managed to piss off Diesel Site Q’s, Diesel Pax, and Mash Pax in this back blast so perhaps we will just end it here.  I will go back to the shadows to study the chapter on Candor in the Q Source book as obviously I still need to work on my graciousness.

ANNOUCNEMENTS

  • Q School tomorrow at Calvary Church.
  • New <SPACE> Town Elementary Clean up at 8:30. (Thank you Posse for clarifying the space).
  • Christ Closet Saturday Give Away.
  • Prayers for JWoww’s wife struggling with brain micro bleeding.

Kohl’s Konvergence (Cohl’s Convergence?)

There was a discussion on the Waxhaw side whether to hold a boot camp today.  Some wanted to keep all boot camps closed to force guys into the running only option.  I’m glad we did as 17 guys who would have otherwise fart sacked came out to get some first and second F in.  We also had 3 FNG’s!

The decision was made on Wednesday/Thursday to close all Waxhaw Boot Camps and converge with Da Vinci at Kohl’s.  C3PO was on Q for Da Vinci and since I was the loudest voice screaming that we needed a Boot Camp option in the Waxhaw region, we decided to co-Q this mornings workout.  C3PO gave me a peak at his Winkie on Friday and it seemed rather long (Damn I love a good winkie joke) at least the running part, so I decided I would keep mine low on running and high on exercises.  DiCC’s given.  C3PO decided to arrive right after I confirmed the C’s of DiCC’s – Cell Phone and CPR.  He had me worried I was going to have to stretch my 30 minutes into an hour.  Hard to stretch a winkie that far (Hey oh!?).  Let’s Go.

 

WARM UP

Lap around the Kohl’s parking lot.  Bad planning.  Lots of cars.  Cut it in half and inside the islands to avoid cars.  Circle up for:

  • 10 Mountain Climbers
  • Downward Dog
  • 10 Peter Parker’s
  • Calf Stretch
  • 10 Parker Peter’s
  • Downward Dog into a Jimmy Duggan (Potato Pickers without the Clap for you SOB guys – as Jimmy Duggan say’s in A League of Their Own “Avoid The Clap”.

THE THANG

Short mosey (apparently too short for Brutus as he had his galloping legs ready) to parking spaces for the return of Bruce Springsteen’s (unlike Paula Abdul’s which are two steps up and 1 step back, Springsteen’s are the opposite with 1 step up and two step back).  Bear crawl 1 parking spot for 10 Merkins then Crawl Bear backwards for 10 in/outs.  Repeat until you reach 50 Merkins and In/Outs.

Another short mosey to a parking lot island.   On the overhead map there are islands at each end of parking rows.  On one side do 5 Burpees.  Run across parking lot to opposite island for 10 jump squats.  Zig (or zag) back to the other/next parking lot island.  I believe we got in 30 Burpees and 60 jump squats.   Stopped shorter than I had planned due to parking lot traffic increasing.  LBC’s waiting on the 6.

I had one thing left on the Wienkie, but the watch check indicated still more time to kill before getting to it.   Mosey to back of Kohl’s and get on the wall for 20 seated air presses in cadence.  To the pure joy of all pax, I then called balls to the wall with a couple hand walks to the right and left.  Ok, that killed enough time.  Now time for the final part of the Wienkie.  Mosey to side of Kohl’s and find some elevated curb/sidewalk.  Jack Webb with Russian Get Up’s as the 1 and Squats as the 4.  A Russian Get Up is where you squat down, roll onto you back (thus the elevated sidewalk) and roll back onto your feet and squat/hop up.  So here we go – 1 Russian Get up and 4 squats.  2 Russian Get ups and 8 squats…..I get to 5 Russian Get ups and 20 squats and I start to wonder if we can make it to 10/40.  6/24 – yeah, this is starting to burn.  Brutus suggested we jog to the other curb and back to freshen our legs.  Good idea, lets do that.  Cool – 7/28……and I’m done.  3 minutes to burn so I called a run back to the other curb for 10 Merkins.  Back to starting curb for 10 Dry docks.  Repeato (that ones for you Chastain) and I’m out of time.  Dough Boy was visibly upset we didn’t finish the Jack Webb, but was quickly beaten down by other pax when he asked if we were going to finish it.   Torch handed to C3PO.

 

(Written from memory by Fuse Box).  Mosey past Starbucks weaving in and out of traffic and marathoners.   Hit a muddy trail towards a pond where we circle up and attempt to count off (attempt as we struggled a little bit here).  Ok, 4 teams picked, lets mosey again…..through even more mud.  (Damn you C3PO!!! – I’m kidding).  We reach a play ground where we separate into teams.  C3PO hands out cones with exercises on them and we get to work.  My group got through 3 of the cones and they included step ups, irkins, dips, inch worms, squat pull ups, a run up a steep wet grassy hill with burpees at top, and lots of other stuff.   Time getting short with a long mosey back to COT ahead of us.  Off we go….BACK THROUGH THE MUD!!!! Dang it!  We arrive to some fake grass and C3PO instructs guys to do some Mary while waiting for the 6.  The 6 arrives and with it brings the realization that that isn’t just fake grass, but a dog pee pad.  (I can laugh because I turned back to bring the 6 in and never got on the grass – suckers!  Proves your better off going back for the 6.).  30 Seconds left so we closed out with a few more Merkins.  Time!

 

MOLESKIN

  • A great group of guys this morning. Not much complaining except for the Springsteen’s, and the balls to the wall, and the Russian Get Ups, and the Muddy Run.  Wait, there was a lot of complaining!
  • Loved seeing Popeye and Chatter Box come together to bring out an FNG – Passport.   Passport has lived in 4 countries and visited over 30.  Close contenders were Carmen San Diego and Waldo.  Welcome out Passport!
  • Chatter Box has gone from the pushee to the pusher.  I saw him coaching up Passport several times and even put a hand in his back to get him going twice.  It hasn’t been that long ago since I had my hand on Chatter’s back pushing him.  I might of had a tear toll out of my eye seeing the pupil become the teacher.
  • C3PO drug out his neighbor and the neighbors son.   The son was named first.  He is in the robotics club at Marvin Ridge so we went with Watson (IBM).  His dad then told us he was originally from Scranton, PA and Office names started being thrown out.  Some wanted to go obscure, but ultimately we went with Dwight.  I suggest you get with Waxhaw Pax Dana to help you through the canned explanation of “No, Dwight isn’t my hospital name.  It is my F3 name”.
  • Coffetiera afterwards where we learned that the more acorns that are dropped, the colder the winter will be and that the MMA guy that recently got his face kicked in is actually from Ballantyne (Who’s going to EH him?).
  • A couple guys hung around to cheer on the marathon runners and gleefully talk about how we were glad that wasn’t us.

 

ANNOUNCEMENTS

  • Waxhaw is hosting a CPR class this Monday.  We have 7 spots open.  Not to call anyone out (kind of like southern bless their hearts), but only Waxhaw guys raised their hand when asked who was CPR certified.  SOB guys, come get certified on Monday.  6:00 to 8:00 at Waxhaw Bible School.
  • Area51 is having a Q School a week from today.  I don’t know the details but if your interested, go ask a question on the Area 51 channel.

Team AMRAP (TAMRAP?)

A call to the bull pen was made last night to swap weeks at Impromtu.  I was supposed to be on next week, but with Chastain seeking to keep Waxhaw in the lead for the passport challenge he decided to post to an SOB workout this morning and swap Q’s with me instead.  Luckily for me (and Chastain), I already had my next weeks Q planned.   Chastain both happy and confused that I plan my workouts a week in advance (I then let him know that yesterday’s Floater was planned out over a year ago which blew his mind).

On to the workout….I really like doing team style workouts in F3.   It builds comradery with some extra 2nd F, plus adds a competitive component.   So here goes for a team amprap workout….TAMRAP if you will.

 

WARM UP

Hot lap around the parking lot and back down to Rudy’s Poop Palace where Pax gathered along the wall for squat presses as other pax arrived.  I “snake drafted” the pax into 5 teams (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1, 1….).  We did some wall slaps and then started moseying towards the round a bout.  I got half way there and realized the 6 and gazelles were getting separated so I decided to do some stretching earlier than planned.  Calf Stretch, Downward Dog, Jimmy Duggan.   Keep going towards the Round A Bout.

 

THE THANG

Hub & Spoke workout.  Each team would start at one of the five outer workouts.  Once completing it you would run to the center for alternating 10 fence jump squats or 10 Russian Get Ups (Located near round a bout fence).  Rotate counter clockwise through the outer 5 spokes.  The 5 outer exercises were:

  • 20 Dry Docks (located at bottom cul de sac)
  • 20 Merkins (Located back down path towards Rudy’s Shed)
  • 20 Foot Release Squats (Located at benches near the school)
  • 20 Dips (Located at wooden benches)
  • 20 Heels to Heaven (Located near rock pile at Football parking lot.)

A couple additional rules:

  • If a team ever passed you, your team had to do 2 burpees.
  • You must stay together as a team.
  • Exercise must be performed in some kind of cadence and every pax must lead at least one exercise.

We did this for 30 minutes.  My team got through 2.1 rounds.  We were never passed and I don’t think any other team had burpees so we must have all done close to 2.1 rounds.

I was disappointed to hear that everyone pushed equally hard and no teams were passed for the burpee penalty.  I decided to take care of that by calling 2 burpees per light pole heading from Rudy’s PP back to COT.

 

MOLESKIN

  • I was the odd man out today as everyone had an even 3 people on their team.  I decided to join the team of Ackbar, Banjo, and the FNG (now named Back In The Day).
    • The second F goal was achieved.
      • It was great catching up with Banjo (truthfully, I really had missed him and I hadn’t realized it until I saw him this morning).
      • I always like hanging with our ultimate optimist Ackbar.  He reminded us several times to enjoy the downhill runs (the ultimate pessimist in me kept thinking “But we have to run back up them”).  I may have made a masturbation joke in Ackbar’s direction (a preacher!) when he picked up the cone to head back and made reference to playing with cones.  That will be fun reliving that one at St. Peters gate.
      • Back In The Day got indoctrinated quickly today.  I think we had him counting cadence by the second exercise we got to and he picked it right up.  I heard him mention the runs were killing him (he and My Pleasure were pax 1 and 2 on the opening seeding run so I don’t believe that for a minute).
  • The back to back to back leg exercises killed me (10 fence squat jumps, 20 foot release squats, 10 Russian get ups).
    • And speaking of Russian Get Ups, boy did they start to suck the further we went.  By the last two rounds, I was using one arm to help push me up as my legs were dead.
  • To no ones surprise, the three man respect team of Recalculating, Shop Dog, and Ricky Bobby (I think?) missed one of the five outer exercises.
  • Didn’t see or hear much out of the other groups as I was struggling to keep up with my own group but I think everyone pushed hard just by the observance of no burpees.
  • Earlier in the year I set a goal for myself (some may call it a new years resolution but I don’t, I hate those) to be more proactive about reaching out to people I think of.  In the past a name would pop in my head for what ever reason.   “Oh, I haven’t seen Showgirl in awhile”.  “I wonder how Moneyball is doing in Tennessee” “How much longer will Dancing Bear blame his vaginitis on a seasonality disorder”.   I’ve done a pretty good job year to date on reaching out and checking in when those names pop in my head.  But Banjo was one that I’ve thought about a couple times and hadn’t reached out.  Shame on me.  It was good to hear today that he has landed on his feet – new home, new job, and now more time to get back with us out in the gloom.
  • FNG Back In The Day was named due to his statement of “back in the day, I played…”   All I heard was back in the day as there was an uproar from the pax that we had found his name already.   Welcome out and kudos to My Pleasure for EH’ing him.  Since yall both work at Chick Fil A, how about asking Gavin Newell aka Tupperware when the hell he’s going to man up and come join us again.   Damn it, I just thought of another name….looks like I will be reaching out to Tupperware today.

ANNOUNCEMENTS

  • Makeshift Marathon tomorrow at Kohls.  Several road crossings so be careful!!!
  • C3PO and myself and converging at Kohls for a bootcamp workout starting at 6:30.  It is the only Waxhaw bootcamp open so don’t go to Commitment, Homecoming, or BlackHawk.
  • CPR class openings for this Monday.  Sign up.
  • Reminder by Chastain who posted in SOB to wear reflective gear and headlamps.

The Touch of the Master’s Hand

Would you believe me if I told you I use to be a site Q at the 87th worst site in Waxhaw?  This was before it was known as the 87th worst site.  Would you also believe that after leaving Floater 2.5 years ago to start Chiseled, I was never asked back to Q The Floater again (technically I wasn’t asked this time, I volunteered….but lets not get facts get in the way of a good come back story)?

So here I am, rain threatening, lights flickering on the old water tower, and nothing but mashers in the parking lot.  It was quite the scary site.  Then slowly but surely a few started trickling in.  All but the two site Q’s that is.

DiCCs given.  Special mention of crossing Providence Road twice.  Slippery Bridge.  And cars can’t see you, but they especially can’t see you in the rain.  I reminder for gazelles to go back and get the 6.  Announcements first because we thought it was going to pour on us right at 6:15….Posse ran long so I started the mosey and asked him to keep announcing as we went.

 

WARM UP

Mosey down to the vet (circling back for 6).  Circle up for:

  • 10 Diamond Merkins
  • 20 Mountain Climbers
  • 10 Ranger Merkins
  • 20 Mountain Climbers
  • 10 Wide Arm Merkins
  • 20 Mountain Climbers
  • 10 T Merkins
  • 20 Mountain Climbers
  • 10 Hands to the sky Merkins
  • 20 MOuntain Climbers

(For those that skimmed that was 50 merkins and 100 mountain climbers).

Some stretching and we are off.

THE THANG

Across Providence to that long road to Dream Chasers with lights for 25 merkins as each light I’m kidding.  You should have seen the look on Posse’s face.   (That SOB has been needling me the last few workouts so it was time for my revenge – evil laugh).  For real, alternating 10 jump squats and 10 speed skaters (2 is 1) until you get to stop sign.  Pick up 6.

Mosey to bridge and get into teams of 3.    P1: alternate 10 Derkins/Irkins.  P2: Runner/bear crawl.   Crawl bear backwards up bridge incline round 1.  Straight bear crawl flat part of bridge round 2.  Bear Crawl down the bridge decline round 3.   P3: alternate 10 Foot release squats/step ups.    Once relived, run long way around and take over for P1 doing Irkins/Derkins.   It sounds really complicated, and apparently to some pax it was as I found Baio and Chatterbox doing dips at some point???

Once everyone has done three rounds we cross Providence together again and do three different sprints with collector exercises in between until we are at the bottom of Keith Jong Hill.   About 7 minutes left (less time that I expected) so we closed out with suicides up the hill.   Recover for a short walk only to Jail Break back to COT.

MOLE SKIN

  • Great work by everyone.  Thanks for joining me for what was supposed to be a soaking wet workout.  We proved once again that the weather man person is the only job you can be horrible at and still keep your job.
  • Baio and Zinfandel out front early.
  • Leading with 50 merkins seemed to quiet the mumble chatter down.
  • The crawl bears/bear crawls seemed to be a crowd favorite.  I’ve had that in my mind for awhile thinking how awful it would be to have to use gravity against you on that bridge (craw bear up the incline and bear crawl down the decline).  It was nice to see that it was as bad as I had pictured in my head.
  • Ran out of time, had planned a quick 4 corner loop to close us out after the hill suicides.   Had no idea that light pole run and 3 partner circuit would eat that much clock.
  • I promised 3 miles and I only got 2.5.  But I’m pretty sure sure Baio came close to 3 with his circling back so that counts.  And since he is as quiet as Chatter Box, he will never speak up to let us know otherwise….so on that, I heard Baoi got close to 4 miles in actually….
  • Great push by Dilbert.  Hollywood almost broke him his first time at Floater.  Glad you gave it a second try.  I’m pretty sure mine was much easier.  It at least had less running.
  • Love seeing Ex Lax out there pushing to his limit.  Dude is dropping some serious LB’s and its showing.
  • Chatter box wouldn’t shut up today.  On and On….   At least I think.  He was in front of me most of the time.
  • Thanks again for the Floater Site Q’s for allowing me to lead.  Lets not let 2.5 years go by before you invite me back again.
  • I’d call out more people but I have to get to Raleigh and I have to get to the point of the title as I’m sure most are scratching their heads trying to figure it out.
  • A Touch Of The Master’s Hand is a poem that was life changing for my Great Uncle.  Its often circulated in AA meetings, but has meaning outside alcohol addiction.  It was important enough to my family that my Grandad asked that I memorize it in fourth grade and recite it at our annual family reunion.  I decided to recite it today instead of a prayer.  Little did I know that all these years later emotions would overcome me as I read it and thought about both my grandfather and great uncle towards the end (sorry to those in attendance).  Hopefully you will have time today to read it and think about the words.

The Touch of the Master’s Hand

By: Myra Welch
‘Twas battered and scarred, and the auctioneer
Thought it scarcely worth his while
To waste much time on the old violin,
But held it up with a smile.
“What am I bidden, good folks,” he cried,
“Who’ll start the bidding for me?”
“A dollar, a dollar. Then two! Only two?
Two dollars, and who’ll make it three?””Three dollars, once; three dollars, twice;
Going for three…” But no,
From the room, far back, a grey-haired man
Came forward and picked up the bow;
Then wiping the dust from the old violin,
And tightening the loosened strings,
He played a melody pure and sweet,
As a caroling angel sings.

The music ceased, and the auctioneer,
With a voice that was quiet and low,
Said: “What am I bid for the old violin?”
And he held it up with the bow.
“A thousand dollars, and who’ll make it two?
Two thousand! And who’ll make it three?
Three thousand, once; three thousand, twice,
And going and gone,” said he.

The people cheered, but some of them cried,
“We do not quite understand.
What changed its worth?” Swift came the reply:
“The touch of the Master’s hand.”
And many a man with life out of tune,
And battered and scarred with sin,
Is auctioned cheap to the thoughtless crowd
Much like the old violin.

A “mess of pottage,” a glass of wine,
A game — and he travels on.
He is “going” once, and “going” twice,
He’s “going” and almost “gone.”
But the Master comes, and the foolish crowd
Never can quite understand
The worth of a soul and the change that is wrought
By the touch of the Master’s hand.

Leg Day Part Deux?

17 guys today at Asylum.  Great turn out!  For a site that I feared was dyeing a couple months ago after back to back numbers of less than 4, there has been a steady stream of new guys out to Asylum.

At my last Q at Flash, I brought out leg day after several pax complained after IPC that it was painfully clear we don’t do enough legs.  Since Asylum missed out on that fun (and since I literally heard those exact words uttered again after Popeye’s Q on Saturday), I decided it was time for round 2 (part deux for you Charlie Sheen Hot Shot fans out there).

WARM UP  (I love occasionally skipping the warm up to keep the pax on their toes)

THE THANG

Mosey to the CVS for Paul Abdul Bruce Springsteen’s – 1 step up and 2 steps back (Yes, its a deep track.  Like most deep Springsteen tracks its a depressing song that will leave you wishing you hadn’t ventured that far out of the mainstream.  Here you go if you’ve never heard it…. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MkFQHScyti0 ).  Ok, back to the workout.  Springsteen’s for a bear crawl forward one parking space for 10 merkins and a crawl bear backwards two spaces for 10 In/Outs.  Repeat 5 times for 50 Merkins and 50 In/Outs.  This was a crowd favorite.

Short mosey to Payless Shoes wall.  Partner up.  P1: Dry Docks.  P2: short mosey to curb for 5 Russian Get Ups then come back to relieve your partner.  Do this 3 times total.

Mosey to Target parking lot for Star Fish.   Progressive Burpees in the middle starting with 1 and finishing with 5.  The four corners were:

  • 10 Russian Get Ups
  • 15 each leg 1 legged lunge (back foot on curb)
  • 15 each leg Baryshnikov’s
  • 30 Monkey Humpers with the instruction to point your butt towards those you hate (or love).

Mosey towards Hickory Tavern grabbing a new partner along the way.  P1: LBC’s.  P2: mosey to stairs and crawl bear up the stairs then run back to your partner.  Because these suck so bad, I told pax in advance we would only do it once.  Even knowing that, there was still some grumbling and attempted hijacking discussions.

Same Partners: P1: Run to short brick wall and back.  P2: one legged side step ups.  I ran first to return to see the entire group doing regular step ups and chastised Chastain the most for doing it wrong.  He tried to claim he didn’t hear the directions – not a valid excuse.   4 rounds total (2 per leg).

About 2 minutes left and I’m out of Winkie…lets do a Jack Webb.   Russian Get ups are the 1 and squats are the 4.  Made it to 5 Russian Get ups and ran out of time.  Note to self: this was hurting really good at 5…perhaps we go the whole 10/40 at the next Q.

Jail Break to COT where we find for the first time ever MASH has beaten us there (THANK YOU FOR BEING ON TIME TO COT MASH!!!).

 

MOLESKIN

Lots of chatter today, well except Chatter Box – but that’s to be expected with a name like Chatter Box.

Posse telling me he gets “Giddy” when I’m on Q.  I think we all know its not because he likes my workouts, but because he enjoys poking (and then twisting that knife).   If you haven’t had the pleasure of sitting back and watching him at his finest, you really should come join a Q of mine and watching him work.

Chastain with a rare Damascus moment.  Tighten up!

Flanders and I have gotten into a superstitious rhythm of him asking me how many points I’m willing to give for the Wolfpack Thursdays at Floater.  I respond with some insane number (I believe it was 20 points against Pitt) only for the Wolfpack to win outright.  We have decided to keep the tradition alive until the Wolfpack lose (spoiler, I’m out of town this Thursday so put all your money on Duke).

Good to see Sledge pounding away back at the workouts.

Ex Lax making a conscious effort to get out of his comfort zone to some running boot camps here lately.  Always pushing hard.

Chatter has gone from me hanging back to encourage him to me now seeing the back of him.  I can’t remember the last workout I turned around to join him.  Now I’m having to push to stay with him.

Loafer let out a few “Oh Yeah’s” today so I know I at least had him working hard.

JWoww with a fly by testing out the legs.  He’s hoping to to get a good Dr’s report tomorrow and be able to Q Saturday.

Great discussion at Q Source post workout about Courage.  I will leave the chapter for you to read if you would like, but as usual, the discussion at Q Source far exceeds what the book is teaching.  https://f3nation.com/courage-q3-12/    Monday’s Q Source will be getting into the 4th quadrant next week: Leave Right.  This was the chapter that I started coming to last year and gave me enough gut punches and thought provoking questions to keep me coming back for over a year now.  Its never too late to jump in.

Hanson was our FNG today.  Named after the boy band Hanson because Posse’s suggestion of Jonas Brothers was too easy (his first name is Jonas).  Hanson moved down here from Minnesota so he was able to see how bad F3 Waxhaw Geography is with suggested names of Cheese Head and Cheese Curd being thrown out.  Weezer was a close second.  Great job by Schnitzel bringing him out.

Always good to see Radar.  Even if he has to slide out early.  Still waiting on Yella to drop me off some Cheerwine (I’m kidding).

Both Bypass and Hanson wore grey shirts so I can’t remember who I was giving hell to about their loud running at the end.  Either way, they will never sneak up on anyone.

Shop blew past me on the final mosey to Hickory Tavern.  Posse was close by to make sure I noticed (bastard).

We learned as part of the 6th man movement that Mayhem doesn’t have a belly button (How in the hell did that not come out while naming him?), that in Fayettnam (as Mayhem called it and where he’s originally from) belly rings are like tattoos – everyone has them, and that despite his better judgement – he’s a Tar Heel fan.

Thanks to those who went yesterday to help Legalize load up and stat heading out west.  Hopefully the Oregon Trail is kind…careful on those river crossings.  It’s been a pleasure getting to know you Legalized.  Best of luck to you and the family in Colorado.

Need to get some Asylum Cotter’s back out.  Big Tuna/Chipolte, Flow, and Psycho just to name a few.  Beat the Fart Sack and come join us boys!

 

ANNOUNCEMENTS

  • Blood Drive is this Saturday.  Yes,  you read that right.  This coming Saturday.  Pleas sign up here: https://www.redcrossblood.org/give.html/drive-results?zipSponsor=f3     Please post to your neighborhood facebook page.  Please post on next door.  Please mention it to the neighbor who walks his dog past your house every day (and lets him take a dump in your yard – Posse/Popeye).
  • Surge working on securing a location for another CPR class.  Once things are finalized/firmed up he will be announcing the dates.  Keep an ear out.
  • Super Secret workout happening this Thursday.  Listen to the in person announcements post workouts this week or visit Group Me for more info as we can’t post the details publicly (insert evil grin emoji).
  • Ackbar’s Thursday Night Food Pantry in need of size 2 diapers.