Fartsacked!

Fartsacked!

Many Pax fartsacked this am, and 6 real men came to get stronger.

After a quick warmup we got right to it.

The Thang:

3 rounds of:

  • 20 – 2 handed swings
  • 15 – 1 handed swings
  • 20 – hand to hand swings
  • 5 – 1 handed swing and catch the bell at the top, each side.

3 rounds of:

  • Clean, each arm (1rep, 2 rep, 3 rep, 4 rep)
  • Press, each arm (1rep, 2 rep, 3 rep, 4 rep)
  • bottoms-up press, each arm (1rep, 2 rep, 3 rep, 4 rep)
  • One legged press, each arm (1rep, 2 rep, 3 rep, 4 rep)
  • bottoms-up clean and press, each arm (1rep, 2 rep, 3 rep, 4 rep)

2 rounds of:

  • High pulls, each arm (1rep, 2 rep, 3 rep, 4 rep)
  • Snatch, each arm (1rep, 2 rep, 3 rep, 4 rep)

3 rounds of:

  • 5 deadlifts
  • 5 One-legged RDL, each leg
  • 5 Lunge, each leg
  • 5 Reverse lunge, racked, each leg
  • 5 Pass-through lunge, each leg

We ran out of time at this point, I’ll have to save the rest for another time!

The stinky moleskin:

  • Busch didn’t realize he was no longer in the fartsack, and blasted us throughout with fumes that at times put a halt to our workout.
  • Turkey Leg decided to blast back.  The WMDs were released at Meathead!
  • I was grateful to be upwind for most of this, and seemed to have been spared irreversible neurological, physical, and psychological damage.
  • Despite being under noxious cloud, we worked hard.  There was some mumbling about doing just 1 rep would be a joke at Meathead, but there wasn’t much joking about it after the second round.
  • Even though I wasn’t here in the early days of F3, you OGs helped me to know what it was really like.
  • Thanks guys for allowing me to lead!

Some Running and Burpees

The Thang….
The clock hit 5:15 there was a quick disclaimer and the PAX headed over to the parking lot across the way to warm up.
COP – in cadence
20 – SSH
15 – Windmills

OK that is enough. Time to mosey over to Ballantyne Commons Parkway and gather the Pax for instructions.
Run up the right hand side of Ben Nevis stopping at every entrance point to complete alternating Burpees (10) and Squats (20). YHC thought we would have 7 stops and end up with 40 Burpees and 60 Squats. Luckily YHC was wrong and there were 8 stops so the PAX each received 40 Burpees and 80 squats. Pebbles finished first and corrected YHC’s squat form. Then we headed back to the pick up the 6 and finish another 20 squats as a team.

The next item on the agenda was an Indian run for a few hundred yards where the PAX were led in some Mary and Merkins.

We then continued to mosey down to Rushmore for some more Mary while we waited for the 6. YHC lead the PAX down Rushmore over to the lake with the Bridge. During this mosey the PAX completed a 25 yard Bear Crawl.

Once at the lake the PAX were instructed to complete a set of 7’s on the big hill. Burpees at the bottom and Merkins at the top. A few more Merkins were completed after planking for the 6 and we were off again.

YHC headed over to the pond closest to 485 (which is .3 miles around) and the PAX partnered up. Each man would do 3 laps while his partner alternated Lunges and CCD’s. Oh wait. There is not enough time for all of that. So Outback made a wise comment that he would start the Mosey with some of the smoked PAX while the other did one more lap.
The only takers on the final lap were YHC and Pebbles. After this lap the PAX grouped back up and moseyed back to the AO.

The Moleskin –
This was a fine group of men to lead today. It was nice to see Golmer out at the brave and T-Claps to Bandaid for coming out to the Brave for his second F3 workout ever (First was the Maul this week). He pushed hard and did not quit. Hope to see you two at Da Vinci tomorrow. Pebbles was speedy as usual and Wild Boar showed off his speed keeping up with Pebbles step for step on the lap around the lake. Haggis helped us keep our merkin form in tip top shape per the usual. Also, T-claps to Outback for keeping the group together and pushing everyone, #him.

Announcements:
-Family Hike on February 20th Ann Springs Greenway
-Sign up for the Balrog
-Mud Run is coming get your teams together

The Set That Keeps on Giving

Good group on 24 at Centurion with some brisk weather but not too bad.  YHC did a scouting prerun and caught up with Snowflake and Jamboree in the deck for a good run before.  A good bit of run-ins as well with Mermaid, Cane and Bout Time that I know of, may be others?   After a failed disclaimer for my VQ at Centurion, I was focused on the full disclosure this time around.  All that focus and I forgot to ask of any FNGs up front.  So Lugnut, my apologies.  I hope the workout was tough but will leave enough there to keep you coming back.

Mosey to the shopping center at Carmel and 51 for COP.

COP

  • SSH x 15 IC
  • IW x 15 IC, might have actually been 16
  • Mountain Climber x 15 IC
  • Merkin x 15 IC

The Thang

We ran the stairs of the shopping center with 40’s of squats and lunges at the bottom of the stairs. First run was 30 squats and 10 lunges, then 25 and 15, 20 and 20, 15 and 25 and 10 and 30. Mermaid led some plank work while waiting on the six.  I’m pretty sure that Chelms actually started with the rest of us but I’ll have to check the tape.  Not sure about the rest of you, but this set is going to stay with me for a while.

Mosey to the picnic tables at the front of the AO.

Groups of 3 did a combined 150 derkins at the picnic tables and 150 dips at the benches by the front entrance with the 3rd person running in between and relieving.  Theoretically this should work, but when Runstopper and YHC stay at the picnic tables doing derkins, no one ever comes in relief of us or Udder.  We’ll get it next time.  Did the same format with 150 LBCs and bicycle.

Mosey to the top of the deck with backwards run on all of the inclines.

Pax lined up across the top of the deck in a plank.  Did walking merkins to the other side.  This set was originally supposed to be an over and back on all exercises, but when YHC got to the other side I realized my back would not have happened.  So we did bear crawl dry docks back to the other side.  Crab cakes (crab walk with touching opposite hands and feet) back across and then broad jump burpees brought us home.  Some people’s chair in between.  I was trying to avoid the cars late in the workout by going up top, but didn’t realize how rough the concrete was.  If you didn’t have gloves, well hopefully this one made the hands tougher.

Mosey back to the cars for Mary

Mary

  • Heels to Heaven x 25 IC
  • Rosalita x 25 IC
  • High Flutter x 25 IC

YHC took us out in prayer

Moleskin

Strong work by all today and a great turnout.  A puke and rally speaks volumes for the hard work.  I had wanted to add more leg work that I felt had been lacking lately, and so far it has worked.  But we hit a lot of the high points of the AO and ran a couple of miles.  Not bad for a Friday morning.

FNG Rob Ferguson, aka Lugnut from Concord who doesn’t like racing, welcome.  It’s a strong group every Friday and a privilege to lead today.  I’m sure I missed a bunch, so feel free to sound off below.

Annnouncements

5 Years of F3, March 5 at the Music Factory.  Chelms is looking for a date but has special requirements.  Sign up now.

Balrog March 12th, 5, 7 and 11 mile options through 5 SOB AO’s.  Get in touch with Tuck and sign up.

Anne Springs Family Hike tomorrow at noon.

Chelms looking for a premature BRR van driver

 

Up and down Gma- ouch!

The Pax slowly started to emerge from their warm urban chariots, gathering with mumblechatter, greetings, and handshakes.  The gloom was chilly at 32 degrees but not too bad for Feb.  All seemed ready for a variety packed beatdown.  Disclaimer stated, and we were off.

Warmup- catch up with our moseying resident foot shuffler.  One day we’ll rope him in.  #sadclown

Swing back by the chariots to pick up Funky Cold and Semigloss #alarmfail then down to the field.

SSH x 25

Merrkin x 15

Low slow Squat x 20

Diamond Merkins x 10

Imperial Walker x 20

Wide-arm Merkins x 15

Partner up for Run:  400 at 50-75% then another 400 at 100+% push each other.

Plankarama

G-ma Mountain Tour of Duty- Up -1 merkin, down and back up, 2 merkins, down and back up, 3 merkins, etc to  we get to 10.  Ouch!

Mary- LBCs x 25, Slow Flutter x 15, Something Pop Tart lead (Can Opener?), Dolly x 20B

Back with Partner- 20 decline merkins on Pt back while in plank (flapjack), 15 Shoulder presses using PT legs with Pt in plank (flapjack), 100yd out and back.  Rinse & Repeat

25 yd walking lunge, 5 Burpees, 25 yd Broad-Jumps, 5 Burpees, 25 yd Bear Crawl, 5 Burpees, 25 yd Crabwalk, 5 Burpees. back to goal line 1 AYG 100 yd dash.

Back to Parking lot.

COT

Naked Moleskine:

Joker emailed me last night  about how much Hill work I had planned.  I told him some…Up and down a few times.  My math on “a few” may have been slightly off.  Under promise and Over achieve.  Gma is one tough lady.  She’ll whip you into shape, fo sho.

Good thing we did the 400s before Gma.  The pax is fast.  Love to see us push each other out there and compete.  #ISI

Lots of mumble chatter from our favorite toasted morning pastry (PopTart).  So YHC invited him to lead a interested Ab exercise called the Can Opener.  Imagine somewhat of the famed diving board trick but on land, on your back.  Thanks PopTart.

Puddin’ was in short sleeves, a nice gray one I think, well, at least it was in the beginning.

The Pax didn’t seem to like the Shoulder presses with your partners legs….what was it?  Too awkward, too hard, what?

Any comments are welcomed….we had a great group this am.  Thanks for letting me lead, Header.

Announcements:  F3 5 year anniversary celebration on March 5, sign up online.  Also Joker is leading efforts for a cookout at Alexander Youth Network on Mar 5th as well.  Stay tuned for details.

 

They Thought I was almost late

Morning came early!!! Only had a couple minutes to put the work together that I had planned for the gloom and shuffle off to meeting place.

WU:

40 SSH, 30 MC, 20 LBC, 15 Peter Parker

The Thang

Mosey over to the front of the school for a quick 15 dips and plank it up ( while the q is struggling to get my speaker to work for the later activities). Mosey over to the high school, on your six for a quick round of Russian twists in cadence (finally, speaker works!) mosey over to the gate, with some tunes as motivation, partner up to do a round of 200 combined supines while the other partner runs the loop.

Mosey over to the FAR back parking lot to discover what caused the Q and Shop DAWG to be “almost late.”  Four stations were set up with 2 cones at each station 30 yards apart with a  steel plate on the ground next to the first cone.  Teams of 3 formed,  partner 1 does first cone, partner 2 does a worm burner to partner 3 at the opposite cone, partner 3 takes the plate back swap,,, so on and so forth.  Stations were fairly simple. 1 100 lbs Squats, 2. Heels to heavens 3. Triceps extension 4. Russian twist (with Med ball) 5. Curls with bands 6. jump rope 7 burbees 8 flutter kicks.  We did each station for 4 minutes!

Mosey back with a quick stop at the benches 15 dips, 15 Derkins and 15 LBC’s on your on and then hold the V up till everyone was done.  Time got tight had to make the long mosey back to home base.  Only 30 seconds left to do a quick round of Russian twists to finish the workout!

 

Moleskin:

Morning went quick!   It was work, mixed in with a bit of running.  Snoop, welcome to the crew,  you’ll be taking the blue pill shortly enough!  Always enjoy working out with this crew, we push each other, support each other and work!  Furthermore, work with a purpose, it is clear the hearts of our PAX it is to grow, to be better Fathers, Husbands, Community members and to lean into the one who has given all of these abilities in the first place, God.  I am grateful to be part of this PAX!  Peace out!

 

 

Run To The Hills – Mountain Goat Pre-Blast

Based on the promise of warming temperatures, YHC was inspired for some Blue Ridge Relay early training… which means some hills!

After some warm-up, we will do the following:
1.  Find the nearest hill that is uncomfortably steep
2.  :30 seconds at moderate pace, then :20 seconds next harder pace, then :10 seconds near all you got… slow mosey back to start.
3.  We will do that repeat 5 times, and then do a 2:00 recovery… that is 1 set.
4.  We will plan to do 3 sets depending on the time.

Looking forward to seeing everyone Friday morning!  0500 for some early pre-warm-up warm-up.  Main event at 0515.

See you at SCMS!

Devil’s Turn – Murderhorn Edition

12 men joined the skins team and headed off to lay down some blistering Strava segments this Devils Turn.

The challenge of the day was the Murderhorn in the back yard of the Maul and Rebel Yell. The later took hold of the challenge via Twitter and vowed vengeance.

After the obligatory “bring it” and “it’s already been broughten” were exchanged, it was time to get down to business.

A 2.2 mi warmup was completed on the way to the Murderhorn. We then proceeded 3 times up and down the Horn. FNG Citgo held constantly fast throughout while most everyone else tapered off after the preliminary irrational exuberance wore off.

The 4th time up the horn was called off due to time but FNG Citgo was determined to get in the full workout and headed back down for a fourth (he forgot his shirt). Respect was gained all around and we headed back in unison the 2.2 miles.

It was an excellent run with you guys and it looked like an all out effort by all. See you next week.

Sign up for the 5 year party!

A sweaty running Fonda

The Q is wide open at #F3Dromedary – sign up now!  http://www.signupgenius.com/go/10c0d4baeaf29a46-dromedary

The VSF was planted and 8 PAX headed off into the gloom at 0530 from Marvin Ridge HS.  Wait, here comes 1 more getting slowly out of the car.  Wait, here come three amigos late to the party.  After a long mosey, let’s circle up in a side Courtyard for this week’s edition of #F3Dromedary.

The THANG:

– Imperial Walkers ICx15
– Low Slow Squat (butt touches calf) ICx15
– Mountain Climbers slow (probably has it’s own name, for this is an exaggerated slow stretching exercise), ICx15

Run to Middle School Entrance and do LBCs until the Six arrives.

Count off into threes – 1 & 2 stay put, 3 goes across flag pole to other side of the loop.
Begin – 1s Watch. – 2’s start running around loop towards 3s, 3s start an exercise when the 2s take off.  Once the 2s arrive, 3s go run, 2s recover, and 1s start the exercise.  All groups keep it going until you have done each exercise at both points of the loop.
– Hand-release Merkins,
– Diamonds,
– Carolina Dry Docks

VERY Short mosey to the middle school awning.  Explain that we’ll do each exercise for one minute, recover briefly while Q demonstrates the next exercise, and then complete next for 1 minute.  The exercises are:
1) Inchworm Plank – walk hands out (keep legs straight), 1 pushup, walk hands back
2) Burp-Mountain Climbers – 5 each leg
3) Curtsy Lunge Hop – right foot diagonally behind left hip, drop to lunge, explode up, 30 sec each side
4) Scorpion Fighter – Derkin position, swing bent knee under to opposite shoulder, back up and around, 30 sec each side
5) Side Plank with Leg Lifts – 30 sec each side
6) Maktar Jai – 30 sec start each side
7) Lateral hops into runner position
8) Windshield Wipers – on back, arms spread wide, palms down, knees bent 90 degrees
9) Plank rotation to side – elbows stacks horizontal, hand on hip
10) Single Leg Deadlift – switch to other side after 30 sec
11) Marching Bridge – on back, knees bent, lift into bridge, pick up one foot at a time knee toward chest
12) Superman Plank – 6 count, right hand up on 1, left leg up on 2, hold 3,4,5, down for 6, other side.

Explanation about exercises: http://running.competitor.com/2014/07/training/book-excerpt-build-your-running-body_109459

Long mosey back to cars.  Heels to Heaven until 6 arrives.  DONE!

Moleskin:

  • The Lawson crew was once again out strong at Dromedary.  A lot of new faces with Bottle Cap for 2nd week, and some less well-known PAX like Moneyball.
  • Welcome Transporter from @F3Alpharetta – apparently he’s been working out more down there that at the Dromedary lately.
  • After Shampoodle destroyed the PAX on several runs last week, we think he started from the back this week with the 3 Amigos that arrived late.  Eventually he caught up.
  • Someone noticed a PAX flying around the loop on the 3 man grinders, “look at that dude!”.  Turned out it was the SoftPretzel putting the hammer down.
  • Dromedary PAX are hard nosed, but they don’t like wet hands.  At most opportunities to do merkins on the 3 man grinders, several PAX chose the dry concrete sidewalk versus the damp pavement.  YHC is guessing that those same PAX were satisfied with the cover of the middle school awning that was dry, covered, and out of the weather.  Didn’t quite need the awning for the weather on this particular day, for YHC had picked it for acoustics for a stashed BlueTooth speaker to play some entertainment while we worked through the 12 exercise.  However, tech fail as the smartphone didn’t reconnect in time while the PAX got impatient standing around and wanted to dive into the inch worm.  We’ll try this again next time – we all know the PAX wanted to hear Mozart and Coltrane as they worked out.
  • YHC had perhaps scared the PAX with a lot of runnnig today in the Preblast announcement.  While we did cover some ground, we made sure to give plenty of rest and wait on the 6 to recover.
  • The bulk of the last 15 minutes was the 12 exercise.  While it did heat us up, and GreaseMonkey felt the need to strip down, there were some comments about “Jane Fonda” dictating the exercises.  Sure, the side plank with lateral leg raise should probably be renamed the “Jane Fonda”, but it’s not easy – I challenge any PAX to do it for more than 60 seconds.  Many of these exercises work the small stability muscles and ligaments that aren’t worked through just running.  As we get stronger in the small areas, we can continue to build the big areas and avoid injury.  YHCs hamstrings were dead this morning.  Take some time today to warm-up the muscles and have a good stretch (or a session with you favorite STICK or foam roller) to speed recovery.

Announcements:

Angry Starfish

Carried the substi-Q this week as Gummy continues to rehab a bum foot.  Was a little weary of this one as a certain basketball game tips at 9pm (actually like 9:12), and a shortened slumber turned even shorter as YHC had trouble sleeping, being heavily perturbed with that pathetic final four minutes of the game.

Anywho, I digress, three other men decided to join me in this cold clear sky gloom to slay the starfish.

COP

SSH x 20

IW x 20

MC x 20

Squat hold (Eddie the Eagle) x 5

Here’s the Thing

Starfish

Corner 1 (far corner of practice field by parking lot) – Dive bomber merkins x 10

Corner 2 (outfield fence post of baseball field right by bball court) – Jump squats x 20

Corner 3 (railroad ties by batting cages of field 4) – merkins of choice x 20

Corner 4 (outfield fence by field 5) –  jumping sister mary katherines x 10

Home base (playground) – Dips x30

Covered two rounds of this, swapping dips for pull-ups x 5 (supine x 10) after first round

Changed up exercises after second round to:

Corner 1 – LBC x 30

Corner 2 – Dolly x 30

Corner 3 – Flutter x 30

Corner 4 – Rosalita x 30

Made it around 1.75 times during this circuit

Hit the practice field for AYG down and back

done

Thoughts/Observations

I’m not going to say anything more about the game…I’m just not.  Other than it was pathetic.  Let’s keep it G rated.

Anyway, I had plans for some three man grinders, but with four, had to audible and the starfish it was.  We ended up covering some ground as Buttermaker’s handy dandy GPS had us at 2.6…not too shabby.

Buttermaker and Marge were pacesetters as you would imagine, and Nuke was killing it on the pull-ups.

Nuke also has pretty good case for renaming a squat hold to Eddie the Eagle, as you look like a ski jumper in a tucked position in squat, and then explode up out of it upon take off.

Great group out there this morning hanging together, pushing one another.

Nuke, thanks as well for taking us out, brother.

Until next time, after some really good REM.

Swift happened, we can prove it

At 0515 on Tuesday morning, 7 men rolled out of the lot at the Vine American kitchen without a care of the overnight monsoon, or that there may be ice, but soon discovered an empty canvas on which to unleash some speed.

The THANG:

  • 0500 – a couple of Bagpipers and a few Swiftys left the lot for some pre-run.  Gumbo and YHC, late is our calling card, forged our own path to find said mixed-workout group and tracked them down over the last part of the run.
  • 0515 – letting two of the early Bagpipers continue of their run, and 1 early Bagpiper / vagrant in a hoodie / Pebbles with a kettle bell swing in peace, 7 PAX headed out for the high land of the Bridge over 521
  • Repeat of a workout 2 weeks ago should give us a chance to check our improvement.  Not exactly the same course, but the same pace and distance goals.  We did find ourselves easing into some extra work on the backside.
    • 3 rounds of 200m at R-pace (1 mile race pace), 200m recover, 200m R-pace, 200m recover, 600m at R-pace, bend over / wheeze / gasp for air / recover for 600m
    • 2 x 200m at R-pace again, but we’ll leave that additional 600m in the tank we’re out of time for anything else
  • Surprise BountyHunter with the Shortcut through Lance parking lot / fitness trail / Lochness, and head home

Moleskin:

  • 6 of the 7 PAX can prove they actually did the workout today.  Never has such a large group of calculating, analyzing, and out-to-prove-it PAX been assembled:
  • On the warm-up, Bounty Hunter was practically re-introducing himself to OneNiner again.  While OneNiner has been nursing an injury, Bounty Hunter has been consistently posting for many weeks.  Getting pretty fit out there, but also noticing that this running thing is easier the more you do it.
  • Chasing down HoneyBee most of the morning was OneNiner right on his heels.  And then many times, here comes Gumbo!  Gumbo was sure that he couldn’t possibly hold that pace for a mile, but then OneNiner casually offers, “if I can do a sub 6 mile, you for sure can.  It’s just gonna HURT!”
  • After the first couple of intervals, Strange Brew was not in a good place, but he held in there and actually maintained the aggressive pace if looking at his results.  Just goes to show that you may not feel it, but it’s in there somewhere and you maybe just need to back off a few and then find it.
  • Tuck is the quiet leader.  Busy building up his new DaVinci workout into legend status already, and taking on the Balrog, he’s out at Swift still learning what he’s capable of.  Looking for good things as he starts building the miles.
  • HoneyBee hides his workouts.  Yes, he posts them to Strava, but he claims some sort of bug in his watch is preventing some of the more granular details coming across from Garmin.  It’s likely that he’s just hiding training secrets from Haggis.  The next 1 mile showdown is going to be interesting.

Announcements:

  • 1 mile challenge is coming soon.  Dare I say that it’s going to be March, but we do have the Balrog and Palmetto200 to plan around.  Let’s just see where this 1mile training takes us.
  • Next week we’ll try a new course with an old workout with 2/1/30, but then it’s on to a new Phase of 1mile training that includes some new tests.