Author Archive Stage Coach

Just Push It. How Hard Can It Be?

You can tell Spring is here as the weather has turned.  With the warmer temperatures, 34 guys ventured out of the fartsack to see what all the fuss was about at Death Valley.  The shovel flag was planted and off we went.

Start off with a little jog around the parking lot.

COP:

  • SSH x 25
  • Double Burpees x 10 OYO
  • Mountain Climber x 25
  • Plank Jacks x 25
  • Seal Jacks x 25
  • Count off by 5’s  – I think this was the hardest exercise of the day

THANG:

Head over to Tiger Rag’s car to pick up 1 plate for each group.  Down to the track.

Round 1:

  • P1 – Starts hair burners around track
  • P2-Pn – 10 burpees then run and catch P1.
  • Rotate all partners thru going all the way around the track.
  • At finish line, do LBC’s until all groups finish

Round 2:

  • P1 – Starts hair burners around track
  • P2-Pn – 10 wide arm merkins then run and catch P1.
  • Rotate all partners thru going all the way around the track.
  • At finish line, LBC’s or some other ab exercise until all groups finish

Round 3:

  • P1 – Starts hair burners around track
  • P2-Pn – 10 jump squats then run and catch P1.
  • Rotate all partners thru going all the way around the track.
  • At finish line, LBC’s or some other ab exercise until all groups finish

Round 4:

  • P1 – Starts hair burners around track
  • P2-Pn – 10 groiners then run and catch P1.
  • Rotate all partners thru going all the way around the track.
  • At finish line, LBC’s or some other ab exercise until all groups finish

Quick Mary:

  • Dolly x 25
  • Protractor
  • 1 legged Dolly x 10 each leg

Back to the lot for COT

Moleskin:

  • Okay, so counting off by 5’s (which should have formed 7 groups) was more difficult that you might think.  There was even some engineer in the crowd saying we should have 5 groups because we are counting off by 5’s.  My intent was 7 groups of 5 (actually 1 group would have 4), but somehow we ended up with 5 groups anyway???  Not sure how that happened, but it all worked fine.  I think we all appreciated having a couple extra in each group.
  • It didn’t take long to be reminded that pushing weight plates are not as easy as you might think.  TR must have put glue on the bottom of our group’s…at one point he was pushing with all his might but was stuck.  I think someone (Fireman Ed or Brown maybe?) went flying over the plate when it came to a screeching halt.
  • 1 mile of hair burners.  The weinke was nice and simple, but that doesn’t mean it was easy.  Strong work by everyone this morning.
  • Not sure where Wolman went.  He was in YHC’s group but I didn’t see him after round 1.  I think he must have joined a larger group to reduce the reps on the plate.  Smart move.  Although he wasn’t in COT either??  Someone joked it was harder than Spearhead.
  • T-claps to the 2 FNG’s who posted this morning.  That was a heck of a way to start your F3 experience.  Hope to see you back out soon.
  • Sound off in the comments if you have any other amusing things to share.

Announcements:

  • We’re looking for some support from the men of F3 Nation to help with a Trips for Kids Ride on Saturday 4/5.  We’re taking about 15 of the kids from the AG Middle School Bulldogs Matter tutoring program for a morning of mountain biking at Francis Beatty Park. Contact Far Side (Frank.Larsen@cbre.com) if you think you can help out.
  • New 3rd F Group: Threshold starts today Wednesday, April 2nd at Noon – Morrison Cafeteria bldg. – “True Measure of a Man” by R.E. Simmons, III. Site Q’s: Semi-Gloss & Splinter
  • HDHH tonight on the road at Bradshaw Social House, 6pm
  • F3 golf – sign up
  • Mud run bus transportation sign up. Contact Stagecoach with questions.
  • BRR – contact Baracus if interested in being a sub.

Area 51/Fort – Mud Run Prep Items

2014 Spring USMC Leatherneck Mud Run

Who:                     500+ men across F3 nation including 60 from Area 51 and 12 from The Fort

What:                    Mud run course covering 10K and 36 obstacles

Where:                 Columbia, SC

When:                  Saturday, April 12 (F3 nation starts launching around 0730)

Why:                     CSAUP

Transportation:

Departure location:

  • Area 51 PAX – South Charlotte Middle School, 8040 Strawberry Ln, Charlotte, NC 28277
  • Fort PAX – Baxter (Lowes parking lot on SC 160, I-77 exit 85)

Departure Time:

  • Area 51 PAX – Arrive to SCMS at 0445 with departure at 0500
  • Fort PAX only – Arrive at Baxter at 0500 for departure at approximately 0515-0520

Return:  Planned departure from Columbia by 1100 with arrival back to SCMS by 1300.

Payment:  If you haven’t paid your transportation fee yet, please do so here by Friday, April 4.  Area 51 Mud Run Bus Payment

Sundries:  Champagne on Q.  Planning on beer, water, Gatorade, bananas and other snacks to take care you pre and post race.

Note:  Both buses will depart from SCMS, but one bus will make a brief stop in Baxter to pick up the 12 Fort guys.

Other things to know

All runners must complete the Leatherneck waiver.  I will bring extras, but it’s best if you complete early and bring with you.

F3 Tent:

  • F3 will have a tent this year inside the race perimeter.  This will serve as a rally point and a place to hang before the race.  Guys can leave their stuff (change of clothes, towels, etc.) at our tent and we’ll have some volunteers looking after it while we are on the course.
  • Post-race coffeeteria:  We will have refreshments (alcoholic and non), snacks, our t-shirts, and lots of 2nd F under the tent after the race.

Parking:

  • Our buses will have VIP parking so unlike years past we’ll be parked up front.

F3 Wiki-Mud – A great resource put together by fellow F3 PAX experienced in the Leatherneck.  It contains useful information about the course, obstacles and what gear you should wear.  Read it!

Deck Squats

20 guys left Death Valley today felling strong and buff.

Start off with a little jog, high knees, butt kicks and karaoke around the parking lot.

COP:

  • Arm Circles – Forward, Backward, small and large circles
  • Mountain Climbers x 20
  • Plank walk CW/CCW – There was some confusion by YHC on whether CCW meant left or right
  • Plank Jacks x 20
  • 10 Burpees OYO
  • Deck Squats x 10 (There was a motion to rename those to spine grinder)
  • SSH x 24
  • IW x 26

THANG:

Head toward the baseball field, but stop at the steps for:

  • Partner wheel barrow up the steps x 2 rounds each pax
  • Partner over/under x 10 each pax

Mosey over to the bleachers.

Circuits

Round 1:

  • Jump Squats x 20
  • CDD x 20
  • Step ups x 20 each leg
  • Complete 3 rounds
  • AFTER the 3rd round, run 1 lap on track around baseball      field

Round 2:

  • Diamond Merkins x 20
  • Deck Squats x 20 (op out is 50 LBC’s)
  • Merkin Jacks x 20
  • Complete 3 rounds
  • AFTER the 3rd round, run 1 lap on track around baseball field

Lastly, 5 x 1 legged burpees on each leg.

COT

Moleskin:

  • First of all, what was up with Wofman’s head gear this morning.  I literally couldn’t even see any skin on his face.  I had to ask who it was???
  • The puzzled looks on everyone’s faces this morning was priceless when I started COP with arm circles.  I thought warming the shoulders up was a good idea knowing the plank work to follow.
  • And on the plank walk, I must have been delirious when I couldn’t even get the CCW part straight.  In my defense, it seems different when you are horizontal instead of vertical.
  • There was a motion to rename the deck squat to spine grinder.  I would be in favor.
  • Someone said YHC had been on you tube last night to find the deck squats.  And I think someone (Spackler maybe?) used one of Long Distance’s phrases, “I’m not doing that.”  Of course I can’t incorporate the accent into the text.
  • The wheel barrow up the steps might have been difficult, but I saved everyone from DK’s calls for bear crawling down the steps.
  • Somehow, the chatty crowd quieted down when we got to the bleachers.  It must have been the seemingly 400 step ups we did.  Or maybe guys were busy counting so they could be sure they were NOT cheating.
  • Again, 20 step ups each leg….and the lap is after the 3rd round only…and the lap is up the steps and on the gravel road around the perimeter of the baseball field.

Announcements:

  • Two new 3rd F groups starting soon.  One in the Southpark area and one in Ballentyne.  Both will be lunch time.  Look for these announcements in the weekly email.
  • F3 has reserved several tables for the annual YMCA community prayer breakfast on Thursday, April 24.  Cougar from the Metro region is organizing.
  • F3 golf – still plenty of sponsorship opportunities.  See Cottonmouth for details.

Lead Hecklers: Statler and Waldorf

— Posted on behalf of Sussudio —

Sussudio stepped up for his first time Q on a soggy and chilly morning.  25 pax gathered to heckle, I mean support, him.

Distance ran 3.2miles,980 calories burned.

1 Lap of track

Circle up
In con cadence
25 side saddle hop
25 Merkins
25 Squats
On your own
25 lbc
Pair up same size, weight and speed.
Partner 1 leapfrog over Partner 2 then crawl under legs 10 Reps
1 then runs 40yards and back
2 does lbc until 1 comes back
Flap jack.
1)10, lbc  touching shoulders of 2 on way up, 2) kneels on 1 toes.
1 then runs 40yards and back 2 does hand release Merkins
Flap jack
1) carries 2 piggy back 40yards
2 carries 1 back
1) does wheelbarrow 2 holds go 40 flapjack
Repeat last two
Jog to halfway on track.
1 runs around track to half way on other side, 2 meets him there by slow jog across field.
flap jack
Repeat 3 times.
20 Merkins
10 knees to chest
Jog back to parking lot
20 Merkins
20 Dolly Parton/ the flutter combined.
5 different stretches

Moleskin:

  • Sloppy conditions this morning, especially for all exercises done on the football (or futball) field.
  • Classic heckling dished out to Sussudio on his first Q.  It started with COP (what is con cadence anyway?).  The instructions and demonstrations really opened the door for some humor to crude to report here.   The circle for Mary and stretching is where it really got interesting this morning.  There were calls for more manly exercises, there were comparisons to 13 year old girls, and there was a near argument with the Q to call burpees (deck squats were called instead).
  •  To top it off this morning, after the workout Semi-Gloss discovered that his car battery was dead.  And it was really dead since Spackler’s jumper cables didn’t help at all.  AAA was called and came to the rescue.  The question is did AAA arrive before school started, or did Semi-Gloss have to face all the smart-arse middle schoolers getting off the bus as they arrive for school?  Hey creepy old guy, what are you doing here?  In all seriousness, glad to report SG was taken care of by AAA.

Announcements:

  • Still seeking a few more to sign up for the last BRR team.  See Baracus ti sign up.
  • Be sure to check weekly email and Area 51 twitter feeds regularly

 

Who moved the PAX?

The VSF was planted as five weary pax gathered in the morning gloom.  Talk of the GRT guys got us pumped up and ready to begin.

Jog over to the Yellow Rose lot.

COP:

  • 1 legged burpees x 10 (R)
  • SSH x 25
  • IW x 25
  • Mountain Climber x 20
  • Plank walk – 1 circle around COP CW
  • Mountain Climber x 15
  • Plank walk – 1 circle around COP CCW
  • Peter Parker x 15
  • Parker Peter x 15

Hill Work:

  • Run hill, stopping at 3 telephone poles on the way up and down hill to perform called exercise
  • Exercises:
    • Hill – Hand Release Merkins x 10 each stop
    • Hill – Flutters x 20 each stop
    • Hill – Double Burpees x 10 each stop

Mosey to parking lot

  • Butt raises x 15 each leg (lay down with one foot on bench and other foot in air, raise butt)
  • LBC x 20
  • Rinse and repeat

Hand the Q baton off to Runstopper

Little baby jog over to the shopping center lot.

Suicide runs:

  • Run to first island (25 yards) and back, then second island (50 yards) and back.  Complete 3 consecutive rounds

Lunge Walk mosey over to the steps by Tuesday Morning

  • Bear crawl up, bear crawl down
  • Lunge walk up, backwards lunge walk down

At the side walk, jog around sidewalk back to the school entrance.  At telephone poles and corners, stop for various exercises.

  • Burpees x 10, x 15, x 25
  • Wide Arm Merkins x 10,  Regular Merkins x 15, Diamonds x 20
  • Jump Squats x 10, x 15, x 20

Head over to the wall for some people’s chair.  Two rounds of roughly 2 minutes felt like 15 minutes.

Mosey over around the wall out of sight for cool down stretch and some yoga poses.  We didn’t want to be seen doing that.  I’m sure YHC’s form was terrible.

YHC likes balance, so we have to get in the 1 legged burpees x 10 (L) that we missed in COP.  I feel better now.

COT

Moleskin:

  • As Runstopper ran along the tree line near the parking lot, he sees 4 or 5 downed trees.  Thinking of GRC, he considers the logs but wisely choses to leave them in the woods.  There are only 5 of us after all.  Maybe next time.
  • When doing suicides, it’s always best to ignore the nice orange cones conveniently left for us and instead use the parking lot islands as markers.
  • Enter a little CLT trivia by Skywalker…anyone know what Tuesday Mornings used to be?  YHC answered Monday night.  Correct answer is Food Lion.
  • We had the fastest COT ever.  I think we all wanted to beat the Rock and Ascent guys to the Starbucks line.
  • With a small group this morning, the second F was in full force.  I enjoyed it fellas.

Announcements:

  • None were mentioned.  Check the weekly email and twitter for Area 51 updates.

Chicken Biscuits!

Posted on behalf of Gummy….
14 men descended upon The Rock for a Saturday morning workout.
Gummy on Q
Warmup:
Jog to parking lot
SSH x 21
Slow Squat x 20
Mountain Climber x 20
The Thang
Mosey to parking lot closest to 51
Modified Beast using each median (7?) to perform 6x called exercise, then sprint back.
Repeat 4 times with Jump Squats, Merkins, Sister Mary Catherines and Carolina Dry Docks
Plank between sets (we may have needed a 10 count once)
Mosey to church walls for active recovery People’s Chair for 2 minutes
Mosey to the nearby rock pile. Partner up and select a manly rock.
Catch me if you can around the church. Partner 1 takes off with the rock, Partner 2 does 10 merkins and chases down Partner 1. Flapjack around the church.
Back at rock pile, Partner 1 runs around the loop while Partner 2 does squats. Flapjack. Repeat with calf raises.
Mosey to north face, handoff Q to Tadpole
Partner 1 bear crawl up crab walk down, partner 2 burpees, repeat. Partner 1 run up, tumble down, partner 2 burpees. Reverse lunge walk up 10 derkins, run up rest of way.
Run to soccer fields, partner up, wheelbarrow between trash cans 10 wheel barrow merkins at half way, flap jack. Repeat once.
Mosey up pavilion, 2 sets of 20 dips, 15 irkins, 10 jump ups
Circle up outside pavilion, 40 flutters, 15 dollies, hold 15 seconds, 30 lbc, mosey to parking lot, 5 burpees
Moleskin
Great workout this morning, and great effort by the PAX, especially from the FNGs. We needed a 10 count during the first 15 minutes, so clearly we got after it right away. We found a nice new rock pile to pull from. Agony later regretted letting Kirk choose their team’s rock. Tadpole tried to be creative with the pain on the North Face, but the old guys were too whiny. Strange Brew was fresh off a flight in from India and got the Mary that he asked for, thanks to Tadpole. It’s nice of our site hosts to arrange for the concession stand to be available during the workout – the chicken biscuit delivery arrived while Tadpole had us under the pavilion. That’s a feature not even the fancy private school sites of Joust and The Charge can offer. Welcome to two FNGs Pitino and Armani (started as Armanti since he’s an App State grad, but I misunderstood, so there). Great sendoff by Tadpole – it was good leading with you.
Announcements:
Coffeeteria after workout at Piper Glen Starbucks

THE BURPEE MOUNTAIN!!!!

30 Men Welcomed a little warmer weather.

Mosey to the track

Butt-kickers, Knee Tucks, Karaoke Left and Right.

Circle up for COP:

  • 30 SSH – Cadence (maybe)
  • 26 Imperial Walkers – Cadence
  • 15 Merkins – On your own
  • 20 Mountain climbers – Cadence

Main Event:

Count off in fours

4 pain stations on the corners of football field

1st round:

  • 10 Merkins – Site one
  • 10 CDD – Site two
  • 10 LBC’s – Site three
  • 10 Flutters each leg – Site four
  • Run to the middle after completing yours 10 burpees run back to your site and the proceed to the next one.
  • Do this for 15 Minutes to see how far you can get

2nd Round – Increase:

  • 15 Merkins – Site 1
  • 20 CDD – Site 2
  • 40 LBC’s – Site 3
  • 40 Flutters each leg – Site 4
  • Run to the middle after completing each one 10 burpees again, run back to the previous spot and proceed to the next station.

Mosey around for a little clean up

Head to the parking lot for a little mary:  100 LBC’s on your own.

Moleskin:

  • Spring is starting to come but these mornings are still a little cold.  I felt that the men needed a little running because the listening skills at the beginning weren’t there yet, Mumble Chatter was at a max level for sure.
  • On the mosey down Saltlick was talking about the Burpees and how he hated them, oh if he only knew.  The run was simple enough but the pax almost turned on me when the cadence was a little off.  I am sure there will be a cadence you tube video in my email at some point.  After the COP, the pax quickly shifted into work out mode.  Instructions were given and the pax picked up quickly which was good because YHC was a little O2 deprived.  First 15 minutes there was a little complaining and almost an audible called but we pushed through.
  • After the first round, I decided to increase the limits and there was mention by TR for 100 lbc’s.  The mutiny was about to commence when I lowered it a little.  The pax weren’t excited about the burpee situation for the middle but they kept it going thanks for the support!
  • There was way too much O2 deprivation to try and do some mary so the 100 LBC’s from before came back up.  I believe everyone made it through.

Announcements:

  • Centurion anniversary This Friday.  Runstopper promises a ton of FUN!

Gopher

Thirty dudes posted at Death Valley for the latest installment of the Gopher workout.  Some have done this workout before and some had not.  All suffered from O2 deprivation though.  10 guys (I think I got everyone) posted to swing some heavy metal beforehand….with tunes!

Jog down to football field to launch the Gopher. 

COP:

  • SSH x 20
  • Imperial Walkers x 20
  • Mountain Climber 20
  • Explain the gopher workout

THANG:

Half mile loop around the South Charlotte Middle School athletic fields with 7 pain stations completed each lap:

     1) Bear crawl 50 yds. across football field.

     2) 25 LBC’s

     3) Lunge walk to end zone and complete 25 merkins.

     4) Run around track to opposite end zone and complete 25 merkins.

     5) Run to baseball field and complete 25 dips.

     6) Complete 20 up and over railing hops.

     7) Run up steps to concession stand and complete 15 burpees then run back to start line.

Repeato until 0615.

COT

Moleskin:

  • After tweeting out last night that today would be the Gopher workout, I was met with questions this morning about what is the Gopher.  You’ll see.
  • It was difficult to tell in the dark, but I think it was Joker (in the fuzzy wool vest), Salt Lick and Soul Glo crushing the course.  Strong work, fellas.
  • T-claps to Bulldog and Cottonmouth, who sported their cool ruck sacks throughout the workout.  Of course, everyone else believes they were probably empty.  Or maybe they just had snacks in there.
  • The group was pretty spread out today, so I didn’t hear too much mumble chatter.  Purple Haze, The Shore and I were in agreement that we couldn’t wait to get to the LBC’s as that seemed like a break.  Sound off in the comments with other observations. 

Announcements:

Where is everyone?

Men all over Area 51 looked out the window when they awoke this morning and had a decision to make.  9 pax decided to deny the fartsack in order to get their daily downPAINment.  5 even showed up for the KB pre-work.

 Warm-up lap around the parking lot.  Throw in some high knees and butt kicks for good measure. 

COP:

  • 1 legged burpees x 7 each leg
  • Slerkin (slow merkin) x 15 (hold it)
  • Mountain Climber x 20 (hold it)
  • Plank walk CW/CCW
  • SSH x 25
  • Imperial Walkers x 24

THANG:

Find a partner (size doesn’t matter) for merkinfest:

  • Partner A does 20 merkins while Partner B does squats until partner A is done. Flapjack.  Repeat with 19 merkins, then 18…all the way down to 1. That’s 210 merkins each.
  • Star-plank until everyone finishes

Mosey over to concession area.

  • People’s chair x 60 sec.
  • Wall plank (keep it as horizontal as possible) x 20 sec.
  • Wall mountain climbers x 10
  • Rinse and repeat

Welcome, Skywalker.  Glad you could join us.  You should knock out 210 merkins to catch up.

Jog down to the track and gather by bleachers.  Run ½ way around track to other bleachers and complete called exercise until last guy finishes 20 reps.  Run ½ way around track back to starting point and complete same called exercise until last guys finishes 20 reps.  Repeat for a total of 4 laps around track.  Called exercises:

  • Lap 1 – Ski Abs x 20
  • Lap 2 – Heels to Heaven x 20
  • Lap 3 – Dolly x 20
  • Lap 4 – Flutter x 20

1 minute left – 10 burpees OYO

COT

 Moleskin:

  • The strong thunderstorms rolling through Charlotte at about 2 a.m. must have caused most to second-guess their plans to post this morning.  If it makes you feel better, there was only a light drizzle for a few minutes of the KB workout, then no rain the rest of the workout.
  • So, Bananas sends out a tweet yesterday for the KB pre-work at Death Valley this morning.  There was even mention of a focus on arms so clearly he had a plan in mind.  Good Hands stops to pick up Bananas at his house this a.m., texting him to come on.  Nothing, dark, no sight of Bananas!
  • Skywalker sets a new Area 51 record for being late to a workout.  He strolled in at about 5:55, which most pax (YHC included) would question should they even bother posting.  Glad you decided to post anyway.  You still owe us 210 merkins. 

 Announcements:

  • F3 Mentoring program will be launching soon (details:  http://f3nation.com/2014/02/12/f3-mentoring-program-2014/).  Reach out to Skywalker if you have any questions.
  • HDHH tonight, 6 pm at The Lodge – Check Twitter this afternoon
  • Blue Ridge Relay sign-ups going on now.  Don’t miss out!  Contact Baracus to sign up or with questions.

Better late than never

11 pax ignored contore and posted for a slop fest known as mud run prep day at Outland.  Actually, it would have been 12, but 1 left for a 10:00 commitment.  More on that in the moleskin.

COP:

  • SSH x 23
  • IW x 23
  • Slow Merkins x 20
  • Squats x 20
  • Hand Release Merkins x 15

Brief explanation of the course.  Mostly, read the posted signs along the way and follow the bright orange arrows, which the white snow provided the perfect backdrop.

 

Obstacles:

  1. Over the fence, 10 burps, run along outfield fence, over fence, 10 burps
  2. Bear crawl approx. 50 yards to access road toward Shiloh elementary school
  3. Over fence, 10 burpees, lunge walk 1 lap around track, over fence, 10 burpees
  4. After a decent run to SVHS practice field, high crawl approx. 100 yards (this turned out to be a disaster as it was flooded with ice, snow and mostly icy puddles)
  5. Grab a rock from and over the fence into the stadium.  Two laps around the track, but also up and down stadium stairs covering each aisle of bleachers of the home and away sidelines.  Over fence and return rock.
  6. Partner carry approx. 100 yards.
  7. Obstacle course:
  • Climb up and over the double pull-up bar
  • Over the 6 ft. wall
  • Over and under parallel telephone poles
  • Over 7 ft. wall
  • Balance beam walk
  • High knees thru the tires (of course there was muddy water in the tires)
  • Incline sit-ups x 20
  • Walk across the vertical poles
  • Over to field for 20 dips and 20 supine pull-ups
  • Back thru the obstacle course again

Back to shovel flag

Moleskin:

  • The morning gloom started off with a light rain to go along with the cold temps and residual snow/ice on the ground.  As CT and YHC walked the course beforehand, the drizzle stopped and it turned out to be a decent morning.
  • Major T-claps to Countertop for coming up with the workout.  It was a great use of the expansive campus.  It sounds like this could be a regular workout for the Outland crew.
  • 3 pax just couldn’t wait for the beat down, so they showed up early for some KB pain.  YHC is not exactly sure where Hairband went though.  He showed for the 6:15 KB workout, then left to get to a 10:00 appointment.  I guess maybe it was in Raleigh!
  • Great effort by all the pax today.
  • Shout out to Rickshaw (13) who looked strong all the way up to the point where he lost his shoe on the final run to the shovel flag.
  • Major thanks go out tho the Fort guys who made the long trek to take part.

Announcements:

  • There are still spots available for the Go Ruck Challenge on 3/14.  See Dora for details.
  • About 8-9 more need to fill out another BRR team.  Contact Baracus for details.

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