Holiday from Stonehenge?
Well count our blessings I guess…only 7 made it out this morning but travel and the holidays seems like a logical explanation for the light crowd. Nevertheless, we tried to work off the over-indulging that no doubt occurred over the past few days. It was much needed…
Warmup: Jogged from launch to parking lot near the lake in the office park. SSH x 20, Imperial Walker x 20, Merkins X 10 + Peter Parker Merkins X 10 (40 total), Slow squat X 20. All reps in cadence. Jogged to upper knee wall above the lake.
Workout: Derkins x 20, Dips x 20, Mary on the wall: LBC+Flutter+Dolly X 20 each. Run a lap around the lake and returned to the wall. Incline Merkins X 20, Dips X 20, Step ups X 10 each leg, lunges w/1 foot on the wall (10 each lag), Mary on the wall: Knee-ups+Bicycle+ Heels to Heaven X 20.
Jogged to fitness trail for 2 sets of 3 exercises: Dips or Supine Pull-ups X 15, Pull-ups X 10, 8-count Burpees X 5. Repeat. Jogged to bottom of hill on the street and ran 3/4 pace to the top of the hill for People’s Chair on the bridge+ shoulder presses X 30 in cadence + 1 leg holds for 10 counts.
Jogged to parking garage. 25 Merkins + run up steps to top. 25 more Merkins. Run down steps. Mason twist X 15 + Protractor + Rosalita X 15. Run backwards up 1 -level of parking garage and sprint back down for more Merkins (50 total) broken out as follows: Carolina Dry Docks X 20, Diamonds X 10, Wides X 10, Merkins X 10. Bear Crawl + Bunny hop + backwards run up 1-level of the garage. Sprint back down to bottom. Run back to launch with 1 break in the middle (LBC’s X 20 + Merkins X 20).
Returned to launch where Haggis led the PAQ in 10 slow-count “perfect form” Merkins prior to name-arama. Total running for the workout = 3.0 miles.
Beatdown. Literally.
8 men did work today at #Commitment. This is what they did:
- Mosey to rock pile. Find a friend with qualities that will enable you to have a long term relationship. Bring the friend with you.
- Lunge walk with friend above your head.
- Round the corner, and move into people’s chair. Series of exercises with your friend from people’s chair with descriptive but non-creative names like, “seated rock push outs” and “sitting rock overhead press.” The pax felt sorry for the Q’s lack of creativity, but amiably did the exercises anyway.
- Mosey with friend to the bridge. Lunge walk with friend overhead again. Shoulders were hurting by this time.
- Mosey to the concession stand.
- The main event. Circuits until the Q calls it of:
- 10 burpees
- 20 jump ups
- 30 merkins
- 40 squats (some sarcastically asked the Q if these were full squats or half squats after impolitely looking at the Q’s form)
- 50 steps: run a lap around the track
- Some minutes of mary:
- low slow flutters
- dollys
- rosalitas
- oblique left and right
- heels to heaven
- knee-ups
- russian twists
- Grab your friend and run behind the stadium
- A few rounds of supine pull-ups and rock curls
- Run to icy stadium. 5 minutes of slippery steps. Q falls on the way down to provide a cautionary example.
- Mosey to track. Partner carry for 100 yards or so.
- Mosey behind the stadium. Grab your friend. Pinball with friend back to rock pile.
- Mosey to fertilized grass in front of school. Maktar n-jai and plank until time expires.
Moleskin
- A lot of complaining and sarcastic remarks from Bratwurst today. Very uncharacteristic from one of the most positive and encouraging men in F3. In fact, not sure if it was really Bratwurst. Might have been a doppleganger. Either that, or he got very grumpy by the workout starting right off at the rock pile.
- Watch out for Dasher. He was killing it on the circuit, and completed the partner carry at a sprint. Dasher is a man, albeit one with an imaginary reindeer’s name. It makes for fun encouragement from the Q, who can say things during a workout like “on Dasher, on Dasher!!”
- Intimidator carried his friend like it was a watch. Dude is strong. Still claims he doesn’t run, but in a few short weeks our strong man has been moving faster, and faster. Intimidator hard-committed to our Wednesday workouts, which will accelerate that progress.
- Speaking of Intimidator, Snowflake, at about 160 pounds, picked up the 220 pound Intimidator like he was a child’s book bag and ran! He was also leading the pinball at times. Respect.
- Great to have Calzone in the neighborhood. Seasoned in the highlands, he has come South to live in a truly beautiful area. His veteran skills showed, and the rust will quickly come off.
- Hot Pants volunteered to Q after the workout, at a time (soon) to be determined. He is adding Mondays to his routine, now that Wednesdays and Saturdays alone are no longer challenging for him. Beast progression accelerates.
- Stumphugger is a blessing to our workout. The man is a veteran, and unflappably cheerful. Even when the Q jumps too high, lands on his shoulders, and beats him down into the pavement, accidentally. Shaking off the blood and flesh now decorating the track, Stumphugger just kept chugging.
Great takeout by Intimidator. What a blessing to start the morning with such men.
Announcement: Joe Davis run coming up. http://f3nation.com/2014/10/17/2015-joe-davis-memorial-run-preblast-registration/
No Dromedary this Wednesday, New Year’s Eve. Instead, converge at Regal Cinemas at Stonecrest for a beatdown by Bratwurst and Frazier at 6am. They promise lots of dips, merkins, and hairburners.
Boxing Day Beatdown
25 fine lads braved the frost and converged for the first inaugural Joust/Kevlar Boxing Day beat down lead by Baracus and Bulldog.
THE THANG
Barracus on Q
10 burpees OYO
Mosey to football field and stop along the way for 2 more sets of burpees x 10, high knees and butt kickers
COP on field
SSH x 50
IW x 25
Slow squats x 25
Merkins x 25
Mountain climbers x 25
Bleacher work
10 x exercise on bleachers
Run steps one time up and one time down
Repeato with 20 and two steps and thirty with three steps
Exercises were derkins, tricep dips, and step ups
Mosey to grandma mountain
Run up to blue door
Peoples chair with air presses
Run back down
Repeato
Bulldog on Q
Half a lap mosey
Three minute rounds in center circle
Round 1
30 secs jump squat twist
30 secs sit up with punches
30 secs hand release merkins on bottoms and at top
Repeato
Mosey to touch goal post
Round 2
30 secs jump squats touching ground
30 secs mason twists
30 secs merkin with punch/shoulder taps
Repeato
Round 3
30 secs burpees
30 secs Freddy Mercurys
30 secs diamond Merkins
Indian run around track
Sprint to cars
Six mins of Mary
COT
YE OLDE NAKED MOLESKINE
A great turnout today for a good old Boxing Day convergence. Apparently it’s not just the Brits that enjoy this fine day off as Strangebrew claimed the Canadians got in on the act too. Baracus got the pax going out of the gate with a burpee bonanza on the way to the stadium field. The Q was on a mission knocking out 50 side straddle hops and 50 merkins in the warm up alone. The bleacher work was tough going and the upper bodies were smoked by the time we hit Grandma mountain and the blue doors. The frost made tricky footing and Slimfast found the quick way to the bottom on his bum!
Even though Boxing Day has nothing to do with the sport (other than wanting to knock out the in-laws) YHC decided that was the theme for today. We knocked out three x three minute rounds of 30 sec intervals that helped shed some of the festive blubber. We finished the workout with an all out race back through the gates. Big League Chew and Beaver looked like Rocky being chased by the kids as we gave them a head start! I think Lobster Roll ended up winning by a ways but the staggered start made things interesting!
Great work by all today and thank you to Simba for taking us out and reminding us all as to the reason for the festive season.
ANNOUNCEMENTS
Sign up for Unbroken movie
Saturday workouts as scheduled
Sign up for Joe Davis Run
A Perfect Circle
In keeping with HB’s musical themed backblasts for Overdrive, I’ll call this ‘A Perfect Circle’. Not sure anyone noticed but we did the same basic exercises going and coming back just in reverse (railslides up the ramp and bear crawl down the ramp the first time and crab walk up the ramp and railslides down the ramp on the way back). Only variation is I had extra time so I threw in a Road Less Traveled with a jailbreak but even then, we ended up looping back to where we began so still a circle. As my 8 year old daughter reminds me constantly, nobody is perfect.
The Thang:
COP (after a mosey to the bus lot)
SSH x 20
IW x 20
LBCs x 20
Mosey to the tri-level rails going up the ramp to the school. Sorry about taking you through the wetness to get there. #QFAIL
Rail Slides Up all three levels of the ramp with lunge walks on the turns as only Barney is tall enough to do those.
Bear Crawl back down all three levels.
Mosey to the Elementary School.
The People’s Chair with 40 air presses x 2
Mosey to the playground.
4 Rounds of pain stations:
Step-Ups x 25
Mule kicks using the swing x 25
Dips x 25
Run around the track
Mosey back to the Elementary School.
The People’s Chair with 40 air presses and then 50 air presses.
Got extra time so off we go for the Road Less Traveled along the back road:
10 lunges
10 merkins OYO
10 lunges
10 seal sit-ups…at an increasing rate of speed
10 lunges
10 low, slow squats in cadence
10 lunges
Backwards Run for a while
10 lunges
Jail break run back to the point we started from
Mosey back to the tri-level ramp
Crab walk up all three levels
Rail slides back down to the bottom
Mosey back to parking lot
Mary:
Protractor
Dolly x 15
Protractor
Moleskin:
Great work by all. This was not your traditional Glass Joe-led workout. Pain stations are not my norm and CT seemed a little confused: ‘Who is this guy and what did you do with Glass Joe?’ Great to have Ice9 out pushing us to go harder while we all were humbled by The Late Show’s technical form.
Announcements:
Joe Davis Run
Outland tomorrow with CT/TLS on Q
FNG Friendly workouts next week
Thanks to CT for taking us out.
Honor to lead men who pushed me harder than I think I pushed them.
Back to Basics
Christmas has come and gone. Time to get back to work. 8 punctual pax and one tardy Q posted at Centurion, the gift that keeps on giving, for some post-Christmas pain. No egg nog was splashed, despite Q’s best efforts.
When the Q arrived at 5:32 due to one too many pushes on the snooze bar and the parking lot construction detour, no pax were in sight. Thinking it was a Christmas miracle, yours truly was close to turning around and running back home to a warm bed and the expectation that his Q’ing days were over before they started. Alas, the faithful pax turned up after a self-led warm-up lap and the workout began.
The thang:
- circle up for sidestraddle hop, imperial walker, squat, and merkins (normal, widearm, diamond. 10x each)
- run to carmel village. Partner up. P1 runs the stairs/loop; P2 jump squats until P1 returns. 3x. plank-o-rama.
- run to Charlotte catholic HS picnic benches for bench-o-rama. 20 step-ups, 15 dips, 10 derkins. 3x.
- run to Charlotte aquatics. bearcrawl up to lightpost, 5 merkins at top. Lunge walk down, 5 burpees at the bottom. 3x.
- run to the (under construction) stadium parking lot. Sprint to first lightpost, 10 LBCs, sprint to construction vehicles, sprint back to 1st lightpost for 10 more LBCs, then back to start. 3x. 5 burpees on the last rotation.
- mosey to lower parking lotto finish up with some flutter, dolly, freddie mercury, and LBCs.
Announcements:
- joe davis run + Unbroken movie event jan 10
- brain cancer run march 21
- plug for weekly ritchie run (sunday 6:15am @ freedom park train).
Solid effort by all. It was cold out there so Q tried to keep the pace up; everyone responded well. I look forward to leading again in 2015. Happy new year to all!
12 Days On Christmas
posted on behalf of Iron Horse
3 pax gathered at the Farragut High School track for the annual IronHorse family F3 Christmas morning workout.
The Thang:
In spite of further attempts at headlocks, only 3 pax posted early Christmas morning. The workout was a combination of Groundhog Day and the 12 Days of Christmas. Since YHC more than doubled the ages of the other 2 pax, it was time to man up and show those youngsters some pain. It went down something like this:
400 meter slow mosey.
YHC demonstrated the 12 exercises while the youngsters loosened up.
Day 1 is repeated in between each day.
50 yard backward run – then 10 LBC’s
50 yard normal run – 2 squat jack’s
50 yard backward run – 10 LBC’s
50 yard normal run – 3 ski abs, 2 squat jack’s
50 yard backward run – 10 LBC’s
50 yard normal run – 4 sets Jack Web, 3 ski abs, 2 squat jack’s
50 yard backward run – 10 LBC’s
50 yard normal run – 5 8 count burbees, 4 sets Jack Web, 3 ski abs, 2 squat jack’s
50 yard backward run – 10 LBC’s
50 yard normal run – 6 bench dips………
50 yard backward run – 10 LBC’s
50 yard normal run – 7 groiners………
50 yard backward run – 10 LBC’s
50 yard normal run – 8 Louganis with a rock………
50 yard backward run – 10 LBC’s
50 yard normal run – 9 low slow squat………
50 yard backward run – 10 LBC’s
50 yard normal run – 10 off-set merkins………
50 yard backward run – 10 LBC’s
50 yard normal run – 11 Russian twists with a rock………
50 yard backward run – 10 LBC’s
50 yard normal run – 12 Sister Mary Catherine (each leg)………
And then…….we wandered back through the year:
Backwards 50 – 12 Sister Mary Catherine
Run 50 – 12 Sister Mary Catherine
Backwards 50 – 11 Russian Twist with Rock
Run 50 – 11 Russian Twist with Rock
…continue pattern down to:
Backwards 50 – 10 LBC’s
Run 50 – 10 LBC’s
Finish with 400 meter slow mosey.
Naked Moleskin:
Some rather threatening mumble chatter during YHC’s surprise last set of wandering back through the year. The Christmas spirit was not present – and a little unsettling to hear such comments coming from family members.
Thankful that F3 has provided me a venue to connect with my sons and nephew in good fun – and to beat down the young punks. More thankful today that God sent His Son to be the only solution to our sin….a solution where He did everything, we just have to believe and accept. (Ephesians 2:8-9 For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast.) The sign he sent us (Luke 2:12) was a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths laying in a stone hewn trough….a picture and prophesy of how He would leave the earth lying in burial cloths in a stone hewn tomb.
The Rain before Christmas
Twas the morning before Christmas, when all through the AO, all the PAX were converging, coming through the rainy gloom. The plan had been laid by the SiteQs with care, in hopes that pain would soon be doled out there. The PAX arrived, all snug in their cars, and Mermaid in his bright yellow and I in my black, had just stepped out to see if it was wet. When out on the blacktop there arose such a clatter, Semi-gloss had arrived and had forgotten his sleeves. Disclaimer was given and away we all ran, to COP for the THANG that began just like this:
- Warmup mosey around the parking lot, circle up for brief COP:
- 100x SSH
- 20x Imperial Walkers
- Count off to form 3 groups. Group 1 – Mermaid, Group 2- Semi-gloss, Group 3 – Young Love
- The groups the ran through 3 stations that went generally something like this (subject to Q audible):
- Station 1: Triple-nickel on North Face
- Station 2: The Beast in the Entrance #1 Parking Lot
- Station 3: Bench work (dips/derkins/step-ups) under pavilion, running to outfield/soccer field fence and back between sets.
COT
Moleskine – St. Nick Edition
– Welcome to Anvil. For those who were visiting Anvil for the first time, yes this is a great AO and we are happy to host you. Feel free to come back and visit from time to time. Yes, it usually rains here. Today God stepped up his game. Good thing we were on high ground (build your house on the Rock). Hope you had a towel in the car … and a change of clothes.
– The field usually drains pretty well. Probably still does drain pretty well. Tough to drain well when the rain is coming down that hard, though. Many of us found out the hard way that (a) the muddy hill is slippery (very slippery, right Hairball?) and (b) it takes a special breed to enjoy sloshing through the muck 4 times (his mother was a mudder?)
– Props to the folks who performed the triple nickle on the slip-n-slide formerly known as North Face. Very glad to see no one was hurt. There’s a reason we have a disclaimer.
– Great time at the coffeteria after. Seems that most were able to stop by, lured in by the promise of a hot cup of coffee, no doubt. Sorry if you missed it, hopefully you can stop and join us next time. The 1st F only makes the 2nd F all the sweeter.
– That’s all I got. Feel free to comment/banter/heckle below.
Merry Christmas, Area 51!
The 3rd Annual The Skunk That Stole Christmas
22 men braved the cold and wet conditions to earn the claim that they conquered the infamous annual workout known as the Skunk That Stole Christmas.
The Warmup:
SSH x 20 IC
IW x 20 IC
2H Swings x 20 OYO
The Thang: Building on the 12 Days of Christmas style workouts of the past 2 years , this was modified to accommodate the increasing strength of the PAX. Days are cumulative (Day 1; Day 2,1; Day 3,2,1, etc.)
- Day 1 – 1 Dozen Burpees
- Day 2 – 2 Turkish Get Ups (1 ea side)
- Day 3 – 3 snatches (ea side)
- Day 4 – 4 Renegade Rows (ea side)
- Day 5 – 5 Lunges w/ KB (ea side)
- Day 6 – 6 Shoulder Press (ea side)
- Day 7 – 7 Clean & Squat
- Day 8 – Louganis
- Day 9 – Russian Twists (9 ea side)
- Day 10 – 1 Handed Swings (ea side)
- Day 11 – Single Leg RDL (ea side)
- Day 12 – 12 Two Handed Clean & Press
Let’s throw in another 50 swings for good measure, to kill the clock and make it a solid hour of power!
Moleskin:
- Big thanks to Harley and TR for allowing me to take on this time honored tradition.
- It truly was an honor to lead you men today. Although the weather conditions were not ideal you still came out in force and made this one of the most memorable downpainments. I had been looking forward to this for awhile but as it neared I started feeling the pressure to deliver up to the expectations of previous years. From the lack of mumble chatter, the grunts, and the refusnik on the last call for swings it appeared the workout delivered.
- Note to all PAX, avoid hanging out with Radar the night before you Q #mindgames
- Good to have Butter Maker back out for his 3rd workout within a week. Good work out there brother.
- Unfortunately I was too smoked, the voice of “if you can’t do it, don’t Q it” on repeat, to focus on any of the good banter of the PAX. Sound off below on any quality gems that were missed.
Announcements:
- Sign up for the Movie Unbroken on January 10th
- Wednesday 12/24 Convergence at Anvil 6am
- Friday 12/26 Kevlar at Charlotte Christian 7am
- Saturday 1/3 FNG Convergence at Ascent
T’was the morning before Christmas Eve
14 brothers launched at 0530 from the Vine Restaurant at the Ballantyne AO for a Christmas eve eve beatdown. Here’s what we did:
The Thang:
The PAX launched at 0530 from the Vine Restaurant at the Ballantyne AO and headed towards the back of the corporate park.
COP – SSH X 20, IW X 15, Burpees X 5, Merkins X 20, Burpees X 5
We headed over to the small pond with a bridge. Q called run up the hill, 10 Squats at the top, 20 Merkins at the bottom, one lap around the pond and wait for the six doing LBCs X 2.
We then headed over to the 5.5 foot wall and stopped on the way for wide merkins to wait for the six. At the wall we did 11s – 10 merkins at the bottom, 1 squat at the top; 9 merkins at the bottom, 2 squats at the top; etc.
We crossed the street and headed up the hill to the bridge flutter, down the hill dollies. Then we moseyed over to the short wall beside Lock ness for Mary – Heel to heaven and Bicycles (curtesy of Puppy Love). Head to the COT.
Moleskin:
It was a great morning in The Gloom. The guys were in great spirits and many of us enjoyed a warm cup of coffee afterwards.
It was an honor leading the men in The Gloom.
Announcements:
Sign up for the Movie Unbroken on January 10th
Sign up for the Joe David Run
Wednesday 12-24 Convergence at Anvil 6 – 7
Wednesday 12-31 convergence at The Maul 6 – 7
Friday 12/26 the Brave Converging with Centurion at 0530.
Run reindeer run!
Nine strong reindeer got up early on Christmas Eve, Eve for a little romp around the bull ring. Despite the early mist and chilly start the bell sounded at 5:15am. Everyone in sleeves except Strange Brew. It needs to be below freezing for sleeves. The rest of us are weak.
The Thang:
Warm up mile at fellowship pace to the entrance of the bull ring. Six exercises: heels up with heels pointed in, out and straight; toes up with toes pointed in, out and straight; butt kickers; high knees; bounding; and skips (I know they are not skips but they do feel like it).
The assignment was given. Run 400m, or half way around the bull ring, at your mile pace and then do a jog recovery for 400m. Repeto for two rounds then run back to the six to regroup after the end of two rounds. The Pax did a total of nine rounds and covered exactly six miles give or take.
Moleskin:
It was great leading out there today. The Pax pretty much lead themselves with Brat’s instructions. It was great seeing Drop Thrill as he literally dropped in for half a round until he pulled off the exit. Maybe next time you will join us. We never leave anyone behind unless they get lost #milerepeats.
I felt like the group was flying out there today. It must be the Christmas excitment. Teddy was charging every split. Haggis and Honey Bee were right behind Teddy. Running solid 1:19 splits each time and never complaining about it. Well maybe a little.
Soft Pretzel was looking impressive for taking so much time off from running since PRing his half marathon at Thunder Road. He is now cramming for the Joe Davis. Watch out! Outback looks like he is rounding back into form and his calves are no longer hurting. He was always close behind.
Abacus continues to show why he is the favorite going into the Joe Davis between the Chepuel brothers. I would lay money down that Chelms is going down. Strange Brew sets his pace and hits his marks everytime. Looking forward to seeing his brother out here next week. He says his brother is faster but I don’t believe it. Wingman has set a great foundation to PR his upcoming half marathon in January. His wife better be worried.
Great job men and it is a pleasure to run with you and beside you. Have a great holiday and everyone be safe!