One sadclown showed up this morning to Q the Friday workout known as Centurion. The rest of you were either DR enjoying time with your families, posting elsewhere, fartsacking entirely, or in line at Walmart trying to score a TV. Hopefully, it’s one of the first two but with Michigan set to take down Ohio State tomorrow afternoon, I can certainly understand the need for a shiny new big screen.
Thang
After checking my phone to make sure I hadn’t missed a memo, we YHC set off into the gloom. The weinke was followed (with some modifications to the partner/team work), but the details will stay in the bag to be brought out another day. YHC on the silent take-out.
NMM
In addition to being reminded of just how challenging working out can be without anyone there to be accountable to, I was smacked in the face by a realization this morning. The man I was 8 months ago would have been relieved when no one showed. Nervous about taking the lead, I would have welcomed the chance to get off the hook. Today, the nerves were still there — as I am sure they always will be. But, instead of relief, I felt disappointment that I wouldn’t get a chance to put those nerves to the test. That’s a huge change for me and a change I carry around everywhere in my life. I am now a man who shows up to the neighborhood Turkey Bowl instead of making excuses, who never cancels a work or family commitment unless it’s absolutely necessary, who shows up early most of the time instead of always a few minutes late, and a man who embraces his responsibility as the spiritual leader of his family. I am a different man than I was 8 months ago and I have F3 to thank in large part for that.
Truly thankful for all the men of F3 Nation and everything I have learned and been given in these short 8 months. I hope you all had a Happy Thanksgiving and enjoy the weekend with family, friends, and football (Go Blue!).
Conditions were perfect for a post-Thanksgiving run. Low 50s, slight breeze,
the crisp scent of decomposing leaves. YHC fully expected to be going it alone
today at the Brave, but right at 0515 in roll Frehley’s and Nard Dawg. Here’s what
we did:
YHC is no runner, but today seemed like a good day to run. Since Frehley’s protested a purely running endeavor was there I figured we’d mix in some pull-ups and merkins. Today’s menu was roughly: run 1/2 mile, work the core, run 1/2 mile, work the core. etc. So we ran somewhere between 4 – 4.5 miles (#gpsfail) out east on ballantyne commons and south community house and made these pit-stops along the way.
Not much to say. Sara’s YMCA is closed. So the usual plan of showering there after Brave has been foiled. The choices for YHC: (1) drive all the way back to Weddington, shower, likely cause a “Daddy’s home” scene, and mope on back to work. (2) post up at the office in the sweaty F3 gear until the Morrison Y opens at 8:30. Yup, #2 is the obvious choice. Keeping the F3 shirt on, perhaps some it will allow some more EHs in the office (if anyone shows). Enough about that.
Frehely’s Comet is a runner. Despite all of his mouthing off to the contrary. Solid effort this morning; no shrubberies were defiled this morning, neither was that awful white towel.
Nard Dawg is shooting for 10lbs of weight-loss in December. Good luck, that is a tough month to get through with any weight loss goal.
YHC was happy to just be out there, even though this likely was one of the easiest Brave workouts in recent memory; not as easy as staying in bed though.
Argo out.
Disclaimer – YHC is typing on iPad mini and can barely see the screen plus my secretary is on vacation early and spell check rarely works
Eleven of our finest we’re ready to get the Thanksgiving festivities started early but no pumpkin pie was to be found. We did 45 minutes of solid work in.
The Thang
Jog a bit than COP with SSH, merkins, Floyd Maywearhers, Parker Peters, and Mtn Climbers.
Jog to swing sets for 25 pull ups (I never do enough of these), 50 jerkins, 100 squats. Plank for the six and then head over to pavilion for 25 jump ups, 50 decline jerkins, and 100 dips,
Jog to rock pile and partner up. Grab a lifting rock, Partner 1 runs to church and back while partner 2 starts called exercises. 50 burpees, 100 curls, 200 push presses.
Jog to other side of parking lot for exercises and then sprint/perform called movement.
Naked Moleskin – Typing on a mini sucks. See 1 of the 11 for details
Anniuncements and take our – Christmas party sign ups closed. Register for Joe Davis run. Let’s remember all that we have to be thankful for and share with others.
Pulling up to the Chic-Fil-A about 6:25 this morning, I could see a few of the F3 faithful had already made it, including Kilowatt, who was asking the other PAX when the restaurant was opening because he thought this was a 3rd F. As I was trying to console him that there would be no chicken minis, I hear a particular Scottish accent piercing the gloom questioning the Qs ability to perform a proper Thanksgiving Day workout.
With that challenge before me, I provided the disclaimer and off we went. Mosey across the street to the Blakeney shopping center for the COP.
COP:
SSH X 15
5 burpees (care of Haggis)
IW x 15
5 merkins
LSS x 15
THE THANG
Line up by the fountain area and perform the called exercise, run to the Christmas Tree and back. 3 rounds: 10 derkins, 20 merkins, 30 dips.
Then the first leg of the inaugural Paper Jam Turkey Trot, run at your own pace from Blakeney Shopping Center to Park Farms Lane, perform mary in the parking lot of the Reaburn pool area while waiting on the six.
Mosey to the hill behind the pool, line up at bottom of hill for some fun, 10 crunches at the bottom of the hill and 10 heels to heaven at the top of the hill, 3 rounds.
Once done there, the 2nd leg of the Paper Jam Turkey Trot. Run at your own pace through Reaburn sub division (Parks Farm Ln, Fieldgate Dr, Bay Tree Way) to Darcy Hopkins Drive, stopping at each intersection to perform 25 LBCs.
While in Reaburn we stopped at a stately manor where there happen to be a pile of rakes and trash bags. Partner up, partner 1 grab a rake and partner 2 grab a trash back and see how fast we could rake up the leaves in the front yard. Partners flap jack for the back yard.
Finishing there, the final leg of the Trot, hit the trails to run back to the AO, stopping twice along the way to perform some mary and maybe some merkins.
MOLESKIN:
QIC had a major dilemma facing him earlier in the week, I had an incredible urge to eat a bunch of stuff on Thanksgiving but the neighborhood Turkey Trot (5k) was cancelled and no workouts scheduled. But God is faithful, He wasn’t going to allow me to miss my only planned run (Madame Tussauds suckering me into doing The Brave does not count). On Tuesday, Strawberry mentions at Bagpipe that Alf is looking for someone to lead a workout on Thanksgiving morning, problem solved.
Great to see our friends from Raleigh join us. Pepe is very peppy, he kept up with Haggis, Teddy and Rachel. Enjoyed running along with Ernie through the trails (he is more at a Paper Jam pace).
Thanks Strawberry for making sure Kilowatt was powering through.
ANNOUNCEMENTS:
Joe Davis Run-sign up
F3 Dads McKee Elementary, TODAY, 9:00-10:30
Operation Sweet Tooth
COT:
Strawberry provided an inspirational message about the value of slowing down and appreciating today.
Then each of the PAX related 3 things that they were grateful for. Incredible testimony by Rachel, easily the fastest man out there today (and most of the F3 workouts) was told 6 years ago that he would not run again. He proved those docs wrong.
This morning was a reminder how grateful that I am for F3, thank you men for allowing me to lead and to be a part of this fellowship.
YHC showed up today with the intention of knocking out a low mileage strength workout, geared toward the anti-runner type who throws up a little when they hear the call to run to Beatty park.
What I didn’t anticipate was a full scale revolt led by my compadres… with a noticeable lack of “having-blackness” being displayed by my CO-Q semi… who left me out in the cold like I caught the swine flu.
The Business:
4 station circuit with a running group timer.
– Plyometric boxes
– Slam ball workout
– Merkin station
– 10 yard out ‘n back hairburners
Everybody pair up find a station with on group serving as the runners.
Perform each exercise continuously until the running group completes 2 laps around the light poles. Once with plate of choice (15,25, or 35) and once with no plate.
We did this a total of 3 rounds.
Next, at approx. 6:08 we stopped to finish with a hairburner relay.
This consisted of groups of 4-5 people splitting themselves up evenly about 12 yards from each other. Each Pax then proceeded to push the weight across the 12 yd distance, stop, leave the plate for the partner and then jog an additional 15 yards before returning to line.
Back and forth we pushed the weight. Each pax pushed it over the 12 yd distance a total of 6-8 times before everyone just stopped.
Moleskine:
I’m not saying hairburners are easy but I was shocked when at 6:12 we had a premature COT beginning to occur.
My rallying cry did work for a moment: “guys, what are we doing it’s 6:12?”
But at 6:14 there was no longer a critical mass left as I looked around and noticed header, Witch, and spack were about the only ones left pushing.
I wish I could say Semi-gloss backed me up, that he splashed merlot pushing himself to the brink in anticipation of the THXgiving feast that was coming… but no. SG’s sole defense was “dude, hairburners suck” …
Maybe I need to renegotiate my site-Q contract and see what Header is offering in the greener pastures of Joust, I hear they just made a big move this offseason for a first rounder outa Chicago.
Anyway, I’m sad to say we left a minute on the clock today… @1.77 miles.
Could we have gotten to the 2mi. Threshold I had hoped for? Would that have given Skywalker enough time to show up? Would Cole miners daughter have become coal miners son?
That’s not for us to know.
-DW
YHC was surprised by the lack of pre-whatever cars in the lot this morning. And even more surprised to see the dark form of Kilowatt coming around the front of the building. I knew he was coming from some DMs last night, but where was his car? Did he run in? . . . No. Turns out there’s parking on the other side of the building. Who knew – besides Kilowatt?
Pondering such universal questions, YHC headed in and got ready for today’s edition of Gumby.
Disclosure. Savasana & devo.
The Main Thang:
Table top Cat/Cow followed by side bends
Sun Salutations – slow 2-breath pace at first, WALK THE DOG, then OYO 2X, MEET IN MOUNTAIN
CHAIR, STEP BACK WITH RIGHT to Low lunge/Crescent twist (RIGHT)
Sun Salutations – 2X OYO, MEET IN MOUNTAIN
CHAIR, STEP BACK WITH LEFT to Low lunge/Crescent twist (LEFT)
Sun Salutations – 2X OYO, MEET IN MOUNTAIN
BACK THROUGH TOGETHER TO DOWN-DOG, THEN STRAIGHTEN RIGHT LEG, STEP UP: Warrior 1, 2, Peaceful, Standing Side Stretch (RIGHT)
Sun Salutations – 2X OYO, MEET IN MOUNTAIN
BACK THROUGH TOGETHER TO DOWN-DOG, THEN STRAIGHTEN LEFT LEG, STEP UP Warrior 1, 2, Peaceful, Standing Side Stretch (LEFT)
Sun Salutations – 2X OYO, MEET IN MOUNTAIN
Bridge and hold. Release, hug knees and release tension with slight rocking. Repeat 2X
Extended Child’s Pose, Walk fingers RIGHT. Walk fingers LEFT.
Down Dog/Cheetah 3X RIGHT, 3X LEFT
Sun Salutations – 2X OYO, MEET IN MOUNTAIN
Closing savasana.
Announcements:
Tomorrow: 6:30 Blakeney Chick-fila for Paper-Jam led workout
Tomorrow: 9:00 – 10:30 @ McKee Elementary for F3Dads/2.0 Football and Fun
Next week YHC will Q (my mistake: Booyah has 12/7 Q)
Bring Toys next week for Operation Sweet Tooth
Sign up to Q Gumby http://www.signupgenius.com/go/30e0f4dafae28aa8-gumby
Moleskin
Great to see two Site FNGs this morning. Hope the workout met or exceeded expectations. I know the music caused some aural trauma with TR – or at least he was the only one who wasn’t shy about saying something. Zamfir 8-tracks are on back-order, so I’m not sure when we’ll have those rolling.
Q signup is now live, so don’t wait to jump in and deliver your own flavor of stretching and songs.
Thanks for posting, gentlemen.
In closing, remember: Gratitude is a natural response to God’s grace.
In everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.
1 Thessalonians 5:18
12 strong showed up in the pre-Thanksgiving gloom for a pre-turkey beatdown. Commish planted the shovel flag. Off we went…then, another PAX rolled in (777) and our numbers grew to 13. Our blood has not thickened for the cold, so the mosey was welcomed by all, sort of.
The Thang:
After a quick mosey, we did the THANKS warm-o-rama. No side straddle hops or imperial walkers for this crowd.
T = tempo merkins
H = humpers, monkey style
A = Abe Vigoda (windmills, old man style)
N = Nolan Ryans
K = Knee Highs
S = Sun God
With shoulders still aching, we gathered behind HT/Target to slay the beast. 6 speed bumps, 6 repetitions at each bump, 6 rounds–with some Mary and planking for those finishing faster.
Round 1 = Merkin Jack…Round 2 = Jump Squat…Round 3 = Wide Arm Merkins…Round 4 = Heels to Heaven…Round 5 = Mountain Climbers…Round 6 = Burpees. Beast fully done and off to the back of the theater.
Peoples Donkey Balls: Peoples chair with 20 air presses, 15 donkey kicks, BTW for 10 count. Repeato. Escape before anybody sees us.
Del Browns: 10 merkins…25 yard crab walk (or bear crawl or lunge walk or mosey)…10 diamond merkins…25 year crab walk…10 merkins.
Return trip: 10 squats…25 yard lunge…10 jump squat…25 yard lunge…10 squat.
Finished.
Moleskine:
Nice mixture of hates, ayes, and respects in the gloom to welcome 2 FNG’s. It was the invasion of bankers with 5 in attendance (enough for a quorum). Welcome FNG Miscount (Will, who is a credit analyst/underwriter) and Danica (FNG Cash, also a banker but a race car driver on the side). Keep coming—it gets easier unless you draw a tough Q (McGee, Lobsta Roll, and others).
No SSH or IW threw off the PAX, but it is Thanksgiving. Mixing it up a bit.
Grumbling overheard when burpees called for last round of Beast. But, that is as traditional as turkey and dressing on Thanksgiving. Don’t break tradition.
Haggis correctly pointed out that anyone who could actually do a diamond merkin at that point was cheating. Yep. YHC was merely twitching.
We can now go back for seconds and thirds tomorrow having logged a good early morning beatdown.
YHC took us out with thanks.
Announcements:
Toy drive for Operation Sweet Tooth. Bring toys to various AOs next week.
Convergence tomorrow at 6:30 at DaVinci (chick fil a blakeney)
Joe Davis Run. Sign up.
6 men gathered out in the gloom at SOB’s weekly edition of the gear workout known as Fat Camp. Warm up started with a short mosey around the parking lot…pick up Escobar rolling in and take a lap around the school for YHC to mentally understand the coming logistics before looking stupid trying to explain The Thang. Circle up for warm up….andddd add Nard Dog. Change to Logistics.
Warm Up:
15 X SSH
15 X Seal Jack
15 X Windmill
15 X Low Slow Squat
10 X Merkin
10 X Carolina Dry Dock
The Thang:
YHC really had grinders on the mind yesterday, so was hoping and praying for a small number divisible by 3. 6 or 9 was ideal, had it, lost it, was close to having it again. Too bad JRR Tolkien is too busy making excuses for never showing up on Wednesdays even when there’s no bible study came down with a stomach bug. Thanks for the gear brother, get well!
YHC starts throwing gear into a pile to plan out the stations (and the flow, as 8 is a bit tricky). Fire Hazard gets mad because there’s only one station with 8 workouts. #facepalm
Idea is to flow from station 1 thru 8, relieved to the next when the “walker” gets to you.
1 – Shrugs using two 45lb plates (hold by the rim, not the grip hole)
2 – Bucket Carry (“Walker”)
3 – OHP (35lb Kettle Bell)
4 – Farmer’s Carry w/ 2 Kettle bells in one hand (“Walker”)
5 – Bent over rows with sandbag
6 – Merkin Ladder (Alternating Diamond and Wide Arm)
7 – Bucket Carry (“Walker”)
8 – Sandbag Squats
Logistics ended up as 1, walk bucket to 3. Man at 3 brings bucket back to 1, and moves over to 4 and carries the KBs down to 5. Man at 5 brings KBs Back down and moves to 6. From 6 walk bucket to 8. Man at 8 brings bucket back, and starts back at 1.
It’s a lot easier to see than to think about, so a little explaining and demonstration required to get thangs movin. However, it went relatively smoothly, and worked well on the back and grip strength especially.
After 3 rounds of the circuit, mosey over to the playground. Split into partners.
Burpee pullups were the timer, each PAX completed rounds of 10,8,6,2 (and some got 2 more)
Mosey back over to the school, and YHC grabbed a plate on the way.
People’s chair, pass the plate to your neighbor, all the way down and back a few (5?) times.
10 5 X Balls to the wall merkin – Feet against the wall in merkin stance (thanks for the term, Argonaut). Merkin, walk feet up to balls to the wall stance (ha). Back down, merkin. Repeat (YHC practiced these at home, but had not done the previous burpee madness before that. Some got more than the adjusted 5 reps)
Peoples chair, 5 OHP with the plate, pass to neighbor.
Back in diamond merkin stance, but this time do a merkin, move your right hand out. Idea was to get to 10 reps (which we did, doing 2 reps at some distances), moving a little wider each rep. YHC moved too quickly #ithappens
Peoples chair, 5 OHP with the plate, pass to neighbor.
Mosey back to launch, with 1.5 minutes left, last call is 15 X J-Lo’s, 10 X Chippy Cross.
YHC with the Takeout.
Fat ole Moley
As this date remained open on the calendar, YHC realized that he needed to take it. In this season of thanks, YHC needed a source to show all the gratitude and thanks in the world to F3, and in particular to the SOBs. I needed to get back to the Q.
This year has been tough for YHC. August (span of 21 days) was a whirl wind of ups and downs, going from the best shape of my life and kicking JRR Tolkien’s A$$ at YHC’s first spartan in Asheville, to getting my motorcycle stolen, to a long vacation celebrating my 25th bday – in Boston at my first 2 Red Sox games at Fenway with many of my cousins, to losing my father to a heart attack a week later.
The overwhelming love and support from the PAX that followed was exactly that. Overwhelming. No one knows what to do or say in these situations, and the truth is there isn’t a right thing. Just say something, let that person know you’re thinking of them, praying for them, invite them over for dinner, for a drink. Just say something. It’s what got me through, and I’m forever grateful.
I only bring this up so that as you look around the table tomorrow, share your love for everyone. You may know it’s there, but make it vocal. Roll over and give your M a kiss when you wake up. Tell her you love her and appreciate her. Wrap your 2.0’s in the biggest bear hug possible. Consumer them in your arms. Tell them you’re proud of them.
The PAX this morning, and EVERY morning, gives it their all day in and day out. Whether it’s the marathon training that’s swept over the SOBs, to the daily grind of the weight-loss challenge, or just the comradery that takes place each morning in the gloom, I’ve always been overly impressed with these men that call themselves F3, and their ability to lead and push others to succeed and become better men.
Thank you all for everything. My heart bleeds with passion and love for this group.
Aye!
Mario
Announcements:
Toy drive for Operation Sweet Tooth. Bring toys to various AOs next week.
Convergence tomorrow at 6:30 at DaVinci (Chick-Fil-A Blakeney)
Joe Davis Run.
Sign up to Q Fat Camp!
Posted on behalf of Lobstaroll who’s site privileges have apparently been revoked. No name for this backblast either, thus the clever title – c/o Baracus
10 PAX joined Lobsta roll on a chilly Turkey-day eve to make some room for tomorrow’s feast. With a proper disclaimer provided, the PAX were off.
A swift ½ mile run around the track that ended on turn 1.
The warm-up
Instructions provides for the next set of laps and 4 part body concentration exercises.
Part 1 – Upper body
Part 2 – Lower body
Part 3 – Abs
Part 4 – Full body
Mosey to the wall for a wall sit – timer was duration of 100 air presses
Mosey to the area behind the end zone for a modified version of Jack webb
Mosey back to the wall for a wall sit – timer was everyone completing 3 burpees.
Mosey back to the launch point for 2mins of various plank moves.
Announcements:
10 or so bundled-up PAX launched from the Vine Restaurant in Ballantyne on Tuesday morning with a particular mission in mind – don’t run alone. Here’s what they accomplished.
http://f3nation.com/2016/11/21/preblast-accelerate-and-cruise/
SYITG,
Bratwurst