Dude!
Date: 2026-01-16 AO: ufo-ultimatefriz Q: Spyglass PAX: MARTA, David Baker, Fruity Pebbles, smokey, Spikeball, Spyglass, Yeti FNGs: None COUNT: 15 Red 15 – Yellow 7 Red Spyglass Yeti Dora Aoli Bully Stick Smokey Fly With Me
Yellow Biden Peaches Marta Spikeball Duff Fruity Pink Eye Puddles
Pregame: We all knew it would be a tough one with a 5 AM sharp start and 20° weather. On brand with the conditions, the light box was allegedly locked, so lights were not in the cards. Speculation was rampant that Yeti throws better with the light up disc so just claimed that he couldn’t turn them on today. I also say allegedly because I was dead asleep until 5:12 AM when all this was happening. I’m not proud of that.
Game: Speculation was confirmed as Yeti came out throwing dimes for two touchdowns in a row. Spy played some defense early (to make up for sleeping in). Bulleystick had shorts on. Game was tight until around 4-4. Some sloppy yellow play gave red a cushion that they never looked back from. Turns out that if Spikeball calls you “Bro…”, he is actually pissed at you. Peaches had some strong flicks. Smokey had a solid performance, holding it down for the 50+ (respect) division. The Aoli/ Fruity matchup did not disappoint. A special moment of acknowledgment happened at 4:55 that Paris was maybe just leaving to go to Magic Kingdom for the day with the fam, or just returning from a night at Magic City. He will have to shed light on that when he returns. Lead grew steadily, all the way up to 7 as LAX no-showed & play continued to press on towards 5:15. Play suddenly halted as Dora darted towards the back corner chasing down a long throw when he went down with a dislocated knee. Shoutout to Fly With Me for acting swiftly and getting it back in & to Spikeball for grabbing his truck & bringing it around. Dora eventually was carried off & play was done. He was able to drive home.
Postgame: Dora, keep us updated on your status brother. We are all thinking of you and prayed for you in COT. Prayers also for: Ben – Yeti’s longtime CLT friend who had brain tumor urgently removed yesterday. Flys Patient diagnosed w/ cancer this week in late 50’s. Pregnancies
Yellow Biden Peaches Marta Spikeball Duff Fruity Pink Eye Puddles
Pregame: We all knew it would be a tough one with a 5 AM sharp start and 20° weather. On brand with the conditions, the light box was allegedly locked, so lights were not in the cards. Speculation was rampant that Yeti throws better with the light up disc so just claimed that he couldn’t turn them on today. I also say allegedly because I was dead asleep until 5:12 AM when all this was happening. I’m not proud of that.
Game: Speculation was confirmed as Yeti came out throwing dimes for two touchdowns in a row. Spy played some defense early (to make up for sleeping in). Bulleystick had shorts on. Game was tight until around 4-4. Some sloppy yellow play gave red a cushion that they never looked back from. Turns out that if Spikeball calls you “Bro…”, he is actually pissed at you. Peaches had some strong flicks. Smokey had a solid performance, holding it down for the 50+ (respect) division. The Aoli/ Fruity matchup did not disappoint. A special moment of acknowledgment happened at 4:55 that Paris was maybe just leaving to go to Magic Kingdom for the day with the fam, or just returning from a night at Magic City. He will have to shed light on that when he returns. Lead grew steadily, all the way up to 7 as LAX no-showed & play continued to press on towards 5:15. Play suddenly halted as Dora darted towards the back corner chasing down a long throw when he went down with a dislocated knee. Shoutout to Fly With Me for acting swiftly and getting it back in & to Spikeball for grabbing his truck & bringing it around. Dora eventually was carried off & play was done. He was able to drive home.
Postgame: Dora, keep us updated on your status brother. We are all thinking of you and prayed for you in COT. Prayers also for: Ben – Yeti’s longtime CLT friend who had brain tumor urgently removed yesterday. Flys Patient diagnosed w/ cancer this week in late 50’s. Pregnancies
🏀 AND 1 MIXTAPE – SHIELD EDITION 🏀
Date: 2026-01-15 AO: shield Q: tagalong PAX: Cooter2, shrinkwrap, Brisket, speed_bag, Moth, @Once-A-Week-Willy FNGs: None COUNT: 7 7 PAX showed up for basketball camp this morning at #Shield and put in work like we were all fighting for the last JV roster spot.
Started with dribbling laps around the track — “ball on a string” vibes.
Moved into free throws because “games are won at the line.”
Finished with knockout where egos were broken, dreams were tested, and handles > excuses. Cooter2 and Brisket were the winners.
No refs. No whistles. Just sweat, bricks, and that old-school gym class energy.
Because at the end of the day… hard work beats talent when talent doesn’t work hard.
Started with dribbling laps around the track — “ball on a string” vibes.
Moved into free throws because “games are won at the line.”
Finished with knockout where egos were broken, dreams were tested, and handles > excuses. Cooter2 and Brisket were the winners.
No refs. No whistles. Just sweat, bricks, and that old-school gym class energy.
Because at the end of the day… hard work beats talent when talent doesn’t work hard.
Jelly of the Month
Date: 2026-01-15 AO: sparta Q: ductwork PAX: mr_roboto, Orange Whip, geraldo, Gazette, hoover, ductwork, @Treadmill, Mr. Roboto FNGs: 1 Mr. Roboto COUNT: 7 It was great to be back at Sparta. 5 hombres chose the running option and 2 chose the rucking option. Strong work by all on that nasty hill… like a gift that keeps on giving. Welcome FNG Mr. Roboto (EH’d by @Treadmill) and well done on the tough introduction to F3.
WARMUP: Mosey to the fire station for SSH, IW, Sharon Towers and some stretching
THE THANG: A never ending suicide up and down Country Place Dr. 10 Merkins at the bottom, 10 squats at each of the 6 side streets. Over 5 miles for all.
MARY: Mosey back to launch for 20 merkins and Plank while waiting for the Ruckers
ANNOUNCEMENTS:
COT: hoover
WARMUP: Mosey to the fire station for SSH, IW, Sharon Towers and some stretching
THE THANG: A never ending suicide up and down Country Place Dr. 10 Merkins at the bottom, 10 squats at each of the 6 side streets. Over 5 miles for all.
MARY: Mosey back to launch for 20 merkins and Plank while waiting for the Ruckers
ANNOUNCEMENTS:
COT: hoover
Hydra 2026 – Round 2
Date: 2026-01-15 AO: hydra Q: Header PAX: Mikeoelz, puddin_pop, semi-gloss, marge, MARTA, high_tide, jet_fuel FNGs: None COUNT: 8 Another low mileage ghostwritten slsckblast for header who has not been on f3 social since Twitter days. Normal chatter and thankful marge made it back out after a late night coyote attack nearly took his ear. He seemed unphased in good spirits. Other Pax rued the day that OP removed the Porto johns rom campus. Hopefully they made it home. Under 2mi, lots of work.. don’t worry miles will come later.
WARMUP: Standard warm up at the derelict trailer farm. No homeless spotted this am.
THE THANG: Run t good Sheppard for partner work. One partner squats or merkins10-9-8-7.. to 1 other partner planks.
Run to umc wesley for rock work and running
Back to the track for mary
ANNOUNCEMENTS: Brew ruck COT: High tide takes us out
WARMUP: Standard warm up at the derelict trailer farm. No homeless spotted this am.
THE THANG: Run t good Sheppard for partner work. One partner squats or merkins10-9-8-7.. to 1 other partner planks.
Run to umc wesley for rock work and running
Back to the track for mary
ANNOUNCEMENTS: Brew ruck COT: High tide takes us out
Joie de Vivre!!!
Date: 2026-01-15 AO: the-phoenix Q: Roulette PAX: wildturkey, midriff, Franky, war_eagle FNGs: None COUNT: 5 The damp, pre-dawn air at The Phoenix AO was thick with more than just humidity; it was heavy with the “Gloom.” At 05:30, five men stood in a circle, their breath hitching in the frigid air like rhythmic exhaust.
They weren’t just there for the Burpees. They were searching for something the French call Joie de vivre—that elusive joy of living that often gets buried under spreadsheets, mortgage payments, and the monotony of the daily grind.
The Fellowship of the Gloom – Roulette (The Q): A man who lives up to his name; you never know if the next exercise will be a stroll or a smoker, but today, he had a gleam in his eye that suggested a long-distance gamble. – Franky: A high-mileage machine who treats a 5:00 AM sub-freezing start like a tropical vacation. – midriff: The apex predator of the pavement, today trading his road flats for trail lugs, ready to hunt miles. – war_eagle: The veteran presence, steady as a rock and always ready to push the PAX through the “Suck.” – wildturkey (The Nantan): The regional leader, here to ensure the culture remains strong, even when the thermometer is dropping.
Into the Woods
“Adventure is our middle name,” Roulette declared, signaling the turn off the pavement. “Follow me.” The PAX plunged into the mountain bike trails bordering the YMCA. It was a chaotic symphony of headlamps cutting through the mist. The trail was a labyrinth of switchbacks, jagged roots, and high banked turns. Franky and Midriff did their best to keep pace forcing the others to redline just to keep their lights in sight. They weren’t just running; they were navigating a landscape that demanded total presence. The gloom was no longer a weight—it was an obstacle course.
The Dock Incident
Deep in the woods, the trail spat them out at the edge of a black, glassy pond. A weathered wooden dock reached out into the water, shivering in the wind. “Decline ‘mericans! Feet on the bench, hands on the planks!” Roulette commanded. The five men scrambled onto the narrow structure. As they hit the “down” cadence in unison, a low, ominous creak echoed across the water. The wood groaned, and the far end of the dock dipped dangerously toward the freezing surface. “Uh, Roulette,” War Eagle grunted, his chest inches from the vibrating wood, “the dock is losing the battle against gravity.” “Ten more!” Roulette barked. The dock swayed and shuddered, nearly collapsing under the rhythmic force of five grown men pushing against the earth. They finished the last rep just as a support beam gave a final, splintering protest. They scrambled back to the shoreline, hearts hammering—not just from the exercise, but from the sheer adrenaline of nearly taking an early morning swim.
The Joie de Vivre
They climbed the final ridge, the mountain bike trails finally giving way to a clearing. Wild Turkey stopped first. The sun was beginning to burn through the grey, turning the frost on the pines into diamonds.
“”This is it,” “”Midriff”” panted, steam rising from his shirt like he was on fire. “The dock almost ate us, my lungs are screaming, and I can’t feel my toes.” “And you’ve never felt more alive, have you?” “”Wild Turkey”” replied with a grin.” The Joie de vivre wasn’t found in the comfort of a warm bed; it was found in the shared risk, the near-collapse of a wooden pier, and the muddy shoes of five men who chose the trail less traveled.
They weren’t just there for the Burpees. They were searching for something the French call Joie de vivre—that elusive joy of living that often gets buried under spreadsheets, mortgage payments, and the monotony of the daily grind.
The Fellowship of the Gloom – Roulette (The Q): A man who lives up to his name; you never know if the next exercise will be a stroll or a smoker, but today, he had a gleam in his eye that suggested a long-distance gamble. – Franky: A high-mileage machine who treats a 5:00 AM sub-freezing start like a tropical vacation. – midriff: The apex predator of the pavement, today trading his road flats for trail lugs, ready to hunt miles. – war_eagle: The veteran presence, steady as a rock and always ready to push the PAX through the “Suck.” – wildturkey (The Nantan): The regional leader, here to ensure the culture remains strong, even when the thermometer is dropping.
Into the Woods
“Adventure is our middle name,” Roulette declared, signaling the turn off the pavement. “Follow me.” The PAX plunged into the mountain bike trails bordering the YMCA. It was a chaotic symphony of headlamps cutting through the mist. The trail was a labyrinth of switchbacks, jagged roots, and high banked turns. Franky and Midriff did their best to keep pace forcing the others to redline just to keep their lights in sight. They weren’t just running; they were navigating a landscape that demanded total presence. The gloom was no longer a weight—it was an obstacle course.
The Dock Incident
Deep in the woods, the trail spat them out at the edge of a black, glassy pond. A weathered wooden dock reached out into the water, shivering in the wind. “Decline ‘mericans! Feet on the bench, hands on the planks!” Roulette commanded. The five men scrambled onto the narrow structure. As they hit the “down” cadence in unison, a low, ominous creak echoed across the water. The wood groaned, and the far end of the dock dipped dangerously toward the freezing surface. “Uh, Roulette,” War Eagle grunted, his chest inches from the vibrating wood, “the dock is losing the battle against gravity.” “Ten more!” Roulette barked. The dock swayed and shuddered, nearly collapsing under the rhythmic force of five grown men pushing against the earth. They finished the last rep just as a support beam gave a final, splintering protest. They scrambled back to the shoreline, hearts hammering—not just from the exercise, but from the sheer adrenaline of nearly taking an early morning swim.
The Joie de Vivre
They climbed the final ridge, the mountain bike trails finally giving way to a clearing. Wild Turkey stopped first. The sun was beginning to burn through the grey, turning the frost on the pines into diamonds.
“”This is it,” “”Midriff”” panted, steam rising from his shirt like he was on fire. “The dock almost ate us, my lungs are screaming, and I can’t feel my toes.” “And you’ve never felt more alive, have you?” “”Wild Turkey”” replied with a grin.” The Joie de vivre wasn’t found in the comfort of a warm bed; it was found in the shared risk, the near-collapse of a wooden pier, and the muddy shoes of five men who chose the trail less traveled.
Everyday I’m shuffling
Date: 2026-01-14 AO: sacs Q: midriff PAX: hoover, Cheese Curd, Roulette, geraldo, wildturkey FNGs: None COUNT: 6 WARMUP: Arrive promptly at 0514 and we are off with a short and sweet disclaimer for YHC’s magnificent first Q at sacs THE THANG: Some said it was impossible to ruck 4 miles in a single hour. Others said it was stupid. Thus we embarked on the Bevington 4-mile loop. Speedruck for quarter mile, run with ruck on for quarter mile, stop for 15 merkins. Rinse and repeat until we made a full loop, stopping for hoover to catch up and to say hello to middle-aged women jogging with red running tights on.
Despite Cheese Curd’s advances attempts, they did not want to join in our rucking festivities. Roulette was out front right out of the gate and had his foot on the gas for the full 60 minutes. Speaking of gas and gas tanks, wildturkey has had far too many car problems. Cheese Curd is a glutton for punishment, electing to ruck 1/3 of his weight. hoover is questioning his career in the financial services industry and provided color commentary on his voluminous morning meetings that have kept him from the gloom. geraldo regaled is with GoRuck event lore, whether it was preparing for a race with udder and Scratch and Win or putting his face in a woman’s crotch. MARY: We had time to spare and incorporated some in at the end, with our packs on except for geraldo . ANNOUNCEMENTS: SOB Beer ruck and run for charity, The Prod on the first Friday in February COT: hairball joined us and asked for us to pray for a friend who is paralyzed after a skiing accident. Roulette dropped some nuggets of truth about the importance of consistently showing up, making relentless forward progress and building the ability to do hard things with others. Sounds like there is even a QSource chapter on this (f3nation.com/pht). Thank you for the opportunity to lead and follow other High Impact Men
Despite Cheese Curd’s advances attempts, they did not want to join in our rucking festivities. Roulette was out front right out of the gate and had his foot on the gas for the full 60 minutes. Speaking of gas and gas tanks, wildturkey has had far too many car problems. Cheese Curd is a glutton for punishment, electing to ruck 1/3 of his weight. hoover is questioning his career in the financial services industry and provided color commentary on his voluminous morning meetings that have kept him from the gloom. geraldo regaled is with GoRuck event lore, whether it was preparing for a race with udder and Scratch and Win or putting his face in a woman’s crotch. MARY: We had time to spare and incorporated some in at the end, with our packs on except for geraldo . ANNOUNCEMENTS: SOB Beer ruck and run for charity, The Prod on the first Friday in February COT: hairball joined us and asked for us to pray for a friend who is paralyzed after a skiing accident. Roulette dropped some nuggets of truth about the importance of consistently showing up, making relentless forward progress and building the ability to do hard things with others. Sounds like there is even a QSource chapter on this (f3nation.com/pht). Thank you for the opportunity to lead and follow other High Impact Men
Leg day
Date: 2026-01-14 AO: wamrap Q: mcgee PAX: mcgee, Alf, Ironsides FNGs: None COUNT: 3 McGee called at 5:30. Said he was 30 seconds out and wanted the Q. The smart me should have taken off without him. The dumb me stayed out with Ironsides and suffered for it.
We did legs. It sucked. But better for it.
-Alf
We did legs. It sucked. But better for it.
-Alf
Sunday soccer – big #s!!!
Date: 2026-01-14 AO: soccer Q: Orange Whip PAX: lex_luthor, National Treasure, Christmas, Danny, Orange Whip, King, Jose Quintanilla, Jose Varela, Mile High, Joshee, Kellen Dargle, Level10, Tom Young, Will, Tomas, Jake, Dylan, FNGs: None COUNT: 22 Another HUGE week. Having a tough time remembering every name and we had 3 new guys but we went 11v11 strong.
Really fun and even match up.
Really fun and even match up.
Another cold dark day at Meathead
Date: 2026-01-14 AO: meathead Q: Pepsi PAX: flipper, The Worm, Blanks, Emoji, MARTA, Toto, Uncle Leo, voodoo, high_tide, 0 FNGs: 1 0 COUNT: 11 WARMUP: Had to take our time as several PAX members were a bit tardy in arriving. Started off with SSH, which Emoji created a new “travelling” SSH, very entertaining. Followed by Imperial Walkers, Arm circles, Sling shots and Single arm swings.
THE THANG: 4 sets of 6 for the following: Clean, Snatch, Jerk, Squat, Swing
The 4 sets were achieved in a cornucopia of approaches: Set 1 – Complex Set 2 – Chain Set 3 – Hydrox (1/4/1) Set 4 – Ladder (1/2/3)
We had some time left over, thankfully YHC planned ahead and outsourced decision making on how to fill the time void. Before the workout started, each Meathead wrote on a piece of paper their favorite exercise. YHC would pull a slip of paper and ask the PAX if they could guess which Meathead provided the exercise. If I’m grading on a curve, I would give us about a 50% on first time guesses. Grade soars to a solid B+ if given 2-3 guesses. Here is how we filled our time: Blanks – Shrugs Uncle Leo – Iso lunge (Wow, first time for me doing this one) Flipper – Hang clean and press Voodoo – Snatch Toto – Around the world Marta – Merkin Monster (Even after a demo, not super clear) The Worm – J Lo’s
Shout out since we didn’t get to them High Tide – Snatch Emoji – Sharon towers
Interesting side note – apparently this workout was too touch for flipper . His tank was empty and he just loaded up his bells and drove off into the sunrise. Hopefully he will eat a better breakfast next time so he has the energy to complete the next workout.
MARY: none
ANNOUNCEMENTS: Sorry I don’t remember what we talked about here. I do know The Prod is on the 1st Friday of month. There was something about an event where there were going to be a lot of F3 men with gambling and drinking, but that doesn’t narrow it down very much.
COT: Lifting up those going through job search, health issues as well as those unspoken requests. There are a lot of needs in our community and am so thankful for this group where we can encourage each of us to be the husbands, fathers, friends, coworkers that we are called to be!
THE THANG: 4 sets of 6 for the following: Clean, Snatch, Jerk, Squat, Swing
The 4 sets were achieved in a cornucopia of approaches: Set 1 – Complex Set 2 – Chain Set 3 – Hydrox (1/4/1) Set 4 – Ladder (1/2/3)
We had some time left over, thankfully YHC planned ahead and outsourced decision making on how to fill the time void. Before the workout started, each Meathead wrote on a piece of paper their favorite exercise. YHC would pull a slip of paper and ask the PAX if they could guess which Meathead provided the exercise. If I’m grading on a curve, I would give us about a 50% on first time guesses. Grade soars to a solid B+ if given 2-3 guesses. Here is how we filled our time: Blanks – Shrugs Uncle Leo – Iso lunge (Wow, first time for me doing this one) Flipper – Hang clean and press Voodoo – Snatch Toto – Around the world Marta – Merkin Monster (Even after a demo, not super clear) The Worm – J Lo’s
Shout out since we didn’t get to them High Tide – Snatch Emoji – Sharon towers
Interesting side note – apparently this workout was too touch for flipper . His tank was empty and he just loaded up his bells and drove off into the sunrise. Hopefully he will eat a better breakfast next time so he has the energy to complete the next workout.
MARY: none
ANNOUNCEMENTS: Sorry I don’t remember what we talked about here. I do know The Prod is on the 1st Friday of month. There was something about an event where there were going to be a lot of F3 men with gambling and drinking, but that doesn’t narrow it down very much.
COT: Lifting up those going through job search, health issues as well as those unspoken requests. There are a lot of needs in our community and am so thankful for this group where we can encourage each of us to be the husbands, fathers, friends, coworkers that we are called to be!
Don’t Stand So Close To Me
Date: 2026-01-13 AO: swift Q: bratwurst PAX: frasier, gumbo, midriff, bunker, Brisket, Gump, tagalong, shrinkwrap, retread, jrr_tolkien, Wolverine, fire_hazard, soft_pretzel, Patches FNGs: None COUNT: 15 Head over to the Brixham Green and run the perimeter of the three buildings :triangular_ruler: for 1mi. Stop at the :large_green_square: Turf field for 5 min of warm-up exercises – just not on the turf field. Lesson learned from last time that the field isn’t great for warm-up — kinda crunchy.
– Work interval: 10minutes (simulating 1.5mi distance) at 10k pace – Rest interval: 4minutes (simulating 0.to come back to the Turf field and regather. Rest interval should still be active recovery. – Repeat: 3 rounds
Head back to COT during the last rest inverval and make it on time!
YHC had to bug out to find a changing room. No extra towel or sock ala Frehly’s Comet, so a change of clothes and some dude wipes made do.
After Interval #1, it was apparent that A) frasier was recovering from a weekend race and nose-breathing me along to an interval faster than I should be doing — see definition for “Frasiered”. B) 10 minutes is a really long interval and 2 laps of that :triangular_ruler: was a lot longer than anticipated. C) TBQ had set in early and citgo wasn’t there to point YHC to the closest private bush.
So retread said it right with “Don’t Stand So Close To Me”. But only the title lyrics, that’s a pretty weird lyric if you listen to the whole way through.
And somewhere midriff is thinking that Kate Bush was “running up that hill”, but the course this morning was as flat as can be found in BCC, and even that one “dip” and every “Gump” (two per lap) don’t count.
So, trying to social distance this morning didn’t allow me to capture the vibe of the PAX. COBAINS. We’ll be spending two more weeks together for this Half Marathon ramp up, so more to come.
– Work interval: 10minutes (simulating 1.5mi distance) at 10k pace – Rest interval: 4minutes (simulating 0.to come back to the Turf field and regather. Rest interval should still be active recovery. – Repeat: 3 rounds
Head back to COT during the last rest inverval and make it on time!
YHC had to bug out to find a changing room. No extra towel or sock ala Frehly’s Comet, so a change of clothes and some dude wipes made do.
After Interval #1, it was apparent that A) frasier was recovering from a weekend race and nose-breathing me along to an interval faster than I should be doing — see definition for “Frasiered”. B) 10 minutes is a really long interval and 2 laps of that :triangular_ruler: was a lot longer than anticipated. C) TBQ had set in early and citgo wasn’t there to point YHC to the closest private bush.
So retread said it right with “Don’t Stand So Close To Me”. But only the title lyrics, that’s a pretty weird lyric if you listen to the whole way through.
And somewhere midriff is thinking that Kate Bush was “running up that hill”, but the course this morning was as flat as can be found in BCC, and even that one “dip” and every “Gump” (two per lap) don’t count.
So, trying to social distance this morning didn’t allow me to capture the vibe of the PAX. COBAINS. We’ll be spending two more weeks together for this Half Marathon ramp up, so more to come.