McGee Takes Gold

McGee Takes Gold

89 [QIC]

-SSH X20

-Imperial Walker X20

-Merkin X15

-LBC/Dolly/Flutter X15 each

-3 stations at playground [3 sets of each]:

a] Pull Ups X10

b] Jump Ups X20

c] LBC X20

-Peoples Chair [3 sets of one minute] with Decline Merkins X10 in between sets

-Burpee ladder with alternating exercises [Merkins, Mountain Climbers, and Burpees on top of Burpees, etc.]

Joker [QIC]

Olympic Themed Events

– 800 Meter Race

– Leap frog [with partner]… not sure what the Olympic connection is here, but roll with me

-Partner carry

-Rock squats [100 reps aggregate in partner format]

-Merkin competition [first 3 to 50 reps win medals]

-100 Meter Race X3

-Modified Mary

Nakedman Moleskin [and I don’t mean Randy Travis]

-McGee turned out a strong performance, medaling in every event [including a number of Golds].  Michael Phelps beware, but rumor has it that the IOC has launched an investigation into McGee’s performance [blood doping allegations surfaced among the PAX].  All kidding aside… great work McGee.

-Grandmama has got wheels, showing endurance and speed with medal performances in both 800 M and 100 M events

-Quarter Pounder showed his inner Usain Bolt today, demonstrating that being 6’5″ can have its advantages in the 100M sprints… strong work.

-Tiger Rag and Joker battled for Bronze in the 800 M.  The finish has been disputed, so a coin flip or race off may be necessary next Saturday.

-APK… welcome back to the gloom… hope to see you on a consistent basis.

-Donkey Kong sportin the clean shaven look today… it’s a good look.

-Triple claps to the FNGs today.  Strong performance for The Oracle and Boss Tweed… with Boss Tweed as both an FNG and War Daddy today [58 years young!].  Joker 2.0… nicknamed One Liner today… seemed to enjoy himself today.

Shadows and Sweat

8 pax gathered in the nightime gloom of the greenway. Shadows were our only companions.

The Thang:

Ray Charles and The Shore set off at 5:15, while the others arrived at 5:30 for a shorter jog. Distances covered ranged from 3 miles to 6.

Moleskin:

Variety was the rule of the day. Most creative goes out to Ray Charles who just seems to weave his way back and forth on the greenway for 45 minutes or so. Most persistant is Thin Crust who works hard to cover 3 miles or so. He’s definitely carrying less pounds every week though. Strong work brothers.

At 5 in the morning on the greenway, you either bring a headlamp or follow the faint moonlit glow of the trail. There are no other lights. It’s a great way to start the day.

 

The Greatest American Hero returns…

14 Strong posted this morning at Death Valley. 

The Thang:

 -Warmup: SSH, Imperial walkers, Toned down version of  “The Shore Shoulders”, Carolina Dry Docks, and squats.

-Jog to ball field:  Merkin pyramid- 1 push up and hold for 5 seconds at the plank position, building up to 8 then back down to 1 holding plank position for 5 seconds after each rep (strong start and a definite crowd pleaser).  Walking lunges followed by a second round of  Merkin pyramid to 5 and back down…was even more popular the second time.  

-Jog to building and 3 minutes of the People’s Chair (2×1.5 mins)

-Jog to track for team mile run/150 burpee race: 2 man teams one team member runs a lap while the other does burpees.  First team to complete 1 mile and team total of 150 burpees wins.   Funny how some exercises look different on paper….

-6 MOM: Dolly 30, flutter kick 30, mountain climbers 25, LBC’s 30, and the Superman.

-Indian run around field and back to parking lot.

-Plank-o-rama: regular, right arm/leg up, left arm/leg up, mission impossible.

Moleskin:

-T-Claps to Joker and Run Stopper for crushing  the competition in the team mile run/150 burpee race and then offering to help out other teams with hitting the 150 burpee mark (based on the count shout outs it appears that Run Stopper carried his team on the burpee leg…just sayin).    I think a few of the Pax experienced flash backs of elementary school and sweating through the dreaded “picking teams for kickball” ordeal.  In the future teams will be assigned randomly.

-The singing of the theme song to “The Greatest American Hero” tv show was a nice addition to the end of 6MOM.   Those singing were obviously cheating and not doing the exercise! 

-Sparky posted second day in a row!  Will he make it three at tomorrow’s Devil’s Turn??  Welcome back 89.

 

 

 

Hills and Whistles-Love em!

The Shovel Flag was planted at 0520, 15 brave souls posted to launch at 0530 in the gloom…just beating the rain.

The Thang:

Run around church campus to bottom of The Hill

SSH x 25

Imperial Walker x 25

Prison Squat x 25

THE HILL Work-

Jacob’s ladder with Bear Crawl Up and Crab Walk Down- Burpees at the top

Plank, Elbow Plank

Back to CDS lot for Circuit Work Station– partner up (1min each then switch w/ partner) Listen for the Whistle!

Tire Flips/Farmers Carry with shrugs

Pull-ups/ Incline rows

Partner Merkins/Med ball sit-ups

Walking Lunges with 10lbs/15lbs

Chairs Dips/ Weighted Burpees

Box jumps/Med Ball toss

Run the Track w/ karaoke

COP- Mary

LBC x25

Dolly x 25

Rosalita x 25

Mason Twist- 50 count

COT

Naked Moleskin:

The Shore posted today with a Captian America shirt and his new gloves recommended and sponsored by the PBR (not Pabst Blue Ribbon but Pro Bull Riders)…not quite sure what The Shore thought we were gonna get into this am but as always he was ready.

T-claps for strong Hill work to Pretty boy QB, Ray Charles and McGee (who called BS btw, Good to see ya McGee)

The Nibbla and Sparky posted!  Welcome back brothers.

Joker needs to stop drinking milk before Skunk Works- his lactose intolerance seems to kick up a mulititude of 1-man salutes….although it didn’t seem to keep the fire ants off of him.

FYI..Mall Cop is allegic to “some weed” on the field.  Somebody get the calamine lotion out of the first aid kit.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Full Moon and Friends

7 pax, 2 frogs, 2 rabbits, and one deer set off in the full moon to burn off some early morning steam.

The Thang:

2 pax ran the full 6, Ray Charles zig zagged his way to about 5, and 4 others posted at 5:30 to run 4.

The Moleskin:

It was a full moon this morning. Those left in the fartsac missed it.

Out on the greenway, the frogs are about the same size as the bunnies.

Stone Cold set the pace for the 6 milers this morning. 46 minutes something for a 7:45 pace. Not bad.

Joker lead the way for the 4 milers, practically sprinting his way to the finish. Strong work.

The way Ray Charles was all over the course this morning you’d think he was blind or something. About 5 miles later he found his way back to the start with the rest of the pax.

What is G. Gordon Liddy?

14 men gathered in the gloom of Death Valley.

The Thang

Warm-up

  • Run to Baseball Field
  • Imperial Walkers x 20
  • SSH x 30
  • Merkins x20
  • Heels to the Sky  x 20
  • Arm Circles & Stretch
  • Run to track

 

Track Work 1/4 track workout (3 sets)

  • Squats x20
  • Mountain Climbers x20
  • Russian Twist x20
  • Burpees x10

( Plank-o-rama while waiting for all PAX to cross the finish line)

  • Standing lunges x20
  • Peter Parkers x 20
  • Scissor Crunches x 20
  • Burpees x10

( Plank-o-rama while waiting for all PAX to cross the finish line)

  • Mary Catherine x 20
  • Parker Peters x 20
  • Flutter Kicks x 20
  • Burpees x10

( Plank-o-rama while waiting for all PAX to cross the finish line)

 

Circle up in field for 6 minutes of Mary (or is it G. Gordon Liddy ) 

  • 20x dolly and hold
  • 20x flutter
  • 15x Rosalita and hold
  • 15x dolly
  • 15x Freddy Mercury
  • 15x knee ups

 

Trail Run to William R. Davie Park Playground

  • Merkins x 1 min (resting in Plank)
  • LBC x 1 min (resting in raised position, shoulders off the ground)
  • Chin-ups 12
  • Run back to Parking Lot

 

Moleskin:

  • Triple-Claps to FNG Dave Gessner… who also our War Daddy today at 50 yrs old
  • Smash apparently spent a little too much time in the fart sack this morning and arrived a little late… which has been noted as a trend.  He eventually found his way to the PAX and made a strong showing that started with this morning’s warm-up which included 40 merkins.
  • Joker was sporting his favorite cologne, “Ode de Ben Gay” as he works through injuries, as Tiger Rag and Run Stopper tried to stay upwind while leading the charge on the track workout.  Way to bring the strong!
  • Much pain and suffering was enjoyed by all during the 6 Minutes of Mary /  G. Gordon Liddy core workout.

So… what is G Gordon Liddy? A series of core exercises designed to cause wailing and gnashing of teeth by all who participate.  Legend has it that this was master minded by Dredd and practiced by all who enjoy the all-day aching reminder of  the down Painment made in the morning’s gloom.

Still not sure I understand the reference but…  Thanks Dredd!

The 150 lb Cheese Roll

The hill was angry at 13 Pax this day, my friends.  Like an old man returning soup at a deli.

 

WARM UP

  • SSH x 35
  • I-Walker x 30
  • Prison Squat x 30
  • Merkins x 20
  • Grab (2) tires, std;  (1) tire, tractor, (2) 50 lb. buckets, run to lower lot.
  • Pax not transporting coupons: 10 burpees, then run to lot.

 

THE THANG – HILL STATIONS (2 min ea.)

  • Tractor Tire – Roll up hill, flip down hill.
  • Farmer Walk – (2) 50 lb. buckets up and down hill.
  • Plank Tire Pull – Side Elbow Plank (L then R), pull tire up hill.
  • Tire Hill Sprint – Sprint to top of hill dragging tire.
  • Pancake Plates – Hold 45 lb  or 35 lb plates between palms, 6″ off chest, walk up and down hill.
  • DB Lunge Press – 25lb or 15 lb dumbbell lunge walk to overhead press.  Up hill and down.
  • Sumo Walk – 50 lb military duffel filled with weights, sumo walk up and down hill.
  • Mountain Climbers – Pax not at station perform mountain climbers x 2 min.

Transport tires and buckets back to original spot.  Couponless Pax:  3 hill sprints.

 

COT

 

MOLESKIN

  •  After last week’s ego-deflating 30-30 tabata with the Ms’ hand weights, it was time to feel like a man again and move heavy things up and down the hill.  Workman-like effort by all.  T-Claps.
  • Pretty Boy Quarterback started training this morning for his annual trip to the Gloucestershire Cheese Rolling Race by rolling the 150 lb-plus tractor tire down the hill.  Toward the buses.  Toward an unidentified Pax, head down, pounding out the mountain climbers.  Thankfully, all personnel and property emerged unblemished.
  • Incidentally, despite the glamorous handle, Pretty Boy Quarterback prefers to chase his Cheese Roll incognito.  YHC has it on good authority that the gentleman in the green shirt at 2:04 in the clip from the 2009 race is none other than our very own. Link HERE.
  • With 13 Pax distributed among only 7 stations, each Pax got 5 to 7 cracks at the mountain climbers.  At 2 minutes per, that’s ten to fourteen minutes of scratching pavement.  Strong work.

 

 

Training Camp

24 men gathered in the Area 51 Gloom.

The Thang

Run Stopper QIC

Warm up: all military count
Side straddle Hop – 60x

Merkens – 30x
Little Baby Crunch – 25x

Good Mornings – 25×3 (hold legs up for 10 sec)
Scissor Kick – 25×3 (hold legs up for 1 sec)

“200’s workout” – two full cycles through each station
Station #1 Mountain Climbers x20 (first cycle) x20 (second cycle)
Station #2 Push Ups Wide = x20 Diamond = x20
Station #3 – Burpee’s With Jump = x20 (first cycle) Without Jump = x20 (second cycle)
Station #4 – Crunches Little Baby Crunch = x20 (first cycle) One Leg Up (alternating) 10 each leg total x20 (second cycle)
Station #5 – Squats Regular = x20 (first cycle) Jumping = x20 (second cycle)

The Shore QIC

Spontaneous Q #1 – Callaway brought the pax around the school in 2 lines, Indian Run, 1 rock coupon per team Spontaneous

Q #2 – Pretty Boy QB lead the pax for 5 minutes of Mary Spontaneous

Q #3 – Ochocinco brought the pax back to the rock pile. 2 lines, Indian Run, rock coupons. Casualty Carry – 14 pax carried the other 10 through the woods (fireman’s, piggy back, whatever worked)

Shore’s Shoulders – In a squat: Out-and-back, Up-and-down, forward and backward circles

Moleskin:
– Run Stopper delivered pain and creativity on his first saturday QIC experience.  60 merkins as part of a “warm-up”… hardcore… just sayin.

-The Shore’s lead was meant to give the pax a taste of the GoRuck Challenge. Hopefully 2 lessons were learned. #1 – we are all leaders, and may be called on to lead at any time. #2 – life isn’t always fair. Sometimes, some of us need to carry more of the load. The most important thing is that the team finishes together.
Pretty Boy QB shook off the “HS AP History, Oh crap I’ve been called on” look and survived just fine, leading the pax  through a gut-wrenching 5 minutes.

-Cowboy mysteriously departed the gloom at 0740… what gives brother?

-The PAX was actually 24 men and 1 K-9… as Sparky’s dog served as a spectator/watchdog… maybe the Area 51 mascot?

-In the spirit of an old school workout, Joker, Tiger Rag and others arrived for the workout wearing outfits from the 1970s / 1980s.   TR’s outfit was… well… let’s just say he might have been the seventh, less well known, member of the Village People.  Strong brother… very strong, I think.

Devil’s Turn/Off To A Fast Start

15 Pax showed up for the first time at McAlpine Greenway to laydown some miles and build up a good sweat.

The Thang:

6 were there at 5:15 to burn up 6 miles, while the 4 mile option at 5:30 proved more popular.

Moleskin:

Great work by all who showed. It was a solid first turnout. Perhaps some of the Area 51 crew are building up some endurance for the upcoming Spartan and GoRuck events?

Swamp Fox set the bar, finishing at a blistering pace to lead the 6 milers in. Though his record will stand for just one week as he wasn’t timing himself. Just running fast because he can.

49er, Joker, and Joker’s FNG meanwhile lead the 4 milers in. At Joker’s suggestion the 4 milers added 10 burpees at the halfway mark. Just to let the rest of us catch up I guess.

An extra shout out to Jamboree who tried to relive the glory days all at once, dusted off the running shoes and tackled the full 6 miles. Way to get back at it!

Joker brought a ringer. His FNG looked like he could run circles around the rest of us. Can’t wait to get him out there for a full body workout.

The gravelly dirt of the greenway is an especially nice surface to run on. Hopefully, it will allow for many more miles to come.

At the 5 mile mark I heard in the woods what can only be described as a cross between an Owl and a Coyote making a ferocious racket. Rumors of both abound in these woods, so who knows. What happens in Area 51 stays in Area 51.

Headlamps may be a good idea next time, not just to help avoid any dips and divots, but also to ward off the Coyotes, Jersey Devils, and any other mismatched specie mutants that may be lurking out there.

The new and improved shouvel flag made its appearance this morning. You’ll have to join us to admire its sleak styling.

 

It Pays to Be a Winner

Twelve big, hairy, American winning-machines posted around the VSF and started the day with some mental math.

 

THE THANG

Number-ama: Count off into three teams or 4.

  • TEAM 1:   Joker, Callaway, Jamboree, Tiger Rag
  • TEAM 2:  Harley, Big Bear, Donkey Kong, 49er
  • TEAM 3:  Mall Cop, Cowboy, Smash, Countertop.

 

Warmup

  • Each team disperse and self-organize 5 minute warm up.
  • Regroup to COP
  • Mental Math Merkins:  multiply two, two-digit numbers in your head while performing Merkins.  Winner gets first pick of coupon (35 lbs plates or 45 lb plates). Five additional merkins for each wrong answer.
  • Jog to track with coupons.

 

Reindeer Games

HAIRBURNER TEAM RELAY x 400 METERS

  • RULES:  Each Pax pushes plate at least once.  Each Pax must also run at least one lap.  Winner is first team back with plate and all 4 PAx.
  • PRIZES:  Winner=Planks; 1st Loser=5 burpees;  2nd Loser=10 burpees
4×100 COUPON RELAY
  • RULES:  None, Thunderdome.
  • PRIZES: Winner=Planks; 1st Loser=5 Squat to Jump Knee Tucks;  2nd Loser=10 Squat Jump Knee Tucks
4×100 COUPON RELAY – BACKWARDS RUN
  • RULES:  Run Backwards.
  • PRIZES: Winner=Planks; 1st Loser=5 Wide Arm;  2nd Loser=10 Wide Arm
4×100 RELAY – BACKWARDS RUN (sans Coupons)
  • RULES:  Run Backwards.
  • PRIZES: Winner=Decline Planks; 1st Loser=5 Decline Merkins;  2nd Loser=10 Decline Merkins
 TUG OF WAR (Plank)
  • RULES:  Tug of war from a 3-point plank position.
  • PRIZES:  None.  Stalemate.

TUG OF WAR (Std.)

  • RULES:  Best 2 of 3 (Didn’t I say that aloud?)
  • PRIZES:  None, out of time.

TEAM SPRINT, COUPON OVERHEAD

  • RULES:  Coupon overhead, straight arms, uphill back to parking lot.
  • PRIZES:  Winners=Warm Fuzzies;  1st, 2nd Losers=You get nothing.
4MOM
  • Flutter x 20
  • Dolly x 20
  • Peter Parker x 20
  • Plank x 1 min
COT
MOLESKIN
  • Took some lessons from the Go Ruck–problem solving, self-organizing, new leaders, team work–and applied an element of friendly competition.  Good things all around.
  • We started with problem solving: while doing merkins, do 18×17 in your head.  Drop and try it.  It’s almost impossible to do a slow thinking activity combined with something else.  HERE is why (a review of the book, Thinking Fast and Slow).  Other than Joker, it appeared that each Pax came to a plank to get it right.  Some ignored obvious mistakes–it’s got to end in a 6, for instance.  Since YHC was on Joker’s team, it would be interesting to hear how the other teams solved the problem.
  • YHC’s love affair with the Hairburner continues, this time with a 400 meter lap around the track.  Once the few rules were announced, the Pax were given abut 15 seconds to devise a strategy, then take off.  The goals: think on the fly, work with what you got, adjust when necessary.
  • More salutary effects derived from team competition: not wanting to let the Team down pushed many Pax to take it up a notch.  T-Claps all around.
  • T-Claps to Mall Cop for stepping up when tapped for a quick session of Mary.  Area 51 Pax be prepared to step up a lead sections of workouts unannounced.  ‘Tis good for the soul.