Author Archive midriff

School of Hard Rocks

Oh, you were looking for rock jokes? Let’s see what we can dig up…

The Thang

Mosey to side of bank for warmup. Pass the mic to Franky for his first lead! ssh’s, Peter Parker, mtn. climbers, imperial walkers, merkins. Mosey to rock pile by nail salon. 5 jump squats/5 merkins at every road crossing.

Rock Circuit 1: 5 man makers OYO. Partner 1 runs the parking lot while Partner 2 chips away at 100 curls, 100 press, 100 tricep extensions. Flip and repeat.

Rock Circuit 2: 1 partner chips away at 50 american hammers while partner 2 bear crawls and pushes rock to opposite curb. Pick up rock and relieve partner 1.

Rock Circuit 3: Wall of Pain: 1 partner is timer and does 10 cross over pushups on rock while partner 2 balls on the wall. Repeat sequence, but with wall sit and rock over head

Repeat same sequence above, with slight modifications (shorter running loop, bent over rows, goblet squats, ground pounders)

Schoolyard favorite final exercise with our happy little slabs of earth – Rock, Rock, Goose. Circle up and hold people’s chair with rock. In clockwise motion, first pax puts rock down, runs circle and resumes the position. It’s a hard rock life for us…

Goodbye dear rock friends. For it is time to mosey home. Repeat 5 jump squats/5 merkins all the way back, this time hitting 6 stops. Regular plank, 6-inches, regular plank until TIME

Reflections

  • YHC really wanted to challenge himself with a full rock-themed beatdown. I love the simple and primitive nature of exercising with rocks. I may be obsessed with rocks, but that’s my pre-rock-ative
  • Franky’s lead was solid, and his counting is nearly impeccable! The slower counting cadence definitely increased the challenge factor and we were all feeling each exercise. He’s ready to Q a full workout in no time. Appreciate Kirby for showing up early this morning to help out and warmup with us before dipping out for yard sale prep.
  • YHC built on the geological theme with a classic Rock playlist. I admitted to Trickle on the final mosey that I had to Google a playlist since I didn’t really grow up with this music in the house and haven’t gotten into it. Trickle nearly fell over on the sidewalk in disbelief, crying blasphemy. Between his comical jabs and lively grunting Trickle is a key piece of the Da Vinci experience. I’ll never take him for granite.
  • The Da Vinci experience is better with Olaf back in the rotation after an extended absence. I see why he’s named after the Disney character, as he’s always smiling in good humor and willing to lend a hand.
  • Credit to War Eagle for the clever backblast title. He had a quick quip in response to my rock, rock goose introduction as a favorite pastime during elementary school days. It definitely beat out countless inappropriate alternatives related to general hardness.
  • T-100 and Jonny-5 continue to impress. Crushing the day and getting more done in a single workout than what most peers of their age will do in an entire weekend. Studs!
  • At one point YHC found himself across from Soft Pretzel during the wall sits with rock above head. Disaster averted as he nearly smashed the glass behind him. Props to Soft Pretzel for crushing this workout after Qing Last Call yesterday, which focused a heavy dose of kettlebells and upper body work. Always leading the pack and barely breaking a sweat.
  • Announcements: Ragnar Race, B-double E-double-R-U-N, Gently Used shoe collection with Cheese Curd
  • YHC took us out.

May the quartz be with you!

Small and Intimate

Rousey threw Taco Stand and YHC a curve ball this morning when he drove into the Gibson lot on two wheels with 70’s R&B love songs playing. It really set the mood for what was a small, but intimate setting for some solid 1st F and even better 2nd F.

The Thang

  • Warmup: mosey to lot behind Wingate University building for 1 burpee, 10 low-slow squats, 2 burpees, 20 merkins, 3 burpees, 10 low-slow squats, 4 burpees, 30 LBC’s, 5 burpees. Mosey to Hampton, rotate between 5 merkins/5 squats at each light post
  • Hampton Hill: 10 LBC’s, run up the hill, 20 LBC’s, down the hill, 30 LBC’s, up the hill, finish with 40 LBC’s. Mosey across Johnston and stop in middle of traffic circle.
  • 10 Derkins, run clockwise, 10 Inclined merkins, run clockwise, 10 diamond merkins, run clockwise, 10 wide arm merkins. LBC’s then repeat clock again, but doing 5 reps each and remove the run. Mosey to nature trail behind Pike’s. Headlamps on, run to parking lot off Johnston Road.
  • 4 Corners: 10 merkins, 5 burpees, 20 LBC’s, 5 burpees, 30 squats, 5 burpees, 40 LBC’s, 5 burpees. Mosey back on Johnston to SpringHill Suites parking lot. 1 burpee, bear crawl to next line, 2 squats, bear crawl to next line, 3 merkins, bear crawl to next line. Repeat for 20 spaces. Mosey back to launch, doing 5 merkins/5 squats for 10 light posts
  • Mary for last three minutes: protractor, more LBC, freddie mercury, regular plank, elbow plank

Moleskin

  • YHC wanted to craft a “simple” and low-stress workout in light of WTF race happening tomorrow. Easier said than done. Simple workouts are rarely easy workouts. I stuck with 4 basic exercises and attempted not to deviate. 4.27 miles later I was winded and dripping in sweat.
  • During one of our first moseys, I quizzed Rousey and Taco Stand on the mission of F3 and focused on the “grow” component towards invigorating male community leadership. Growth happens through depth and width. Building deeper bonds with each other and inviting new brothers and friends into the fold.
  • T-claps to Taco Stand for making his first post since extended vacation. I know you enjoyed this one buddy ;D
  • T-claps for Rousey and Taco Stand for opening up to share life stories. YHC left encouraged, humbled and immensely grateful for both of you. When you’re running next to them at an upcoming workout, ask them some questions. Both have much wisdom and encouragement to share.
  • Shoutout to Mary Kay for the glam shot of Taco Stand and YHC afterwards. One day we’ll make it into the Ballantyne Magazine. One day….

Midriff

Midriff vs. Midriff

If a tree falls in a forest and no one is around to hear it, does it make a sound?

If a #CSAUP happens with one person, does it happen at all?

How do we really know this Midriff guy isn’t full of crap and just faking the whole thing???

Looking good a few weeks before the event with 20 PAX expressing interest and identifying 4/17 as a probable date. Keep the memes coming and guerilla advertising rolling, but doubts begin to sink in. More resounding endorsements for the event just pile onto the reality that no one will be joining YHC in this unruly expedition:

  • Joker – “South Mountain… as in Rea Road? Midriff… nothing says CSAUP like a solo adventure. Imagine the stories you can tell at the next beer mile.”
  • Flipper – “Somebody, ANYBODY, ppppuuuuuhlease go run the mountains with Midriff. I’m almost tempted to skip Ville to Ville so he won’t do it alone, but then Hoover would eat me.”
  • Unplugged – “Something about Midriff running the Appalachian Trail all in one day all by himself. He may need some buddies, a Kind bar, and/or medical attention or a helicopter or maybe somebody take him out for a beer instead.”
  • Hoover – “Forrest “Midriff” Gump is running on a mountain alone”

This event in 2020 was genuinely one of the highlights of the year. I wanted to share that similar experience with others this time around. After plugging this thing for months not a single soul joined in. I was disappointed. I was frustrated. I was beating myself up. I began comparing myself to other PAX and wondering what went wrong. I nearly took a few PAX up on the recommendation to simply cancel this year and pick it up again next year. My mind and spirit was in a dark place. Literally on the drive out Saturday morning I nearly turned around and threw in the towel, accepting logical defeat.

But I kept driving. While strapping on my pack and tying up my shoe laces, I realized my motivation to do this thing would have to come solely from inside. YHC would have to dig deep and confront the loudest voices of doubt and questioning largely on his own. You vs. you in the truest sense. Improvise. Adapt. Overcome. Midriff vs. Midriff

The Thang

  • Depart from High Shoals Parking lot at 0745. Nothing wakes you up in the morning like ascending 2,600 feet in the first hour. Unbridled optimism as I’m trotting on the ridgeline and taking in the gorgeous views. Back in the parking lot in 2 hours and 20 minutes. Didn’t see a single person on the trail. Loop 1 complete. 12 miles done. I just might be able to do this thing.
  • Stretch, load up on carbs, fuel and water before starting Loop 2. 20 minutes in and the calves start to tense up. Am I even going to be able to finish the next 8 miles?? Continue climbing for another hour and a half. This elevation is killing me. I’m back in cell service and my phone dings with text messages. This chain from the M puts my “suffering” in perspective – “I’m in labor longer than you run… And I’ve done that three times… This is just prelabor… Don’t take the epidural…” Finish loop 2 around 12:30. At this point I’m sprawled out behind the trunk of my car, banana peels and water bottles scattered on the ground. Strangers give me odd looks and avoid eye contact. Timer’s up, it’s time to hit the trail for the dreaded Lap 3.
  • If lap 2 was when my legs started to falter, lap 3 was when my legs, mind and spirit began to quit. 4 miles in and I’m cramping in muscles I didn’t even know existed in my legs. Keep pounding fuel and fluids. Each mile is becoming a race within itself. What began as a run is now something between stumbling and walking. My mind is dizzy as each passing minute reminds me that my pace is slowing. Is this where my body quits on me? What happens if I pass out? Who will find me in this barren place? Will I ever finish? 1.6 miles out and I finally see a post for the parking lot. There is light at the end of this tunnel. But no adrenaline to get there. Continue my hobble down the mountain. Finally, that glorious white Sonata is in sight. Lap 3 is finished. 31.6 miles. 8 hours, 17 minutes and 49 seconds. 5,595 calories. I’m done. I collapse in the parking lot until gathering the strength to cool off and dip my feet in the creek.
  • Garmin details if you want proof: https://connect.garmin.com/modern/activity/6624442120 But does it count if it’s not on Strava?

Reflections from the Mountain

  • Trail runs are double-edged swords. Much more natural beauty, scenes and sounds to take in and pass the time. But with it, comes the elevation up and the elevation down. That up and down destroyed me. Three days later and I’m still having a hard time walking down stairs.
  • The Beer Mile prepared me this run. In the sense of forcing myself to drink liquids and fuel to keep the energy up. Major props to Olaf for setting me up with the right nutrients and gummies to keep pushing. Thankfully no adverse health effects ( explosive diarrhea) to report from the Hammer Electrolytes Extreme to report for you Gummy.
  • This is the farthest I’ve ever run in my life. I really didn’t train for this other than going to lots of workouts, CSAUP’s and general F3 nonsensical events. Looking back, events like last year’s South Mountain Run, Makeshift Marathon, Waxhaw World Tour and March Madness challenge all helped push me to the point of being able to do this. One of the greatest pieces of advice given to me when I was new to F3 was to just finish. Don’t get stuck with unrealistic goals. Or expect easy success. Trust the process of hard work and sacrifice. Enjoy the journey. Don’t stop moving. In the end running a 50k is a lot like a pull-up – the best way to get good at it is to just do it.
  • I do not recommend doing this alone. I appreciate the men who challenged me to do this, and those that challenged me not to do this. In the end I chose to do this after considering my limits, prepping lots of fuel/equipment (having it ready and waiting at the parking lot at the end of each lap) and having a cell phone on me in the event of emergency. And most of all, God’s good and common grace.
  • For sure it sucked at times to not have experienced this with others. But I’m okay with that. Running this race alone gave more opportunities to test myself mentally and confront the doubting voices and fears head-on. And in those hardest moments I had to rely on the encouragement of others. From my wife, from friends, from family. Fredo, I’ll never forget you challenging me when I led the cinder block workout last month to stop telling myself “I can’t ____”. That stuck with me. While I may have ran alone Saturday, I knew I had a small army of people supporting me.

I’m already stoked for South Mountain in 2022. To the mountains we will go. To lose our minds and find our souls.

Into the mountains I go to lose my mind and find my soul: South Mountain CSAUP

Rewind back to February 2020. YHC has posted three times, each at Da Vinci. The gloom is daunting and getting the best of me. I nearly puke and pass out during my first workout (Heartbreaker Q on 2/22/2020) and the early start times. I’m challenged, curious, but still on the fence about this whole F3 cult community. During coffeeteria at Chick-Fil-A (remember when we could do this?) a strange moniker is mentioned – #CSAUP

CSPAN? Surf’s up? Sippy cup? I’m lost. What is this strange term and foreign acronym? Why are so many acronyms part of the daily F3 experience? Did Flipper really get his name at a CSAUP by tossing himself over a wheelbarrow? Why is Tuck involved in every single F3 CSAUP ever held?

While my mind is still spinning, I am informed about a completely unofficial, yet highly organized trip to the mountains for a run. Free. Only cost is sacrificing to show up, experience discomfort and the risk of failure. I’m hooked.

Looking back over a year ago, CSAUP is what really sealed the deal for me to dive deeper into this eclectic community. It captures to me the essence of what High Impact Men are all about. Understanding that at times we need to push ourselves beyond the daily confines, the comforts of our regular existence to new heights. New places of existence that we can only experience when arms are locked with another accelerating man. 

Gentlemen, I bring you the South Mountain CSAUP. Your opportunity to find a new resilience, a new strength within you. The chance to experience the beauty of creation and be inspired by the Creator. The taste of no-bake cookies, packaged pickles and cool gatorade served up in the back of a pickup truck before ascending for another lap. 

“Into the mountains we go, to lose our minds and find our souls”

What: Hike/Run/Ruck 10/20/30 miles at South Mountains State Park in Connelly Springs (1.5 hours from South Charlotte)

Route: Create your own adventure between 3 different loops (11.7 miles, 10 miles, 9.5 miles – details below) covering a total of ~5900 feet of elevation gain. Each loop starts and ends at the parking lot where someone’s pickup truck will have water and snacks (see below, bring a snack) for refueling before your next loop.

When: Saturday, April 17th. Gates to the park open at 7. We will chat a little, stretch, name any FNG’s and then start running promptly at 0715

Where: South Mountains State Park, High Shoals Parking Area (https://goo.gl/maps/DrA4wHzbuYrRdXE89)

Cutoff: There’s no official cutoff as this is not an official run but the guy with the pickup truck has to leave by 3:00 so if you’re not done by then the snacks/water will be gone. Otherwise, you are responsible for getting yourself home anyway so nothing else changes.

Who: PAX and 2.0’s from wherever. This is going to be a fun day of running/hiking in the mountains with friends both new and old.

Cost: If you haven’t been paying attention, this is unorganized and unofficial and therefore FREE. Please bring a snack to put in the backup of the pickup truck for your friends to try.

Interested? #southmountaincsaup on Slack for friendly banter. Add your name, etc. to this sheet so we can all have an idea of who’s coming: https://rebrand.ly/south_mountain_contact_list

***DISCLAIMER: To be clear, this is not an organized or official run/race/event. If you come, you are on your own and entirely responsible for your own safety and well-being. If you choose to run the same loops in the same order as us, awesome! But, as with all things F3, you are encouraged to modify as necessary to avoid personal injury and overall make good decisions with your life.

The loops/routes will NOT be marked. There will be GPX files available for those with fancy watches as well as printed maps and cue sheets available in some guys truck in the parking lot at South Mountain. Most carriers will have cell service out there so it is highly recommended that you carry your phone with you and common sense thoroughly suggests that you stick with a buddy.

Bottom Line: This is going to be a blast. If you haven’t been to South Mountains State Park before, you are really missing out. We will cover almost all of the trails there, including all the big views overlooking Jacob Fork Gorge, the 80-foot High Shoals waterfall, and the beautiful mountains of Western NC. Make up a route of your own, or just come eat snacks and high five your friends when they stop at the pickup truck.

Tentative Route Maps (to be finalized soon):
Full Route: www.plotaroute.com/route/993852 (31.2 miles / ~5,900 ft elevation gain)
First Loop: www.plotaroute.com/route/993743 (11.7 miles / ~2,100 ft elevation gain)
Second Loop: www.plotaroute.com/route/993851 (9.5 miles / ~1,700 ft elevation gain)
Third Loop: www.plotaroute.com/route/993748 (10 miles / ~2,100 ft elevation gain)

White Men Can’t Jump

9 Pax arose from the sack to take on the gloom. Point Break and YHC got in some early work on the #MarchMadnessChallenge.

Disclaimer and we’re off into the cool dark for a basketball inspired workout – focus on agility, stamina and explosive strength.

LAYUP DRILL – Mosey to AT&T parking lot: 32 SSH, 16 Hillbillies, 16 Arm Circles, 16 High Knees, 16 Mtn climbers, 32 SSH

FIRST QUARTER – Mosey to Old Navy parking lot, karaoke, side-to-side and high knees on the way. Killer B’s: Start on side walk, Broad Jump to middle line, Bear crawl to middle of next line, Burpee, Broad jump to next line, Bear crawl to final line, Burpee, hold plank until 6 is in. Repeat. Mosey to staircase

SECOND QUARTER – Called exercise at each of the corners up and down the stairs in circular motion. 16x16x16x16 Jump Squats, 8x8x8x8 Dwight Howards, 4x4x4x4 Knee ups, 2x2x2x2 8-count burpees, Side to side shuffle between exercises. Hold plank until 6 is in. Mosey back to Old Navy Lot.

THIRD QUARTER – Killer B’s: Start on side walk, broad jump to middle line, Bear crawl to middle of next line, 10 Bobby Hurleys, Broad jump to next line, Bear crawl to the end, 10 Bobby Hurleys, Mosey to Fountains

FOURTH QUARTER – Partner up for Dora 123. Partner 1 does exercise, while Partner 2 RUNS/SPRINTS to end of tree and back. 100 Box jumps (RUN). 200 LBC’s (SPRINT). 300 Jump Squats (RUN)

OVERTIME – 1 minute hollow body hold to finish

Moleskin

  • Shoutout to my #MarchMadness accountability brothers. Point Break for showing up early to get in some prework. Trickle for crushing the pullups with me after the workout. Fredo for challenging me to stick with this whole thing.
  • Smuggler was springing like a rabbit when we first started the Killer B’s. He stuck with it and stayed solid for the rest of the workout.
  • Great to see you back out in the gloom Lafawnduh after some extended recovery time. Big Ten respect!
  • While Das Boot fartsacked the workout, we honored him by paying respect to his legendary calf workout on the same stairs that we ascended for the 64x32x16x8 circuit repeats
  • Waterboy good to see you again after Body Shop last Thursday
  • If you ever need help installing a french drain, Wingman is your man. Just dug a full trench and installed his own in less than 3 hours. Then posts and crushes the workout. Respect
  • Appreciate the opportunity to lead Teddy. Appreciate your leadership of this site from Day 1. Love having this Monday morning option in the backyard.

Say Hello to My Little (cinderblock) Friend

2 cinder blocks and 18 PAX emerged from the fartsack for another day in Body Shop Paradise. Posse nearly ran us over on the way in – then again he drives a Prius, so we probably would have done more damage to that little thing. Smuggler, McGee and a few others joining in late were thoroughly confused to see everyone playing rock-scissors-paper as we split up into two teams. Two rules for the remainder of the workout:

  1. You must stick with your team while completing called exercises
  2. One member of the team must always be carrying a cinder block

Warmup: mosey to basketball court for 5 burpees. One lap around small track, 10 mountain climbers on the basketball court. Mosey to teacher’s parking lot for 20 merkins, run loop around the lot, then close out with 15 american hammers. This block is heavier than I remember…

Main Event: Capture the Flag Cone: Set up three stations from one side of parking lot to the other. Each pax must complete exercises at each station with cinder block before proceeding to next station. Teams must communicate and share the cinder block. Upon finishing the final station, sprint back to the other end of parking lot. Fastest pax grabs the cone. First team to grab the cone wins the round! It’s not the fastest or strongest team that win, but the one that communicates most effectively. 

Exercises at each cone:

  • 5 burpees
  • 20 squats
  • 15 mountain climbers
  • 20 squats
  • 20 merkins
  • 20 squats

After each round winning team completes one exercise, losing team completes one exercise. Round 1: 10 Mike Tysons/20 Carolina Dry Docks. Round 2: 20 big boy situps/20 LBC’s. Round 3: 30 LBC’s/30 Monkey Humpers. Assortment of mary between each round and before CoT.

T-claps/Truth Nuggets

  • Solid work by Team McGee and Team Posse. It’s incredible to me how much more we push each other when we’re competing towards a common goal. Consider these totals across the different exercises that each pax completed: 5o burpees, 135 mountain climbers, 200 merkins, 540 squats. This. is. nuts.
  • Really neat to see the teams adapt and improvise as each round went on. I think the strategy session between rounds helped. Despite getting blown out in the first round our team McGee rallied to get our act together for the final 2 rounds. Loved seeing how we worked more as a team to communicate when we could step in and relieve the person with the block. Would love to hear more from Team Posse in the chatter, as I was wrapped up in trying to keep up with my own team!
  • Waterboy and The Juice gave it their all for our team, absolutely gassed at the end of the third round. I still remember the first workout with The Juice – you’ve come a long way.
  • McGee backed up his unending mumblechatter with a rock solid performance. I’m not sure if he really broke a sweat during this workout. Loved seeing you and Smuggler put it all out there with the final sprints.
  • Fredo I needed the push from you in between rounds to keep going strong. Thanks for challenging me to not limit myself.
  • Very impressed by Young Blood NameTag and Herschel. They kept up and even led the pack at times. I told Herschel that it took me about 30 years to get to the point that I could keep up with these workouts.
  • Let’s take a moment to appreciate Posse’s pink (camo?) running tights
  • I brought out the cinder block to not only add weight to the workout, but to share a life lesson during COT. The cinder block represents the anxieties, the pressures, the struggles that we shoulder as broken men in a fallen world. Too often I believe the lie that I need to carry these weights alone rather than acknowledging them and graciously inviting others to carry them with me. I fall into the trap of believing I’m the only one carrying such a weight. When in reality, every man I surround myself with is facing similar, albeit different struggles. Just as the key to success in the Capture the Cone challenge was proactive communication, we succeed as men when we acknowledge our struggles and invite others into them in a gracious and loving way.
  • Through sharing the block, we acknowledge that we are not alone. We acknowledge that we cannot tackle our challenges alone. The block becomes an opportunity to lead, to serve and to be served. We follow the example of the greatest servant who carried the ultimate weight so that we might be freed to lead, and freed to serve.
  • Announcements: Rooster Race Saturday at 6:00 a.m. Teams still needed. Rice n beans service opportunities each week, chat more with Centerfold. Church on the Streets first Sunday of each month. Saturday morning SOB convergence at Stonehenge (no Da Vinci).
  • Thanks Das Boot, Centerfold and Boitano for your leadership of this site. As an SOB regular, I always cherish the opportunity to lead and kick it with the Waxhaw faithful.

midriff out

Am I supposed to be counting?

About 30 reps into the burpee hill repeats, Rousey posed the question to his partner “Am I supposed to be counting?!?” and I nearly lost it in laughter. With sore legs and shoulders from leading the charge at Bagpipe, it only made sense to do more leg and upper body work. Here’s how it went down:

  • Warmup: Side to side, butt kicks, high knees around the parking lot, 20 SSH’s, 20 imperial walkers, 10 mountain climbers, 10 merkins, 10 flutter, 10 doll
  • Mosey down the horn to rock pile: 15 plank jacks at stop sign. Partner 1: Complete 20 of each called exercise (Curls, Bent Over Row, Overhead Press) while Partner 2 runs to stop sign and back
  • Time to run back up the horn: With partner, complete 100 reps between mountain climbers and freddy mercuries, plank at the top
  • Here’s where the fun really began – repeats on the hill by parking lot: with partner complete 50 burpees, 100 jump squats, 100 merkins. Circle up for 35 LBC’s
  • Grab a seat at the theater: Each pax calls 10 count of single exercise while sitting on the wall

TIME!

Chatter of Mumble

  • Respect to MC, PP and Rousey for doubling down after Bagpipe yesterday. Hope you got your money’s worth between these two workouts! Instead of doubling down today, Tagalong is saving his energy for Friday
  • Speaking of Rousey, your energy is fantastic! From hijacking the 10-count from Wingman (his expression was priceless) to your comment during burpee hill repeats – your energy is endless and contagious. You bring the pep to our collective step, don’t dial that energy back. As for the cadence counting and exicon knowledge, that will come in due time.
  • Great to see the some of the garage band crew out on the streets. Commish and Twister, great to see you out again in the gloom. Maybe Strange Brew will soon make his triumphant return
  • Jerry World, love how you’ve jumped right into these workouts head first. Keep coming out, and definitely check out Bagpipe on Tuesdays as well. Impressed that you were at the front for most of the work and able to keep Mic Check honest
  • Mic Check you have a knack for bringing up the young bucks and challenging us to dig deeper
  • Appreciate you Brexit for making the trek to SOB land
  • Solid conversation with you Jazz Hands after CoT. Brings me great joy to connect with other dads in the thick of raising little ones.
  • Wingman called me a SOB, and I receive that as a great compliment!
  • Patent Pending called me his personal trainer, which I will also take as a compliment
  • Grateful for you as brothers and friends!

Announcements

  • Roof Above home welcome kits. $/item collection will start soon. More details forthcoming to simplify the giving process. Lots of homeless friends in our Charlotte neighborhood that are making the transition to longer-term housing.
  • Soft Pretzel on Q at Nightmare on Elm
  • YHC took us into the day with prayer

Until next time

Bagpipe Bridge Ices Before Road

2 cinder blocks and 7 PAX emerged from the fartsack to begin at 0530 sharp to kick off another day in Bagpipe Paradise. Two latecomers arrived on the scene and emphasized their readiness to begin, despite being late (Frehley’s and Kirby). Match up with someone in similar gait/strength/tenacity for rock-paper-scissors. Split up into two teams, winners on one, losers on the other. Brief disclaimer before we’re off. Two rules for the remainder of the workout:

  1. You must stick with your team while completing called exercises
  2. One member of the team must always be carrying a cinder block

Warmup

  • stay at launch for 5 burpees
  • mosey to hotel parking lot for 10 mountain climbers
  • mosey to bridge over river for 15 squats (ICE!)
  • mosey to Lance’s parking lot for 20 merkins

Main Event: Capture the Flag Cone

  • Set up three stations between parking lot and wall on other side
  • Each pax must complete exercises at each station with cinder block before proceeding to next station
  • Teams must communicate and share the cinder block
  • Upon finishing the final station, sprint back to other end of parking lot. Last team mate in grabs the cone. First team to grab the cone wins the round!
  • Stated Exercises at each Cone
    • 5 burpees (40 total)
    • 20 squats (480 total)
    • 15 mountain climbers (120 total)
    • 20 squats
    • 20 merkins (160 total)
    • 20 squats
  • After reach round winning team completes exercise, losing team completes exercise
    • Round 1 Winners: Wall sit and 20 shoulder presses
    • Round 1 Losers: Balls to the wall until winning team is done with shoulder presses
    • Round 2 Winners: 10 Mike Tysons
    • Round 2 Losers: 20 Donkey Kicks
    • Round 3 Winners: Mosey to collect cones
    • Round 3 Losers: 10 big boy situps

Mosey back to launch, al gore after Einstein’s and lunge walk back to my car, where the cinder blocks were returned, despite overwhelming desire among pax to shatter my windows in response to the workout

T-claps/Truth Nuggets

  • Despite pre-running the route to set up the cones, there was ice over the bridge. Grateful that no one had a slip and tumble, particularly while carrying cinder blocks. I definitely did not include this in my disclaimer
  • Solid work by Team 1 – Cooter, Sweetwater, Tagalong, Frehley’s, and Kirby (Round 1) who swept with 3 wins to none for Team 2 (YHC, Rousey, Mic Check, PP, Kirby (Round 2+3)
  • At one point Sweetwater was shirtless knocking out the exercises, this was obviously the key to Team 1’s success
  • Loved the friendly competition and friendlier banter, particularly when Mic Check and Frehley’s were going at it after the first round. There were accusations of cheating, until Frehley’s realized that his team had won the round
  • Very impressed by Kirby’s active leadership throughout the competition, he really directed the pax on both sides to communicate and collaborate
  • We ended with a total of 40 burpees, 480 squats (!!), 120 mountain climbers, 160 merkins and 2 miles running in 45 minutes. That’s some impressive efficiency and speaks to how we bring out the best in each other and challenge each other to push in a way we would not do on our own
  • I brought out the cinder block to not only add weight to the workout, but to share an object lesson just before COT. The cinder block represents the anxieties, the pressures, the struggles that we shoulder as broken men in a fallen world. Too often I believe the lie that I need to carry these weights alone rather than acknowledging them and graciously inviting others to carry them with me. I fall into the trap of believing I’m the only one carrying such a weight. When in reality, every man I surround myself with is facing similar, albeit different struggles. Just as the key to success in the Capture the Cone challenge was proactive communication, we succeed as men when we acknowledge our struggles and invite others into them in a gracious and loving way. Through sharing the block, we acknowledge that we are not alone. We acknowledge that we cannot tackle our challenges alone. The block becomes an opportunity to lead, to serve and to be served. We follow the example of the greatest servant who carried the ultimate weight so that we might be freed to lead, and freed to serve. This is the way
  • Thank you Soft Pretzel for offering a conversation and time together after sharing about my recent challenges
  • Always grateful for the opportunity to lead Cooter2

Haiku Blast

In the gloom we rise
Squat, crawl, push on wet pavement
Cold hands, feet, burning heart

P-p-p-poker face, p-p-poker face

As the great philosopher Stefani Joanne Angelina Germanotta once said:

“I wanna hold ’em like they do in Texas, please
Fold ’em, let ’em hit me, raise it, baby, stay with me”

So the journey began. A good ole round of cards at the Brave.

The Thang

Mosey to parking lot next to AAA: butt kicks, high knees and karaoke on the way. Circle up for 20 SSH’s, 20 Mtn. Climbers, 20 LBC’s and 20 Squats

Ready to deal! Utilize F3 Deck of playing cards. Each ramp in a parking deck, pull a card, perform the exercise and reps on the card. Ace = 100 reps, Royal = 25 reps, Cards = # + 10 reps, Joker = 50 reps of PAX’s choice

Mosey to parking deck #1 for Spades (Legs): 12 bulgarian squats, 15 standing lunges, 25 squats and 50 rosalitas (Wild Turkey’s choice)

Mosey to parking deck #2 for Diamonds (Upper body): 100 arm circles, 19 ranger merkins, 13 church norris merkins, 14 carolina dry docks, 18 merkins, 17 derkins. This parking deck (by Cabo Fish Taco) is a beast

Mosey to parking deck #3 for Hearts (Cardio): 18 squat thrusts, backwards run up each ramp (Kirby’s favorite), 25 plank jacks, 25 mtn. climbers

Mosey to parking deck #4 for Clubs (Core): 18 luges, 25 freddie mercury’s, 17 LBC’s, 50 Rosalita’s (Frehley’s choice). Mix in additional cardio on way back down: 100 meter karaoke, 100 meter bear crawl

Mosey to launch: finish with 2 100-meter AYG sprints, 6-inches on your six for 30 seconds until time.

Moleskin

  • This was a fun one. Lots of chatter, wheeling and dealing in between exercises. Easy for YHC to execute, apart from trying to not mix up all the cards and drop them in between decks
  • There were four exercises that we were not familiar with, enjoyed learning new exercises and variations
  • Taco Stand has really stepped up his tights game, the whole group was raving about Taco’s high fashion for the first 10 minutes. He led the pack for much of the workout and has been putting in solid miles recently. Agree with you entirely about MJ being the greatest. LBJ isn’t even close
  • Frehley’s dropped some bombs in the parking deck, without proper notification for safe distancing. Fortunately YHC was not caught in his wake, but others suffered. T claps to this long-time Braver for posting 6 times this week! I hope to be in such good shape when I’m your age
  • Jazz Hands continues to quietly crush these Brave workouts. Good to see you again in the gloom
  • Wild Turkey didn’t even work up a sweat with this one. Consistently leading the pack and the first one down and the first one up. YHC has never seen this man out of breath. The Turkey is swift, sly and always ready to strike.
  • Sweet Water will soon be releasing his patented away-from-home hotel workout regiment. Despite being on the road for work travel, he logs over 12,000 steps a day basically doing burpees and sprinting every minute that he’s not in a meeting. PAX didn’t stand a chance when we ran sprints at the end.
  • Kirby, you brought the chatter and humor this morning. Much appreciated as it kept us engaged through the repetition. Grateful for your leadership in the area of 3rd F.
  • A conversation Wild Turkey and I had a few weeks ago has really stuck with me. We were processing recent political events and trying to make sense of our varied emotions.Why is our country so divided? Why is this moment so painful? A friend shared an article with me that really resonated with me. At COT I shared a few truth nuggets with the group:
  • “The lockdowns are merely the apex of a mountain of isolation that too many Americans are perched upon. Too many have no church, no lodge, no bowling league, no ice cream social. Their eyes do not even land upon their neighborhood or neighbors.
  • Instead, atomized Americans long forced home and tuned in on screens can only watch the fury spilling on the streets of their nation. They lack the social and community means to soothe their country and calm its extreme elements.
  • They stare at their own hand as the entire world pours into their consciousness. They choose sides. Once chosen, a tribe is inscribed upon them. There is no greater shame in our modern world than changing one’s mind.
  • It doesn’t matter which side is right, because both are suffering. What Americans lack has nothing to do with politics. We lack meaning. The conservative may love liberty, but in and of itself liberty does not give meaning to our lives. The same is true for progressives and their search for perfect equity.
  • The irony of the digital age is that never has everyone known as many people and never have they felt so alone. Perhaps the problem isn’t racism, crime, climate change, or religious liberty. Perhaps the problem is civic life itself.
  • What if the problem is not that we are so divided? When have we not been? What if the problem is that we have never been so isolated?
  • Look up. Look up to see your neighbors. Look up to see the miracle of breezes fanned by swaying branches, to the shifting snow falling faintly. Look up to God. Know that you have meaning.” 

*end of soapbox*

Thanks brothers for the deep conversation after the workout this am. I needed it. And I needed to hear the struggles and joys from Frehleys and Kirby who are pressing into hard conversations. Always grateful to lead. It’s a gift.

Announcements

  • Escobar clothes collection: Kirby and War Eagle can take goods
  • Roof Above Home Warming Boxes: chat with Kirby for information
  • Blood Drive!
  • Reminder to reach out to a friend for help. We each need someone to lock shields with. Kirby and Paper Jam are ready and willing to chat

midriff out

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