Ok, I know it’s been a while since I Q’d a workout, but I do know that you’re supposed to get the backblast out sometime that morning so that everyone can wax poetic about how epic the beatdown was, how cold the gloom, and how crazy that random thing that happened was. Well, if you can’t get it out that morning, definitely by end of day. By end of week. Ok, definitely before the next iteration of the workout. So here I am enjoying my Sunday evening by clearing my conscience…
7 guys circled up around 9 cars and with a push and a nod we were off. Quick mosey around the parking lots and over to the assistant teacher of the week parking spot (primo location!). Circle up for a thorough COP: SSH, IW, Merkin, Mountain Climbers, Squats, Flutter, Plank, LBC. Mosey over to the baby track for BLIMPS:
Mosey to the wall, people’s chair, BTW, lunge walk across lot, 20 incline merkins; repeato x2
Run back passing and completing 2 rounds of As Many Pullups As Possible (AMPAP?).
Circle up in lot, greet the late arriving owner of the extra 2 cars, complete 1 burpee as a group and we’re done.
Moleskine:
PEACE.
Mosey to the Farm
Lurker climb up the Farm to the Clock and the horses to the Flag
Endex
COT
Everyone worked hard. I think most guys did the entire Fence Jumping 11’s. I might have lost a few in the Marathon Mary. Like Abba said, “That’s why I do F3, because I never would have done that on my own!” ditto. Thanks guys.
The idea for the Kiawah marathon began late last year with Bratwurst sending out a pole of perspective runners and their thoughts about where they wanted to run. Kiawah was the answer.
Over time more and more guys signed up once Hot 4 Teacher secured a sweet $55 dollar entry fee. The official training started before the BRR but got kicked into high gear after the BRR.
Many of us cross trained and several only did the running program that our leader Brat formulated. Brat could have told us that we were going to run through creeks and I do not think anyone would have questioned it. Brat was the spearhead to all of this madness and was a great leader throughout. He made it simple, straightforward and allowed the rest of us to not have to think about what the plan was each day we showed up. It would be impossible to thank him enough and he is too humble to accept too much praise.
Most of us trained and silly times often way, way before a normal workout would start. Almost always no one had to train alone because no one wanted to let each other down. There were setbacks, injuries and illness throughout the season. We lost Thin Mint and Gumbo to injury and were not able to make it back unfortunately. Bunker fought a cold the last two weeks of the calendar and Brat was sick while he was running the race. Most of us made it intact to the start line.
There is no way to quantify what it means to be running with your friends on race day and to have friends in the crowd cheering you on. It means a lot each day we show up for a workout but even more when you compete in something grueling where you do not know how it is going to end.
We pick each other up, make fun of one another and encourage one another. It makes the time pass and the pain less. I know there are many accounts out there and I hope you sound off. Mine is this.
Brat was his ever positive self at the start line. He was patient at the start weaving his way through the crowd for the first mile while I tagged along. At one point he said he was not feeling that well and then at mile 16 took a break. He was able to get it back together and picked his pace up. We both had the goal of sub 3:00 but it was not meant to be today. At one point on mile 25 he and Honey Bee caught me. Brat said “come on I’ve got Honey Bee with me” and Honey Bee followed it up by saying “Let’s finish this thing.” It caused me to pick up the pace and make it in for 3:11.
I know several of us did not reach our goals but there were a ton of PRs and Boston Qualifiers. Honey Bee PR/BQ 1st F3 SOB/Area 51 and fastest out of the parking lot, Haggis PR, Turkey Leg PR/BQ, Hairball PR, Brat BQ, Tolken PR for his age. The half marathoners also were awesome. Maria PR, Wingman PR, Tuck PR, Outback PR and Bean PR. I would say and I know no one would disagree that we can thank Brat for our preparation and coaching.
Spackler gets the award again for the best F3 cheerleader. He was all over the course cheering everyone on. Not to mention being a great host again.
I know it is early and the body is not healed but you can sign up for 2017 until tomorrow for $40. Those that have run this race know it is a great race and those on the fence get off of it and sign up. Anyone can do a half marathon given enough time to prepare. The second F as usual is the best part of F3 and you get a full weekend of it. Here is the link for the marathon. I am signing up. https://secure.marathonguide.com/register/KiawahIslandMarathon/
Ok… so it wasn’t quite THAT bad… but man was it cold! And those that know YHC know that cold ain’t my favorite thing! So the goal today was to KEEP MOVING!
14 PAX showed up with a similar mindset… having disclaimed, off we went!
The Thang:
Mosey to the glacier-covered practice field for some quick COP:
Then began the nomadic wandering around the AO. Without going through each stop, we made around 11 stops. At each stop we completed 10 Merkins (110 Total), 20 Squats (220 Total) and 30 LBC’s (330 Total).
Then sprinkled throughout were the following:
Suicides:
Finished up with people’s chair for 1-minute.
DONE! We covered 2.25 miles over the AO.
Moleskine:
It was great to see everyone… it has been TOO long since YHC has posted at Ascent/Olympus. At least Mall Cop didn’t have to be alone this week!
“Quiet please” t-claps to Dumpster Fire for making it to Ascent after his 2 Christmas parties on Friday! Apparently they were going to get pretty crazy!!
Also great to have Mall Cop out after being out for several weeks. I hope the recovery continues to go well!
Same for Pele… I know he is returning from recovery after BRR and some extensive travel. Not sure who the jerk is that roped him into that… but when I get my hands on him… man, is he going to be sorry!
Announcements:
1. Joe Davis Run 1/7… get registered today! No Ascent/Olympus that Saturday.
2. Time to start thinking about BRR teams… reach out to Slim Fast if you are interested!
3. Ascent will be open 12/24 and 1/31… Get your shopping finished before then!
Pele took us out in a great prayer. You guys are awesome! Thanks for letting me be the leader today! It is an honor!
AYE. 7 hearty souls gathered in the frosty Gloom for the weekly RockZero #RIPDZ beatdown. There was some working out, a lot of complaining, quite a bit of #refuseniking and 100 burpees for some. Here’s more or less what transpired:
THE THANG
Mosey to church porte cochere
Do some exercises and eventually cover 30 burpees
Run back to parking lot by cars for:
THE LEG BREAKER
3 jumpsquats at each parking lot line all the way to Buttermaker’s mom-mobile
AYG back to the line
10x huddle jumps for each leg
Lunge walk to middle, do some baryshnikovs, frog walk the rest of the way and back
AYG back to the line
5x monkey humpers at each line and then 10x for the last few lines
Mosey to bottom of The North Face
Run to the top, do 10 burpees, run to the bottom, do 20 jumpsquats
Repeato 3 times
TRUE 6 MINUTES OF MARY
Gather back at porte cochere for a true 6 minutes of Mary
What does that mean? It means you can’t let your feet touch the ground for 6 minutes while we do exercises
How many guys actually did that? YHC and maybe Flipper and maybe maybe Curd
Someone then asked – “can we run for a little bit?” Sure, so we lapped the church and did 30 burpees along the way
At the bottom of the parking lot we did 5 burpees then true AYG to the mom-mobile
5 more burpees
Some more stuff to kill time and then we were (mercifully) done
100 burpees, 2.2 miles, about a thousand monkeys humped
YE OLDE MOLESKINE
1. Curd busted out an electronic skateboard (of sorts) after the workout and did an incredibly acrobatic controlled fall about 5 seconds into his demonstration. TClaps. $1,400 well spent.
2. Buttermaker straight up refused to do burpees. #highintensitysiteQ
3. Lots of smack talk was appreciated. Alf would have fit right in but he was at home puking his brains out. That’s the only reasonable explanation for why he would bail out on the Q the night before.
Thanks again to the pax for putting up with my challenge to do 100 burpees every day this December. #horseneck OUT
6 Brave men didn’t fear the 22 degree weather and got out of their warm cozy fart sacs to post in the gloom at Weddington High School.
It went like this:
COP
50 SSH IC
5 burpees
30 Imperial Walkers IC
5 Burpees
40 Mountain climbers IC
5 burpees
20 Squats IC
5 Burpees
15 Merkens
Mosey around the school to the first court yard:
20 Step ups
20 Derkens
20 Dips
Rinse and repeat
5 Burpees on your own
Mosey to the second courtyard
Peoples Chair Right leg up and 20 shoulder presses IC
Peoples Chair Left Leg up and 20 shoulder presses IC
20 Step ups with high knee at the top with right foot on bench, the switch and repeat with left foot on bench.
20 one leg squat with one foot on the bench IC, repeat with other leg.
Mosey to the back of the high school stopped at the bottom of the steps, the PAX asked if we were doing Sevens or Elevens, YHC had in mind something a little different:
Run to the benches at the top of the steps do 50 Dips, run back to the bottom and do 25 Merkens.
Run to the top again and do 50 Dips, run back to the bottom and do 15 Diamond Merkens.
Run to the top once more and do 50 Dips, run back to the bottom and do 10 Wide arm merkens.
5 Merkens on your own.
Mosey to the snack shack plank it out facing the wall and did a 5 position exercise it went like this: hand on the wall, other hand on the wall while holding the plank, hand to the ground, other hand to the ground, merken = 1 rep did this 10 times IC
Peoples Chair, and did 30 air presses and 30 jabs IC
Plank facing the wall again and repeated the exercise 10 reps IC
Did some SSH IC to see if would help me feel my fingers again… it didn’t.
Mosey to the rock pile and did peoples chair while waiting on the PAX, too cold for rocks, at this point I had no sensation of my fingers, mosey to the front of the school for some Mary:
50 LBC, 30 Bicycle, 20 Heels to heaven.
5 Burpees
Ran a lap around the parking lot
Grabbed some short wall and 50 dips IC, then did high knee step ups again 20 each leg IC and followed with 30 DIPS IC.
More Mary:
50 LBC IC
30 Flutter IC
20 Bicycle IC
Ran another lap around the parking lot
And then did Burpees IC for the last 2 minutes left, I think we did about 17 of them.
Moleskin:
Thank you for the opportunity to lead again, it was a great workout with quite a bit of emphasis on chest and triceps, definitely going to feel it for a few days. Everyone push hard today, besides some frozen fingers I think we managed to stay pretty warm. I have to say that I was surprised by Shop Dog’s speed today in one of the sprints around the parking lot, when he turns on the jets that man can move fast!!, but actually I am not surprised since this is not the first time I have seen him move this fast, in the past YHC had to get out of the way a few times for fear to get ran over, while Shop Dog flies by with his “Yell of war”.
Popeye has been regaining his speed, he has been spending most of his time recently lifting heavy, sacrificing some speed in the process, but if I ever get in a bar fight I want him by my side, also today when YHC’s hands were freezing he offered his personal warming “space” which YHC kindly declined since I really like my gloves and don’t want to have to burn them.
Bottle Cap always pushes hard throughout the workouts and his gains in speed and strengths are evident. And I think he was inclined to take Popeye’s offer to keep his hands warm.
Good Fella is one of the newer additions to F3 but he is fast and strong and looks like he has been doing this for years.
Snowflake was a beast as always, could hear some deep grunting coming from him while he was pushing his way though the workout, he also declined Popeye’s offer but I think I heard him say “not today”, which is smart since winter is coming you never know how cold it will get.
Thank you BC for taking us out, did some Cafeteria afterwards.
9 Goats showed complete disregard for the coldest temperatures of the season in order to improve their running form and stamina. Only 7 finished… more on that below. After a rather passive disclaimer by YHC, off we went to the track for the following:
Moleskine:
Man was it cold!!! Body parts covered were ok, but anything exposed quickly turned cold! Additionally, as the morning progressed and daylight approached, the lovely North breeze picked-up, and the South turn into the final stretch became very noticeably cool!
Great to have Horsehead join us… I don’t think this is his first time, but definitely it has been a while. HH was injured in the line of duty while Q-ing a workout, and since the Disclaimer doesn’t cover the one giving it, I hear he sued for $2.5Million… we are still waiting on judgment!
But seriously, great to have you, and thanks for joining me on the pre-run. This was HH’s first post in 5 weeks, so he should be thanking me the whole weekend!
Also, great to have Chico join us for his Mtn Goat site FNG! He lives probably a mile or less from SCMS as the crow flies, but it takes about 10 minutes to take “the long way”. Great to have you out… please come back as much as you can!
Tweetsie, Lois, Nomad, Early Bird… same great effort as always… Stronger Every Day!
Icicle and The Mouth had to leave early. Icicle I get because I know he gets into work early… plus he refused my extra pair of gloves… so I assume by 5:50 he couldn’t feel his hands!
I’m not sure why The Mouth had to leave… I think something about the office Christmas donut party was mentioned… so of course makes sense he should cut it short for that! Someone might get the last Boston Crème for goodness sake! We were blessed early with some #TWSS zingers, so all was not lost!
Guys… always an honor to lead this great group of men! I’m impressed the numbers that showed up for a simple, but tough, workout when you could have easily slept in your warm beds…!
Announcements:
13 of South Charlotte’s finest braved the cold weather and stepped up to the pain. Multiple stations. Multiple rounds. Plenty of heat.
The Thang:
After a very quick disclaimer, mosey around the CC front parking lot, then held up for some COP:
· IW x20 IC
· Low slow, squat x15 IC
· Monkey Humpers x15 OYO
· Merkins x10 IC
Mosey to the back lot where the PAX was then formally introduced to various pain stations with blocks, yard timbers and a big ol’ tractor tire.
· Burpees
· American Hammer (with block)
· Tire Flip (then hop in/out)
· Lunges (with 4×4 overhead)
· Curls (with block)
· Flutter (with block)
· Rows (with block)
· Monkey Humpers
· Merkins
· Shoulder Presses (with block)
· LBCs
· Squats (with block)
· Hops (quick feet over a 4×4)
· Abyss? (Merkins with hands on 2 blocks)
· Runner
Each PAX on a station, AMRAP while the runner was the timekeeper to the end of the parking lot and back. Rotate clockwise. Rinse and Repeat.
Ol’ Moleskin:
Header asked YHC to Q several weeks ago and I immediately thought of possible cold weather in December. Well Mother Nature did not disappoint, nor did the PAX with their hard work today. They simply got after it. Lots of mumble chatter during COP that threw off YHC’s cadence on the Low, Slow Squat but thankfully Skywalker was there to restore order and slow the pace. During the pain station work, the young guns – Yeti, Dollywood and Joystick did not disappoint. Supermen – Lobsta Roll, Header, Chin Music and Smokey showed no signs of fatigue. Skywalker, Slum Lord, Cotton Mouth and Freedom were working hard the entire time. And Sensei remains an absolute inspiration. YHC had the pleasure of going through the stations alongside he and Freedom… the dynamic duo.
The highlight of the morning may have been Header being advised by the man of few words, Lobsta Roll, that “those burpees aren’t going to do themselves there fella” or something of the sort.
3 rounds of solid work. AYG back to the launch for COT.
Thanks to Header and Yeti for the opportunity to lead. Thanks to Header for the take-out.
Announcements:
· F3 Runners in Kiawah. Praying for safety and success.
· Christmas is here. Let’s not get too caught up in the hustle & bustle, or gifts & events. Let’s do get caught up in celebrating the birth of our savior, and sharing that good news as often as possible.
20 Men entered the gloom on brisk 29 degree morning. Quick disclaimer given and off we went.
Thang
Mosey out to 51 and down to the Trio Restaurant parking lot.
COP
Imperial Walker X 15 IC
Ladder
Run to the first island, 5 merkins, back to start for 5 squats, run to the next island for 10 Merkins, back to start for 10 squats. Continue in increments of 5 until the 4th island. Plank on the six.
Total Merkins – 50
Total Squats – 50
Next round Carolina Dry Docks for the Merkins, and LBC’s for the squats. Plank on the six.
Total Dry Docks – 50
Total LBC’s – 50
Mosey back up 51 to the picnic tables outside catholic
Quick 10 count then 10 step-ups each leg and 30 dips, plank until six is done. 2 rounds for good measure.
Mosey back to the launch parking lot to pick up some bricks, mosey to the corner of outside the parking deck for 3 man Grinders.
Partner 1: shoulder raises with the bricks
Partner 2: flutter at the second parking deck staircase.
Partner 3: runs from partner 1 to partner 2.
5 rounds until each partner has done shoulder raises for 5 rounds.
1 last AYG spring to the far staircase and back. (200 yards roughly)
Mosey back the launch for some Mary:
Freddy Mercury X20 IC
Knee ups – 15 IC
Heels to Heaven – 15 IC
6 inch LBC’s – 15 IC
American Hammer – 15 IC
LBC’s 15 IC
COT
Moleskin
YHC was nervous for my VQ to say the least. The Mosey to Trio and back is a lot longer than it feels in the Car. Some good chatter on the way to Trio asking if brunch was going to be served. Very strong speed by the PAX on the longer mosey’s, YHC was just trying to keep pace.
During the Grinders, it was apparent there were some swift boots among us, (General, X-Lax, Rachel) just to name a few. The last AYG sprint to the end and back was an audible since YHC glanced and saw I needed to burn about 2 minutes before heading back. Big Tuna took off quick and was hauling. YHC was at a swift jog pace just trying to keep up.
Solid work by all the PAX, thanks to all for coming out for my VQ. Truly an honor to lead this morning, thanks to Chelms and Margo for the opportunity.
Thank you to Chelms for taking us out.
Soooo YHC might have been lazy and forgotten to post ye olde backblast, or perhaps rabid trolls stole the computer off the desk… either way many moons ago there was a downpainment invested at TheBigHouse and an account must be authored so here we are.
6 Pax gathered under the bright lights of Pinevilles best in order to test their mettle and do their part to dry the asphalt from recent rains. A middling Q was provided and disclaimer uttered before they shuffled off into the gloom. The following 45 ticks of the minute hand went as follows:
The THANG
Mosey to the first parking lot for COP
-SSH X 20
-Merkins X 20 and hold
-Mountain Climber X 10 and hold
-Peter Parker X 10 and hold
-Parker Peter X10 and hold, 6 inches for a 20 count then recover
-IW X 25
Mosey to planters and picnic tables then partner up. Partner 1 does 50 double (bench to table top) step-ups while partner 2 does 50 jump dips (dip on the planter, at the top jump backwards to the top of the planter, drop and repeat) then flap jack repeats to 100
Mosey around small baseball field then to 2nd parking lot where cones were set for partner suicides. Partner 1 runs to first cone and back while partner 2 does an exercise, upon Partner 1’s return Parter 2 runs to cone and back while Partner 1 completes same exercise. Repeat cycle for cones 2, 3 and 4. This was done for Merkins, Jump Squats and LBCs.
Next to the cones where a medicine ball (18 lbs.) and 2 slam balls (20 lbs and 40 lbs. respectively.) Pax formed two lines facing each other and basketball practice style passed the ball up and down the line. After throwing the ball each PAX performed a single burpee. This was done for all three balls once and then again with two burpees after each throw.
Party favors were gathered and mosey to the wall of the dugout at the small baseball field. Assuming peoples chair the Pax passed the party favors down the line performing an overhead press before passing them on. After all three went to the end and returned, mosey around the ball field. Return and resume the peoples chair at which point the slam balls were passed, slamming between the pax’s feet in between handoffs. Upon completion, mosey around the the ball field with the party favors in hand (passing them off for equitable distribution.) as insufficient ground had been covered on returning to the vehicles, Mosey to the road then AYG to the stop sign at the far end of the visitors lot and back to the cars for COT.
Moleskin:
YHC had intended to post TheBigHouse prior to his inaugural Q, but unfortunately the fartsack won on consecutive Mondays. As a result scouting the AO occurred less than 10 minutes before the downpainment began. Despite lack of preparedness, a pretty good smoke session and the men of Pineville did not seem disenfranchised. Strong efforts were given despite the rain slick pavement, though YHC was surprised to hear complaints when LBC was called, it wasn’t even cold out really… Perhaps thick skin was left home that morning. Truth be told the AO was fantastic and YHC looks forward to returning as a PAX and a Q in the future. Many thanks to DumpsterFire and Cheddar for the hospitality.