Pre-Christmas feast: We Three Kings accompanying Smoked Pax
The shovel flag was planted, and 34 brave souls enjoyed a feast of pain served by Far Side and Hops on a frozen December morn.
The Thang
Jog to soccer fields, avoiding the frozen puddles that were perfectly placed to potentially topple an unsuspecting Pax.
COP
SSH x 30
Squat x 25
Merkin x 20
“Rock” Climber x 25 (Far Side unknowingly coined a new term for mountain climbers befitting of the locale)
IP x 20
LBC x 20
Single file run led by Ocho Cinco around perimeter of soccer fields; alternating Karaoke, Shuffles, Backward and regular runs to end zone of soccer field
Suicide Merkin Ladder:
25 yd run, 5 merkins, back to start
50 yd run, 10 merkins. back to start
75 yd run, 15 merkins, back to start
100 yd run, 20 merkins, back to start; plank when finished
Suicide Squat Ladder, same deal as above
25 yard run, 5 burpeees; repeat 4x, run 100 yds back to start; plank when finished
Bear crawl 50 yds, jog remaining 50 yds, 100 yard backward run to start; plank when finished
1/2 mile Eastward jog to NorthFace led by our regular 2.0’s – Sickle, Shuffle and Supersonic
We Three Kings:
3 man teams
#1 at top of North Face – diamond merkins
#2 scales NorthFace
#3 jump lunges while holding rock shoulder level or higher
Rotate stations 3 times
Jog to field in front of The Rock
Partner Up – Wheelbarrow 40 yds, flapjack and repeat
Under the Bridge: partner 1 in plank while partner 2 jumps over legs & then goes under the plank 10x, flapjack
Leap frog 40 yds with partner, Crab walk 40 yds
‘Tis the Season –> MOM
CCV’s x 12 left side; x 12 right side
Dolly x 12
Bicycle x 12
LBC x 12
Mason twist x 12
Jog back to lot
COT
Moleskin:
Hats off to Chelms, Cadillac and other distinguished guests for joining us in the Southlands this morning. Far Side gave thanks to Dolphin for pulling a 70 lb boulder out of the creekbed for We Three Kings. T-claps for the 2.0’s – Shuffle, Supersonic & Sickle for some hard work and making us old guys feel even older. Should have known it would be a bad idea to have Ocho Cinco lead a half-speed run around the fields before suicides – Obviously the term “half speed” is relative.
YHC is happy to report that despite the freezing launch-time temp – very few Bolshoi sightings amidst the pax. We Three Kings got off to an iffy start as YHC was less than clear with the directives, but ultimately it was a good dose of pain for the pax. Always satisfying to hear the reactions to NorthFace when a member of the pax scales it for the first time. Thought one of CMPD’s finest had pulled one of the pax over in the parking lot, but glad to learn it was not one of F3 Nation.
Bullseye (FNG) who was visiting from Minnesota could be heard laughing at the pax complaining of the pre-launch cold.
“Magi from the east came to Jerusalem and asked, ‘Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw His star in the east and have come to worship Him…..On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped Him.” Matthew 2: 1b, 2, 11a
Announcements:
The Matrix launches at 6:30am on Monday (Christmas Eve), 1 hour later than normal – QIC: Short Sale
No workouts in Charlotte South on Christmas Day; Normal schedule resumes on Wednesday, 12/26
Marching Along
7 pax showed up this morning for a 3.5 mile fellowship run. A 25 pound KB was brought along for the ride and the American Flag led the way. The Shore was the only one to come 15 minutes early for an extra 1.5 miles.
Moleskin
Great having fresh faces out. Short Sale, Field of Dreams, Harley and Ice Hole might not have known what they were getting into when they showed up, but, bricks in tow, they added nicely to our marching line.
Ice Hole held up quite well, proving that those F3 workouts really get a man in shape. As our War Daddy this morning he ran over 1 mile for the first time in about 30 years. One would never know he’d been such a slouch over these years.
Short Sale gutted out the mileage with a sore back. Also kept pace well with plans on keeping going the rest of the week.
Don’t forget the North Convergence this Saturday (caravan leaves the Rock at 6am sharp), and the late start for the Matrix – Christmas Eve special at 6:30 lead by Short Sale.
God Bless…
Twelve Days of Christmas, F3 style
24 PAX gathered for a beatdown in the gloom this morning. Nice work by all. Reading thru other backblasts this week, the 12 days of Christmas have been a popular choice. Here’s the Death Valley version…
Warm ups:
Jog around parking lot, high knees, butt kicks
SSHx23
Windmill x 20
IWx23
MOM:
Dolly x 25
Superman – rd. 1 (Hops leads us in singing “Greatest American Hero”)
Protractor
Superman – rd. 2 (More singing)
Regular plank, side plank reach thru’s 5L/5R
Jog to football field
THANG:
12 days of Christmas:
Day 1:
100 yard dash
Day 2:
2 Burpees with a tuck jump, 100 yard dash
Day 3:
3 Turkish getups, 2 Burpees with a tuck jump, 100 yard dash
Day 4:
4 Carolina dry docks, 3 Turkish getups, 2 Burpees with a tuck jump, 100 yard dash
Day 5:
5 Wide arm Merkins, 4 Carolina dry docks, 3 Turkish getups, 2 Burpees with a tuck jump, 100 yard dash
Day 6:
6 Squat jumps, 5 Wide arm Merkins, 4 Carolina dry docks, 3 Turkish getups, 2 Burpees with a tuck jump, 100 yard dash
Day 7:
7 Mountain climbers, 6 Squat jumps, 5 Wide arm Merkins, 4 Carolina dry docks, 3 Turkish getups, 2 Burpees with a tuck jump, 100 yard dash
Day 8:
8 LBC’s, 7 Mountain climbers, 6 Squat jumps, 5 Wide arm Merkins, 4 Carolina dry docks, 3 Turkish getups, 2 Burpees with a tuck jump, 100 yard dash
Day 9:
9 Seal jacks, 8 LBC’s, 7 Mountain climbers, 6 Squat jumps, 5 Wide arm Merkins, 4 Carolina dry docks, 3 Turkish getups, 2 Burpees with a tuck jump, 100 yard dash
Day 10:
10 Regular Merkins, 9 Seal jacks, 8 LBC’s, 7 Mountain climbers, 6 Squat jumps, 5 Wide arm Merkins, 4 Carolina dry docks, 3 Turkish getups, 2 Burpees with a tuck jump, 100 yard dash
Day 11:
11 Squats, 10 Regular Merkins, 9 Seal jacks, 8 LBC’s, 7 Mountain climbers, 6 Squat jumps, 5 Wide arm Merkins, 4 Carolina dry docks, 3 Turkish getups, 2 Burpees with a tuck jump, 100 yard dash
Day 12:
12 Peter Parker’s, 11 Squats, 10 Regular Merkins, 9 Seal jacks, 8 LBC’s, 7 Mountain climbers, 6 Squat jumps, 5 Wide arm Merkins, 4 Carolina dry docks, 3 Turkish getups, 2 Burpees with a tuck jump, 100 yard dash
Mosey to find a wall
People’s chair x 60 seconds
Plank with feet on wall – 10 count
Wall mountain climbers x 10
Rinse and repeat
COT
- Despite the sub-40 temp’s this morning, I think the PAX was Bolshoi-less (at least that’s how I want to remember it).
- Not too much chatter from the PAX after about day 5…I’m sure O2 deprivation had something to do with that.
- YHC seriously considered TR’s audible request to run a few more 100 yard dashes to make it a full mile. Maybe next time, TR.
- The “Protractor” was introduced to the CLT South PAX this morning and was met with many unsavory comments. Radians vs. Degrees? Measured from vertical or horizontal?
- Header and Joker tried to induce eggnog spillage with their sprint races.
- SC’s lesson learned – better instructions needed on wall plank and wall mountain climbers.
- There was consensus from the group to officially rename Wanker to Bulldog. After seeing “the man formally known as Wanker” destroy the workout this am, what a fitting name!
- Respect to The Shore, Stone Cold and 49er for wearing Ruck sacks.
Announcements:
- F3 Christmas Convergence on Saturday, December 22 at Isotope (Charlotte North) – Bailey Road Park, 11536 Bailey Road, Cornelius, NC 28031. – 7:00 a.m. Meet at 5:50 at the Rock for the S-CLT #ClownCars to the North Convergence.
- For those who can’t make convergence, 0700 at Rock. No A51 workout. No Stonehenge recon.
- Matrix workout on Monday, December 24 will operate on 1 hour delay…launch at 6:30.
- Death Valley workout on Wednsday, December 26 will follow normal schedule…launch at 5:30.
- Safe travels to everyone over the holidays.
It’s easy to get caught up in the stress of the holiday season. I encourage everyone to remember that the Christmas season is not about presents, but rather being in His presence!
Merry Christmas!
The Skunk That Stole Christmas
A 21 Pax salute to the last Skunk Works of the year. The three words that best describe this workout are as follows, and I quote: “Stink, Stank, Stunk.”
WARM UP
- Little Baby Jog to lower lot
- Ski jumps over parking stops, length of lot
- Little Baby Jog back to start
THE THANG
A completely original idea: the 12 days of Christmas
DAY 1 1 dozen burpees
DAY 2 2 Turkish Get Ups (1 ea side), 1 dozen burpees
DAY 3 3 snatches (ea side), 2 TGU, 1 dozen burpees
DAY 4 4 renegade rows (ea side), 3 snatches, 2 TGU, 1 dozen burpees
DAY 5 5 lunges (ea side), 4 renegade rows, 3 snatches, 2 TGU, 1 dozen burpees
DAY 6 6 shoulder presses (ea side), 5 lunges, 4 renegade rows, 3 snatches, 2 TGU, 1 dozen burpees
DAY 7 7 goblet squat jumps, 6 shoulder presses, 5 lunges, 4 renegade rows, 3 snatches, 2 TGU, 1 dozen burpees
DAY 8 8 Louganis, 7 goblet squat jumps, 6 shoulder presses, 5 lunges, 4 renegade rows, 3 snatches, 2 TGU, 1 dozen burpees
DAY 9 9 Russian twists (ea side), 8 Louganis, 7 goblet squat jumps, 6 shoulder presses, 5 lunges, 4 renegade rows, 3 snatches, 2 TGU, 1 dozen burpees
DAY 10 10 1-handed swings (ea side), 9 Russian twists, 8 Louganis, 7 goblet squat jumps, 6 shoulder presses, 5 lunges, 4 renegade rows, 3 snatches, 2 TGU, 1 dozen burpees
DAY 11 11 1-leg Romanian dead lift (ea side), 10 1-H swings, 9 Russian twists, 8 Louganis, 7 goblet squat jumps, 6 shoulder presses, 5 lunges, 4 renegade rows, 3 snatches, 2 TGU, 1 dozen burpees
DAY 12 12 goblet squat to overhead press, 11 1-leg RDL, 10 1-H swings, 9 Russian twists, 8 Louganis, 7 goblet squat jumps, 6 shoulder presses, 5 lunges, 4 renegade rows, 3 snatches, 2 TGU, 1 dozen burpees
COT for most, some finish Day 12
MOLESKIN
- Thanks and scorn simultaneously to Byron for planting this idea in my walnut-sized brain a couple of weeks ago at DH. It sucked even more today.
- The warm temps meant that no one donned their gay apparel. Supposed to be below 50 tomorrow, though, and expecting to see the #ManStockings, hung from the loins with care.
- T-Claps to all the Pax for sticking around for the 12th day, even though we were running a little late.
- The Pax were all over the place today: Ray Charles, Wanker and Header (25# club…did Header have a candy apple or a red KB?) blasted the workout and got plenty of 2nd F between days. Most everyone else finished about the same time. Then there was Hops, grinding it out as if by strobe light, but with meticulous attention to form (props for finishing up 12th day during COT). Runstopper, poor fellow, went with the ruck today.
We’ve all read the parable of the Good Samaritan. The priest and the Levite passed by…
But a Samaritan, as he traveled, came where the man was; and when he saw him, he took pity on him. 34 He went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he put the man on his own donkey, brought him to an inn and took care of him. 35 The next day he took out two denarii[c] and gave them to the innkeeper. ‘Look after him,’ he said, ‘and when I return, I will reimburse you for any extra expense you may have.’
Can you imagine how badly this screwed up the Samaritan’s itinerary? Read that again and think about how your schedule would get entirely sideways. How many times am I intent on finishing an email when I am “interrupted” by one of my 2.0’s, let alone having compassion on a hurting soul in need? We love our neighbor by giving of our talents and our time, even when it’s messy. The most important tests and opportunities in our lives won’t be scheduled on the calendar. But when they happen, what will they reveal about who (or what) we love?
Merry Christmas everyone.
This is Spinal Tap
11 men gathered in the gloom of Charlotte South this morning… turning our amplifiers up to “11” for maximum impact.
The Thang
Imperial Walkers X 30
SSH X 30
Squats X 30
1/2 mile run around school
High knees
Butt-kickers
100M warm up, with 10 merkins
100M sprint, with 10 merkins
100M sprint, with 10 squats
100M sprint, with 10 squats
10 incline merkins / People’s Chair
20 decline merkins / People’s Chair
15 dips / 5 pull ups — 3 sets of each
100 M relay race
Carolina Dry Dock X 20
Three minutes of Mary – LBC/Flutter/Dolly
Moleskin
– T-shirt weather this morning… perfect conditions.
– After the COT, Big League Chew says, “Hey, anyone want to join me for 30 burpees?”. Of course a few of us did.
– Some chatter this morning about a nickname change for our very own Wanker. Stay tuned.
– Remember, The Matrix will be held on Christmas Eve… but with a 6:30AM start time.
Tis the Season to be Mary…..
The shovel flag was firmly planted, and 22 hearty souls launched into the South Charlotte gloom under the watchful eye of The Rock.
The Thang:
1/2ish mile jog to soccer fields with a lap around the complex
COP:
Ray Charles – QIC
SSH x 26 (tribute to the 26 departed souls in Newtown, CT)
Seal jacks x 26
Imperial walker x 26
Prison squats x 26
Cones Partner Up:
Far cone:
Jog down
Plank & Merkins x 10; switch
Back pedal run
Plank & Merkins x 10; switch
Karaoke right
Plank & Merkins x 10; switch
Karaoke left
Plank & Merkins x 5; switch
Close cone:
Army crawl
Plank & Merkins x 5; switch
Forward roll jump ups
Plank & Merkins x 5; switch
Leap frog
Plank & Merkins x 5; switch
Partner rescue carry
Plank & Merkins x 5; switch
Windmill x 26
Scissors down x 26
Hops – QIC
1/4 mile Indian Run through parking lot towards North Face
Lunge walk
Modified Jacob’s Ladder on North Face (NF)
1 Burpee at bottom of NF, 6 LBCs at top
2 Burpees at bottom of NF, 6 LBCs at top
3 Burpees at bottom of NF, 6 LBCs at top….and so on up to 6 Burpees at bottom
Plankorama at top
Jog to field
Circle up for “Tis the Season to be Mary”
Prairie Fire Mary x 30; switch with partner
CCV’s x 13 Left, 13 Right
Dolly x 26
Flutter x 13
Bicycle x 13
Peter Parker x 13
Parker Peter x 13
Jog to parking lot
Stretchorama
COT
MOLESKIN
Ray Charles with his first official stint as QIC showed he was, in fact, overdue to lead the Pax. Strong work brother. Plank & merkin ad nauseum had the Pax O2 deprived and commenting unsavory things.
Great to have 3 more FNGs – F3 Nation continues to grow!
Special shout out to Sickle and Supersonic. The 2.0’s led the field in the Karaoke and some other parts of the run/plank&merkin. Nice work young men!
I think it was a Bolshoi-less showing from the Pax on a sub 40 degree day – so thankful for that.
YHC was less than pleased when my Co-QIC Ray Charles crop-dusted me and then some during the Prairie Fire Mary. That’s just wrong in so many ways brother. Paybacks are especially painful.
Great work this morning guys.
Announcements:
F3 Christmas Convergence on Saturday, December 22nd at Isotope (Charlotte North) – Bailey Road Park, 11536 Bailey Road, Cornelius, NC 28031. – 7:00 a.m.
Cantina 1511 at Stonecrest – 5:00pm tonight for Charlotte South Christmas holiday gathering.
Rucks and a coupon
7 men ran 3.5-5 miles, rucks, bricks, 25 pound kettlebell and American flag in tow.
Moleskin
It was a beautiful morning to run. Quiet and crisp. Glad to have all the men out there to run with this morning.
I just came to me this morning how The Drill got his name, being that he works in the dental industry. He also seemed to speed up the pace when Anesthesia was mentioned in casual conversation. I can not recall thoughhow Pretty Boy Quarterback was unfortunate enough to get his name.
As much to make a list as to know who is not pulling their weight so to speak, here are the South Charlotte Pax who are doing the GoRuck Challenge. This morning only YHC, 49er, Stone Cold, and Donkey Kong showed. The rest, whose company we anxiously await: Dora, Far Side, Haggis, Bugeater, Tiger Rag, Strange Brew, Runstopper, and Dolphin. That’s a strong group, but a team is only as strong as its weakest link. Go Ruck!
Hairburner Half Mile
Twenty two men gathered to punch Hump Day in the throat. Hump Day punched back.
PREGAME
Form a team of 4 to 6, pick a plate (45, 35, or 25) or a pair of plates (10’s or 5’s)
Little Baby Jog to track, drop plates at starting line, mosey to grass for Mary
- Flutter x 25 (hold ’em)
- Dolly x 25
- Peter Parker x 25 (hold plank)
- Parker Peter x 25
WARM UP
- SSH x 25
- I-Walker x 25
- Mosey to plates. Tighten chin strap
THANG
Hairburner x 400 m with 5 burpee sprint chase
- Pax 1: Burn hair
- Rest of team: 5 burpees, then sprint to Hairburning Pax
- Rotate, rinse, repeat x 1 lap (400m)
- Various planking for leaders
Run to Hill
- Jacob Jr Ladder (1 to 5 burpees at top)
- Sprint to home plate
- Yet-to-be-named core exercise x 30 sec (x3)
- Run to steps
- Bunny hop steps
- Run to track
- Sprint x 100 yards
- Sprint x 200 yards
- Sprint x 300 yards
- Out of time before ladder back down…
- If Pomfret’s doc and the WSJ are to be believed, the DV Pax made a panicked run on the Heartbeat Bank this morning.
- Team Donkey Kong (Wanker? and…?) smoked the field on the first lap. Far Side simply carried YHC’s team on the second lap. #wheelhouse.
- The combination of gloom-ensconced pax, O2 deprivation and a looming deadine for YHC leaves little time for a proper memorial in the Moleskin. The Pax can provide the rest of the Moleskin in the comments.
Painpourri (featuring the one and only Ray Charles)
Shovel flag was planted firmly in the ground and 22 pax stand ready to accept the daily pain challenge with kettle bells in hand.
The Thang:
SSH x 40
Groiners x 10
Imperial Walker x 20
Merkin Jacks x 10
Stack the Bells (Rt then Lt) and we’re off..mosey to benches
On your knees for merkin/press ladder (1 merkin, 4 Arm raises, 2 merkins, 8 arm raises……10 merkins, 40 arm raises) Aye!
KB step ups x 10 each leg
Merkins x 10
Dips with KB in lap x 20
KB curls x 10 each arm
Rinse and Repeat
Stack ’em back to parking lot
Two Team hairburner Relay race (w/ mountain climbers)
Aussie Peal back (squats w/ bear crawl to end of line)
Lunge walk
Skunk Humper x 10 (Crowd favorite)
KB two hand swing x 20
5 Burpees
Ray Charles to the Stage:
KB Lunge x 10
Partner up- KB Burpees x 5, SSH while your partner finishes; Rinse Repeat
KB one hand swing x 10 (alternating rt-lt)
KB Figure 8 x 10
KB Around the World x 10
KB Tricep extension
~whew!~smoked
COT
Moleskin:
-T-claps to Ray Charles for stepping up on the stage. “I’ve got a few new moves for us”….good ones too.
-Aussie Peal back and “Skunk Humpers” (note name change) were borrowed from our Northern brothers- read it in a backblast last week. Thx!
-I’ll leave the comments on the humpers to the pax….submit and let’s have fun with it.
-YHC had to modify quickly with most of the pax not remembering to bring their dumb bells…No problem..Skunk Works is all about variety.
-HARLEY was there w/ Skunk Bell!
-Strong post by Boomer (War Daddy)…he was at Matrix yesterday and back for SW today. RESPECT!
-Welcome FNG Lemon…go see him for your next BMW, Christmas Specials running now? Wanker EHing the brother-in-law, nice work!
-Saturday, Dec. 15th Holiday party at Cantina 1511, 60 signed up so far!
-Tiger Q’s tomorrow at DV…ruck “unfriendly” warning.
Little Baby Dips
On behalf of O’Tannenbaum…
Great group of 22 men this morning.
That Thang
After a brief 3 minute warm up, we launched into a circuit that included running laps around the track with brief interruptions of “curb hoppers”, decline push ups (merkins/murkins), and “little baby dips”. With about 15 minutes left, we cooled down with Abs and a little more running.
Nakedman Moleskin
Besides some scary morning hair and “sheet” lines of faces from guys whose head was not far from the pillow, I was too tired to notice anything extraordinary; however, two things that jump out:
1) Not a lot of talking after the first two laps, maybe I just couldn’t hear? And,
2) Through the gloom, during the conditioning circuit, I did notice various silhouettes of grown men with backpacks lagging behind, not talking….
Thanks for your support during my inaugural role as your leader.
More Mole
#tclaps to O’Tannenbaum on his maiden Q voyage. Extra #tclaps for showing up with “COACH SHANAHAN” emblazoned across the back of his shirt — felt like 7th grade all over again.
Just to be sure we didn’t lose that 7th grade feeling, Q had us launch into the “I don’t know what these are called but it goes like this” exercise. Hey, Coach, that’s called a ‘windmill!’ #oldskool
Coach’s Ladder (lap, 10x curb hopper (getup jumps), 10x derkins, 10x LBDs) 10 to 1 was a smoker and kept the pax in motion for most of the workout. Very well done, Q!
LBD? What’s a “little baby dip?” Well, that’s a dip done off the edge of the curb…quite possibly the shortest dip movement ever performed.
GRC complement: 2 rucks in attendance. Hey, guys, if you wanna know how much is in the ruck, just grab it off their backs and take it for a spin. Guaranteed good livin’. Take a coupon with you when you go.