We keep pushing the goals back as we again broke the Sunday record with 13, even with several regulars out.
The Thang
We played soccer
Moleskine
Reminders:
XOXOXO
-Whip
The rain was falling but for some reason 8 dumb guys came out and got a full dose of jumping puddles and lifting rocks. Wormwood (would have been 9) pulled into the parking lot and pulled back out when he saw us running away – whaaaa??
The Thang
Round1 – 20 Step ups – 20 merkins X5
50 squats
Round 2 – 20 Rock Curls – 20 merkins X5
50 squats
Round 3 – 20 bent over rows – 10 merkins X5
50 squats
Round 4 – 20 rock thrusters – 10 merkins x5
50 squats
Series of Abstacles in a round the circle format, 20 more merkins to make sure no one cheated, and 20 SSH for Horsehead’s viewing pleasure….
Mole-McMole
The rain was pouring hard all morning. For some reason tarps were set up at the field so we actually had a place to stay dry until everyone arrived.
Future reference, if you Q Kevlar, we are parking at the pavilion, not running to it.
Inspired by the IPC the past few weeks I decided to give the strength training one more try and we knocked out 300 merkins, 100 step ups, 100 curls, 100 bent over rows, 100 thrusters and over 200 squats.
Announcements
I forgot to pray or ask someone to pray and asked that everyone say a prayer in their heart on the run back through the rain. Everyone did except for one person.
-Whip
Wife-pleaser is what Bulldog calls any exercise when we're in a questionable position or focusing on a specific bulging muscle group. This workout lacked the questionable positions we know and love but our muscles were bulging all over the place... Author: Bulldog Kevlar 14 fine gents assembled at Kevlar for an old school Friday beat down! THE THANG Disclaimer Run to rock pile and grab a boulder SSH, IW etc Partner up: Partner Runs while other works the rock. Flapjack Curls/Press/Tri combo x 2 Lunge R/Lunge L/ Squat combo x 2 Stagger merkin R/Diamond/Stagger merkin L combo x 1 Return rocks. Head to gazebo. Partner runs as other partner does 10 x decline merkins/10 x tri dips/10 x step ups. Repeat. Run to back road. Suicides with burpees increasing from 1 to 5. Diamond merkin ladder to each street light from 1 to finish with 10. Back to launch for some Mary. Backscratchers, etc COT YE OLDE MOLESKIN An honor to lead today lads and to see some familiar faces again. It’s been a weird time and schedules off but good to get out and get an early sweat. I’ve gone soft relying on the Peloton bike and smoking hot instructors to get me motivated. Who needs that? Especially when I see the gorgeous faces of Horsehead under the gazebo lights and the flowing mane of Deepdish it makes me crave the gold old days!
F3 Backblast for VQ
Title: Run with endurance the race set before us…
Date: 8/21/2020
Kevlar PAX: Good numbers for Kevlar lately. 12 guys showed up for my VQ – the more the merrier
Orange Whip wrote a backblast in June and it gave me a whole new perspective on him, his faith, and F3 – so I’ll try to shed some light on my story as well.
Since I am relatively new to the F3 fam, I’ll give a little run down of how I got here. Graduated UF (Go Gators) with a Construction Management Degree in Dec 2019. Married my beautiful wife Jan 2020. Relocated to Charlotte for a new project in Feb 2020. COVID hit hard in Mar 2020.
A lot of changes happened in those few months, and it was difficult to keep my bearings as a new husband with a new wife, new job, and a new city to call home with no great way to meet new people. That’s where Spyglass comes in who I’ve known for years – he and his wife moved to Charlotte in May and he soon asked me to go with him to a group called F3 at 5:30am (fyi Spyglass previously joined F3 when he lived in Asheville). I went, and I’ll admit Skunk Works was painful but great – shoutout to Horsehead for the name that stuck.
F3 has been a great way for me run the race with men who also want to see God’s Kingdom established. In this regard, Hebrews 12:1-2 “Therefore, since we are surrounded by a so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith…” I love how the author of Hebrews relates our faith journey to a race of endurance. No matter the time, weight, sin, injury, or pain – we must run the race set before us and look to Jesus the founder and perfecter of our faith. The grit that it takes to finish each F3 workout is an example of how much focus and effort we are to put in our daily walk with the Lord.
Now to Kevlar: 12 guys showed up this morning.
I arrived early for my first Q – I have never had to use the bathroom before a workout, but this morning hit different. No porta john in sight, so onward…
The Thang:
Ye Mole:
See you guys next Friday.
-Chubbs
13 men posted at Kevlar this morning…but before I get to that…..
I nearly forgot all about writing backblasts then after seeing some new FNGs recently I remembered how much I loved reading them when I first started F3. I would wait check often to see when they were posted and loved remembering the humor that comes out of each workout. So, here’s my first one in a long time and I’ll plan to keep making time for them going forward because at one point they were pretty important to me….
Psalm 30:5
“…sorrow may last through the night, but joy comes with the morning”
This verse kept popping in my head the past year….
Thanks to my F3 brothers
I was out of F3 for the past 12 months and made it back out about a month and a half ago. I’ve shared the story too many times recently but I was getting terrible hives all over my body whenever I worked out or got hot (even 5 mins in the sun) until the hives spread to my throat and cut off my breathing (seen Hitch? yea that). After a couple of ER visits and a dozen doctor appointments it was determined that I had mold toxins in my body. Once it was diagnosed I was able to take medicine and slowly I was able to work out again. I was told things by traditional doctors like “This is a lifelong thing” and “it’s going to take at least 3-5 years to run it’s course”. If anyone knows anyone dealing with this let me know because it’s debilitating and I’d love to help them. P.S. you need a naturopathic doctor to help you.
I could go to the air conditioned Y to lift but had to take it really slow. That’s often where I saw other F3 guys. I’d see them running in to the Y together, see guys running on the street early in the morning. I almost hit the Sparta runners in a crosswalk one morning. It was really hard to see guys working out because a big part of my life was taken away. I did not have cancer or a terminal illness but taking F3 away from me (and many other things I love to do) was just depressing. My wife couldn’t handle it because I would sit on the couch on a Saturday and just sit…I couldn’t exert myself at all or I would be miserable.
One amazing thing about being away of F3 were the brothers who reached out over the year to check in. I even had guys drop by my house just to see how I was doing. I know I’ll miss someone here but I’m extremely grateful to the following guys who took time out to see how I was doing: Squid, Joker, Spackler (after 5 whiskeys at a party he heard the full emotional story and maybe a weird hug), Hops, Alf, Tolkien, Horsehead, Purell, Gypsy, FaultLine, Manziel, Hopper, Witch Doctor, Funky Cold, Cheese Curd, Rhapsody & Wormwood (and many more). You have NO IDEA what it meant to have you all touch base and see how things were going. It was very lonely year and it helped to know that I wasn’t forgotten. So, THANK YOU
I started running again slowly before coming back to F3 and one particular morning I was running through Kevlar AO and past the rock pile that we use and the sun was coming up over the trees and I was just so happy to be running. I raised my hands to the sky and praised God and remembered “though sorrow may last through the night, His joy comes with the morning”. His mercies are new each morning and He has promised that if we believe in Him, no matter how sorrowful our lives may get, He will deliver us.
He taught me a lot in the past year about pride, selfishness, anger and so many other things that were sinful in my life. It was a long year but I grew in other ways outside of the firm quads I used to have from all the Monkey Humpers. Now I’m back and I’ll just say to you all, please don’t take it for granted. Wake up early and push hard because it can all be taken away…
On to Kevlar:
13 guys came out this morning including 3 pre-runners (Horsehead, Rhapsody and myself)
Not sure how far we ran but Horsehead explained to me the beauty of being able to make fun of people to their face at F3 (instead of social media) and the risk of getting punched in the face is what makes is so much fun. That’s all I remember about the run.
The Thang:
Ye Mole:
July 3rd CONVERGENCE at Kevlar (with Joust). 6am launch time for a 1hr long workout. Hops & Ductwork will lead.
-Orange Whip
9 men from the gloom showed up very last minute, as they assessed the rain situation, to put in some miles and enjoy some laughs.
The Thang
Warmup stuff
Run over to Bubbling Well – 7s at each lampost with jump squats and merkins
Double hill partner 7s – jump squats and hand-slap merkins in the middle
Rock pile – circle of pain
There was more to the workout but no one really cares – 3.3 miles total
HairyMoleySkine
During the disclaimer I toggled my iPhone on my arm band and – a safety measure I try to always bring along – I gave the PAX my phone passcode so they could make an emergency call. Bulldog naturally commented on some of the salacious photos he suspects that I keep on it. This kept his mind distracted for the full 45 minutes.
We recalled an old joke that is not appropriate for this setting which led Rhapsody to admit how a Brazilian infomercial is what finally convinced him that he liked girls.
I ran close enough to Turkey Leg to hear about his Boston Marathon adventures and how not to poop for 3 hours and 15 minutes, something I’ve never accomplished (marathon or not poop for 3 hours) #myescaperoom
Lex Luthor always drops one good line each morning. He commented on Harley’s jump squats which looked like a wild dance move – it was actually pretty dope. I think he watched the new Beyonce doc on Netflix.
Speaking of Netflix, NBC is eventually going to take the Office and Friends off of Netflix and launch their own streaming service. If you have Netflix stock, sell it right now. 60% of Netflix’s function is to serve as an Office re-run platform.
Manziel was in there boosting our Browns to Bulldog trying to convert another fan. Jump on the bandwagon while you still can. I’ll root for Tottenham all day if we can add another Browny to the mix. #SuperBowl2020biatches
Great group there as always – what a blessing to be healthy & live in a place where we can wake up and freaking workout with dudes for free before the sun comes up with no threats on our lives (except cars).
God is good, through good times and the bad – but this was a good time.
-Whip
The Witch Doctor came back from a back injury and delivered a heavy beatdown for 14 dudes, including two FNGs.
The Witch always has trick up his sleeve (you should hear about his homeopathic vasectomy methods – it includes a lot of rubber bands)
The Thang
Run to CCS circle and warmup with SSH, Merkins and LSS
Run to neighborhood – 7s on the hill with jump squats and merkins
Run to gazebo. P1 runs to first light at cemetery, P2 does called workout (Step ups, dips, merkins and LBCs)
Run to grass hill on Cov. Church Ln. and do more 7s with full sit ups and burpees
Back to lot for some Mary and done!
Moleskine
Christmas wore a hand knit beanie his mom made for him. Serious props for that bold move. Can she make F3 ones for all of us?
Tackling Dummy made a return to Kevlar and came out of the gates like the starting Quarterback.
Horsehead, Pudding Pop and I did our best Monica Seles impersonations while considering FNG nicknames
Cage (R) and Big League Chew (R) continue to crush father time.
Harley, Tacking Dummy, Horsehead, Spencers (FNG) all have kids at Covenant Day and talked about the challenges of not having free school lunch and how annoying it is that the 75″ smart screens in the class aren’t “touch screens”.
Fault Line brought an FNG of his own (Head Banger) who pushed as hard as anyone out there.
Squid did all of the exercises perfectly, the sun came up this morning and water is wet.
Cottontail found a new business associate in Spencers – always trying to make a buck. 🙂
For some reason the PAX tag box isn’t working so here was the group: Puddin Pop, Cage, Big League Chew, Fault Line, Christmas, Cottontail, Squid, Horsehead, Tacking Dummy, Orange Whip, Witch Doctor (QIC), Harley, Head Banger (FNG), Spencers (FNG)
Nice work homos….Homo-Sapiens.
-Orange Whip (Ghost writer for Witch Doctor)
We decided to celebrate Orange Whip’s Birthday this morning with a 36 special since this was his last workout at 35. We rarely go 36 reps on anything and it really took the wind out of some of us, and we heard it definitely take the wind out of one of us…
In my first Q I managed to keep us under shelter when the rain stopped and out running while it was raining. Fortunately, these men are plenty comfortable in the gloom.
I’ll go ahead and quit now before I make myself sick… again.
The Thang
Ran in the rain over to the shelter to do the following exercise
36 – Side Straddle Hops
6 – Merkins
36 – Mountain Climbers
6 – Merkins
36 – Russian Twists
6 – Merkins
36 – Spider Mans
6 – Merkins
36 – Single Leg Lunges
6 – Merkins
36 – Shoulder Taps
6 – Merkins
Stepped out and found that the rain had stopped, but headed back to the shelter with the rock just in case.
Rock Pile – Get a Rock
Partners – opposites
1 – 36 Curls with Rock
2 – Plank Up Downs – Elbows to hands
1 – 36 Triceps Ext
2 – Dips
1 – 36 Rock Squats
2 – Jump Squats
1 – 36 Sit Ups with Rock Extension
2 – Louganis
1 – 36 press
2 – Flutter Kicks
Left the shelter only to find the rain had picked up but we toughed it out til the end.
Back to Parking Lot
2x
Frog Hops
Side Shuffle – Side Shuffle
Bear Crawl
Bump Lap Parking areas
Down one side of the parking lot and back.
Finish With a loop and a puke…
Moleskine
10 men braved the dicey weather, and I was grateful for their encouragement and perseverance in my VQ. Thanks to all, plus we got to see the Wild Hog that Cottontail shot on his land. The thing had real tusks and everything.
Thanks to Cottontail who took us out, and also for the reminder that the Bible Study happens at Panera at Arboretum post workout, so get on it.
-Wormwood
‘Twas in another lifetime, one of toil and blood
When blackness was a virtue the road was full of mud
I came in from the wilderness, a creature void of form
Come in, she said
I’ll give ya shelter from the storm
– Bob Dylan
(BB from Kevlar on Friday). Great song by Dylan. Cold, rainy and miserable is how the morning started. 4 guys had mistakenly pre-committed to come to my Q the day before, one (Big League Chew) just came on his own because he’s BA. Fortunately Kevlar has a lit shelter that we can use on days like this.
I thought I may be running solo and a few guys were texting on the way asking if I was going to cancel the workout. We ended up having an awesome morning.
The Thang
Run around church, warmup with various exercises ending in a “side bear crawl merkin circle” – I’ll use it next time but it was good group to test it on.
Benches – 10 derkins, 10 dips, run to rock and back 3x
Grab a lifting rock, a partner and head to the pavilion
P1 – Did exercise with Rock (timer)
P2 – Did exercise without rock
One guy was the counter (ex. P1 did 20 curls while P2 did SSH)
Basically 20 sets or so of this (step ups, chest presses, louganis’s, shoulder press, etc.) until we ran out of time. Total strength workout with lighted pavilion away from the rain. Somehow it even got a little hot in there.
Moleskine
Mile High came back out after a 6 month-ish hiatus. I met him on an airplane initially and he posted (hence his name) then after not seeing him for a long time I saw him on a cross country flight to Seattle last week. He knew he had to come back out. After that he posted on Saturday (A51) and today (Matrix), 3 times in 4 days!
Solid group of guys did not regret it!
-Out