Mud Run Style Training Course Awesomeness at Olympus
The Mud Run is just 6 weeks out. Let’s get a preview of how ready you are or how ready you ain’t. Tomorrow 8/23 – Olympus goes Mud Run style training. Get your popcorn ready.
Normally I am not one for a pre-blast because I like the element of surprise. But this one is necessary so you can mentally prepare for the level awesomeness about to go down.
Some FAQ’s to help eliminate your fart sacking, soft commits, and posting at other locations:
- Alf, will this workout be friggin’ amazeballs: Yes, Yes it will. And amazeballs is a legit word
- Alf, will this just be another kettle bell workout? It’s a gear workout and we incorporate KB’s, so bring your KB but we will only use it a bit. Maybe.
- Alf, you’ve been BRR training, will this just be all running? We will run, but a few miles tops, and spread out over the hour.
- Alf, are we going merkin crazy for the #10KMerkin challenge? No, but we’ll do a few.
- Alf, I’ve never been to Olympus, don’t they just carry logs and watch The Hoff lift huge things like he’s Magnús Ver Magnusson? No, there will be cardio, strength, running, agility, etc. so come out and give it a try. Your cars should be safe tomorrow. I think.
- Alf, this sounds friggin awesome, but I am already set to Q Outland/Area 51/Day Zero/Ascent/The Rock/Stonehenge? Do yourselves and your PAX a favor and tweet out you will be converging at Olympus. Nothing you do will be this awesome. 110% money back guarantee. (Except for Stonehenge, you guys can shut it down 10 minutes early and roll to Elizabeth Ln for a double down, which would be extra awesome)
- Alf, will I get mud run style dirty at this workout? A little dirty, but nothing will require you to be hosed off before getting into the car.
- Alf, are you a professional? At leading a workout – no. At being Awesome – yes.
- Alf, will Runstopper show up and take his shirt off? Not sure, but the ladies living on Elizabeth Ln are hoping so?
- Alf, will I need Bugeater style nipple protection? I’ll let you manage your own personal health and safety. Whatever works for you.
- Alf, will Tiger Rag provide an appropriately themed YouTube video along with this pre-blast? Surely that is a likely outcome
- Alf, Is it 2.0 friendly? 2.0’s will have a blast, but wouldn’t recommend it for a 2.0 FNG unless they are natural beasts.
- Alf, I am fat/lazy/tired/looking forward to something easier/habitual refusinik, will I be able to do this? Yes – it will be a no drop format.
- Alf, Do you think you are overselling this a bit? Absolutely not. It will be Ri-donk-u-lous
I might add more FAQ’s as I think of them today. Check back often.
You need to come to this, and to quote Kim Kardashian’s perpetually puss faced baby daddy:
“Cause my life is dope, and I do dope sh*t,”
-Alf
The Colosseum
The shovel flag was firmly planted by Escargot as the Pax gathered for another episode of #F3Centurion. There seemed to be no hangover from last week’s visit from the Nan’tan himself, as the everyone appeared eager to work. So, after delivering the disclaimer, we got right to it.
The Thang
SSHs x 10 IC
Run from the launch point at CCHS to The Colosseum across 51 just off Carmel Commons…it’s about a mile run. Along the way:
- High knees
- Butt kicks
- Carioca left
- Carioca right
- Stop just across Carmel for Merkins x 15 and IWs x 15 IC
Enter The Colosseum and grab a respectable rock and circle up:
- Squats x 10 IC
- Side lunges x 5 each leg
- Good mornings x 10 IC (down on 3, up on the count)
- Squats x 10 IC
Mosey to the big hill in The Colosseum for Mermaid’s Triple Nickel:
- 5 times up the hill
- 5 jump squats at the top
- 5 monkey humpers at the bottom
Back to the rocks:
- Straight out with rock then up at 45* angle with rock x 10 IC
- Shoulder presses x 10 IC
Mosey to a little shorter hill for Triple 3s:
- 3 times up the hill…backwards bear crawl up, forward bear crawl down
- 3 CDDs at the top
- 3 CDDs at the bottom
Back to the rocks and line up along another hill of the Colosseum:
- 10 bicep curls, drop rock, run up the hill, back to rock
- 10 tricep extensions, drop rock, run up the hill, back to rock
- Do this x 3
Return rocks and start our run back. Stop just across 51.
- Plank work: RAH, RLH, LAH, LLH, Mission Impossible (10 second hold)
- Merkins x 15
Keep running back. Stop at McMahon for SSHs x 20 IC while we wait for the six.
Run to the bus parking lot for Mary:
- Flutter kicks x 15 IC, hold it
- Dollies x 15 IC, hold it, spread ’em, together, spread ’em, together, drop ’em
- 10 groiners OYO
- High flutter kicks x 15 IC
- Rosalitas x 15 IC
- Elbow Plank for ~1 minute plus 2 10 counts
Mosey back to base. COT
Moleskine
Bucking YHC’s trend to just go over and run the heck out of Palatine Hill for 45 minutes, we ventured to another area across 51…a drainage area in the Carmel Commons surrounded by hills and with access to rocks. Ever since @Jamboree found it weeks ago, YHC’s wanted to go back. Today was the day. YHC dubbed it The Colosseum. No one died there this morning.
It was only a little soggy in The Colosseum but it added to the humidity. Plus there was very little air stirring. So after the mile run over and starting in on the leg work, the sweat was pouring pretty heavily. There were groans when YHC called for #MonkeyHumpers. Relax men…it was dark and we were down in a hole…no one saw. Just us guys. It’s called #bonding.
YHC had no idea how the Triple 3s might work or feel. YHC didn’t like it…but will certainly do it again. After the shoulder work with the rocks, failure on the backwards bear crawl up the hill came quickly.
@Semi-Gloss was a #hero this morning…clearing a huge spider web away for us on the last hill so we could run up it. As legend would have it, the spider was so big it blocked the light from the adjacent parking lot.
YHC caught some flack on the Merkins…as apparently it was heard that we were doing 10. YHC went to 15 each time. Don’t remember saying 10. But, as @BoomerSooner points out each time he runs past me, YHC is an old man. #HateHates
Chelms was quiet today. Either he was hurting or is just mellowing as he gets older. He did give us a solid takeout in the BOM to send us out into our day.
But It Goes to 11
19 PAX climbed out of their fartsacks and posted at Peak 51
The Thang;
COP
- Side Straddle Hop x 30
- Mountain Climbers x 15
- IW x 15
- Merkins x 15
Four Corners
Move to the track and run 1 lap completing the called exercise at each corner. After each lap complete the the following set of exercises:
- Merkins x11
- Squats x 11
- LBCs x 11
- Lap 1- CDD x 11
- Lap 2- Hand Release Merkins x 11
- Lap 3- 11 LBCs
- Lap 4- 11 Wide Arm Merkins
Circuit Work
Mosey to the baseball field bleachers for some circuit work
- Incline Merkins x 11
- Dips x 11
- Lunges x 12 (Okay, so we rounded up here)
- Repeato for a total of 4 circuts
The People’s Chair
Mosey to the school wall for “The Semi Gloss”
- Round 1- Arms out
- Round 2- Arm raises x 15
Mary
Ten minutes left so return to the parking lot for Mary
- Dolly x 15
- Rosalita x 15
- Flutter x 10
- 30 seconds left, finish strong with Merkins AYG
The Moleskin:
- Strong work by the PAX today, they got a good start on the Merkin challenge today, 180 total before completing many as they could in the last 30 seconds
- After Q’ng Basecamp earlier in the week with Whitesnake and Tawny, YHC was inspired to keep the 80’s Rock theme going with today’s workout and taking it to 11 a la Spinal Tap. Thanks to the PAX for indulging YHC.
- There wasn’t a lot of mumble chatter in the Gloom, but a whole lot of grunting an O2 deprivation. Although Slimfast tried to get the PAX to provide some but to no avail.
- Whitesnake mentioned that after so many merkins he started wishing for some running #BeCarefulWhatUWhish4
- Slimfast chimed in about YHC’s rhythmically challenged cadence #MetronomeRequired
- The circuit work between laps came back to actually bite YHC after stumbling upon some fire ants.
- Thank you Insomniac for taking us out
- Sound of with any mumble chatter. As always it is an honor and privilege to lead, thank you.
Abbreviated post, extended exertion
23 men entered the gloom for a new tempo route for DT. To YHC’s knowledge, only one PAX was momentarily lost and that was on the way back in known territory. #notmyfault
The numbers at DT keep growing as BRR gets closer. It is great to see everyone out for a good old fashioned run.
As in weeks past, YHC only has a limited view of the happenings of the morning. Frasier and Haggis are fast, Bratwurst is faster and likes to pass people for sport. But you all know that already.
What did you see out there today?
Just a Good Old Fashioned Beatdown
17 including 2 FNG’s pax decided to forgo the fartsack and showed up for the Rebel Yell weekly beatdown. I would have planted the flag, but I don’t think I’ve seen it since the 1st week of Rebel Yell. I think Spackler may have it in his yard and just runs laps around it. Either way, the VSF was planted, the disclaimer was given and we were off.
Find a nice piece of parking lot in front of Harris Teeter and circle up.
SSH x25 IC LBC x30 IC
Peter Parker x15 IC Freddy Mercury 2 20 IC
Parker Peter x15 IC LBX x 30 IC
25 Merkins OYO
Mosey to Fountain for Descending ladder:
Exercise 1
20 Derkins run to store front across lot 50 LBC
15 derkins run to store front across lot 40 LBC
10 derkins run to store front across lot 30 LBC
Plank until all done with right and left hand high.
Exercise 2
20 Dips Run 50 Leg lifts
15 disp Run 40 leg lifts
10 dips Run 30 Leg lifts
Plank to all done
Exercise 3
20 CDD Run 5 Burpees
15 CDD run 5 Burpees
10 CDD Run 5 burpess
Plank untill all done
Mosey to speed bumps behind Target for some speed work.
Form 2 rows, 1st row plank, AYG to next speed bump, 2nd row same thing
Same thing AYG from 2nd to 3rd and 3rd to 4th speed bump.
At 4th speed bump Frehleys Comet jacks the Q and his row runs backwards. Everyone run backwards.
Begin our mosey back to start and the movie theater, jail break.
Wanted to change things up some, so started off with 6 MOM. I figured the the weinke only allowed for this at the beginning since we had a lot to stuff in for 45 min. The humidity was out in force, but so was the pax. Good work out there by everyone. Frehlys Comet even brought a little something extra during the leg lifts. I can only say I was glad I was up wind from him. I thought I heard some gagging from the ones downwind. When we came to exercise 3 and the potential for 50 burpees the mumble chatter drastically increased. No worries, were not going down that road, but I didn’t want to disappoint anyone and leave them out. The speed work was brutal. AYG with little rest.
Great send off by Vineyard(WB) Might be his last workout due to school. If you get a chance to come out again, tell us, You should take the lead.
Great work by all. Thanks for allowing me to lead everyone thru the gloom.
It’s Never Safe To Challenge A Skunk
18 men rose in the pre-dawn gloom of the A51 AO to join together for the weekly ritual we’ve all come to enjoy. This morning, a two-fold challenge was thrown down: (1) complete the workout, and (2) avoid the pain cave — don’t let your fellow PAX suffer on their own:
The THANG:
- Warmup: Partner up (find someone with same size bell) and Catch-Me-If-You-Can from high school lot, around outer loop of church, to middle school lot (approx. .66 miles). Partner 1: Farmer Carry mosey; Partner 2: 10 merkins and chase partner 1. Flapjack as necessary.
- Plankorama for all to regroup.
- Presentation of Instructions: The Challenge is written in chalk on the pavement. You must do these exercises in order and must finish each exercise before moving on to the next. Alternate R/L hand as needed. Move as quickly as you can to complete The Challenge in the allotted time. Encourage one another — we’re all suffering, no one suffers alone.
- The Challenge:
- 50 KB Snatches
- 10 burpees
- AYG around church (take shortest line possible — approx .33 miles)
- 50 Russian Twists (R/L = 1)
- 10 burpees
- AYG around church
- 100 2-Hand KB Swings
- 10 burpees
- AYG around church
- 50 KB Squats
- 10 burpees
- AYG around church
- 100 high pulls
- 10 burpees
- AYG around church
- 100 merkins
- 10 burpees
- AYG around church
- Extra Credit (when finished with The Challenge, perform as follows until time is called): 20 Flutter (R/L = 1) w/KB press, 20 2-Hand KB Swing, 20 KB Push Press, 20 Good Mornings.COT
COT
Moleskine:
Arrived at 5 am to use my 2.0’s sidewalk chalk only to discover that the parking lot we normally use was full of cars. Fortunately, plenty of other concrete to use. Unfortunately, meant we had to run a bit longer each round.
I had the “pleasure” of partnering with Brown for the CMIYC — my traps and back are still sore from the “pleasure” of lugging his KB around the church. Strong work, my friend. Thanks for partnering with me. Next time, we stay in the back and make use of a #radioflyer.
A fair number of Larry Birds, I think (hard to tell with this type of workout), but our War Daddy, Sussudio, was making us all look like little kids out there. Dude arrived 30 minutes early for a pre-run, then proceeded to lap everyone on The Challenge. At the end of the workout, he told me he was feeling a little extra energy lately. I asked him about the little blue pill, but I couldn’t hear his smarta$$ answer as he sped off ahead of me.
Not sure where everyone finished in The Challenge, but I think it is safe to assume that no one made it to the extra credit. Good work by all though, especially our FNG. Heck of a way to make an entrance. Take heart – it does get easier (but, then we’ll laugh at the size of your kettlebell and make you get a bigger one and then it’ll get harder again).
Great job by all with the mumblechatter/encouragement. No joke, this workout was tough. Most folks were suffering from oxygen deprivation most of the time. But, with a group of 18, there was almost always someone who could offer an encouraging grunt. The grunts helped the time fly by.
Announcements:
- Ice bucket challenge: per Voodoo, we’ve all been challenged. If you haven’t gotten wet yet, it’s time to pay up. Pay ALS, and while you’re at it send matching funds to F3F.
Preblast: Devil’s Turn – New Tempo Run Course
As you may have heard, the SCMS track is torn up and gone. We can not let that stop us from good old fashioned tempo running though. So here’s the new course to meet our extended exertion needs.
Since the distances are different, here is the updated Progressive Difficulty Matrix.
All other details are the same. See previous preblasts for pacing considerations. The idea is to run at a comfortably hard pace for an extended period of time. See you tomorrow!
Triple Nickel Tour at Anvil
Shovel flag planted firmly by Baracus. 16 fine men on site and ready to hit it hard at Anvil. Disclaimer given and workout started promptly at 0530, thanks to Baracus who loaned YHC his watch.
Thang
25 merkin OYO
Mosey across the parking lots to lot closest to North Face.
COP
25 merkin OYO
Mountain Climber x 20 IC
Jump Squat x 15 IC
25 merkin OYO
Mosey to bottom of North Face.
Triple Nickel Tour
Triple Nickel involves starting at the bottom of a hill, running to the top, doing 5x called exercise, running to the bottom, doing 5x called exercise, 5 repetitions. The called exercise was the Burpee at our 5 stops: North Face, Entrance 4, Soccer Field Hill, Entrance 4, North Face. 1 rep at each stop with either plank-o-rama or SSH (IC) to wait for 6. Pax ran back up hill at each stop to mosey to the following stop. At NF for rep #5 we ran up, did 5 burpees, backward bear crawl down, 5 burpees, bear crawl back up.
Merkin Set
10 each civilian cadence: wide, offset left, offset right, diamond (40)
Mosey to COP parking lot
Heels to Heaven x 20 IC
Bicycle x 20 IC
Mosey to pavilion (the sweatbox)
Bench Set
15 Jump up/15 dip/15 derkin
30 LBC
10 Jump up/10 dip/ 10 derkin
30 LBC
5 Jump up/5 dip/5 derkin
Mosey to launch lot
25 merkin OYO
Moleskin
YHC did some sad clown pre-KB as none of the usuals joined. Pre-run for Swanson. Humid morning today. Triple Nickel tour was tough. A good bit of running and burpees always a crowd pleaser. The bonus return trip up each hill to the next rep spot was appreciated by Purple Haze. Not a lot of mumblechatter out there today. A lot of movement and no 10 counts. Merkin count confirmed by pax at 230, though may have missed a few above. Strong work by all pax today. Iron Horse took us out in BOM. Always a pleasure to lead at Anvil.
Announcements
Read your weekly email for latest information and announcements. Check website, of course.
BRR teams need drivers. Contact Baracus if you can help or for more information.
Contact Champagne if you can help with a tutoring program in South Charlotte.
Serve and Volley
The VSF was planted, and 17 willing pax embarked on another painful jaunt around The Charge.
The Thang:
Jog to midfield on the PDS gridiron for COP led by Hops.
SSH x 25 IC
MC x 25 IC
Slow Squat x 25 IC
Rockhopper x 25 IC
10 Burpees OYO
Hand off to Dick Clark
People’s Chair – 1 min.
Catch Me If You Can – partner up
partner 1 runs, partner 2 – 15 LBCs – lap 1
partner 2 runs, partner 1 – 15 merkins – lap2
People’s Chair until pax returns, then additional 45 seconds
Jog to car pool lane
Serpentine Bearcrawls through the traffic cones – “Bearcrawl Alley”
Jog to lacross field
Tennis Anyone?
Bag full of numbered tennis balls. Barqs, Hops’ 2.0, pulled one at a time; announced number. One of the pax swats the ball with tennis racket. All pax AYG run to the ball and do aforementioned # of reps of called exercise.
Below is what I can remember of number, exercise and sequence:
13 Makthar Ndijaye’s IC
37 LBCs IC
13 Carolina Dry Docks IC
39 Dolly IC
13 Wide Arms (aka Larry Craigs) IC
11 Diamonds IC
50 second plank, followed by 10 seconds of 6 inches
33 Monkey Humpers (called by Double D’s) IC
54 Jumping Lunges (called by Ichabod) – civilian count
100 Groiners (unsavory final call by Dick Clark) – OYO
Jog back towards launch lot, stopping for another serpentine bear crawl at the Alley
Ye Olde Moleskine:
Was an honor for YHC to co-Q The Charge with Dick Clark. DC & I grew up together in Monticello, IL – have known each other for 40ish years.
Good crew at The Charge. Especially noted John Deere getting after it on the AYG sprints #smokeboots
Shock-o-Bottom clearly has played some tennis
And T-claps to Jamboree for running in 5.0 miles — 10 miles roundtrip!
Not too much mumblechatter from the pax, as if it were possible during the 33 monkey humpers and 100 groiners. Full disclosure – only got to about 70 groiners before DC called the pax to plank.
Solid prayer by Hannibal to take us out.
Announcements:
OBT issued F3Nation wide ALS Ice Bucket Challenge. Turkey Leg did likewise to Area51 pax yesterday at Fast Twitch.
Let Double D’s or John Deere know if you want to Q at The Charge. Step up men! Leadership is what it’s all about.
Getting old at The Maul
18 men joined YHC for a birthday celebration. Having toyed with various ideas for excitement, we ended up going with a basic pain cocktail which seemed to do the trick.
The Thang:
Mosey to parking lot for warm up: plank for disclaimer, 25 side straddle hop, 10+10+10+10+10 merkins. Was gonna just do 40 but couldn’t resist an extra 10.
Mosey to wall at Firebirds
Plankerama. 15 slow durkins, 15 slow dips, run around parking lot. Plankerama then 15 slow durkins, 15 slow dips, run around parking lot. Plankerama then 15 varying speed durkins, 15 varying speed dips, plankerama.
Mosey to bottom of hill by ATM machine. Plankerama then 10 6-count burpees in cadence. Sprint to top of hill. Mary with feet 6 inches off ground then 20 flutter. Run to bottom of hill. Plankerama then 10 6-count burpees in cadence. Sprint to top of hill. Mary with feet 6 inches off ground then 20 dolly. Run to bottom of hill. Plankerama then 10 6-count burpees in cadence. Sprint to top of hill. Mary with feet 6 inches off ground then 20 Rosalita.
Mosey to top of Murderhorn. Plankerama then run to bottom and back up to top. Plankerama again then back to parking lot.
Mary with feet 6 inches off ground then bicycle let by Puppy Love. 10 regular speed, 10 slow speed, 5 fast speed. No one does it like P-Lo.
Finish up with 40 celebratory merkins.
Moleskin
– Welcome to FNG Holy Hitman. Heck of a workout to start out on. Hope you come back brother.
– Thanks all for the opportunity to lead and for all the great things that F3 brings to us. I’m grateful to be part of it.