Tasty waves
7 PAX took the Swift pill Tuesday morning for a challenging 30-minute set of 4:00 @ marathon pace / 2:00 @ 10k pace. The synchrony building has some major issues with their water and Ballantyne Commons was flooded on the inside of the counter clockwise route forcing the crew to run in the East bound Lane until that idea was scrapped in favor of cutting inside the parking lot. Timed intervals all worked just fine.
There most entertaining part was when the PAX were searching for Toolbag and crossed paths with a completely focused Turkey Leg on a separate plan. Brat yelled twice to ask if he’d seen him, but TL was in the zone on the final hill and heard nothing. PURE FOCUS.
60-Minute Man at a Pickle Party
Billy Ward and his Dominoes sang about being a “60 Minute Man” — in nearly 5 years of 3 and dozens of Qs, YHC had never taken the lead on an hour-long boot camp and the question was out there, “Could he keep it going for 60 minutes?” But that was soon overshadowed by, as Zin dubbed it, a “Pickle Party” between the bros. Here’s how it went down…
WARM-UP
Mosey to some lot near the elementary school…
- Motivator!
- Calf stretching… so good there were groans of delight
THE THANG
Split the group in two, with half the group running to the second light on the left right for 2 burpees and the other half doing box jumps or jump ups on the loading dock until the entire other group returned.
Repeato twice more
Keep the group split in two (unless you’re a Pickle Bro and then you switch groups to join your other Pickle Bro) and one group does supine pull-ups while the other runs to the far mobile unit and does 3 merkins.
Repeato twice more
Mosey to the elementary school parking lot and grab a running rock. Hey, Pickle Bro, running rock. Time for…
Bear Crawl Bocce Ball!
- Bear crawl the length of the parking lot (60 yards?) while rolling or tossing the rock forward
Once there, plank, then run through the drop-off line with your rock and run back to return the rocks.
Mosey to the branch of the drop-off line to start a Quarter Pounder:
- Run to first marker for 25 merkins OYO / Run backwards to start
- Run to second marker for 50 American Hammers / Run backwards to start
- Run to third marker for 75 calf raises / Run backwards to start
- Run to final marker for 100 plank jacks / Run backwards to start
Grab a lifting rock for…
- 15x curls / 15x overhead press / 15x bent-over rows
- 10x / 10x / 10x
- 5x / 5x / 5x
Crab Cakes x 25 IC
Head middle school drop-off with 30 Dive Bomber Merkins along the way
20x Big Boy Sit-ups + Knockout
1-minute Hollow Body Hold
Mosey back to COT
Quick Feet with a few merkins mixed in
Big Finish with a hot lap around around the parking lot
MOLESKINE
YHC wasn’t sure what to expect for turnout today and was excited to see the number growing until hearing…
- “Yeah, I spent too long on the porcelain throne and couldn’t make it to Clean Slate on time”
- “I didn’t feel like going to the gym today” (So YHC is the easy option?)
- “Oh, I thought so-and-so was on Q?”
It’s Prom season and YHC is the one your mom made you ask because she’s friends with their mom and felt sorry for them. That’s fine — YHC can go 60 minutes and orders the lobster!
After a failed attempt earlier this week at Bushwood, YHC successfully executed the Motivator and it left the PAX wanting more — inaudible pleas for more Motivator that will have to be used next time. Recalculating was a huge fan and even stopped from about counts 7-4 to admire the grace of the exercise.
Shortly after the warm-up is when Zinfandel called out the Pickle Party between Dasher and Gerber, competing to get the most mileage for the day. They both pre-ran together and then took advantage of any rest counts or break time to get a little extra distance. Dasher and Catnip put in big work on the loading dock, going for the high box jumps and fortunately, no faces hit the concrete. A few PAX channeled their inner Moneyball and avoided the 20 feet of wet grass to the bars for supines, stopping for squats. Don’t worry, the lower body will be worked. Honeycomb didn’t cut it short — he went for the full loop around the mobile units, as called.
Bear Crawl Bocce Ball was a huge hit… once it was over. Guys soon realized that because of the amazing quality of the Weddington parking lots, the most efficient way to move the rock was to heave it and Blue Screen came close to taking making it a bowling event and knocking out some PAX. Banjo and Swift are silent troopers, and Pickle Bro Gerber made it a hairburner. To one-up him, Pickle Bro Dasher asked when we were actually going to run with the rock. YHC takes questions as suggestions, so we added a lap with the rocks.
The Quarter Pounder also proved to be a fun one and while we couldn’t hit an actual football field, as prescribed in the Exicon, the distances worked out well. Some questioned 2-is-1 on the American Hammers, but Dasher was supportive. Calf Day kicked in at this point as 75 calf raises followed by 100 plank jacks, along with plenty of backwards running — on top of the Motivator — does a number on the legs. Chastain showed off the soccer skills with the defensive running and hopefully has the Brandi Chastain abs as well. At this point, we also learned that Gerber was running a little farther than the marker for his exercises.
Dive Bombers, then ab work. With about 5 minutes left, Catnip pulled out early (eeeewwww?) and missed the big finish.
When it was all done, YHC kept it going for 60 minutes and left the group tired and fulfilled and Gerber had the bigger Pickle day by 0.1 miles.
And if you’re not familiar with the song…
https://youtu.be/NlZqfNNtvVM
Straight Kohl’s Cash Humor
Aside from some headwind, it was a fantastic morning for running. We started with 6 and picked up one along the way. Garcia started out a little gingerly like he either was nursing an injury or needed a nature break, but he warmed up well while YHC was searching for the latter by the end of the run. Great conversations along way and the PAX finished with a solid discussion on the economics of Kohl’s and the best thing they have going for them right now: an in-store Amazon returns dropoff. And you’ll walk out with plenty of Kohl’s cash for your trip.
1st Anyul Bushwud Spellin’ Bee
18 PAX saw the forecast of mid- to high-60s today and headed out early to start their day at Bushwood Country Club. The only problem was that it was still 32 degrees at 0530.
WARM-UP
Mosey to the larger parking lot…
- Motivator x 9 IC
- Much-needed calf stretches after the Motivator
THE THANG
Mosey to the playground and pair up. One partner does one exercise while the other runs a lap on the track. Partner does the exercise. Move on to next exercise.
- Swerkins
- Pull-ups
LBCsIncline merkins on the Geodesic Dome
Repeato twice for a total of 18 holes between the team
Leave the playground and grab a lifting rock for the Spelling Bee!
- Go around the circle of 12 PAX and spell each guy’s F3 name by moving the rock in front of you as the PAX spells out his nickname
- After every 4 PAX, run a short lap
Hurry back to COT for AROD x 9 IC (J-Lo + the beloved Pickle Pounder)
MOLESKINE
Much like many of YHC’s rounds of golf, today’s turn at Bushwood got off to an auspicious start. YHC learned the Motivator from a Long Island vWorkout in the Zoom a few weeks back and it’s still taking some time to break in. Q needs more practice, so it should be on the weinke for the next one. It’s a little tricky, but the PAX had fun with it and there were some solid imitations of Kriss Kross and “Jump Around!” Not sure Firethorne or other local clubs allow that kind of frivolity. The Motivator lasts a good minute and some wondered if it had lasted about 42 and, frankly, it feels like it does at times. The calf stretch was a little longer than planned afterwards.
On to the round… did you know that mulch can freeze and ice over? We learned that it can today. Swerkins on icy ground can be tricky. Also, the track at Bushwood is dark. And puddles seem to grow, expanding and getting deeper after each lap.
But what everyone raves about… the Spelling Bee! The idea derived from yet another butchered Slackblast on Monday where someone in SOB couldn’t figure out what Tonyateen Tanyteam Tinyteen TeeTime TT’s name was or how it was spelled. Why not go to the source? The guy who has to answer to it. The goal was to see how he spells it. After about 2 PAX it became evident that spelling at 0600 was going to be a chore more than we could handle. Big Ben was nice enough early on to go with “BB” and Taco Stand followed suit with “Taco.” J-Woww didn’t bother with the dash, and then Swift got creative with a lowercase “i with the dot.” Then the trouble began. Smugglr Smuggler skipped the “e” and then told the PAX to erase the “r” and make it “er.” FNG stepped in without missing a beat to call “FNG” even though his hospital name is shorter and The Juice went all in to include “The.” And then the moment YHC was waiting for:
“T-A-N-Y-N- oh, wait! no ‘N’ A-T-I-N-E”
Presumably, it’s Tanyatine, but even he has trouble with it.
We made it through all 12 guys just in time to return the rocks (thankfully, Sledge-o-matic was with the MASH crew today) and mosey back to COT for the AROD — the PAX love the burn of the Pickle Pounder to finish the workout.
Props to Fiji for bringing out the FNG. He’s from SoCal and was happy to hear that there’s already a Trojan in the area so he wasn’t going to get that name. There was debate around Ken Doll and Waterboy and YHC has continued with that struggle throughout the day. Big Ben noted that he lives off the 11th hole at Firethorne and there’s always a cooler out back for guys to pick up a mid-round adult beverage and the sound of the story is a good one, so we welcome Waterboy.
6 PAX did MASH but when we came around from the other side of the school, they were all just lying on the ground stretching, so there is zero indication that they used cinderblocks and bricks for anything other than decoration. Maybe there will be a BB from the group?
Brick Barre Bar
Some rain in the forecast and all around Waxhaw PAX were huddled in the their warm beds. Four men headed to the bar for the Last Call with a teetotaler tending…
WARM-UP
Mosey to the front of the high school for…
- Hillbillies x 20 IC
- Imperial Walker x 20 IC
Hey, Posse drove up and might not find us, so let’s go get him!
Mosey back to the front of the high school
- Hillbilly Rockettes x 15 IC
- Potato/Strawberry/whatever Pickers x 10 IC
Mosey
THE THANG
Long Mosey to the baseball fields
Grab a pair of bricks
PAX do various exercises while one PAX runs across lot to do 5 Bobby Hurleys. Same exercise for each round, until all 4 PAX have run, then switch exercise.
- Move arms in X formation
- Arm circles in front of body
- Angry Al Gore air jabs
- Overhead press
Switch to a Webb of Romanian Deadlift and side leg raises. Complete 1-7.
- Lateral arm raises/flys
- Overhead tricep extensions
Complete the Webb 8-10 with the leg raises switched to about 45 degrees behind body (4 o’clock or 8 o’clock)
Hurry back to COT
MOLESKINE
Days and days of rain. But the funny thing is that it isn’t difficult to avoid the rain and four PAX saw that on Friday. YHC was confident that for the third week in a row, it would be dryish at the bar and it continues to be a great place to avoid the downpours while getting a little extra rest. If it had been pouring, weinke out the window.
It was a great morning for good conversation and chatter. The weinke was partially derived from the M’s old early 90s Firm videos, just lacking the leotards, legwarmers and odd naked-dude statues. (Does that inspire women to work more?) The leg lifts in the Webb paid homage to the new Barre studio in Marvin. The long repetition of bricks as weights makes those light weights tough and provides some functional strength with some of the odd exercises. And the runner-as-timer allowed for chatter without having to remember your count. YHC loses track in the counting too often and would rather not have to do keep a tally of anything before 9 AM.
Honeycomb was the first PAX to show this morning and has excellent brick selection skills. One Star never fails to bring laughs to the game and we wish him luck in his weekend role as Volleyball Dad. Posse is not an offical Truebador AFAyhcK, but he has a story about someone from every region and brings a good mix of conversation to each workout.
YHC may have disappointed the crew with no pickle pounders, but they were on the weinke and may see some action Tuesday at Bushwood. Also, no drinks from this teetotaler, but there was plenty of rosehip oil afterwards.
False Advertising
Bratwurst has reached the the level of “Terribly Desperate” as he gave YHC the keys to Swift this morning.
WARM-UP
Head to the Ballantyne Meadows entrance of Ballantyne Country Club for dynamic stretching.
THE THANG
Run the lovely rolling hills of BCC with 5x :30/1:00/2:00 hill repeats with :30/:30/:1:00 recovery periods.
Head back to COT with each PAX calling a random fartlek distance
MOLESKINE
YHC reviewed recent Swift workouts and leaned towards a ladder, but seeing a few of those already this year, felt the need to call some hills. The plan was posted on Slack Monday and the one comment was not the most enthusiastic so YHC spent the night wondering if he should call an audible. When that idea was thrown out upon arrived at the start, Frasier commented, “That’s not as advertised,” and Soft Pretzel said, “Who’s the Q? Do what you want?” Not really sure there was a strong ‘want’ to do the hills, but it seemed overdue so we stuck with the plan. It was also noted that it was only about 40 degrees at the start, not the expected 45 degrees — another claim of false advertising.
Goonie is a silent beast (Silent but deadly?) out there saving his best runs for the latter stages as the final hills of BCC ate us up. Frasier kept us on the right path within BCC, with Soft Pretzel as the #2 keeping an eye on him. Once we started the return trip fartleks, Frasier had the audacity to call a long stretch run to the Ballantyne Hotel entrance, but then Wingman followed it up with another one to the Johnston crosswalk with little rest of his own — big move! After waiting through the return of pre-pandemic traffic on Johnston, Atlas felt rested and called the long return to COT to wrap up the morning.
Great work, guys, on some vicious hills and thanks for the encouragement to stick with the plan even when it’s not the easy route.
Does Tom finish on top of Giselle?
YHC has never been a Tom Brady fan, but you show respect when respect is due. 11 men came together (unknowingly) in the gloom to show respect to The GOAT.
WARM-UP
Mosey
Goofball x 20 IC
Moroccan Night Club x 20 IC
Low Slow Squat x 10 IC
Mosey
THE THANG
Run the long driveway, stopping at each light for Alternating Shoulder Taps x 7 OYO
Run back to the first light with Supermans x 7 at each light
To the front drop-off area for The GOAT.
- G – Gas Pumps x 12
- OA – Orphan Annie x 12
- T – T-merkins x 12
- ! – Burpee… increasing each round 1-7
Do the G at the top of the lot, run to the center crosswalk for OA, run to the bottom for T, run backwards up the lot for the ! burpee in the middle and continue backwards to the top of the lot for the repeato. 7 rounds with an additional burpee each round.
Back to the driveway for Carolina Dry Dock x 7 at each light, with more CDD on the return
Hurry back to COT and finish with the Giselle fka A-Rod (J-Lo combined with a Pickle Pounder)
MOLESKINE
The workout started out on a great note when Goodfella asked if YHC was going to call that crazy exercise where you look stupid and he began to mimic climbing a ladder. Great suggestion and since YHC was not decided on which warm-ups to use, that was received as request. Goofballs it is!
Watching with awe on Sunday night as Tom Brady and the Bucs dismantled the favored Chiefs, YHC knew this would have to work its way into the midweek workout and used 7s (Super Bowl Titles), 10s (Super Bowls) and 12s (jersey) as the basis for most rep counts. This was explained at the start of the GOAT round, to which Big Ben asked, “Does Tom Brady finish on top of Giselle?” Digging through the Exicon last night suddenly came in handy again and that would be the finisher. “We’ll see….”
Just like the NY Giants from where he hails (more or less), Goodfella proved to be the most capable at beating the GOAT in the big Thang today, leading the pack and heading back for the Six late in the game. The backwards run on a slight incline is a real crowd pleaser in a not-at-all way, similar to most of the seasons produced by Smuggler’s hometown Jags. The layout of The GOAT was intended to allow for mumblechatter and low worries about tracking counts — more or less successful. Overheard: “Why couldn’t Tom Brady have worn #1?”
And the lead group arrived back at COT just in time answer yes to Big Ben’s profound question. YHC took the A-Rod from the Exicon and put it to good use — J-Lo with a Pickle Pounder. A-Rod showed GOAT potential early on, but the character let him down. Brady kept at it, kept pounding, and so did the PAX today.
ANNOUNCEMENTS
Last Call AO – 0600 on Fridays at Marvin Ridge High School
SOB Blood Drive — Friday, Feb 19th at the Brace YMCA. Sign up, save some lives.
More CSAUP goodness on the way…?
The Body Shop has a side hustle: washboards
8 PAX joined Chipotle in his side hustle selling washboards. After a mosey and a little warm-up, the routine was Ab exercises x 100, run a lap, merkins x 20, run a lap, next ab exercise.
- Crunches
- LBC
- Right side crunches x 50 (neck killers)
- left side crunches x 50 (neck killers)
- Pretzel right side
- Pretzel left side
- flutter
- Freddy Mercury
- Pistol crunches right
- Pistol crunches left
Mosey back to COT for some Chippy Cross.
When the PAX are thinking of vomiting from ab work on about the third set, you know something is doing its job. About 200 merkins + about 950 ab reps make for a solid day at the Body Shop. And afterwards, when One Star was looking for Qs for the new Friday 0600 workout Last Call, that kind of workout makes you the only one not asked to get on the Q list soon.
Good crew this morning and good to see Bypass coming down to the garage.
26° in Marvin is warmer than you might expect
6 PAX came out to support Polly’s AO while he’s in recovery and Friday’s 26 degrees was surprisingly more comfortable than Thursday’s 33 in biting wind. The crew kept a brisk pace and discussed GME, COVID recovery, the no-way thought of running Myrtle Beach in May, potential for COVID litigation and other deep and smartly conversations. Only a couple wore tights, while the others were braver than the rare overdressed-YHC.
It was a good day to be at Marvin Miles.