On a quiet muggy morning, 22 of Area 51’s fastest PAX put their trust in YHC to lead them along a journey of musical excellence and a half decent running workout. With the non existent Fast Twitch Shovel Flag firmly planted in mind of Purple Haze, a bumbling buddy system toting disclaimer, and ears full of magical tunes from the 80’s coming from my car, it all went down something like this:
Warm up jog around the parking lot with some high knees and butt kickers before taking a group slow mosey all the way to the Arboretum in front of the ABC Store (aka Spackler’s house).
COP:
Grab your partner and play a little catch me if you can all the way to the movie theater. 10 Squat Jumps at each interchange.
Partner 1 runs suicides while partner 2 does called exercise:
Mosey to through Arboretum past Le Peep (yum), Akropolis (yum) and Chili’s (yuck) and down the steps towards the pond. This is our base camp while one partner runs the other does called exercise:
Line up for an Indian Run back through the neighborhood along Windbluff. Plank it up at the corner of Windbluff and Raintree Ln to wait for six. Almost out of time so everyone head back to AO. Total Mileage 4.76ish.
FIN
Ye naked moleskin:
What a sweaty morning! Thanks to everyone for coming out and supporting me on my first FT Q. I apologize for going over by a few minutes. Turkey Leg said because of that I have to Q next week. He just wants to listen to more incredible music!
We started the morning off by having my speakers blasting “Invincible” by Pat Benetar followed by “Our House” by Madness. Yeah, it got everyone pumped. I told everyone to buddy up because we are going straight to the Arboretum. The mummblechatter grew quickly as I went the opposite way through the parking lot for a brief warmup. I knew where I was going, by the way…maybe. I’m sure everyone thought they were clear from another Prohibition playlist until we got to the Arbo and what do you know? YHC’s mini speakers are right there waiting for us. And with that, the best vocal/party/rocknroll band ever hit the ear drums of the PAX with one of their finest works. Van Halen’s 1984 album in its entirety. FANTASTIC way to start any morning.
The suicides were terrrible, the calf raises were terrible, and the flutters were terrible. It actually made the regular running a little more bearable. You’re welcome. I don’t know about anyone else, but I was completely smoked. I don’t really remember much else from the workout other than hating myself for making me do this.
I know Purple Haze and Semi Gloss were digging the tunes as they turned the Imperial Walkers into Imperial Go Go Dancers. The 80’s called. They want their moves back. Alf seemed to be doing just fine as he was whistling and humming (Van Halen I’m sure) on the Indian Run back. Van Pelt and I struggled together on what seemed like endless flutters. Haze told me how much he loved the background singing by Van Halen. “So pure” I think he said. Hairball busted himself by leaving a sweat impint of his six on the bench where he was supposed to be doing dips. That’s about all I can recollect.
Seriously, great work by everyone out there today. Shout out to those really fast guys who kept making a point to turn around and get the six (I would know because I was back there = leading from behind). Thanks for the take out by Flutie Flakes. Thanks to TL and PH for allowing me to lead after all of my excuses and rescheduling. I hope the anticipation didn’t outperform the actual showing.
Chime in with anyone else’s experiences today.
Pro
Announcements:
Moderate Running Workout Fridays at South Charlotte Middle starting June 5th.
14 PAX made the wise decision to post on a muggy May morning at Area 51 for Picasso’s VQ. Don’t think anyone left disappointed. SF was planted in the soil at McKee Rd Elementary and YHC gave the disclaimer with a few new faces in tow for our weekly Saturday edition of Charlotte South’s “Original”, “Granddaddy” (you get the picture) work-out.
YHC had the first half and so we headed out for a warm-up lap around the soccer fields, mixing in some Karaoke, Backwards runs, and Forward runs before circling up for the COP:
With the joints warmed up and everyone ready to roll, we headed over to the side near the lower parking lot and lined up on one end for a Suicide Ladder:
Mosey over to the playground at front of school for a little circuit work. With Salt Lick in attendance, had to make sure we worked a few pull-ups in during our 60 minutes.
Hand the baton off to Picasso for his VQ as he took the reins for the 2nd half. He had promised a smoker in a series of e-mails with YHC and Cold Cuts (not able to attend due to 2.0 ball game at 8 a.m.) and he did not disappoint. Led the PAX back down to the soccer fields and had us count off into 3 groups. Each PAX would stay with his group the remainder of the work-out.
Started us off with Bear Crawl Indian Run relay race. Each team lined up at end of soccer field in a line with each PAX member in Plank. PAX at back of line bear crawled to front and completed 5 merkins. When completed, next PAX went. Continued this until each team made it to light pole at midfield. It was sucktastic.
After that fun, Picasso announced that it was time for the Bruce Jenner/Dan O’Brien Decathlon Challenge. Each team completes 10 reps of posted exercise at light pole at midfield and then runs out and back to designated light pole across the field. Stay together as a team.
Everyone seemed to enjoy the team aspect, so Picasso led PAX across the lower parking lot to lower field at back right corner of the AO. Staying with your team, one PAX member ran loop up the hill and around while other PAX completed called exercise. PAX running loop stopped for 5 wide-arm merkins, 5 diamond merkins, & 5 regular merkins before returning to launch point.
Exercises completed while PAX running:
Head back to launch point. 1 minute left, so PAX were instructed to jog to other end of teacher parking lot and then AYG back.
COT
Moleskin:
Announcements:
14 Swift PAX set off from the Vine Restaurant at 0515 this morning. In for a lot of running, and a little bit of recon. Who knew there would be more of a #SearchParty.
The THANG:
The Moleskin:
Announcements:
(Posted on behalf of Floor Slapper & O’Tannenbaum)
With the QIC out of town visiting family, O’Tannenbaum & Floor Slapper answered the call and agreed to co-lead at Area 51. 6 PAX gathered in the Gloom around the VSF before heading out to make their weekly downpainment at McKee Rd Elementary.
OT led the PAX on a warm-up run through the adjoining neighborhood (Cold Cuts stomping grounds) and brought them out on the lower field for a little field work:
Mosey to playground at the front of school for the following:
OT hands off to Floor Slapper for 2nd Half:
Head over to the wall at front of school for some PC:
Time to partner up for a little Catch Me If You Can:
PAX stops at the rock pile for a little heavy lifting, with some cardio mixed in:
Return your rocks for another day and head over to the soccer field for 7 MOM
Head back to launch point
COT
NMM:
8 or Area 51’s finest report for duty on a balmy Saturday morning to get their weekend started off right with the tag team duo of Boutique and Mall Cop.
Here’s what we did after being disclaimed:
Warm up jog around the track to survey the finest turf in Area 51 meeting back at the basketball court for COP:
SSH x 20
IW x 20
Low Slow Squat x 20
Mtn Climbers x 20
Merkins x 15
Mosey through the woods over to the Yellow Rose parking lot (AKA Spacklers turf) and meet in the middle of the lot for a 3 legged starfish:
Round 1:
- Run up stairs, 25 merkins, circle back to starting point
10 burpees in center
- Run to sidewalk in front of day care, bear crawl length, 25 wide arm menkins
10 burpees in center
- Run to entrance ramp, lunge walk up, 25 CDD
10 burpees in center
Round 2:
- Run up stairs, 25 LBC's, circle back to starting point
10 burpees in center
- Run to sidewalk in front of day care, bear crawl length, 10 CDD's each side
10 burpees in center
- Run to entrance ramp, lunge walk up, 15 Turkish Get-ups
Plank at starting point and Hand off to Mall Cop
MC then led the Pax back through the woods to his vehicle where he kindly stashed 2 bricks for each of us. Mosey to the Best Turf in Area 51 for a little strength work.
Line up on soccer field goal line for feats of strength and conditioning while holding our bricks.
We did several sets while running the length of the field in between:
25 Man maker merkins
25 Dolly Presses
25 Flutter Presses
50 Push Presses (quickly audibled to 30…OUCH!)
Once the PAX was sufficiently swole we returned our bricks to MC’s car for Ball of Man.
Moleskine: MC and I exchanged a few messages before our scheduled Q to try and give the PAX a full body smoker. If I’m any indication, it worked.
YHC was a little gassed during the starfish and called on Radar for a 10 count (he was there in spirit). Might Might…er um…THE Might Might was in front all morning…must be nice to be so young! Filmont never fails to keep the PAX laughing – thanks brother!
As always, it was a pleasure Q’ing Day Zero – Thanks to Prohibition and Hairball for the opportunity.
Aye!
A hearty 10 souls arrived to the Weddington HS campus at 0630 on Saturday to a large audience. Apparently, there was a Yard Sale going on with sightings on campus of more than normal pedestrians. With sights to explore the “HUGE AO”, we were off.
The THANG (due to the passage of time, this may or may be accurate in counts and sequences – the “spirit” of the workout is in tact):
The Moleskin:
Announcements
F3, along with members of FiA, just finished a 2nd successful year supporting Bull Dogs Matters, an after school program for kids from Grier Heights at AG Middle School. Those that volunteer to support this program undertand the title of this BB. Many of the kids lack discipline and focus while it can be hard to forge a relatinship with others. However, this is exactly why F3 and FiA are needed to support Bull Dogs Matters. These kids really need us to show them a different way and that is exaclty what we accomplished this year.
Through the dedication and hard work of several PAX, we made big improvements in getting the kids to learn team work and try new things. Examples included Tryon creating Giant Jenga and the golf ball gutter challenge, Rev Florida with his lunch trays and Leroy leading the kids thru the Marshmellow challenge. It takes special people to dedicate time each week to show up for a program where you may not feel appreciated. However, I have been blessed to be surrounded by very special people who place themselves third. Several regulars who deserve recognition are Tryon, Senior Chips, Chicken Coop, Rev Florida, Leroy, Barnabus, Barracuda, Field of Dreams and FOD’s son Will (special T-clap).
I encourage all men of F3 to find an AO as challenging as the Bull Dogs Matters program. Our communiites need F3 involvement in programs like this. Please contact me at pchepul@gmail.com if you want to learn more about Bull Dogs Matters or want to get invovled next year.
6 not 7 men showed up today for another Fight Club workout.
The Thang
Partner Up
3 stations of exercises
Station 1 and 2 Pad work for 2:30 minutes then flap jack with partner.
Station 3 just enough time to make it two laps around Loch Ness
Rinse and repeat after making it through one round of each station. QIC let the PAX decide to make station 3 a light sparring station or more running. Only Wild Turkey and Fire Hazard decided to spare. No one got bloody, no head shots.
Just enough time for some good ab work
20 x crunch
20 x lbc
20 x toe tap crunch
15 x right leg extended cruch
15 x left leg extended crunch
20 x side crunch right
20 x side crunch left
20 x bicycles
20 x alternating toes
Great work by all today, welcome back Honey Bee for second week in a row, and Outback for first time at Fight Club (new day and time). A lot of mumble chatter during the ab workout, espically from Curbie when you asked me “are you sure you are not a communist”. We covered a little over a mile today, great work by Curbie on the laps around the lake, keep it up and it will get easier.
Always great to lead and thanks for the opportunity
Chippy
Swift will launch at 0515 from the Ballantye AO at the Vine Restaurant. We will be headed off-campus to do a little recon for the new upcoming “test”.
The idea is that following on the success of the 1 Mile Time Trial, create a more regular “test” workout that can accommodate various PAX and be run on a more regular basis. Make the workout easy to follow, track, and compare month to month. We’ll be starting the workout on the 3rd Tuesday of each month along with #F3SIB and any other F3 running workout that wants to “multicast” (meaning do it the same day, but in your own venue). This week we’ll be doing some recon for the course on the new North Community House – one of the straightest and flattest sections of road around with a nice generous shoulder / bike lane. Cones, chalk, and measuring wheel are optional.
The workout tomorrow will be run at Interval (I) -pace (just think “HARD” or find your personal specific pace at http://runsmartproject.com/calculator ) where the recovery is slightly less than the time of the interval. For example, a 3minute interval has a recovery of 2minutes. Or a 4/3. Or a 5/4. You get the idea. Builds on the idea of the 2min Hard /1min rest, 1min/30sec, 30sec/30sec intervals from last week.
Come tomorrow, but everyone should get set for the test to begin next week!
17 Pax including 1 carrying a ruck launched out of Base Camp AO for a Monday Morning dose of Pain. The last couple of times I have posted at Base Camp, we have left the AO for other options. Today we were staying on site and would still move around a little.
Disclaimer Given and off we went. Lap around parking and circle up.
Mosey to the Bleachers by the baseball fields for some Circuit Work
Bear Crawl to light post and mosey to track for 4 Corners
Mosey back to the bathroom area and grab some wall.
Return to Launch for Mary
A couple of minutes left, line up on first basketball goal, run to the last basketball goal 10 Squats and run back. Finish with 5 burpees OYO. Done.
Fireman Ed and Passport, thanks for the opportunity to lead today. Great group out there and great seeing some guys flying around the track. Missed most of who was flying up ahead as YHC was way behind. Strange Brew strong work with ruck. Keep coming out 4 Corners and welcome back to Marshall. Hope to see you out in the gloom more. There were 17 Pax out there and I am missing one from Nameorama. Sound off if I missed you.
Today would have been my Mom’s 82nd birthday. She exercised consistently throughout her life until she passed away 5 years ago. I am thankful to share the gloom with you men as you allowed me to celebrate her life a little. I planned 82 merkins and then realized we did 92 as I wrote this. Oops. Also the reason for the 82 arm presses in People’s Chair. Honor to lead. If you have not Q’d before get on a schedule somewhere, you will be better for it.
Passport – Thanks for the strong prayer and leading us out!
Announcments
F3 Endurance is Launching in June. New Moderate Running Site. Look for more information coming out from Stumphugger and Slimfast.