12 men of purpose gathered in the gloom determined to faithfully steward the parts of creation they were predestined to tend. As iron sharpens iron, they intended to push each other a little bit further than any would have gone as individuals. YHC identified as the one privileged to lead this stalwart dozen, this is what we did:
The THANG
Warmup
Main Event
Run full length of the arbor-lane, around the traffic circle and return to start (.25 miles). Once back, perform stated set of exercises, then move on to next run and set. All run/exercise OYO. First ones done perform mary until the six is in.
Finisher
Finis
Moleskine:
Announcements
With both site-Qs out of town, I found myself with the keys to the Base Camp kingdom. Based on comments afterward, I think my visa has been revoked. Not sure if I will be welcome back any time soon…
The THANG
Warmup
– Warmup run around the parking lot mixing in various forms of leg stretching exercises (high knees, butt kickers, skipping, etc.)
– No shovel flag to be found so we gathered around the barren flag pole for a little COP consisting of SSH, IW, Merkins and squats.
– COP had to be quick so we could get to the main event down on the football field.
The Main Event: Blimps (helium edition)
Down on the field, all PAX line up abreast (aka. next to each other, aka. shoulder-to-shoulder) at the end zone. Sprint to other end zone for exercises. When all PAX done with exercises, sprint back across field for next set of exercises. Continue on as follows:
Finisher
Moleskine
Announcements
12 properly disclaimed PAX gathered in the middle of one of the largest AOs in the Southeast to follow me off site. Yes, it was my first time to the AO. Yes, I knew where we were going.
After a warmup run around the middle school, here is what we did:
The THANG
COT
Moleskine:
Announcements:
12 men found the corner of the liquor store this morning. Being that it was 0530, the store wasn’t open yet, so this is what we did:
Warmup
COP
Partner up based on like-sized bell. CMIYC (10 merkin chaser) to first exit from parking lot, up to Hwy 51, down Hwy 51 to soccer field, across field and down the mini-hill. Plankorama until the 6 is in.
Partner hill work: P1 runs hill and performs exercise at top, P2 stays at bottom of hill to perform KB exercise. Flapjack and repeato as necessary to complete called number of KB reps:
Mosey to center of soccer field, face goal (line-up abreast), form into teams of three.
Mosey back to start.
COT
Moleskine
6 men launched at 0700, 2 men joined us in progress, and 1 man walked circles around us.
The THANG
After a warmup run touring the multiple parking lots of the school and neighboring park, the 6 of us circled up within the grassy confines of the short-track. Standard warmup COP ensued which then became an extended version as we waiting for 1, then 2 extra PAX to mosey over. Sufficiently warm (hot, even), we completed 11s across the infield, trading merkins for jump squats. Next we moseyed over to the jagged school wall for a few rounds of people’s chair (with air presses) and incline merkins. From there we traversed around the nature trail a couple times, stopping for sets of dips on the benches. Bear crawl up the hill, and over to the field for some strength work with the cinder blocks, err, rocks. A few rounds of rock exercises and sprints across the Sahara and we were toast. Replaced the rocks, and ran over to the playset for a couple rounds of Jokeresque circuit work. COT hit just in time as several of us were about to die of thirst, drowning in pools of our own sweat.
Moleskine
– How often do mid-workout EHs work? I’d like to see a stat on that one. We obviously failed when we tried to EH our friendly neighborhood walker after COP. I’ve never performed COP to an audience before, but we had one Sat morning. While warming up inside the track, a man walked laps on the track, circling around us several times before we worked up the courage to invite him over. He politely declined, although seemed mildly open to showing up next week or the week after or the week after that.
– Floorslapper has returned to his tardy ways. You all know what I mean…
– Joker was originally offered the Q, but he backed off citing a nagging groin injury. I decided to step up, knowing full well that a Joker with a pulled groin is still faster than YHC. I guess he just wanted Larry Bird honors for the day.
– Beaver led the way on the nature trail run. I’d like to say that was a brilliant plan on my part, letting someone else clear the cobwebs in front of me, but the truth is I didn’t want to get in his way and once out of his way had trouble keeping up. Strong running, my friend.
– War Eagle (yes, an Auburn fan — go figure) wins the never quit award. Dude was grinding out the exercises, completing all the reps even if not as fast as some of the others. Nice work shaking off the temptation to modify.
– We ran on asphalt, grass in the track infield, through the trees, and then through something like the Sahara on the big field. Not sure what they are doing there or who does their landscaping. Apparently someone thought it was a great idea to spread a couple truck loads of sand across the soccer fields. Now the fields remind me of the ones I played on when I was younger…. in Baja.
Announcements
– Prayers for Abacus and Chelms and their families.
– Southern Discomfort tour coming 8/1
For the last two years, I’ve marked the middle of the week by posting at the same place with more or less the same men and it is amazing how much better I am for it. I’m not sure if I’m faster or stronger than I was (although I think so, on both counts). I’m not sure I’m a better leader or a better follower, a better father or a better worker (although I probably am, on all counts). What has resonated with me, though, is the necessity of consistency. I think I speak for most men in F3 when I say the following: I am in the middle 1/3 of my life and it is hard. I am needed and necessary everywhere I go, to each place I’m called, and I’m oftentimes worn out. I’m involved in a lot of good things, cutting back isn’t an option, how do I keep at it and how can I excel? Actually, forget cutting back or coasting, I want to accelerate…
Depending on who you talk to, you’re going to get a variety of similar answers, many of which are helpful: depend on God, invest in your wife and children, choose wisely who you associate with, do something you enjoy and/or are suited for, serve others instead of focusing on being served. F3 also helps, and we who founded Anvil wanted it to be part of (note: not “the only”) solution: run a hard workout, welcome the FNG, look out for the 6, encourage everyone. Oh yeah, and if we can have a little fun along that way, that might be kinda cool too…
Sentimentality aside, Anvil year 3 began just like we started year 1: we ran around the parking lot (yep, still really big and still uphill both ways). A 1/4 or 1/2 mile later we circled up for the standard COP: SSH (not 200), IW, squats, merkins, mtn climbers, then ran around and over to North Face for an extended triple-nickel (hand-release merkins and jump squats). Sucking wind, we than ran back up (uphill, again) the parking lot to the volleyball pit for our anniversary favorite: animal parade through the sand (partner up, P1: burpees, P2: bear crawl there and back, flapjack; repeato with gorilla jump and dragon walk. Finish with wheelbarrows). Finally, with 7 minutes left, we sprinted to the pavilion/sauna/covered area thing for 11s (dips/derkins). 1 minute left so AYG back to the cars. Circle up for COT. Nameorama. Pat everyone on the back. Find your towel, drink your water, adios.
———-
Moleskine:
– Seriously – I owe everyone a big cobains for posting this so late. Y’all killed it out there and I gave your war story no respect. That’s on me. Not being the kind of Q I want to be.
– Morning started ominously with the sighting of that shooting star as we ran toward COP. I’m glad to say that nothing happened (that I know of) that can be attributed to that celestial event. It was cool to see though.
– Your welcome for the tour of the AO, as well as the backside, flanking manuver attack of North Face. I had no desire to run up that thing either (although we did it 5 times). Thought it might be easier if we attacked from that angle. I was wrong – it still sucked.
– 80 degree starting temp so wanted everyone to have an opportunity to grab a swig of water with our run through the cars at halftime. Not sure that worked quite right, though. Might have lost some folks who were “looking in their car for their water” for a very long time.
– Great to see BOG out again. Well done, man!
– Mermaid: Tclaps, man. Well done on the Calvary food drive and equally well done on the co-SiteQ. It’s been an honor and privilege to lead beside you.
Announcements:
– Can’t remember. If it was important, it’s on the email. If it was urgent, it’s already passed.
These are the 3 maxims of Skunkworks. Every week, the PAX expect a certain level of intensity and a certain type of workout. This is not your traditional bootcamp. F3RunningClub probably won’t like it, either. Moderate workout? Ummm, no. This workout brings out the best in everyone while sweating and beating the worst out of everyone. Even veteran Qs pause before planning the next session knowing they have to step up their game in order to meet the Standard expected.
TR waxed eloquently in last week’s backblast (http://f3nation.com/2015/05/19/history-2/) about how Skunk has evolved over the last 3 years, stealing the best/worst that other workouts had to offer and innovating some of its own atrocities. 3 years and each year brought about a new epoch, year 4 begins. Let’s start it with some style.
Warmup to get the blood pumping and the sweat flowing: jog around parking lot, SSHs, IWs, KB halo, KB around-the-world, 50 KB swings, 20 KB goblet squats, 20 KB good mornings, 20 merkins.
Event #1: Catch me if you can: pair up with a dude with a like size bell, partner 1 starts farmer carry run with both bells, partner 2 performs 10 quality merkins and sprints after P1. Flapjack and repeat around the church/school grounds, stopping at bottom of the concrete stairs. Can’t forget to mention: we ran this reverse course. Up hill the whole way. Brutal.
Event #2: KB ladder. Perform the following exercises, first 1 arm then the other: KB swing, high pull, snatch, clean, goblet squat. After set, run to top of hill, 5 burpees, run back and plank until all in. Move on to next set. Began with 2 reps of each exercise then repeat with sets of 4 reps, 6 reps, 4 reps, 2 reps. Some folks lost their shirts on this one. Others almost lost consciousness.
Event #3: Sledgehammer tire relay. Shoulder bell and run to other side of church parking lot. Pull sledgehammers and tires out of the shadows and line up for a 2-team relay race: Everyone performs various KB exercises while 1 from each team moves tire by striking it with the sledgehammer (sliding the tire flat on the ground) . Everyone gets a turn with the hammer swings, PAX performed a multitude of various KB exercises while enjoying the spectacle.
COT
Moleskine:
– No, I will not give you a weather update. We are men with more in common than most. We can do better than talking about the weather.
– I won’t give you a “wow, that workout was hard” update, either. It was Skunkworks. What do you think?
– Reverse course farmer’s carry – when I decided to go counterclockwise around the church/school rather than our normal clockwise, I was thinking only about where I wanted us to end up. Honestly didn’t think to remember how long of a hill we’d have to climb. Most of us were wiped out after that, and we still had 2 more events to conquer.
– Tough work put in by all today. Here are the ones I remember enough to note: Harley worked so hard he lost his shirt. F’man Ed did his burpee/sprint combos so fast he almost lost consciousness. Swiss Miss led the pack the entire way – that’s his MO, put his head down and got to work. Gumnut and Les Mis have stepped up to the big boy bells and swing them liked the beasts they are. Stone Cold: perhaps the ideal skunk – fast and strong. Freedom walking off holding his gorilla bell and sledgehammer over the shoulder looked like a hulking, barbarian headhunter (not bad for a worship leader!).
– I’m not sure I did anything more fun last week than swing that hammer. Something about holding a piece of hickory and swinging an iron head to remind me what men are meant to do. Even made sparks fly the couple times we grazed the asphalt. Vulcan and Thor would have been proud.
– A few of us figured out (accidentally?) how to pop the tire up and get it to roll. That took brains. But, we looked like idiots (i.e., dudes having a good time) as we tried to hit the moving tire with our 12 pound hammers.
– Cobains on the tardy backblast. Yes, this workout happened and yes it was a blast. Tardiness solely my bad.
– Comment below if you want to call me out for being a slack backblaster, or remember any other notable performances. I enjoyed Qing – thank you Harley for the opportunity, and thanks to the PAX for being willing to Follow Me as I led us through this little workout.
10 men ventured into the gloom thinking they were going to start their week off right. Instead, they quickly found out they should have stayed at home and gone for a light jog around the neighborhood. Those who survived are stronger for it…
The THANG
Pregame
This is a gear workout, so grab your bell and follow me to the lower lot:
Main event
Evolution #1:
Evolution #2
Evolution #3
Finisher
Moleskine
Announcements
9 men gathered in the gloom for a slightly different than usual rendition of our weekly tradition. Quick disclaimer and forecast of the workout was given and into the gloom we began.
COP
Run 1.6 miles to flyby/convergence with #F3DeathValley. Stopping along the way for various pain stations to allow the PAX to regroup.
Converge with #F3DeathValley (see their backblast for what we did there:http://f3nation.com/2015/04/08/blocks-prodigals-fly-bys-and-hi-jacks/ )
Run 1.6 miles back to #F3Anvil
Quick COT
Moleskine
– Mid-day Tuesday I received word that our brother Zipadee was going to make a surprise appearance at Death Valley, and in fact it was requested that we make the trek on over in honor of his road to recovery. I immediately knew we had to do it. For those who don’t know, Zip has been one for the PAX for longer than most of the guys in Area51 – he started F3 when it was a metro thing, and has been a constant figure in Area51 for the 2.5 years I’ve been a part of this thing. Recently, he had some medical/physical issues, and has been the subject of much prayer and the recipient of much PAX attention, encouragement and support. Knowing just a little of what he’s been through, it was tremendously encouraging to see our old friend return to the gloom and resume some of his old hijinx. To put it bluntly, I missed him and I wanted to see him. So, we did. Most of the time, the workout is the focus of our weekly/daily meetings. This day, we were reminded that there is a little more to this whole adventure than just the physical exercise. As we journey through life, God has put us in each other’s life to be, among other things, an encouragement to one another #ISI. Most of the time, life is more about others than about ourselves #Iam3rd. That’s at least part of the reason I as Q of this workout wanted it to be more than just a workout today. Don’t worry, back to business as usual next week.
16 men … gloom .. red pill…you get the picture. Face it. Either you’re reading this and you already know what went down because you were there or you posted somewhere else (hope you at least broke a sweat). The rest of you, well, you should’ve posted this morning. Good luck doing this one OYO while dragging your #sadclown self through the muck (unless you’re “working out” next to a #fern, in which case you’re probably reading this while you’re “working out” which definitely means you aren’t really “working out” now, are you?). Enough of that. 16 men with attitude pushed off into the gloom:
Moleskine:
Announcements: