A wet morning with a light drizzle. 9 Pax show up just in time to decide to wear rain gear or not. The little rain sprinkle was too much for Tool Bag’s F3 flag, but luckily everyone still found there way. Paper Jam drives around like a lost puppy for a while and then jumps out and runs into the woods to make the ground a little more wet. 5:30 hits and a very summarized disclaimer is given. I LOVE YOU GUYS!
The Thang:
We head over near the Target parking lot where Tool Bag informs everyone that Target has hot chocolate and coffee inside. Against everyone’s better judgment, we dismiss Tool Bags info and circle up. No Show is too delicate to get wet so we do a quick standing warm up. 20 SSH; 15 cotton pickers; 16 windmills. Windmill cadence through everyone off a little but we recover and mosey over to St. Matthews Church.
From there we do 3 loops around, stopping at each speed bump to do an exercise. First round is merkins, second round is squats, and third round is Carolina dry docks. Plank up and wait for the 6. Everyone finishes and we head toward the Target shopping center.
We take a left before we get to the buildings heading towards Elm street. I hear Speed Bag yelling about something but not one answers his cries and we continue to the Murder Horn. Took a little longer than expected to get to MH so we do one circuit to the bottom. Every light you do 5 low slow squats. Took Tag-a-long a couple tries to figure out you go slow and low on a low slow squat. We get to the bottom and wait for the group.
Once you go down, you must go back up!! We run up the MH while alternating directions at every light. Run up to one light and back peddle to the next. We finish up with 8 minutes to spare.
We mosey over to the side of the theater to get some wall work in. Sitting position, we do 25 sec on right foot and then another 25sec on left foot. Do 50 air presses while in sitting position. Next exercise… Ball to wall!! We climb up as high as we feel comfortable and do a 20 count.
Mosey back to launch for about 4 minutes of Mary. Pax pick and lead the Mary exercise and everything is going as planned until we get to Marlin. Marlin demands we stand up and do some burpees. Squid closes us out with a gut clinching side-center-side Mary.
Tag-a-along informs the group we got 2.9 miles in.
Announcements
Richard Sheltra – 5k/10k – 4/28
Thanks to Squid for the prayer take out. Everyone did a great job and not much waiting around. Got lucky on the weather as for the most part the rain held off. Appreciate everyone coming out with the wet and cold weather. My arms and legs are a little sore today and hope everyone else got a good work out in. Thanks to Tool Bag and No Show for allowing me to lead.
BackBlast for Sparta (Typos and all)
YHC is not a prolific orator like the great Demosthenes of Athenia who would tell stories and spin tails to incite the most passive of Greeks to defend the great lands.
No…. I am but a simple servant for the Great Q in the sky and this is SPARTA!!! Where talk is cheap: Sweat, Dirt, Cold, and Pain are what sets us apart from those with the gift of Mumble Chatter. Merkins, LBCs, IWs and long Moseys are our common language shared by ALL the PAX members that take up the battle against the morning gloom locking shields to help one another drive accountability. Today just such a glorious battle occurred that defeated most my fellow noble PAX members, but not all. 3 HIMs of great fortitude took up the call of Sparta this perfect morning to help urge the sun to rise and stars to set as we started off on a cold Spring morning.
The Thang:
Our Q for the mission today had an obligation that occurred last minute and at least one of the Site Qs had already indicated he would not be able to attend as well. Arriving at Socrates Academy the concern became real that I may be not only taking leading today’s Post but also rolling solo.
5:15 time to start:
Ok.. real question here… if you post alone and you have on a F3 shirt but there is no one around to hear you recite the declaration of you can not sue anyone, the site, F3, etc… does it still count or is your non-F3 persona (Hospital name) allowed to agree for you??
“I’m Gypsy, I am not a professional, work out at our own risk, cant sue yourself or anything… yada yada yada.. Understood Gypsy, I’m John, lets get to work its cold so stop all the talking and run..”
5:17
After having an extremely intelligent conversation with some guy named John that obviously had not had any coffee yet, I was headed out to run as many laps around the academy as possible… but wait.. what are these lights pulling in!! 2 cars and its way to early for anyone except fellow crazy pax members that also want to run around in the dark at 5:15 (ish) in the morning while it is 33 degrees with made up names, compression running pants, and frequent stops to lay on the cold asphalt to do LBCs.. There is something seriously wrong with us when you actually read that out loud?!??!?? Or is there more to it??
After a late start: it went like this. (no Weinke so we are winging it)
MoleSkin
Great work by Shake-N-Bake and PopTart today. Having PopTart out front most of the way kept S-N-B and I pushing ourselves even harder to keep up.
S-N-B: Glad to hear that your pending move is still going well and I look forward to helping on moving day. (Chappa and M coming as well)
PopTart: Enjoy the new coupon.. Tons of ways to help motivate the PAX into getting stronger with that one. Good luck tomorrow Cerberus PAX!!
The Naked Moleskin
Yup, its ugly.. Although most will see it as someone else… Kinda like nobody thinks their own baby is ugly (but lets face it, we have all seen an ugly baby before)
However, 1st I want to thank everyone in this great F3 Nation for everything you do every day. YHC hears of amazing Opportunities, Stories, Fellowship, and growth as I have traveled the country posting at different AOs. But I have to ask each of us to look inside and ask “why do I F3?” and YHC is not casting stones in a glass house here. I realize I need to step up my game and get better every day to help lead, support, and encourage those around me.
Conversations about the way F3 use to be with all AOs having shovel flags and close bonds, or mumblechatter about it being to cold/ or wet/ or early, AO Site Qs not holding Qs accountable for the simple things like opening declarations/COT/ or heaven forbid a Backblast. If these are items you have seen, fix it.. You are free to lead.. but don’t propagate the negative and darn sure don’t support it if you are the site Q. F3 helps to invigorate male community leadership.. so be a leader. I promise: YHC will intentionally work at getting better at this.
F2 events: You may be surprised how many of your peer pax actually look completely different when it’s not 530 am in the dark and they have actually brushed their hair. Get out and talk with your F3 nation brothers. Yes.. I know I know.. you use to.. but how many members are new, do they have 2.0s, what do they do for a living, do they need any help with anything? Attend the Saturday post beatdown coffee from time to time. So.. you don’t drink alcohol and I respect that, but showing up to a monthly Happy Hour is more than a beer. Pax member needs assistance: Show up or at least respond. Is it always convenient to take time out of your day to help others? Of course not.. but if all you are looking for is a morning workout? Why F3 at all? The theme is… “Show up”
I had a real hard lesson a few months back when we had a convergence at Conviction with the Mint Hill Pain Academy. That following Saturday a pax member that was at MY AO site, at MY Q beatdown, in MY COT, that sweated with me for 45 mins died that following Saturday and I had no idea who he was. I was informed by a fellow pax that his last bootcamp he attended was the Convergence that YHC co-Qed and I never took the time to actually recognize he was there in a shield lock with me.. I F1ed hard… but glanced right past the glue of F2 to actually “see” him as my Brother until it was too late. Don’t make the mistake I did.. F2 guys!! and include with your 2.0s and Ms where and when possible.
Enough of a Naked Moleskin. I think anyone that actually read this far understands the point. Lets lock shields and help all get a little better every day. Whether you have been here since day one or FNGed today.. you are what makes F3… so help make it the best you can.
Announcements:
I ask each of you to hold YHC accountable and I in return will do the same for you.
Respectfully,
Gypsy (John)
For all you young whippersnappers who think the Fishing Hole is for old farts…think again!! The initial launch led by Chelms and the 2nd one led by Yours Truly has firmly established THE FISHING HOLE as No Place (Country) for Old Men (picking up from the movie title). 14 of us covered about 1.8 miles – most of which was vertical or uphill. We mixed in a ton of reps for various Merkins, Burpees, and other F3 favorites. So the Fishing Hole has an open invitation for those who want to give us a try with the theme of low mileage and high variety of station to station boot camp workouts – and no 10 counts allowed!
Warmup: SSH, Merkins, Squats, Hillbillies (modified Imperial Walker), 5 Burpees. Mosey to Station 1
Station 1 (Acquatic Center): Lined up at the bottom and performed multiple exercises (approximately 8 sets including Merkins, Mary, Jump squats, Burpees, etc) and ran to the top in between each set. The run to the top was something different each time…(high knees, backward run, shuffle, sprint, etc). 5 Burpees. Mosey to Station 2
Station 2: Picnic tables on the side of Charlotte Catholic. 3 sets of step-ups (10 each leg) dips (15), and incline Merkins (15). 5 Burpees. Mosey to Station 3.
Station 3: Parking lot between football field and parking deck. Partnered up. 10 partner Merkins with both in plank. Partners run up opposite staircases to top of garage and switch Merkins in plank. Return to bottom and meet up. 10 hand slap Merkins at bottom and 10 hand slap Merkins at the top of the deck. Return to bottom and repeat again for 3 total up and down the stairs and 6 total sets of Merkins. 5 Burpees. Mosey to Station 4.
Station 4: Parking lot at the end zone away from the school building. Mary Merkin ladder. 10 reps then 9, 8…down to 5 of various Merkins and Mary exercises. Mosey to Station 5.
Station 5: At Launch, finished Mary Merkin ladder and cycled back up to 10 (6, 7, 8, 9, 10) of various Mary and various Merkins.
Taco’s last stand was a proper send off to our friend Takahito headed back to Japan. He is a real HIM.
Warmup
The thang
Mosey to the parking lot and partner up
Indian Run back to the flag
COT
Announcements – Workday at Huntingtowne Farms Elementary Saturdayat 9am
Becky brought us out
Pax 12 made it fun this morning! One of the largest organic groups at the Valley. Good stuff guys. Keep it up! This group of HIMs is changing the city. Thanks for the letting me lead you this fine morning.
Twelve pax came out to make an attempt on a calories burn count record of 668 set by Money Ball previously at The Floater. The workout was built up as a bar hoping tour of Waxhaw and we ended up hitting the three big ones – Brewery, Maxwell’s Tavern, and Mary O’Neill’s. At the time of this posting, it is not known if the record was actually broken, though initial feedback was that we were well short at 599 calories burned. Whether the record was broken or not, I think we all got a good workout in. Once again, The Hill proved to be the ultimate obstacle to kick our butts.
WARM UP
Disclaimer given. Q requested that during in any down time or explanation pax keep moving by performing SSH. Mosey to the Brewery. Got there and decided that wasn’t far enough so we circled the block.
Circle up for:
25 SSH – halfway through quickly dive out of the way as a truck came plowing through. (Thanks to those who yelled car as I didn’t see him until after car was yelled).
20 Opposite Elbow Mountain Climbers
15 Peter Parker Pushups
SSH while Q attempted to explain first round.
The Thang
Round 1:
Groups of 3 performing a rotation of 3 exercises for 3 rounds (no, I don’t have a thing for the number 3).
Derkins, Run the Bridge, Sitting squat on bench along with an air press.
Mosey to Mary O’Neills
Round 2:
Groups of 3, 3 exercises, 2 rounds.
20 One legged step up, Dips, Inch Worm Push Ups.
Mosey to Hill
Round 3:
Groups of 3, 3 exercises, 3 rounds.
Burpees at bottom of the hill, Runner up the hill, LBC’s round 1 & 3 at top of hill. Carolina Dry Docks Round 2 at top of hill.
As the group finished up, I led the remaining guys at to top of the hill down to the bottom of the hill for one final surprise – except the surprise was on me……..
Round 4:
The first ever Burpee train was performed. Since we were so far from the tracks, we had no idea when the train had passed. I judged based on sound of whistle when it passed. The first ever Burpee train lasted approximately 90 seconds, though I’m pretty sure had we been able to see the train it would have been much longer.
Some time was lost during Burpee train so we had to finish Round 4 fast…..Partner Push up the hill back to the cars, switching as you got tired. I asked to pax to meet me at the speed hump only to realize the speed hump was only a few yards away from where we were, so I kept going to the next street light (with very little excitement from the pax). My partner, Bottle Cap, seemed awfully concerned about time remaining. I think he was paid off my the other pax to keep distracting me while they walked up the hill instead of partner pushed. At 6:14 as we were nearing the final stop sign I signaled the end and asked that we jog it back in. Arrived back to the cars right at 6:15.
MOLE SKIN
Thank you to all that showed up today, even after multiple warnings that it was going to be tough. I was worried after the first two rounds that it wasn’t as tough as I had hoped it would be, but I got a little help from the hill at the end.
Bottle Cap worked hard today and was as worn out as I have seen him in awhile. Of course, that might have been because he had to push one of the biggest guys there today (me) up the final hill.
Money ball came out even after his surgery to remove the alien from his body. While doctor said no upper body lifting (like push ups) he stayed strong and put in extra squats and running. That being said, I’m pretty sure that thing is going to be infected now.
Nice to see Xerox and Button becoming dependable regulars at The Floater. Good work today guys.
Frack seemed to be in extra modify mode today doing a ton of ab work in place of derkins, merkins, and dry docks. I guess it was a heavy chest week already.
Spitz made an appearance though he left Cherry Picker at home.
Hooch stayed through COT today. Still hungover from St Paddy’s he wasn’t quick enough to make that Irish Exit today.
I concluded “The Week of Fuse Box” today. Thanks to those that joined one or all of the three workouts. Hopefully you felt you got some good work in. Thanks to the three AO leaders that asked me to lead this week. I’m not sure if yall all got together and decided you were going to work me to death this week for fun, or it just worked out that way. Either way, I survived (and as of yesterday was 3 pounds lighter for it). Its amazing how much harder you push yourself when you are Q’ing. Now its time for me to get back to the back of the line with the rest of the Clydesdale’s.
ANNOUNCEMENTS
Third F opportunity on Sundays with Bottle Cap leading Bible Study. New location this week at the smaller 5 stones building. Meet at 7:00? (I forgot the time so check with Bottle Cap to be sure). Frack sounded like he was going to be a definite show and offered to buy breakfast for everyone afterwards. He really is such a nice guy.
Showed up at 5:20AM. Weather was cold, dreary and rainy. Was wondering if anyone was going to show up. Much to my surprise, people started filtering in around 5:20. Actually had 13. Kudos to all my hardcore workout buddies. No fair weather guys here!!
Started 5:30. Went for a little stroll and circled up for warm ups. Did side straddle hops, Imperial Walkers (had a senior moment and called them alternating leg lifts), merkins, mountain climbers and American hammer.
We then ran to the playground, did 10 pull ups and 10 leg curls on the swing set seats. WE then ran to the pavilion and did 10 jump ups, 10 dips and 10 derkins. We then ran to the front area of the church and did 10 burpees. We repeated 5 times.
Mermaid led the lead pack in various leg exercises when completed inside the pavilion. When everyone finished it was around 6:12 and time to head back to home base. Running by the rock pile, I had a notion to quickly do some lifting exercises. I was quickly informed that there was not enough time; which was correct as we got back at 6:15
Role call: O’Tannenbaum, Rachael , Snow Flake, Lewinsky, Uncle Phil, Brilleau, Mermaid, Leprechaun, Scratch & Win, Bug Eater, Probation, Pureal, Snuka
Announcements: May 5- NC Outpost, Prayers for “About Time” & Jennings, May 31- Ft. Mill Brew run
Tomorrow in the gloom at the Valley. Your bed might be soft and warm but so is a big pile of horse sh#$! Get out of the fart sack manana and give Taco a proper send off.
8 men delayed Irish coffee and grinded out a grisly workout in possibly the best weather seen YTD.
Warm-up:
Indian run lap with the 6 doing 5 3 burpees for a loop around the Calvary campus (props to Marlin for starting with 5 but fessed up to doing only 4).
COP: 15x SSH IC, 15x IW IC, 10 Low Slow CDDs (definitely new, not sure if it was appreciated) 15x Low Medium Speed Squat IC, 10 Peter Parker merkins IC, 15 low Plank Jacks IC.
The Thang:
Mosey to the basketball hoops where YHC asked if we had any ballers on hand. Unsurprisingly, no one spoke up, but being that we were right in the middle of March Madness, basketball had to be incorporated. One member of the PAX was given the choice to step up and shoot a layup, free throw, or beyond the arc with appropriate risk-rewards laid out.
First shot was for burpees:
Layup made =10 burpees, missed = 12 burpees – McGee was obviously a LAX bro, not a baller
Free throw made = 7 burpees, missed = 10 burpees
3 pointer made = 0 burpees, missed = 15 burpees
Mosey to rock pile by front entrance and select a lifting rock. Mosey to parking adjacent parking lot (more grumbling) with 8 islands. Curl to press and squats x10, run to end of lot and back, move rock forward one island and repeat til the end. Mary while waiting on the six and lunge walk/mosey back, alternating at every island.
Mosey back to basketball hoops for another shot. This time the shot determined what exercise was done while PAX take turns doing battle ropes x15 each arm, 2 rounds through.
Layup made = Mary, missed = Plank
Free throw made =Plank , missed = Suicides – Marlin looked like he has the touch, rimmed out
3 pointer made = Rest, missed = Suicides with burpees
Partner up: P1 to the playground for pullups x10, P2 to the hotbox for 20 dips, 10 jumps up. Meet in the middle for 10 HS merkins. Repeat 3x through.
More hoops action:
Layup made = Run North Face and around 2x, missed = run North Face 2x with CDD’s at the top
Free throw made = Run North Face 1x with CDD’s at the top, missed = Run North Face 2x with CDDs at top and Sister Mary Catherine’s at the bottom
3 pointer made = Run North face 1x, Missed Run North Face 3x with CDDs at top and Sister Mary Catherine’s at the bottom
Let the PAX have 2 shots, here, and surprisingly no one took the potential no risk all reward 3 pointer. Iron horse missed the J from the charity strip but Rachel saved the day with a soft layup off the glass.
Mosey to rock pile by the ball fields for 10 OH press, 10 tri extensions, and 10 bent over rows, 2 rounds.
Mosey back to parking lot, DONE.
Moleskin:
Apparently Rock Zero was confused for the new AO Fishing Hole this week, as we saw 3 Respects in the group. I’m not sure if it’s props to them for crushing the workout as good and if not better than the rest of the PAX or a message to the others to push harder (probably both). The old guys definitely had the better form throughout… although that isn’t saying much. Fun to mix in some basketball being that we are in the middle of the tournament, just not sure if I would want any of these ‘shooters’ today as my 2-guard with the game on the line. The burpee call on the warm-up is never well received but also doesn’t allow for much in the form of grumblings either. Glad to deliver some downpainment to start off St. Patty’s day right, you all earned those green cervezas today.
Thanks to McGee for the takeout and thanks to Boerewors, Flipper, and Hoover for the opportunity to lead these HIM.
As the Casio struck 5:30 5 men headed out into the gloom to get beat by the????, I can’t remember what it was called, we have done it before at Death Valley anyways it was hard.
Warmup:
Two laps around the parking lot. Circle up
20 X SSH
15 X IW
15 X squats
10 X merkins
20 X mountain climbers
Mosey over to the lavatories
The thang
Partner up
P1 runs down to the track and does a lap and returns to lavatories.
P2 runs down to the bleachers and does 20 decline merkins, 20 dips, 20 supine pull-ups, 20 squats and returns to the lavatories.
At lavatories 10 burpees between partners the flip flop the above.
Repeat the above until almost time
Two rounds of Mary
40 LBCs
20 Freddie Mercury
Moleskin: I did hear a low grumbling at the beginning from Hammer that this is base camp. Ok maybe a bit much for base camp but we did reduce the normal 20 burpees to 10 that was good right. We all made 4 complete rounds and ended up around 2 miles according to the Casio Thanks again to goonie and Benny for the honor of q Ing, even though neither showed Benny at least had a pretty good excuse getting hit by a car. Goonie’s was due to something. Thank you Thunder road and marvel for keeping up the conversation and making the workout go by quickly. I know we slowed you down a little Marvel. Insomniac great job taking us out and for all the extra gas at the workout. Typing this up on my phone in the Airport so please excuse the multiple errors. Heading to make some Maple Syrup
This week at Pursuit will be the Ladder Intervals described in the Preblast here. Since most of the PAX will not be participating in the Palmetto 200, we’ll move it up from the original plan of 3/29.
The plan:
The course “Ridgehaven Loop” (for lack of a better description): https://connect.garmin.com/modern/course/17695098