F3/Nomad – Rum Runner Preblast
We have an 8-mile route set for this Sunday at 0615 sharp from Arboretum ABC with options for 6 or 7 miles for those that need to ditch earlier. Aiming for slow-moderate fellowship pace 8:30-9:00 per mile.
Route very similar to prior weeks but just a bit longer.
- Start at ABC west on 51
- Down to Rea turn left
- Left on Bevington at Piper Glen
- Usual Devils Turn route up to South Charlotte Middle
- Right on Woodfox, Left on Rounding Run continue to RainTree
- For 8 mi: Right on RainTree all the way to Providence, Left on Providence back to 51, Left on 51 back to ABC
- For ~7 mi option: Straight across RainTree to Windbluff to Providence; left on Providence back to 51
- For ~6 mi option: Left on RainTree, Right on 51 back to ABC
If you’re looking for a longer run, leave a note in comments below and will add an extension.
Hashtag Sprint Intervals
The VSF was planted and 12 PAX were off and running.
The Thang
COP for Burpee Ladder intro:
20x SSHs
10 Burpees
20x Imp Walkers
9 Burpees
20x Merkins
8 Burpees
20x Squats
7 Burpees
20x Seal Jacks
6 Burpees
10x SSHs
5 Burpees
10x Imp Walkers
4 Burpees
10x Merkins
3 Burpees
10x Squats
2 Burpees
10x Seal Jacks
1 Burpee
Sprint Intervals #1
PAX formed into teams of 3 and alternated 40-yard dashes. Repeated 8x. This gave each team approx 15 seconds of rest between sprints.
COP of Mary
10x LBCs
10x Russian Twists
10x Freddie Mercs
10x Dollies
10x Low Slow Flutters
Sprint Intervals #2, same as above
COP of Push-o-Rama
15x Merkins, hold for
10x Mountain Climbers, hold for
10x Merkins, hold for
10x Peter Parkers, hold for
5x Merkins
Sprint Intervals #3, same as above
COP of Mary, same as above
Sprint Intervals #4, sames as above
COP of Push-o-Rama, sames as above
Cool down run around parking lot
COT
Moleskin
Great effort by the PAX. We didn’t have to venture far, but we covered some good ground via the sprint intervals. This was my version of a combined Sprint-Tabata workout. I hope you enjoyed it.
All Centurion PAX are invited to The Stand, a 3rdF workout at 6:30 every Friday at Panera– per Hops.
Set your DVRs for Tuesday night. F3’s very own Ribeye, a Centurion regular, recently appeared on the game show “Who Wants to be a Millionaire”. No joke. I don’t know the time of the local showing, but it is this Tuesday, Oct 1. Look for it. He cannot share his results before the show (a non-disclosure deal), but he likely gave F3 a shoutout on national TV.
Be well, brothers. See you in the gloom.
Tour De Covenant Day
32 of South Charlotte’s Finest (including 2 FNG’s) escaped the fartsack in search of the end of the week bulletproof workout known as Kevlar. We were greeted by some crisp fall air and perfect conditions for non-stop movement.
The Thang:
Warm Up in COP: all in Cadence
Side Straddle Hop x 20
Wide Arm Merkins x 20
Imperial Walker x 20
Mountain Climber x20
Get into Groups of 4 and receive a course detail to guide you through the 7 Stations along Covenant Day’s Perimeter.
Course was run Clockwise for 30 Minutes
1st Station – ROCKS – (Goblet Squat w/Rock x100 per group)
2nd Station – BUSES (Merkin x100 per group)
3rd Station – BUSHES on right (lunge Walk from End to end)
4th Station – HILL – Bear Crawl Up/BW Bear Crawl Down – LBC x100 – Run Up Stairs
5th Station – TENNIS PAVILION (100 Dips on Benches)
6th Station – SCHOOL WALL – Balls to Wall Walk End to Sidewalk Path (CROWD PLEASER)
7th Station – TRACK – 1 Lap around Track (Carolina Dry Docks x100)
REPEATO POR FAVOR
2 Laps were completed in the time allotted.
PLANKARAMA when done with second lap. Looked like we were going to go right into Mary – then the call for 100 Burpees per team was announced. There was a little grumbling when the call was made but as is expected at Kevlar all men pushed through and completed the burpees in short order.
5 Minutes of Mary:
Flutter x 20 Hold it _ spread em – together – spread em – together – spread em – together – Hold it x 60 seconds
Slow Bicycle x 20 (ouch)
That’s a Wrap – Count it off – Namarama
Eloquent send off as always by Busch
Moleskin:
YHC wanted to keep it moving the whole time today to build some endurance and cover some ground on the Covenant Day Campus. We made good use of the space and got a full body workout under the stars. The group format brought out some strong 2nd F as well as some form accountability _thanks TR. Saw some guys really pushing themselves today (nice work Highstick, despite your disdain for running – you brought it this morning). We can thank Bulldog for the 100 burpee per group chaser after the second lap. Just like the old milk slogan – Burpees – It does a body good! Extra credit for Radar and Spackler who ran to the workout from the Arboretum – guess I have no excuse not to run in since I live 2 miles away. If this workout makes a comeback we will shoot for completing a 3rd lap in lieu of mary.
Announcements:
Day Zero Challenge tomorrow at McAlpine
Young Life Mud tomorrow at the whitewater center
Fletch
So much for Casual Fridays…
We salute our rookie Q, Liquor Cycle who brought a healthy dose of DownPainMent to the PAX this morning at SPEARHEAD. Even Bull Dog would be proud because during the Jack Webbs, one of the PAX (The Hoff) suggested to the YHC that we go to 11…and quoted a classic line from Spinal Tap “Our Amps go to 11” and Q then yelled out, “Alright, we’ll count off the remaining Jack Webs with a British Accent”. Needless-to-say, if you closed your eyes it almost sounded like just our comrade from across the pond.
The Thang:
05:10 Extra credit 1 mile Ruck with 30LB coupon
05:30 Mosey to rocks and circle Up
SSH x 25
Imperial Walkers x 25
Merkins x 20
Grab a Rock
Overhead Press x 20 while mosey to Football Field
Bear crawl to 50 yard line with rock
Lunge walk with rock from 50 yard line to sideline
Squat with rock x 30
Circle Up
Merkin wave x 15 (PAX in Forward resting position, Q starts wave and says “down” and each PAX, one-by one goes to 6 inches. All hold until Q says “Up” and one-by-one PAX returns to starting position)
Merkin side walk/crawl to 50 yard line
Flutter Kick with Ruck Press x 40
Merkin side walk/crawl to sideline
Team Lunge Walk with Rocks T1 10 lunges, plank; T2 20 lunges, plank; T1 20 lunges, plank; T2 20 lunges, plank
Rinse and Repeat
Overhead Squat with Rock x 30
Merkin x 20
Jack Webb to 11 (‘Our Amps go to 11” cadence with British accent)
T1 grab 2 rocks, double-time back and return rock
T2 grab logs from woods, double-time to parking lot
COT
Moleskin:
As always a Strong effort all around from the PAX. As it was Liquor Cycle first Q we were all curious as to what our crazy comrade had in mind and within the first 10 minutes we were smoked! Quote of the day goes to Schedule C who half-way through the routine stopped to mention “So much for casual Fridays”…At SPEARHEAD there is no such thing as an easy routine for sure.
T-Claps to Gullah, who without a pack used Hoff’s workout vest and with the amount of taking Rucks on and off has a particularly harder challenge than most. That guy is a beast!
For those counting towards the 10,000 September Merkin Challenge, we did 141 Merkins today (101 of those with the Ruck on)
If I left anything out from above, please email me or comment in the section below.
Announcements
- The SPEARHEAD Patch Challenge continues until 9/27. Patch Challenge Standings
- SPEARHEAD T-Shirts are available at the F3 Gear Site
- PT Reflector belts for those that signed up should be available late next week (by 9/27/13). $11.50 to Culkin gets you a cool lime green elastic reflector belt!
- § 9/28 Mini-Ruck launches at 07:00 at Sardis Rd Greenway. PT test 2 mile run, 55 merkins, 55 sit ups in 2 minutes followed by an 8-10 mile ruck with coupons. Afterwards an F2 event at Buffalo Wild Wing Crown Point. Click to register: http://www.spearheadf3.com/challenges/9-28-mini-ruck
Check out www.SPEARHEADF3.com for more information and to join our Google Group mailing list
Respectfully, The Hoff on behalf of Liquor Cycle
Have it your way…
8 men set off into the late September gloom to face the challenge of another Devil’s Turn. Each man chose his own challenge for the day. Speed work, boot camp, or steady burn running – whatever floats your boat. Devil’s Turn has it all.
The Thang:
– Everyone launched together from Greenway parking at 5:15 am.
– Run 2 miles out to S. Charlotte Middle School track
– At the track, there were 3-Options:
1) 4-mile folks: 15 min of boot camp (Q: Bratwurst, PAX: Bratwurst – sorry man for the lonely minutes stuck listening to time tick by – literally)
2) 6-mile folks wanting speed work (Q: HB – Q’ed it but didn’t do it, PAX:TL, Haggis, Brisket, MM):
- 400m (1-lap) at R-training pace (calculated from preblast)
- 400m recovery lap (fellowship pace)
- Rinse and repeat 3 more times for a total of 8 laps = 2 miles
3) 6-mile folks out for a cruise: 8 laps at desired pace (Q: none needed, PAX: HB, Zip, SB)
– Run 2 miles back to parking lot for COT.
Moleskin:
– To remedy last week’s issue of not having each person’s lap times, YHC brought some technology to the track this week. Thanks goes to the M for letting me borrow the iPad for the morning. Everyone seemed to like the visible (and audible) lap times except for Bratwurst who was doing calisthenics listening to an announcement of the time every 5 seconds. Sorry bro!
– The speed demons were taking the Devil’s Track Work very seriously this morning posting some very respectable times. It sounded as though Haggis had the quickest time at 1:10 but Turkey Leg, Brisket, and MM were only 2 – 3 seconds behind. I also heard rumor that Bratwurst took a break from core work to take a lap allegedly faster than any other PAX could fathom. However, those rumors could not be fully substantiated by YHC since I was in gentle cruise mode today due to the Tuesday SIB thrashing administered by the same Bratwurst.
– YHC broke the cardinal rule of Q’ing today. YHC Q’ed something he did not do. However, in my defense, someone had to do the count down and start the clock. So that is my story and I am sticking to it.
– Overall, it was a great day in the gloom. YHC personally enjoyed the 2nd F to and from the track and as always, it was a pleasure to workout alongside such a great group of men.
Announcements:
– If you are “partially ripped” and have 3 weeks of evenings to stand in an opera, see http://f3nation.com/2013/09/25/help-wanted-must-be-at-least-partially-ripped/ for an opportunity made for you. Mighty Mite seemed very eager so you better hurry before he takes your spot.
Failure…is a good thing
15 men (including 1 FNG) brought their “A” game this morning to Hydra.
The Thang:
Warm up: There wasn’t one. At 0530 sharp YHC explained the workout. YHC calls out exercise and Pax were to complete as many reps as possible (until failure) of said exercise for the amount of time determined by YHC.
Excercises:
1- burpees (2 minutes)
2- run laps around track progressively faster. (2 minutes)
3- run to field for merkin pyramid (YHC’s favorite). Complete merkin and hold at plank position for 5 seconds. Up to 10 and back down (total of 100 merkins plus 5 second plank=unsavory)
4- run to playground and complete pull ups or knees to chest; then on backs to complete slow bicycle touching opposite elbow to opposite knee.
5-run to wall at concession stand for decline merkins and dips.
6-run to back field. Line up on goal line and bear crawl accoss field until YHC calls out “sprint” then sprint to opposite end of field. Rinse and repeat.
7-run through woods to Foxworth Lane for some hill work. Complete 30 slow bicycle elbow to knee touches at bottom of hill then run to top of hill and complete 25 wide arm merkins. Rinse and repeat, rinse and repeat, rinse and repeat… and so on and so on.
8-run back to field and repeat exercise #6
9-run to concession stand and repeat exercise #5
10- you get the pattern…
Finish same way we started with 2 minutes of burpees.
Moleskin:
-Failure/AMRAP is a great way to really push the Pax. It’s you against you; so everyone gets a max workout… well if you were honest with yourself.
-Harley is a bear crawling monster. He looks awkward and funny but he left the pax in the dust, and I believe bear crawled the entire 100 yards on the first trek across the field. YHC believes the 2nd, 3rd and 4th rounds he had to take advantage of the sprint.
-Slim Fast is getting faster. He was tearing up the laps around the track, as well as the hill work on Foxworth. Definitely Thunder Road ready.
-T-Claps to Greyhound and Philmont. They defintely pushed themselves and finished strong. At 73 years old Greyhound is no doubt the biggest stud in F3!
-Thanks Stone Cold for pressuring YHC to join him on the 2.5 mile run in and to The Shore for driving us home after the workout. SC had planned to run home but changed his mind. Luckily The Shore had a bag of rugby balls for SC to sit on to prevent christening a “sweat seat” in Shore’s car. YHC knew was was instore and brought a towel for the ride home.
-Great having former Harvard football player Jeff S. nic-named Ivy League join us. Hope to see you again in the gloom.
Announcements:
-The Shore is Q’ing a 3 to 5 day canoe trip ending at Lake Wylie called F3 Banjo’s in mid November. Contact him for details
-New workout, Joust, on Friday’s at Charlotte Christian.
Straight Up Rebel Yell Burns
As Billy Idol’s rock classic “Rebel Yell” blared from the Crabcake’s hatchback, Spackler firmly planted the site’s shovel flag into the earth at Polo Ridge Elementary School. 13 men assembled and stretched, in anticipation of the workout that was to come. Then, at 0530, we launched into the foggy gloom to pay our last respects to the Thursday we were about to crush.
The Thang
A baby jog from the parking lot to the soccer pitch where, with the sounds of our running on the rain soaked ground filling the air, we gathered for COP:
- SSHs – 20 cadence
- Diamonds, Narrow, Regular – 5 cadence each
- IWs – 20 cadence
- Regular, Stagger R, Stagger L – 5 cadence each
- Squats – 20 cadence (hold at the bottom on the last one for a 10 count)
- CDDs, Wide-Arm, Regular – 5 cadence each
- Flutters – 30 cadence
- Regular, Narrow, Diamonds – 5 cadence each
Line it up at one soccer goal for sprints. Sprint to other soccer goal and perform called exercise. Sprint back and plank it up. Called exercises:
- 10 burpees
- 20 jump squats
- 30 LBCs
- Rinse and repeat
Then just sprint down and mosey back…x2.
Run from the soccer pitch to the bus parking lot. Each pax find a bus parking space line.
- Bear crawl to end, backwards bear crawl back…x2
- Rinse and repeat
Run from the bus parking lot to the far side of the school…find yourself a bench on the picnic tables.
- 10 step-ups each leg
- 15 dips
- 15 decline merkins
- Hold the decline merkin plank at the end
- Rinse and repeat…x2
Mosey back to the front of the school and circle up for some Mary:
- Dollies – 30 cadence, hold it, spread ’em, together
- Protractor – 45 degrees, spread ’em, together; 90 degrees, spread ’em, together
- Exploding merkins – 15, on YHC’s count
- Rosalitas – 30 cadence
- Freddy Mercury – 20 cadence
- Groiners – 15, on YHC’s count
- Elbow plank – 1 minute…then 10 count…then 10 count…then 10 count (this one lasted about 20 seconds actually)…then one last 10 count
COT
Moleskin
- As the Rebel Yell label says above, this morning brought forth an Original Time Honored Recipe for pain: push-o-rama supersets, burpees and jump squats in between sprints, backwards bear crawls, exploding merkins, groiners and holding a plank well after you thought you were done.
- A great group of men this morning who pushed it hard throughout…so there wasn’t much mumble chatter…except a twerking callout during the squat hold at the bottom and some complaints about the water soaking through our shorts and shirts as we went to our six for the flutters in COP.
- The bear crawls, especially the backwards ones, on the school bus parking lot lines seemed to be a crowd pleaser…so much so that we did it again. It is amazing how all coordination is lost on the last backwards bear crawl of each set.
- YHC loved adding the multiple 10 counts at the end of the 1 minute elbow plank…there’s something about going past when you think you are done that brings on an added element of burn. Deadwood’s 10 count lasted at least 20 seconds.
Announcements
- New workouts – Friday bootcamp #F3Joust; Sunday run #F3Nomad
- 3rdF on Friday after #F3Centurion at the Carmel/51 Panera – #F3TheStand
- #F3DayZero Challenge – Saturday 0700 at McAlpine Elementary
- Young Life Mud Run this Saturday
- ThunderRoad Half and Full sign-ups
Can I get that for you?
4 SPEARHEAD strong for early morning ruck!
The Thang
Distance: 4.17 Miles (one sandbag and two logs)
STOP 1 (Mile 1): Colony & Giverny –
- Merkins x 25
- Squat x 30
- Merkins x 25
STOP 2 (Mile 2): Shaker & Mountainbrook –
- Merkins x 25
- Ruck overhead press x 30
- Merkins x 25
STOP 3 (Mile 3): Mountainbrook& Carmel –
- Decline Merkins x 25
- Squat x 30
- Merkins x 25
Return to school.
COT
Moleskin
Good moving with a purpose this morning. Audible on the big log with four pax. We beat the newspaper past most of Mountainbrook this morning! SPEARHEAD Q for Liquor Cycle tomorrow, come on out for his inaugural Q! I believe shoulders will be involved.
Announcements
- The SPEARHEAD Patch Challenge continues until 9/27. Patch Challenge Standings
- SPEARHEAD T-Shirts are available at the F3 Gear Site
- PT Reflector belts for those that signed up should be available on Tuesday.
Check out www.SPEARHEADF3.com for more information and to join our Google Group mailing list
“So, why didn’t you change the workout??”
35 of Area 51’s #Faithful posted in the Gloom for a workout that YHC should have modified…read below for more.
The Thang
Mosey to football field for COP
SSH, Mountain climbers, Imperial Walker, Slow Merkins, Slow Squat
Partner up with someone you don’t know for Catch Me If You Can
Lap 1: Partner 1 runs, Partner 2 does 10 Merkins then sprints after P1 – flapjack
Lap 2: P2 runs, P1 does 5 burpees, sprints after P2 – flapjack
Lap 3: P1 runs, P2 does 10 LBC’s – same routine as Laps 1 & 2
Lap 4: P2 runs, P1 does 10 squats – same routine as Laps 1, 2, 3
3 Minutes of Mary led by Double D’s then Mosey up to parking lot & find your partner
Partner 1 runs back to football field gate, does 10 burpees, & runs back to parking lot while Partner 2 does LBC’s – Flapjack
Same routine with P1 doing 20 Merkins, P2 doing squats – Flapjack
Same routine with P1 doing 10 burpees, P2 doing Turkish Get-ups – Flapjack
Circle up for 5 MOM
Dolly, Freddy Mercury, Rosalita (en Espanol)
10 Burpees OYO
COT
So when YHC crawled out of the #Fartsack this morning he could hardly walk – #PlantarFascitis. YHC mentioned this to a couple of the pax as we were running and their response was, “So why didnt you change the workout?” YHC thought about around 0500 but was just too tired to come up with another game plan before posting.
Great work by all today. The running up the sidewalk to the parking lot was a little tougher after doing a bunch of burpees, merkins, etc.
Kudos to Robinhood, our War Daddy. Robinhood, way to push yourself, Brother. You are an inspiration to many.
Little bit of the usual, then not so much…
19 of the The Mauls finest showed up for a Wingman led Q
The Thang
Mosey to the theater lot for a lot of the usual
25 x Side Straddle Hop
25 x Imperial Walker
20 x Merkins
20 x Low prayer squats into tall X. Spirit fingers optional
Mosey to the fountains
10 – Derkins
10 – Jump ups
10 – Dips
Run to the lingerie store and back
Plank it up – 6 inches
Mosey back towards the lot
Parter up, size doesn’t matter
100 total in cadence count LBC or 200 non-cadence
Parter 1 runs to Cantina and back
Parter 2 LBCs
Flapjack until total count reached.
Plank it up RAH, RLH, Regular, LAH, LLH, Regular (Hops)
Mosey towards our friendly cab driver by target
M100s
– 10 burpees
– 10 mountain climbers (1-2-3-ONE, 1-2-3-TWO)
– 10 squat/squat jumps (double pump and jump)
Repeat until total reps = 100
Crowd Pleaser
Mosey to find Mary behind Target
1 min of:
– Freddie four count
– Heels to the heavens 4 Count
30s of:
– Half burpee (plank -> feet to chest)
Repeat for 3 rounds.
Mosey towards hills behind target…audible due to rain.
Peoples chair for two minutes with ~30 presses
Bear crawl first speed bumps
Lunge walk second humps
Mosey/Run home
We still have time for more Mary
15 x Flutter
15 x Dolly
15 x Windshield Wipers (shout out to #F3TheForge)
Protractor until exactly 615a
Moleskin
Somehow we started talking about exercise queens before launch. YHC was trying to remember Aerobicise but somehow not a single PAX could come up with the name. Strange. Or was it denial.
This was YHC FTQ at the Maul. Everyone brought it today. I introduced a few new things and there was a bit of chatter around mountain climbers and burpees. YHC had planned a m100/m200 fest but decided to nix the m200 after the noticing the sweat on the first round. The Rain didn’t stop the crowd, except for Frehlys Comet and Chippy not wanted to get wet in the end. Somehow YHC was getting called Wingspaceman. He thinks he missed something.
Announcments
- Please keep Passport and his wife in your prayers
- Sign up for Young Life Mud Run, family event, this Saturday at White Water Center