Author Archive Gypsy

Coming back home

  • 3rd F:  Thank you Faultline for taking us out this morning
  • 2nd F:  Announcements
  • 1st F:  The Thang (14 men took the DRP this Friday morning and joined YHC for a brief 2 part workout.)
    • Warm up: 1 BLIMPS
      • Burpees:  5 OYO
      • Lunges:  10 each leg OYO
      • Imperial Walkers: 15
      • Merkins: 20 Civilian Count
      • Plank Jacks: 25 OYO
      • Squats:  30 OYO
  • Mosey to the lower parking lot
    • Partner up: DORA 1,2,3
      • Pax 1 perform exercise as Pax 2 runs to far end of parking lot and returns to switch out
        • 100 Superman Merkins (a few questions as to why we are not doing standard Merkins…)
        • 200 WW2 sit-ups (Mubblechatter seems to be dying off)
        • 300 Sumo Squats (some complaints heard about something around OW punishing someone.. Oh well.. Did not hear it all.. and we got more work to do.)
          • LBCs to hold for the 6

Get everyone off the ground and time to mosey to the hut by Tennis court

  • Go to hut for 2 rounds of 30s
    • 30 Decline merkins run to bus lot and back
    • 30 Dips run to bus lot and back
    • 30 step-ups run to bus lot and back
  • Mosey to the AO launch site
    • 1 minute American Hammer

DONE!!  2.8 miles and a few exercises to start the morning off.

MoleSkin:

Not gonna lie.. It is a bit intimidating Qing at your FNG location where you once contemplated if a swift death was better than finishing the workout that you were positive was gonna kill you slowly.  But after 2 years of surviving some of F3’s worst beatdowns, I figured it was time to step up when I saw OrangeWhips request for a subti-Q today. Kevlar in my mind will always remain the AO that can break you.  I am sure other regions claim to have their own location that delivers the toughest workout across F3 nation….But your FNG location is the one that sticks in your mind over the rest. Not to mention, I have been to well over 15 regions now and A51 does have some the toughest beatdowns across the nation and those that disagree I have invited to a few AOs and they quickly agreed.  I would put any running AO across the nation up against Swift, Fast Twitch, or Sparta. There is not a KB site out there that can toss coupons around like Meathead, Skunkworks, or Overdrive. Heck, we even have a swimming AO where if you think your too fit to go run for a hour you can instead sprint laps for a hour on M/W/F in a pool with your face underwater while holding your breath trying not drown in the deep end. Lets not even start on Bootcamps.. For that, all I have to say is go do one of your standard Qs in another region outside of Charlotte metro area and watch how many pax spill the merlot.

Enough about all that…. Great work by all and I appreciate those 13 guys that joined me today to help keep me accountable for sticking with it and allowing me the opportunity to lead.

v/r

Gypsy

NO Frills.. just what we did

5:15 and no Q… but Spartans are not worried about that..
We know the drill..
Run til you think you are going to pass out … then run some more.  Add in a little boot camp along the way and you have a 1 hr Area 51 Sparta workout with 5+ miles of running.

No frills or thrills in today’s Back Blast..

Give the disclaimer, set the watches, turn on the head lamps and off we go to the green way.

Stop ½ mile in for COP: all at slow cadence to stretch out a bit before the workout begins

Run to 1st bridge at ¾ 5k race pace (about a half mile)
LBC to hold for the 6
10 Merkins then sprint the bridge holding at far end
10 Burpees then ¾ 10k race pace to last bridge on Greenway…about a mile and half
LBC to hold for the 6
30 WW2 sit ups
Sprint the bridge
Air squats for the 6

Time to return

10 burpees then sprint the bridge
LBCs for the 6
10 Merkins then ¾ race pace to the 1st bridge..about a mile and half
LBCs for the 6.

Leave the greenway to Country place drive.

AYG up the drive to Trade street (uphill ½ mile)

Return to picnic tables in Country Place park
20 dips run to Trade and back
20 decline merkins run to Trade and back
20 Step ups run to Trade and back

Mosey to Stumptown park

2 rounds of 30 WW2 and run the park lap

Return to AO to join Peak 51 PAX

Thank you Lois for taking us out today

No announcements mentioned in COT

Honor to lead Sparta..

SYITG!!

Be Still…

Third F
Be still, and know that I am God….” Psalm 46:10
I appreciate multi-tasking. Although it’s a recently added word to our lexicon, the feat of being able to do several things at one time didn’t begin with this generation. Millennials who text, type, and talk at the same time have nothing on the mother who balances a baby on her hip, puts in a load of wash, and instructs her 3-year-old not to run on the just-mopped floor, all while consuming a half-eaten sandwich. I’m afraid all the multi-tasking is making it harder to appreciate the beauty found in a singular accomplishment. It’s getting difficult to focus on the moment. What might happen if we took the time to not just hear what someone says, but pause to listen. Not methodically check items off our to-do list, but engage them. Not rush through obligatory morning devotions, but wait upon the Lord. No one accomplished more in his brief span on earth than Jesus. And no one was more fully present. Jesus said he did nothing but what he saw his Father doing (John 5:19). Constant communication with God taught Him how to value every single moment. He experienced no conflict between the stillness of knowing God and the efficiency of working His plan. If we hope to be more present in the present, I don’t know a better place to start than through emulating Jesus’ ongoing communion with God — of letting His presence infuse our present. Father, forgive us for rushing through our days without pausing to invite You in. Please help us be more aware of Your presence, whether we find ourselves in the mundane or spectacular. Be with us. Amen. Take Action Right now…let’s pause…be still…know He is God…and savor it…..

2nd F
Joe Davis race on March 9th
Dash For Down Syndrome March 23rd (Rubbermaid and Exit 54 on Q)

1st F (The Thang)
Dynamic Stretching Vinyasa Flow increased hold intervals
15 Seconds each:
•Start in Full Plank
•Move down to Chaturanga Dandasana (AKA 6 inches)
•Move into Up dog
•Move into Down dog
•Walk the dog

30 Seconds each:
•Start in Full Plank
•Move down to Chaturanga Dandasana (AKA 6 inches)
•Move into Up dog
•Move into Down dog
•Walk the dog

45 Seconds each:
•Start in Full Plank
•Move down to Chaturanga Dandasana (AKA 6 inches)
•Move into Up dog
•Move into Down dog
•Walk the dog

Tree pose

1 min each:
•Right arm across with left hand pulling in toward body
•Left arm across with right hand pulling in toward body

Mountain pose, Full fold, Half back up ,Full fold, Plank, Up dog, Down dog, Full fold, Half back up, Full Fold, Mountain

•Right arm up over should reach back Left hand on elbow pulling back further
•Left arm up over should reach back right hand on elbow pulling back further

30 seconds each:
•Frog pose
•Lizard right leg forward
•Warrior one pose
•Elbow Plank
•Child pose
•Frog pose
•Lizard Left leg forward
•Warrior one pose
•Elbow Plank

On your 6
1 min each
•Butterfly
•Right leg in left leg straight reaching out to foot
•Butterfly
•Left leg in left leg straight reaching out to foot
•Butterfly

Get a Strap or rope
1 min holds each
Both legs flat on the ground rope around both feet as you stretch forward. •Laying flat Right leg down left foot in rope move left leg straight up at 90 degrees pulling resistance against your foot.
•Remaining flat using the rope gently roll your leg out away from your body trying to maintain a 90 degree or better angle.
•Back up to 90
•Remaining flat using the rope gently roll your leg over you right leg trying to maintain a 90 degree or better angle
•Back up to 90 Both legs flat on the ground rope around both feet as you stretch forward.
•Laying flat Left leg down left foot in rope move left leg straight up at 90 degrees pulling resistance against your foot.
•Remaining flat using the rope gently roll your leg out away from your body trying to maintain a 90 degree or better angle.
•Back up to 90
•Remaining flat using the rope gently roll your leg over you left leg trying to maintain a 90 degree or better angle
•Back up to 90 Both legs flat on the ground rope around both feet as you stretch forward.

Finish with loose Butterfly and into corpse.

MoleSkin:
It is “Free to Lead”… not “Free to Follow”. 
When asked if I could take lead on Gumby this week, my first thought was hesitation.  YHC had not ever taken a Q lead at this AO and was more than slightly intimidated by the idea.  However, with no valid reason to decline and having attended more than once at this AO my hesitation gave way to Q planning. 

F3 would not be what it is, if we as pax did not step up and take LEAD.. even when you are out side your comfort zone. 

This message needs to ring true for all of us.. Requests from Site Qs to the regular attending pax to take a Q have far to often been met with silence.  For those that do not step up, I simply ask you..  Are you free to Lead.. or do you simply Follow?

Swissmiss and Tweetsie:  Thank you for the opportunity to lead your AO this morning.

V/R
Gypsy

Simply put… It was cold

E ala ‘oe!! e holo ana nā kānaka

3rd F:
Prayers-

•Glass Joe’s Father in Law Passed- be in prayer for the Family
•Continued recovery for Hoffa
•Lobsta Roll- hip replacement
•F3 guys on F3 mission- safe trip/travels

2nd F:
•Dry-anuary was a beast but multiple F3 PAX were able to live up to the challenge.
•Not to late to join in on the February Swole-challange. Contact General
•Speed For need is putting together the 2019 list. Please contact Gypsy if interested

When it is 22 degrees outside, sometimes you just gotta run to get warm. Nothing special in this version of Sparta. Just going to hit the requirements of 4.5 miles, a few exercises and get back in the car to head home and warm up. The plan was set months in advance for a Meathead/Sparta convergence of sorts but as with all F3 events you must modify as necessary. Voodoo and YHC had lunch the day before the workout and decided with him not feeling well and temps forecasted to be around 20 that we would hold off for the Spring when numbers would be up. Instead, the Spartans made the journey over to Meathead AO where they had a few leftover Kettlebells for us.

1st F
The Thang

Left out of Matthews Elementary
Right on to Fullwood Stopping across the street from Covenant Day church ~Side Straddle hops
~1.5 Merkins
~Mountain Climbers
Mosey to Matthew township pkwy turn left
Left onto Elizabeth Lane.
Left into Meathead AO at 640

The Meathead pax was already in the middle of the beatdown when we showed up.
High tide was expecting up and had the extra bells waiting.
Time for 10 of each rep on the board.. S
ee Meathead BB for weinke: https://f3southcharlotte.com/2019/01/31/the-lsd-of-kettlebells/
Return the bells ..
thank the guys and head out… it’s to cold to be standing around

Right out of School Right onto Matthews Township Pkwy
Right onto Covenant Church Lane
Left into the Kevlar AO.
~1 round of BLIMPS
Left out of AO
Right onto John St.
Right onto Trade
Left into the 4 mile Greenway
Left into the trail leading back up to the AO

5.25 miles at a 7:55 average running pace.


v/r Gypsy

#ItsNotAllAboutThe1stF

Announcements:

  1. F3 Chimbote Peru Mission trip
    1. 2019 travel dates 1/25 to 2/3 and 2/8 to 2/17.  Open to all F3 Nation men.
    1. Contact Tolkien for further information view Slack or Twitter
  • Speed For Need
    • Calendar is being updated with 2019 races.  South Charlotte Region: If you have an event in line with the SFN mission please contact Gypsy view Slack or Twitter.
  • Prayers for multiple pax members as 2018 comes to a close.  Multiple members with surgeries, loved ones needing thoughts and prayers, and personal recoveries.  Reach out a pax you have not seen in while and check in on him today.
  • Thank you Smokey for the amazing take out in COT today. I always appreciate your natural leadership ability to step in and finish a 1st event with guidance and praise.

Disclaimer given.. (Little did I know at this point I was the one that needed to be worried about it)

This bootcamp was designed to help with the understanding that #ItsNotAllAboutThe1stF.

Name-o-Rama

Nothing in the F3 Nation principles that say you can’t start with the Name-O-Rama (Name-O-Rama is not the COT) and quite frankly I think it is a great practice that I witnessed at a Lexington KY Saturday bootcamp.  They started with the Name-O-Rama so that all the pax members know each other’s names before having to partner up… plus there was a cool pain station that played into it as well that we used as well.

Warm-up

BLIMPS OYO (5 Burpees, 10 Lunges, 15 Imperil Walkers, 20 Merkins, 25 Plank Jacks, 30 Squats)

The Thang (F3 Nation Quiz)  #ItsNotAllAboutThe1stF

7 pax catch their breath from the BLIMPS warm up as we mosey over to the bus lot.  Call out the 1st exercise but 1st YHC starts with the 1st question of the day.

Horeshead:  “We just had Name-o-Rama…. What is the 1st name of all pax here today?”  Needless to say we had no one named Larry, Curly, Moe, or Squirrel.   So it was time to perform a BLIMPS

Partner up:

Round 1: As partner 1 ran around the bus lot, Partner 2 had dips.  Flap Jack

Second question: (1 pax randomly draws question from a stack):  What is the Mission of Speed For Need?

“to raise awareness and foster inclusion of those with a special need through participation in fitness events supported by the men of F3 Nation.” He got it so we got out of BLIMPS and gave 20 Merkins to SFN instead.

Round 2: As partner 1 ran around the bus lot, Partner 2 had step ups on Brick benches.  Flap Jack

Third question: (1 pax randomly draws question from a stack): What is the F3 Mission trip scheduled to leave in January:  Chimbote Peru.  Yup.. Missed it.  Another BLIMP

Round 3: As partner 1 ran around the bus lot, Partner 2 had LBCs.  Flap Jack

Lets Mosey: Over to Shiloh Elementary school bus lot.  Mumble Chatter starts as soon as YHC favorite coupon comes into view.  25ft 5in supply line fire hose…50 lbs of dead weight to be used as the timer.

Gypsy rock

Everyone grab a rock from the pile and line up.  Pax one grabs the hose and drags it to specified location and back.  (much harder than it sounds)  While the remaining pax performs a called exercise.  Upon return with hose, all pax shift down one rock as the timer calls out next exercise.  Continue until all pax have had a turn as timer.

Question 4: (1 pax randomly draws question from a stack): What is the F3 Mission? Can’t recall what the response was… but the result was BLIMPS as we read out loud the actual Mission:… to plant, grow and serve small workout groups for men for the invigoration of male community leadership.

Round 2 of Gypsy Rock with a twist.  YHC all but passes out (Cold sweats, dizzy, cant hear) and can’t remember what happens for the best part of 5 to 10 mins .. When I get my wits back I am doing flutters with Horsehead calling them out in cadence.  Sorry guys.. but thanks for sticking it out with me there.. Okay.. Now that is over let’s get away from what every just kicked me in the gut.

Question 5: (1 pax randomly draws question from a stack):  What is F3 Disaster Ops?  YUP… another round of BLIMPS after the mission is read out loud:  “F3 Disaster Operations helping F3 Regions B/4, During & After Disaster”

Ladder 7s

Lets Mosey back to launch location: With enough time for some long distance 7s, there was Bomb-Jacks at one end and Merkins at the other.  But before we started….

Question 6: (1 pax randomly draws question from a stack) What is the Credo of F3?  Nope.. not Free to Lead.. Great another round of BLIMPS after the Credo is read out loud.. (to be fair, I had not expected to do this many BLIMPS) Leave no man behind, but leave no man where you find him. 

Okay.. Knock out Ladder 7s and we still have time for another question.

Question 7:  (Answered as a PAX)  What are 5 Principles of F3?

  • Are free of charge
  • Are open to all men
  • Are held outdoors, rain or shine, heat or cold
  • Are led by men who participate in the workout in a rotating fashion, with no training or certification necessary
  • End with a Circle of Trust

3 Mins of Mary

Flutters, LBC, American Hammer

COT

MoleSkin:

Solid pax as always and serious T-claps for Boonedock as he killed it on the Firehose.  I think that 2.0 is maybe 100 lbs soaking wet and smoked that one.  YHC made the mistake of saying before it started that we may need to modify for him.  Wow was I wrong… YHC needed the modify instead.

I love seeing all the PAX across the nation in the Gloom..  but I love even more to see the in the 2nd and 3rd Fs.  The beat downs are solid.. But F3 is more than just a beat down if you allow yourself to experience it.  Do yourself a favor and check out the various social media sites and get connected into more of what F3 is about.  The reward of finishing a crazy boot camp is 10 times greater when you know you did it with guys that are there for you (and you there for them) at more than just a partner DORA.. 

v/r

Gypsy

After Christmas Christmas Special

Posted on behalf of Christmas:
6 men posted on a weirdly warm 35 degree day for a vague 4 – 6 planned miles of fun with pain stations.

ANNOUNCEMENTS:

  1. SPEED FOR NEED … can you commit to participating or serving in 1 event in 2019? It’s easy… and you don’t need to be a fast runner to be a part of it.  It requires just two things: (1) a willingness to put yourself 2nd someone else in the community (2) and the ability to get to the event on time. Talk to the regional SFN Q, Gypsy for more details… he’s got it all and will plug you in.
  2. If you’re going to the Gremlin on 1/19 (which everyone should do). Sign up here so we can get a head count for food and planning: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/14vs0NILijXm6N6wV_EDFYvRhBMyAm5hN2BMst4z_XOY

THANG:

  • 0515… 1 FNG, disclaimer given, Mosey began.  YHC got some new running shoes for Christmas so I came out of the gate like a cheetah.
  • Mosey down Trade to Matthews United Methodist for a warm up.  SSH X 15, Merking X 15. 
  • First Pain Station of the day.  5 Burpees, 10 Squats, 15 Merkins, 20 6 inch LBC’s (stole these from Tolkien)
  • Continue down trade for another mile or so and turn around at the bridge that’s been under repair for years.  Pain Station #3.
  • Run back down Trade towards the AO to connect with the Greenway right before Matthews Elementary.  Pain Station #4.
  • Ran the entirety of the greenway (+/- 3 miles) all the way to John St.  Pain Station #5.
  • Ran down John St. to the corner of Trade near downtown Matthews. 25 Merkins OYO on the way.
  • People’s Chair (50 hand raises), 30 seconds of Balls to the Wall.  
  • Jailbreak back to the AO
  • Stretching for 2 minutes followed by COT with Peak 51
  • YHC finished up at 5.5 miles exactly.  Great work today guys.

NAKED MOLESKINE:

During mumble chatter I learned about a new movie in theaters called Free Solo. The movie is about a pretty normal guy that scales a 3,000 foot vertical rock with no ropes or equipment.  Apparently his amygdala, the part of the brain that reacts to fear, is dormant.  So he lives life with with “no fear”.  Just like what Gypsy has tattooed on his lower back.  Pretty awesome story and makes me think of Johnny 5 ( FNG)  who decided for his first post why not attend and hour long running workout.
Great work Johnny 5 and welcome!

Also Fletch and Orange Whip are sort of fast.

Thanks for the opportunity to lead and the fellowship this morning boys.
~Christmas

General Othello leads the Spartans

Posted on behalf of Othello

YHC was asked by Gypsy to take the lead Q on the Spartan this week. So, in preparation, I laid out a plan for a five mile run with some pain mixed in. Six Pax in total dared to brave the cold and become stronger (ISI). It went something like this…..

The Thang
At 0530 I gave a lousy disclaimer, then to warm us up we did the following:

SSH x20 (x denotes cadence)
Cotton Pickers x10
Merkins x10

Begin our mosey out of the parking lot, making a left on Trade, and another left on the Four Mile Greenway Trail. Mosey through the trail to Squirrel Lake Park. Once in the park we stopped by the first exercise station and did: Low Flutters x10 & Merkins x10.

We then ran out of the park, turning right on the trail making our way to John Street. Once there we did: Low Flutter x12, Merkins x12.

We ran all the way up John Street where our faster runners took off ahead and we met up at the corner of Trade and John in front of Zab’s Place. Once there we did, you guessed it: Low flutters x10, Merkins x10.

I led the Pax into Matthews Station, around the library/Town Hall, made a right on Matthews Station and a right on E. Matthews, left on McLeod, left on Matthews-Mint Hill Road and waited on the corner of MMHR and Trade. While waiting for the six we did Air Squats (I changed it up ?)

We all headed down Trade St., crossed over John St., made a left on Sadie and took the furthest entrance on the right to the First Baptist Parking lot. There we snaked through the parking lot islands and meandered our way to the parking lot. I circled us around the parked cars for a little
more distance and was then promptly “Q-jacked” for another lap because someone’s watch didn’t display the correct mileage (time to buy a new watch).

YHC still had a few minutes left on the clock so I took the Pax to some nearby stairs and showed them MECA’s version of “reverse-spiderman’s”. Afterward, we ended with a little broga stretching and met up with the AREA 51 PAX for ……

Count-o-Rama/Name-o-Rama

Announcements: The Gremlin is Coming! The Gremlin is Coming! 1/19/19, 6am-12 @ UNCC

COT – Madoff took us out (?)

Naked Moleskine
1. Thanks to Gypsy for nominating me to take the lead. It is a very humbling experience to lead men you have never met before but what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger….I think.

2. Great running that morning, you guys are fast. Kudos to Joker ..strong!

3. Enjoy the “reverse-spidermans”, use them in your next lead as you have a lot of steps around there that could use a little attention.

4. Merry Christmas to all Pax if I don’t see you before the holiday. I look forward to posting there again soon. If you ever feel like travelling one morning, come up to The Vet or Pain at Bain in Mint Hill – open invitation.

2nd F and 3rd F first.

Is the back blast a recap to the workout only?

Is it an homage to the sweat and pain we suffered through together?

Or is it a written reminder to the men of F3 as to our bound.  I am guilty of what I am about to type, therefore I cast no stones… but I challenge each of you that read this to spread the word and decide if you to have become a little to focused on the F1.

 

When I review the Back Blasts of my peer Qs, I note the new creative and interesting ways that the members find to deliver a quality beat down…   but far to often I do not make it the true meat of the Back Blast…The COT, the announcements, the mole skin, the prayers.  I mean… it is allllll the way at the bottom.  As such, going forward, YHC will be writing my Back Blast in reverse order from the norm.  F3 is way more than just a dedication to the 1st F that tends to get the majority of the focus and I will do my best to highlight the 2nd and 3rd before you reach the TLDR; state.

 

Announcements:

  • F3 Come to the Table Luncheon:  Thursday December 20th noon to 1PM, Charlotte Country Club:  2465 Mecklenburg Ave, Charlotte , NC 28205

A mens luncheon to celebrate F3’s investment in Caring for Our Community

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/f3-come-to-the-table-luncheon-tickets-53361868786

  • Speed for Need is putting together the 2019 race schedule.  Reach out to Gypsy in Slack if you are interested in helping with a race, recommending a race, or wanting to push in a race
  • Happy Holidays.  Keep all the PAX members and loved ones in your thoughts and prayers.  The F3 parties may be done… but I am sure many of you also noticed a few pax members that have not been in the gloom or at the F2 events recently.  Free to lead brothers.. Take it upon yourselves to reach out to one or two and just say hello.

 

Thank you Snow Flake for taking us out in prayer this morning.  Honored to have the A51 3rd Q at Stonehenge to take us out in prayer and I look forward to seeing you in Church soon.

 

Moleskin:

Saturday AOs are by far my favorite.  Not only the extra 15 mins, but also the Coffeeteria.  Sure it is great to get a post beatdown meal and coffee.  But honestly, over the 16 various Saturday AOs in 2018, I have to say getting to know the back stories for so many guys is simply amazing..Today at Stonehenge we had 8 pax for the beatdown and all 8 at the F2 Coffeeteria.

You learn things like:

Happy Meal seriously thinks it funny to give your F3 name for your order to make them call it out when it’s ready.  When he told us to do it he smiled so big i had to laugh myself.  Ok.. it was funny watching the faces of the workers calling out orders for Happy meal and Christmas. 🙂

Gruden had a paper route when he was a teen and killed a Ford Ranger driving 200+ miles in the Northeast winters with all the extra weight he would have to put in the back to keep it from being a giant sled.

Wild Turkey worked at Denny’s for 5 years until he was 21.  Working his way up from dishwasher to server.  I am sure this did not come up when he was being named as an FNG.  I vote on a renaming:  Moons over MyHammy or GrandSlam

Fire Hazard seems to know a bunch about the French and Canada.. Not sure why.. More to that story I’m sure… and I will have to ask next time I see him at Gumby

Cul-de-sac….  A little inside joke on this one… anyone want to sit down and watch a PROGRAM

Snow Flake As mentioned above, did you know he is the A51 3rd F Q?  If not or don’t know what that seat on the board does, I encourage to reach out to him in SLACK or come meet us at Waypoint Church on Sundays at 10AM.

Christmas is my neighbor and once again I appreciate him holding me accountable to get my butt out of bed on time to make it to post.  Little known item is he is the one that talked me into this little thing called F3.  So if you loved the beatdown today, you can thank him for it.

 

Great core group of guys today as 8 men decided to leave the warmth and comfort of home to join YHC for a perfect fall morning to push ourselves and sharpen our edge.

 

The Thang: Ole’ Glory

Ole’ Glory is a WIB that is supposed to be a bootcamp beat down book ended by a 1 mile F2 pace run carrying the shovel flag.  No one out runs the flag and for an added bonus, we introduced a 2nd flag today that was carried by the last member leaving all pax members running between Ole’ Glory.

Last night I spent a good amount of time on Plot-a-route trying to find exactly 1 mile of route to lead us into a parking lot close-ish to the launch site.  Well.. seeing it on Google Maps and running it in the dark are two different things…soooooo.. the 1 mile run ended up being 1.5.  But as indicated at the beginning.. I am not a professional.

We eventually ended in the parking lot behind the Einstein Bagels and the mubblechatter began immediately when a 25ft fire hose was pulled out of the back of my truck that just so happened to be parked in this specific parking lot.  Hummmmm…coincidence.  I think not

 

Thang 1

Pax lines up side by side and all members select an index card that has an exercise on it (except the pax closest to the fire hose.  That pax unknowingly volunteered to be the 1st timer.)

As the timer drags the fire hose to the far side of the lot and back, the pax performs the exercise on the card.  The timer goes to the end of the line and everyone shift down to perform the exercise the person on the right was performing until all pax have had 2 turns as the timer.

Exercise: Wide Arm Merkins, Mountain Climbers, Jump Squats, Flutters, Bomb Jacks, Plank Jacks, and American Hammer

Thang 2

Hampton Roads Dora

Partner up.  Pax 1 runs to designated spot and performs 2 burpees and back while Pax 2 performs exercise until Pax 1 returns.  Swap so Pax 2 now runs to the designated spot while Pax 1 continues the exercise. (repeat until set number is completed)

100 Scorpion Merkins

200 Peg Leg Squats

300 Crab Cakes.

 

Grab the flags for second half of Ole’ Glory run back to the AO launch site.

Arrival back at launch site and we had 3 mins of Mary available.

Mary: LBC, Heels to Heaven, Box Cutters

F2: Great fellowship in this PAX as all members attended Coffeeteria.

F3: Excellent take out Prayer by out 3rd F Q.

F1: Solid performance by all as we pushed our bodies over 3+ mile

 

v/r

Gypsy

Bourbon is a bad mixer for a Wienke.

Site Q swap and YHC can only hope that my Q will be half as good as my brother Sensie’s will be at Sparta today.  Considering he ran the BRR and kills it every time I have seen him at post, one can only imagine what those poor Spartans are in for…

~4:45AM Woke up due to a standard Thursday alarm..

~5AM all ready with 30 mins to get 15 mins away..Oh well.. I can make it to Sparta launch site and plant the flag before they head out.  Slightly worried about the temps keeping the pax away today and even sent Sensei a text last night as a preemptive “Just in case”.

~5:15AM Pulling into the AO and there stood more than few Spartans ready to start the day.  Cold be damned.. A51 MAtthews pax could care less about the cold.

~5:30AM Its Peak 51’s turn to launch

Disclaimer given and also admitted to being a Peak 51 FNG.

WARM UP

New favorite warm up exercise called out and Lois immediately begins the mumble chatter with his declaration of his love for the BLIMPS

B​​urpees:  5 OYO
L​​unges:  10 each leg OYO
I​​mperial Walkers: 15
M​​erkins: 20 Civilian Count
P​​lank Jacks: 25 OYO
S​​quats:  30 OYO

Mosey to parking lot

DANG ITS COLD!!  

Perform one BLIMPS for additional warm up… would hate to pull a hammie during a beat down

The THANG

4 corners to hit the big 3 (Legs, Abs, Chest)

Round 1 Squats 10 Bomb Jacks at center.

  • Corner 1:  10  Standard Squat 10
  • Corner 2:  10  Peg leg squats (5 each leg)BHAHAHAHAHAHAHHA… ok.. Freezing, 5:30 ish, and 2 BLIMPS in.. balance is not working very well. 
  • Corner 3:  10  WOJO squats
  • Corner 4:  10  Jump squats

Round 2 Sit-ups 10 Dolly’s at center.  How is it you can always find that one location in a GIANT parking lot that has that one small rock to dig into your tailbone.. There were 4 locations.. 4!!! I swear Lois was planting these rocks so I had no other choice but find them all.

  • Corner 1:  10  LBC
  • Corner 2:  10  WW2
  • Corner 3:  10  Reverse Crunch
  • Corner 4:  10  legs flat Big Boy

Round 3 Merkins 10 Dry Docks at center.  I am pretty sure Thumper must do Merkins in his sleep.. Dude can fly through some Merkins

  • Corner 1:  10  Wide arm
  • Corner 2:  10  Regular
  • Corner 3:  10  Narrow/Diamond
  • Corner 4:  10  Ranger

Perform one BLIMPS (friend should not  let Qs write a Weinke while consuming bourbon)

The Peak 51 PAX is warmed up now.. Sardine declares the crew is growing tired of YHC’s warm-up exercise and says it’s time to get to work.  Yes sir.. I agree.

Keeping warm was and moving was the object of the Q today..

Mosey up the hill to the back parking lot of the school.

Ladder 11s (always a crowd pleaser on a cold day and today was no exception.  Nobody is going to stay cold on my watch… no sir… not while we have open parking lots available and time still left before 6:15am)

  • 11 bomb jacks run to far end of lot 1 Dry Dock
  • 10 bomb jacks run to far end of lot 2 Dry Dock
  • Ect…
  • 1 bomb jacks run to far end of lot 11 Dry Dock
    LBC for the 6 or join the 6 to finish

Perform one BLIMPS modified to a NOPE (Bourbon got a little to happy with BLIMPS.. YHC thinks they may have something for each other)

DORA

Partner up:  Pax 1 does called exercise as partner 2 goes to far end and performs one burpee, returns and continues the count. (Thumper/Sardine, Lois/Gypsy, Bernie/Madoff)

  • 50 Merkins (Sure why not more merkins.. Only done eleventy-billion at this point.. What’s a few more?)
  • 150 Squats (Are you kidding me… why in the world is this one here.. We did a whole round in 4 corners and 30 during each BLIMP..I swear Gypsy did not write this Weinke.. It must had been his Bourbon drinking alter ego who is forever banned from writing a weinke)
  • 250 LBC (I got nothing… just remember thinking…its 25 degrees out and i’m sweating ridiculously.. it has to be close to 6:15 by now…)

Join the 6 to complete

Mosey back to the Launch site.

No time for Mary.

~6:15 DONE!!

MOLESKIN:

Mumble Chatter was limited today and I think it was because the PAX was just a pissed at my Bourbon drinking Wienke writer as I was.  There are some wienkies you keep as a backup plan for future Q assignments and others you just burn. Well… it is cold outside and the fire pit needs help getting started…
The cold weather tends to reduce the pax numbers… but not in A51 Matthews area.  Thank you guys for sticking out with me this morning.  No way I could have finished it without the PAX.

Until next time.

SYITG!!!

Respectfully,

Gypsy

 

Trapped in a cage

A few weeks back I had asked Bernanke to take a turn on the Sparta Q line up and in true F3 fashion I received the standard response.  Sure thing…What day do you want at my AO to Q in exchange.  🙂

Not a problem, I have had the honor of leading this pax before at Carolina Courts and had what I thought was a perfect idea (it looked much better on paper vs. being done) to keep the entire group within mumble chatter distance of each other..  well it was half right… we did remain within mumble chatter distance of each other.  However, there was limited chatter today.

30 degrees 5:30 AM.. YHC 1st sub freezing post of the season.

Disclaimer given and with all Vets in attendance today I knew we were going push the limits of what all we could get done in 45 mins.

 

Time to get to work

Breaking from the Thrive tradition of a warm-up lap around the parking lot (minus the Thrive Challenge) we promptly got right to it.

Warm up: 1 BLIMPS

  • Burpees:  5 OYO
  • Lunges:  10 each leg OYO
  • Imperial Walkers: 15
  • Merkins: 20 Civilian Count
  • Plank Jacks: 25 OYO
  • Squats:  30 OYO

Mosey to the Tennis court and enter the cage

Perform one BLIMPS

Partner up: DORA 1,2,3

Pax 1 perform exercise as Pax 2 runs to far end of tennis court for 2 burpees and returns to switch out

  • 100 Merkins
  • 200 WW2 sit-ups
  • 300 Squats
  • join the 6 to finish

Perform one BLIMPS

4 corners of Merkins w/ 10 Dry-Docks at center.

  • Corner 1: 10 Wide arm Merkins return to center
  • Corner 2: 10 Regular Merkins return to center
  • Corner 3: 10 Narrow/Diamond Merkins return to center
  • Corner 4: 10 Ranger Merkins return to center
  • LBC for the 6 or join the 6 to finish

Perform one BLIMPS

Ladder 11s

  • 10 bomb jacks run to far end of court 1 Dry-Dock
  • 9 bomb jacks run to far end of court 2 Dry-Dock
  • Ect
  • 1 bomb jacks run to far end of court 10 Dry-Dock
  • LBC for the 6 or join the 6 to finish

Escape the cage at 6:30 and mosey back to launch site with no time for Mary.

DONE!!

Thank you Lamont for taking us out in prayer.

Moleskin: Okay, like I said above, it looks easy on paper…and truth be told, YHC has been focused on running more lately… soooooo. might have a slight #SoccerArm situation occurring.  However, the noticeable lack of mumblechatter in today’s workout lead me to think I was not the only one just trying to make it through the beatdown.  Oh wait.. I forgot that 2 pax figured out a great modification to get around the beatdown, but still post and chatter..

NOOOOOO i’m not referring to head bobbers or japanese style bow for squats … Actually, it was something about stealing your kids school backpack, filling it with foam and claiming you can’t do drydocks or burpees with it on.. 🙂
YHC has an excellent modification to the modification.. Drop the backpack and join in the fun.

All joking aside, today’s pax was SOLID.. Start to finish, this crew was non-stop.  No 10 counts or slowing down.. No time for mumble chatter or complaining.. Just plain ole’ hustle in the cage for 45 mins straight.  Every one of us left everything we had on the court this morning as we knocked out countless burpees, merkins/dry-docks, squats and all while completing 1.7 miles of suicide sprints in between.