Author Archive Slim Fast

Don’t You, Forget About Me…. !!

6 PAX exited the warmth of their slippers and pajamas to climb “Peak 51”.  Actually, it was a bit of a heat wave this morning, but nonetheless, we gathered and proceeded to embark on “SLIM FAST’S BREAKFAST CLUB AND CENTURY EXTRAVAGANZA!!!”… wait for it…. wait for it…. wait… for…. it….  ok, nothing… that’s it!

The Thang:
5 PAX were ready to go at 0530 and headed to parking lot for COP.  1 additional soul came in on 2-wheels and joined us just in time!!

COP:
5 Burpees OYO
SSH x 20
IW x 20
4 Burpees OYO
Squats x 20
3 Burpees OYO
CDD’s x 10
MC x 15
2 Burpees OYO
Peter Parker x 15
1 Burpee OYO

Mosey to front of school and grab your favorite bench.
2 x (10 Dips, 10 Decline Merkins, 20 Step-ups… 10 each leg)
2 x (15 Dips, 15 Decline Merkins, 20 Step-ups… 10 each leg)
Total:  50 Dips, 50 Decline Merkins, 80 Step-ups + some misc. plank-o-rama

Return to parking lot for some 7’s on the driveway.
Round 1 – Squats at top, CDD’s at bottom
Round 2 – Merkins at top, LBC’s at bottom
Keep doing LBC’s until everyone finishes.

Mosey to school and grab some wall.
5 x People’s Chair, with 40 Air Presses (200 total)
In between People’s chairs, we did:
20 Step Ups
25 Dips (x 2)
15 Merkins (x2)
Then… so close to 100… so 20 Merkins on your own!

Voila!  100 Step-ups, 100 Dips, 100 Merkins… and 200 air presses!!  Who knew it could be soooo easy???

Moleskin
As always, it is an honor to lead the great men of Peak 51!  Smaller crowd today than normal, but great Fellowship and Fitness were both shared!

Insomniac came in on 2 wheels… and said he overslept… to which Drop Thrill replied “Aren’t Insomniacs always up first?”  Touche!  However, Insomniac only missed the disclaimer and a few burpees!

Good to have Whitesnake back from cruising the Carribbean.  Drop Thrill, Geraldo and Tawney were all strong today!

Announcements:
1.  Last day to sign up for Xmas party on 12/6 is TODAY.
2.  Sign-up  for Joe Davis run.
3.  Turkey Day convergence next Thursday at 6:30 AM at Olde Providence… I hear tell of a touch football game that is in order… and that’s in addition to the Cowboys… 🙂

Who Left The A/C On????

Someone obviously left their A/C on and their front door open… that can be the only explanation since it was 75 just 7 days ago!!  8 PAX shunned warm beds… and I’m saying 50 would be warm… to come experience some O2 deprivation combined with Fellowship.  The latter of those tending to make the former more tolerable!

The Thang:
Quick COP:
SSH x 25
IW x 25
Squats x 20

Off we go… headed for Spackler Hill on Coburn Ct.

Always a crowd pleaser… give it all you can up the hill, then recover jog back to the bottom.  We did this for 15 minutes, and everyone got in 11-12 reps.  That translates to approx. 1.5 mi, or 6 x 400.  As we talked about, and for future reference, the pace back to the bottom for recovery isn’t the most important part… it’s the gassing up the hill that builds the anaerobic capacity.  (Bratwurst can now school me on the science!)

Next we partnered up for Catch Me If You Can for 1 mi. to Davie Park.  Partner 1 does 10 Merkins, while Partner 2 starts to run.  When Partner 1 catches Partner 2, flapjack… continue to Merkin/Run/Catch flapjack until we reached Davie Park.  LBC’s until everyone arrived.

Staying with partner, Partner 1 runs to the Clubhouse while Partner 2 runs to playground and does 10 Dips, 10 Step-Ups and 10 Decline Merkins.  Partner 2 made it back to start ahead of Partner 1, and did LBC’s until P1 made it back… then flapjack.

Time for some quick Mary
Flutter x20
Dolly x20

Line up for Indian Run back to South Charlotte Middle School.

STILL time for a little more Mary… Protractor as moderated by Hopper, Freddie Mercury x20, DONE!

5.67 Miles Total

Moleskin:
Excellent job out there this morning!  As always it is an honor to lead a great group of men at the finest running workout in F3!  Kudos to everyone for braving the cold.  I personally don’t like being cold… in fact, I hate it!!!  But I was able to wear appropriate layers and gloves, so I actually didn’t abhor the morning!

Radar and Hairball went short pants, so you don’t ever have to worry about typing that about me when Wind Chill is low 20’s/upper Teens!

As you would expect, Turkey Leg and Mr. Brady stayed well ahead of everyone else.  Great to see everyone giving their all.  Geraldo continues to get stronger… BRR, get ready!!

Great to see Hairball back after some brief IR.  Haze, Hopper and Radar strong as usual!!

Thanks to P-Haze for the prayer out.

Announcement (hastened by Radar since he was bare-legged… and not in that Nair “Who Wears Short Shorts” kind of way… more like Jack Links Messin’ With Sasquatch kind of way…)
1.  Joe Davis Run
2.  Keep Bringing shoes… SOMEONE will take them!
3.  Christmas Party 12/6

Gassed… Check; Arms Smoked… Double-Check

19 PAX entered the gloom and darkness of Death Valley for a “balls to the wall” workout that left at least YHC gassed and smoked!  Thanks for allowing the workout to end mutiny-free… I’m sure it crossed some minds!

The Thang:
Warm-up lap around parking lot, then mosey to football field for COP

Burpees x 20 OYO
SSH x 25
IW x 25
Squats x 25
Merkins x 15
LBC x 20
Flutter x 20
CDD’s x 15
Mountain Climber x 20
Burpees x 20 OYO

Mosey back to Restroom Bldg and partner up:
Partner 1 runs lap around track
Partner 2 runs to bleachers by baseball fields and does 10 Dips, 10 Pull ups, 10 Squats
Meet back at top and do 20 Fist Pump/Hand Slap Merkins (Alternating), then flap jack.

We did this for about 15 minutes, and Horsehead and I got 2 complete circuits in… I’m sure others got about the same give or take a merkin… The merkins were painful!

Grab some wall by restrooms:
People’s Chair x 3 with arm presses (30-40-50)
Balls to the wall x 2 for :30 seconds

Mosey back to parking lot for some Mary-icing:
Freddy Mercury x 15
Dolly x 15
Burpees x 10 OYO

Done and done!

Moleskin:
It doesn’t look like much after I typed it, but man my arms were jello on the way home!  I’m sure that was partly to blame on the pre-kettlebell workout with Stagecoach, Header and Crawlspace… however, I doubt they even felt it!

I actually think that was my inaugural Q at Death Valley, so will look forward to the next time!  Everyone did great and gave their all!  I enjoyed meeting some new PAX (Crawlspace, Back Office,  Franks), and great to see Freedom outside of Peak 51… continuing to get strong!

Thanks to Stone Cold for the send off prayer.

Announcements:
1.  Shoe drive continues for 1 more week.
2.  Sign-up for Joe Davis Run.
3.  Christmas Party 12/6.
4.  3rd F on Wednesdays Noon at Bonato’s by South Park.

Raindrops Keep Falling On My Head…

6 PAX truly demonstrated how messed up they are to get out of their warm fartsacks, suit up and come workout at Ascent.  The rain didn’t really start until 0700… same as start time… but off we went!

The Thang:
2 warm-up laps around the track with some assorted high knees, butt kickers, karioke, and backwards run.

COP on the track:
SSH x 20
5 Burpees OYO
IW x 20
4 Burpees OYO
Slow Squats x 20
3 Burpees OYO
Mountain Climbers x 15
2 Burpees OYO
CDD’s x 10
1 Burpee OYO

Slow jog to Harris Teeter (.75 mi).  Stopped 5 times for 5 Merkins (25 total).
At HT parking lot, we did 3 sets of Suicide runs:
3 lines, then sprint to end… rinse and repeat coming back
3 lines, then backwards run to end… rinse and repeat coming back
3 lines, then lunge walk to the end… rinse and repeat coming back

Slow jog back to Olde Providence (.75 mi).  Stopped 5 times for 5 Merkins (25 total).

Grabbed some wall for people’s chair x 3 with arm raises x 30, 40, 50

Paired up for team reps… Partner 1 does called kettlebell exercise while Partner 2 does quick lap thru parking lot.  Then flap jack until total reps=100/team:
1.  KB swings
2.  Bent over row (50 x right, 50 x left)
3.  KB curls (50 x right, 50 x left, or two handed)

Finished with Mary:
LBC x 15
Dolly x 15
Flutter x 15
Sid the Kid x 10 each direction
Protractor called and led by Moon River

Done and done… time for coffee and warm-up the hands!

Moleskin

Excellent job by the PAX this morning in less than ideal conditions.  Of course in 3 months, today will seem like a heat wave… but YHC is from Texas, so today might as well have been in 3 feet of snow!  But I digress…

High Tide had to leave a piece of clothing in the bushes on the way to HT… I’m sure any passers by assumed someone was in distress in the bush… but we collected all clothing and equipment before leaving!

We were wet on our tops, but we tried to stay off the ground… no gratuitous soaking of clothes.  YHC is going to invest in some SmartWool based on recommendation from Strange Brew… if it is good enough for a Canuk, it is good enough for a Texan!

Announcements:
1.  Joe Davis Run… sign up… 5k, 10k.
2.  Bring shoes for shoe drive.
3.  F3 Area 51 Christmas Party Dec 6.

The Ascent… of Half Tide

7 PAX exited the warmth of their beds to push themselves at Ascent.  High Tide was on Q for half the beatdown, and then when he was tired of his own punishment, he handed over the reigns to Goon for the last half.  High Tide then exited for a mani/pedi… or something similar (see Moleskin for real reason… just couldn’t help but give a little jab)!

The Thang
Mosey to field for COP… I am going by memory, so forgive:
SSH x 20
IW x 20
Squats x 20
Arm Circles — small/big x some number
Romanian Deadlift (or better named the Tolstoi)
Soldier walk across the field (Tchiachovsky)
Then we spent the remaining time discussing Marxism vs. Capitalism…. just kidding… on to the playground:

High Tide explained the next 20-minutes would be focused on “Cindy”… Do as many of the following circuits as you can in 20-minutes OYO.
Pull-Ups/Suppine Row x 5
Merkins x 10
Squats x 15

This is something we try to do quarterly as just a way to self-assess how you are progressing.

After Cindy, High Tide indicated he had had enough and passed the reigns to Goon.

We went back to the field for some quick Mary:
LBC x 15
Russian twist x 10
Dolly x 15
Flutter x 15
Protractor

Mosey to concession stand – Circuit x3 oyo:
Step ups x 10
CDD x 15
Freddie Mercury x 20

Mosey to football field
20-yard sled with partner, return with anchor, flap jack
10-yard suicides for entire field (gasser!)

Return to school for a couple of minutes of wall, then done.

Moleskin
Great to see everyone out there on such a great morning!  Hard to call that the “Gloom”!  Especially great to have Yellow Cake (FNG, Doug Moore), join us via Scissorhands.  Yellow Cake has been busy running F4, and decided to take an “F” off for the weekend and just do F3.  (That conversation can, AND DID, get a lot worse!!)

But seriously, great to have you!  Also great to have Cocktail Party join us after a lengthy hiatus.

Big thanks to Goon for stepping in to Q halfway through.  High Tide needed to be at his daughter’s soccer game mainly because her coach’s family had a parent pass away.  So in all seriousness, High Tide was helping out, and we should keep that family in our prayers.

Linux closed us with a prayer.

Announcements:

  1.  Shoe Drive continues… bring your used athletic shoes to any workout you attend.
  2.  F3 Area 51 Christmas Party Dec 6.

In The Gloom Peak 51-Style

11 eager PAX shunned the cool, brisk October air for another installment of gloom Peak 51-style!

Mosey to Bus Lot:
SSH x 15
5 Burpees OYO
IW x 15
4 Burpees OYO
Squat x 15
3 Burpees OYO
Mountain Climber x 15
2 Burpees OYO
Parker Peter x 15
1 Burpee OYO

Circle up and do partner suppine pull ups 2 x 10

Slow jog to mysterious rock garden/fountain that might have links to Stonehenge!

‘Neath the whispering willows of the rock garden, where gnomes play and fair maidens dance, the brave men of F3 did 22 for 22:   22 exercises for 40-seconds each with 20-second rest in between.  Do as many as you can in 40-seconds:
1 – 3.  Dips (feel the burn!)
4 – 6.  Alternating jump lunges (Sister Mary Catherine Gallagher)
5 – 9.  Incline Merkins
10.  By popular demand — jump lunges
11.  CDD
12.  Squats
13.  Merkins
14.  Step Lunges
15.  Plank
16. CDD
17. Squats
18. Merkins
19. Step Lunges
20. Plank
21-22. Step-ups on your pet rock…

Slow jog back to bus parking lot… time for Mary:
LBC x 15
Dolly x 15
The Flutter x 15

Back to the parking lot for BOM.

Moleskin
As always YHC enjoyed the fellowship and fitness with a fine group of men!  Kudos to Geraldo, Sensei and Good Hands who joined YHC for a 5k pre-run.  Geraldo and Sensei both sported ~8:40 average miles, which are approaching PR’s of long ago years!  We’re going to make a runner out of Good Hands before he knows it!!

Good to have Peeper out for his first Peak 51 post.  Great stuff… looking forward to having you out often!

Also Whitesnake made it, preventing YHC from having to go to his house and bang on his door!  I think Tawny talked some sense into him!!

Dumpster Fire is looking like a long-timer and continues to get stronger!  Great having you out there!

And I can’t leave out Hacker, Insomniac and Pele… always strong and steady!

Insomniac took us out in prayer… thanks, Brother!

Announcements:
1.  Continue to bring gently used athletic shoes on Thursdays.  This will go through Novermber 22.
2.  Continue to schedule time with PAX for Strangebrew’s 2nd F Challenge in October.
3.  Area 51 X-mas party is 12/6 at Sugar Creek Brewing Co.
4.  Joe Davis Run Jan 10, 2015.  Keep watch on website for details on sign-up and special F3 event.

Peak 51 Up and Down

10 Pax jetisoned from their respective fartsacks and committed themselves to encourage and push each another on still a new and exciting journey to Peak 51.  Today’s workout was somewhat of a ladder, and only a few rungs were missing!

The Thang
Disclaimer
Mosey to parking lot for COP:
SSH x 20
IW x 20
Man Maker Merkins x 10
Squats x 20
Mountain Climber x 15
Peter Parker x 15 — after 10-count, we “climbed back down the ladder” —
Peter Parker x 15
Maountain Climber x 15
Squats x 20
Man Maker Merkins x 10
IW x 20
SSH x 20

Mosey to front of Matthews Elementary… grab a bench for 30-20-10
30 x Dips
20 x Step ups/hop ups
10 x Incline Merkins
Plank when done, rinse and repeat

Mosey to South side of bldg for some People’s Chair.
People’s Chair for approx. 1-minute with 50 arm presses.
Rinse and repeat.

Mosey to baseball field for “7’s” on the hill behind the bleachers.
At the top do squats, at the bottome do LBC’s.  7-0, 6-1, 5-2, etc..

Back to wall… same as above… People’s chair plus 50 arm presses x 2

Back to front of school, 30 Dips, 20, step ups, 10 Decline merkins.  Rinse and repeat with 15-10-5.

Mosey back to parking lot for Mary:
Dolly x 15
Flutter x 15
LBC x 15
Strangebrew led us in Canadian version of protractor… it was in Celsius
Finished with Rosalita in Spanish (I like my workouts to be multi-national)

Moleskin
As always it is an honor to lead this group of men.  Everyone pushed hard and hopefully left a little more gassed, but re-energized at the same time.  It was great to have Madison as a site FNG… welcome to Peak 51!

Dora and Strangebrew met early to ruck, while Sensei, Geraldo and YHC had conspired to meet early for a fellowship 5k run.  Both endeavors were excellent!  I can speak for myself that we will try to do the 5k on a weekly basis for those interested.  Check twitter to confirm.

Drop Thrill, thanks for the send off prayer.

Announcements
1.  Brew Ruck was a success last weekend.  Thanks again to Dora for the excellent leadership.
2.  Strangebrew has issued a 2nd F challenge to connect with 4 PAX in October.  Identify 4 PAX you’ve met through F3, and schedule some time with them.
3.  Wed 10/8 6:00 pm Go Ruck Gear night at GOPC in Park Road Shopping Center.  20% off for F3 members.
4.  Convergence on Saturday at The Rock (Calvary) starting at 6:00-7:00 for early birds/Stonhenge, and then a 7:00-8:00 for normal Rock workout, or a double-down opportunity!
5.  F3 Overdrive launches next Friday 10/10 for Union County at Sun Valley Middle School.

Fast Twitch visits The Rock

13 Pax enjoyed a lovely first full morning of Fall getting some miles in while enduring death-defying obstacles that make the Mud Run obstacles look like FantasyLand at Disney World.  For some of you, you will take death-defying OVER FantasyLand, and I get it… I digress.

The Thang:
After a heartfelt disclaimer, we circled up for a quick COP
20 x SSH
20 X IW

The group ran to Calvary Church with a stop at Davie Park entrance for 50 squats, a stop at the corner of Rea for 20 merkins, and then congregated at the park in Calvary Church.

For the next 25 minutes, 3 groups ran between 3 stations that were a feeble attempt by YHC to simulate some activities/muscle groups that are used in the Mud Run:
Station 1:  Team climbs The Rock helping each other get to up and over.  Then run towards the playground with a stop at the baseball field to climb up and over the back of the bleacher.

Station 2:  Team hops over the playground fence (not using the open gate as Gummy pointed out), do 10 pull-ups on the tire swing crossbar, do hand-over-hand down the swing set (about 30 ft.), then team climbs the back fence to head towards the snack bar.

Station 3:  Team crawls under 4 picnic tables, then does 20 dips on picnic tables.  Team heads to Station 1 to climb The Rock… etc.

We did 2 full cycles of this, and the 3 teams stayed together to help each other with the climbing and bar work.  Purple Haze’s team self-assessed themselves a penalty of SSH and Freddie Mercury’s when they didn’t stay together… also simulating the Mud Run.

After the 2 cycles, we did 4×100 sprints, then headed back to the SCMS with a stop at Davie Park for LBC’s.

We made it back at approx. 6:16 for Name-o-rama and BOM.  We covered 4.8 mi.

Moleskin
Thanks for the opportunity to lead a great group of men, and at a great site location!  I wasn’t sure how the activities would actually play out, and the jury is still out!  But I did enjoy thinking through trying to simulate some of the movements we would use at Mud Run combined with some miles.  It can be improved for future execution no doubt!

Weather/temp was great, and as always, I really appreciate the way the PAX push me personally.

Mr. Brady, thanks for the great send off prayer.

Announcements:
1.  Congrats to Hairball as he and the M. are expecting their first li’l Hairball next Spring!
2.  Mud Run participants be sure to reply to Gummy on bus trans.
3.  Ragnar Trail Run in Atlanta April 4-5, 2015.  Contact Champagne if interested.

Pain, Pain, go away!!

7 PAX disregarded the threat of precipitation and opted for a 100% chance of perspiration at F3 Ascent at Olde Providence Elementary school.

The Thang:
Mosey to track for two warm-up laps, including butt-kickers, high-knees and karioke.

Mosey to practice field for COP:
5 burpees OYO
SSH x 20
IW x 20
Slow Squats x 20
MC x 15
CDD x 15
Diamond Merkins x 10
5 Burpees OYO

Mosey to concession stand:
2 sets of 10 dips, 10 incline merkins, 20 step-ups (10 each leg)

Mosey to bleachers near playground:
2 sets of 10 dips, 10 decline merkins, 20 step-ups (10 each leg)

Mosey back to middle of practice field for station work.  Pair up:
Middle field: 5 hand release merkins each.
Station Left:  Jump squats 5 each partner
Station Center:   CDD x 5 each partner
Station Right:  5 Pull-ups each

After each station, return to Middle field and do 5 hand release merkins.

After 3 rounds, we did a recovery lap around the baseball field and back to the practice field.  Rinse and repeat station work with partner with the following station changes:
Middle Field:  LBC x 10
Station Left:  Partner decline merkins x 5 each
Station Center:  Partner shoulder press x 5 each
Station Right:  Prairie Fire Mary x 15 (5 each position)

After 2 rounds, we met in the middle for a Jack Webb ladder to 5 and back to 1.
Mosey to front of school for some people’s chair x 3
Mosey back to parking lot for Mary
Dolly x 15
Flutter x 15
LBC x 15

DONE!!

Moleskin
Everyone did GREAT out there today!  It was a small intimate crowd which allowed us to adjust intensity together.  I enjoyed pushing myself along with each of you this morning.  Lumberg was bringing it strong for his 3rd time out, and Whitesnake as always left everything at the workout.  Katniss was FNG to Area 51 as guest with Robin Hood, and Tootie is FNG to Ascent.  Welcome to both of you!

Everyone gave their all, and that felt good… especially with the small shot of rain to cool us off!

Thanks for the great send-off from Robin Hood!

Announcements:
1.  Last day for F3 Dads at Beatty Park 0900.

I do WHAT with that sweaty guy’s legs???

20 PAX shunned sipping coffee on their verandas in order to deplete their O2 supplies at Peak 51.  After being cased by Matthews finest, we ensured our cars were in marked parking spaces, then made our way to the lower parking lot.

The Thang:
Mosey to parking lot for COP (of course after a disclaimer)
5 burpees OYO
20 SSH
20 IW
10 Merkins
20 Slow Squats
10 MC
5 burpees OYO

Move to bottom of parking lot:
Run 3 lines then sprint to top of parking lot – repeat coming back
Run 3 lines then run backward to top of parking lot – repeat coming back
Run 3 lines then lunge walk to top of parking lot – repeat coming back
Run 3 lines, bear crawl to light pole, then sprint to top of parking lot – repeat coming back

Mosey to steps for 2 Sets of:
Dips (x10), Incline Merkins (x10), Step Ups (x20)

Mosey to track
Pair up for partner laps with called exercises at 4 stations:
Station 1:  Prairie Fire Mary x 15 (5 each way)
Station 2:  Partner shoulder press x5
Station 3:  Partner decline merkins x5
Station 4:  Elbow Plank fist pumps x10

Everyone completed 2-3 laps

Finished with LBC x 20, and Dolly x 20

Moleskin
Great work out there this morning.  Strangebrew was wearing his ruck, and I his pace on the backwards run was amazing!  Freedom and Whitesnake were pushing it hard… and it is great to have the guys that are celebrating their 1-week anniversary… Dunder, Lost, Milk Truck, and Gutter.

Turnpike, Welcome to Charlotte… and good to see Quint out after a lengthy hiatus.  Binary was also bringing it strong.

Welcome again to FNG Geordi who brought his space-inspired visor, and then managed to crack the screen on his iPhone doing Mary.  I told him all claims should be made through Dora…

Announcements:
1.  Final F3 Dads Saturday 9:00 at Col Beatty Park.
2.  Mud Run sign ups still open
3.  Check out pre-blast for Friday night at VFW in Plaza Midwood to hear war stories.  Check out under Events.