Forgive me F3 Waxhaw for I have sinned. It has been 534,343,343,864,344 days since my last Q. It all started some time in February when the Chicken came to me and said, “You need to Q. I am signing you up. You want to pick the date or you want me to pick one for you?” Just pick one I said. March 8th was the day. I kind of forgot about it till Banjo reminded me last week. Zinfindel chimed,”Are you f’ing serious?? You may want to hit Q school first.” A lot of truth in that statement. Then Saturday hit and I run into Sugar Daddy at the soccer fields.”Hey man, pretty sure I am hitting your Q Monday.” Pressure was starting to mount.
Marketing goes out Sunday. Prep work is taking place. Many changes going through my head. Then I look at the weather. F me below 32 degrees. Couldn’t sleep and got out of bed at 430. Go out to the truck only to find that I left a window cracked. The whole inside of my winshield was frosted. Good times. I think it ended up being 25 degrees when 23 of my brothers joined me in the gloom for a beat down.
DICCS-“Did I forget anything?” Please see days since my last Q as to why I asked.
Mosey to the front of the middle school for a circle up.
SSH, elbow plank, calf stretch, elbow plank, flap jack calf stretch, and heals to heaven
I had more but Recalc started whining about lets get moving, so I cut it short.
Groups of 3 or 4 for some relays. Pick the exercise you are weakest at and amrap until your teammate came to tag you to run. Everyone did two laps. Explaining this created some confusion. I blame it on the cold and not my poor direction.
Grabbed some wall for a squat donkey kick web. Everyone loved to do this one.
Mosey back out to main connector road then back to covered walk where the buses are located.
More wall….25 air presses then jog to cover and bearcrawl the length. Rinse and repeat 4 times to get to 100 airpresses with a final bearcrawl. THAT SUCKED!
Long mosey to rear path for some light pole work. Every light pole on the right for 2 count as 1 mountain climbers.
That got us back to COT with 2 minutes to spare. For some, that is enough time to do it twice.
I wanted to bring back a more traditional bootcamp style workout with less mileage. I think we were around 2 miles. I think we succeeded. It was good to get back out and lead this group again. I usually struggle during the winter with mental health. Honestly, this winter has been one of the best winters for me in a while. Then why did you not see me post more than I have this winter? I have been working from home for the last year like many during the pandemic. I found myself in the routine of lunch time workouts. It was warmer. I got to sleep. Did I mention I got to sleep and it was warmer?? So in all honesty I was being selfish and lazy. Not physically lazy but brother lazy. You see you never know who may need you or when and if you aren’t there, you can’t help. I made it about me instead of everyone else. I will try to be a better brother to all. Thank you for the welcome back and it feels great to be back.
Ok, I am cheating a little bit and combining my Snooze Button and Stonehenge Q. See Market Timer, Frehley’s, Lex Luthor or Cul-de-Sac for refunds.
Snooze Button
The Thing
Head towards corporate offices and parking decks on Community House. Warmup only to have a Ballantyne Park security drive through our COP. Fella didn’t even stop at the stop sign but he didn’t tell us to leave so no harm no foul. First run through of the next exercise is done together. Run the road that cuts through the park stopping at each crosswalk (4 total) for 10 jump squats. Then round the corner to run behind the corporate buildings. 1st Building = 10 derkins and 20 flutters, 2nd Building = 20 dips and 20 flutters, 3rd Building = 20 In and Outs on the wall and 20 flutters, 4th Building = 10 incline merkins and 20 flutters. Now that we have gone through the exercise together knock two rounds out OYO. You vs. You. Fredo, Johnny 5 and Wingman crushed it and circled back for the 6 getting an extra round of incline merkins and flutters in.
Next mosey to a parking deck, sprinting up to the top level. Partner up with P1 bear crawling with a merkin at each parking spot and P2 running to the end of the lot for 3 donkey kicks. Keep flapjacking until getting to the end of the lot. As we exit the parking deck YHC asked everyone to take a 3rd F faith moment and appreciate the sunrise and the view of B-tyne with uptown in the distance. Mosey back to launch ending with 1 minute of elbow plank.
Moleskin
I gotta say the extra hour and 15 mins is nice. And having light is a plus as well. The only downside is a few more cars and early bird workers to dodge but that adds to the obstacle course feel. Nice push out there by everyone.
Stonehenge
The Thing
Before we started out quick detour to YHC’s car trunk. In it were 8 gallons of water and looky here 8 Pax…destiny. Everyone grabs a gallon to run with for the duration of the workout. COP at the end of the medical buildings. Mosey over to the extremely scenic pond with the bridge. 10 merkins at the bottom run up the hill for 10 monkey humpers then run a lap with water for 3 rounds. Mosey through the fitness trail to the tables near Loch Ness, stopping along the way for Mary and Al Gore. At the tables YHC led the group in a HIIT round of Tabada. 45 seconds on 15 seconds rest alternating between dips, plank jacks, 2 cone shuttle, squats and Peter Parkers for 4 rounds. Mosey back to launch, 1 minute of elbow plank then done.
Moleskine
The use of the gallons of water served 2 purposes, one it adds a bit of inconvenience when running and two it got the gallons out of my trunk. And after Wild Turkey started to run back to launch with the gallon in his pants YHC definitely was not taking it back. Solid work and t-claps to the group for utilizing the water gallons throughout the workout even when YHC did not call it. The group curled the gallons when we Al Gore’d waiting for the 6 and included them in the dips and squats. Way to push each other.
Announcements
On a Saturday, in February, 14 men showed up at 0700 (and 1 more showed up at 0703) just so a 6’8″ guy with an awkwardly colored beard could berate them into exercising with rocks and then running. It was still slightly moist from the 3,597,097th day of rain that month and just warm enough to make you question wearing an extra layer. But 15 men put in the work for a Saturday morning and got their weekend started off right. The Q just tried to keep up.
Thang:
Run to the grassy knoll.
1 burpee, IW, 1 burpee, Merkins, 1 burpee, Low Slow Squat, 1 burpee, Plank up: Peter Parker, Parker Peter, 1 burpee = 5 burpees
Mosey to the rock pile at the front of the church
Pick a Rock & Pick a partner, pick your nose, go to handicapped lot (insert joke here), Rifle Carry Rock around the circle
P1 – runs the loop w/rock or rifle carries the rock
P2 – Squat, Reverse Lunges, Rows, Good morning, Curls, OH Press, Tricep, Plank
rinse/repeat/flap-jack
5 Thrusters
Fast lap around the loop with rock
5 Thrusters
Rifle Carry Rock around loop
Repeat 5 times
25 4 count Rock flutter presses
25 weighted LBCs
10 Leuganis
Return rocks
Run to the hotbox, trash can relay, new partners
P1 runs to the last trash can and back
P2 dips, step ups, derkins
Back to launch, a couple of sprints and some merkins sprinkled in, get us to 3 miles
Mary, to run the clock out
State of the Hoover
5 years of F3. Somedays there is a lifetime between then and now, other days it’s “What did I do before F3?” Same thing I say about my kids.
I could tell you a whole story of how F3 changed my life and made me a better person. (spoiler alert: It has and jury’s still out). But I’ll keep it simple. I remember things I did before F3 but I don’t remember or understand my routines from before F3. For example, I woke up this Sunday not hungover from bad late-night decisions, and ran almost 7 miles. 5 years back, 7 miles was a joke and there was always a pack of cigarettes hiding in the garage. One step at a time, to the tune of over 3,500 miles, things changed and life got better. A quality of life that comes from being active and accountability from working with other like-minded men.
This isn’t a journey I undertook on my own. Big thanks to a lot of people over the past years. Too many to list and I’d probably forget someone. But I couldn’t talk about 5 years of F3 without calling out Boerewors. It was his EH that got me started on this journey and he’s been a great friend all along the way. Dankie
Let’s see what another 5 years will change.
#SYITG
15 studs showed up for a forewarned running episode of Rock Zero. The temp teetered at 40, so a little nippy, but we came ready to endure. The kettlebellers were setting up their stage at Olympus while we prepped. It was time to roll. I made a quick disclaimer and off we journeyed.
ALERT: This BB has less info about the workout and more about the The Moleskin. After all, the observations and mumble chatter moleskins are 95% of why we show up….so let’s get at it:
Warm Up:
We jogged our way to Carrington Swim Club for some of the following:
We crossed 51 so we could use the newly paved triple lane sidewalk to get to Windswept.
The Thang:
Jog into Windswept. Did some LBC working recovery, then ran down to Binfords Ridge Rd. Partner up. Partner #1 runs to one cul de sac while partner #2 runs to the other. 10 merkins in each cul de sac, then 10 HR merkins when you meet up with your partner. Repeato, but flapjack on direction.
Lunge walk then jog to Nora’s Path Rd. Same idea as Binfords Ridge Rd, but Heels to Heaven in the cul de sacs then Freddy Mercury with your partner. Repeato a la flapjack.
Run out of Windswept and cross 51. Geraldo got tied up playing frogger so while we waited, we pleased the passing traffic with monkey humpers….rears facing traffic, of course!
Get to the library. Little plank recovery. Keep your partner. Partner #1 runs the parking lot island while partner #2 does said exercise. Flapjack. Exercises were:
Jog across Rea back to Calvary. One lap around North Face with CDDs at the end.
5 roundtrip gassers in the parking lot with Mary in between.
LBC’s and merkins to finish.
Moleskin:
My reflections below:
We covered 4.5ish miles and worked in a few exercises. We also got to meet up with 6 of our Olympus bros for COT! Very cool! Geraldo and Hoover, thanks for the chance to lead! Rock Zero and that AO will always be near and dear to me! Gummy, thanks for the prayer, man!
Announcements:
Beer mile on 3/19
Dark Helmet at Stonehenge next week
March Madness Challenge is on. Read Flipper’s blasts
Functional Strength Challenge coming in May. 3 Categories of lifting and also categorized by age. High Tide is developing the plan!
20 PAX stood around trying to keep warm while they listened to many words of wisdom from Chastain at F3 Waxhaw latest version of Q School. After a butchered disclaimer and explanation of DICSS it was time for:
COP:
Each attendee was required to call an exercise in cadence count. Moroccan Night Club seemed to be the favorite among the Waxhaw faithful and One Star demonstrated what occurs at his home on a typical Tuesday evening opting for the Pickle Pounder x 5. When all the counting was done, an all out sprint by Fuse Box led us to:
THE THANG:
Gathering up at the front of the school by the benches and overhang, Chastain continued to wax poetically on the mundane details of a Q. He reviewed watching out for the 6, how to kill time, and made us run around in a circle doing some exercises. Fuse Box and YHC nearly came to blows over the timing of scouting a site before the Q (unresolved aggression over the UNC-NC State rivalry) but fortunately Chastain’s calming voice of reason led to a compromise. When all was said and done we returned to launch and our fearless leader wrapped things up.
MOLESKIN:
Although we never really got warm from the exercises, Chastain and Fuse Box brought the heat on “how to” run a successful Q.
I forgot how chilly it gets when I stand around for 1.5 hours in 40 degree whether in shorts. A few PAX, like Ex-Lax and Schedule C, were smart enough to wear long pants while Schnitzel ran to his car to grab his jacket.
I learned there are many ways to spell Tanyatine in a backblast (still don’t know what the heck that means), someone else likes to take dumps at workouts (dude wipes work better than winkies) and Baio will have a great foundation for his VQ next week.
It’s time to put all this great knowledge to good use and sign up to Q.
SYITG
-DICCS
(Disclaimer, Cell Phone, CPR, Safety)
-Warm Up
We all took turns with messing up cadence workouts.
-The Thang
Chastain went over the common short comings of us new Qs. Remember to plan out your Q, be prepared for an on the go audible, always start on time and end on time. Many other useful tips were given.
-Moleskin
Dang …If y’all didn’t know Fuse can run faster than you think at least at the beginning of a workout.Very good job of keeping the mood light in showing us what not to do. However I will be including a partner carry crawlbear in my next Q. Thanks to Chastain for the on point guidance in ever portion of the Q from the warmups, to helpful ideas on how to run a good workout, and how to wrap up everthing INCLUDING THE FAMILY PHOTO!!!!
I am thankful that Loafer introduced me to F3. My first workout was in September or so of 2020 and I can honestly say it has helped me in many ways. Thanks to all those behind the scenes that put in the hours to make this F3 thing work!
#DICCS
(Disclaimer, Cell Phone, CPR, Safety)
#Warm Up
Minimal warm-up given the different objectives of the day but we did break a sweat.
#The Thang
Very informative session and revealed many things I was not previously aware of. The material covered will be super helpful for all those that have not lead a workout yet.
– Cadence and leading an exercise in cadence discussion. Not as easy as you might think.
– From here we went through several scenarios and workout options
– Picking up the 6
– Leading the pax when you aren’t in the lead (very relevent for me)
– Planning your workout
– Scouting and reconnaissance of the AO
#Moleskin
HUGE Kudos to Chastain and his sidekicks Fuse, Paper Jam, and One Star and for putting on a great Q School.
F3 has made a huge difference in many areas of my life (physical, emotional, spiritual) and you can’t ask for a better group of men to hang out with.
#DICCS
(Disclaimers, Cell Phone, CPR, Safety)
#Warm Up
No real warm up this morning. It was a little chilly so most Pax warmed up in place while we started going over what is involved in Q’ing an F3 Workout.
#The Thang
– Discuss DICCS.
– Cadence and leading an exercise in cadence discussion.
– From here we went through several scenarios where mistakes were made (on purpose) and then discussions and explanations were had about what was wrong and why. Items of discussion (in no particular order):
– Picking up the 6
– Leading the pax when you aren’t in the lead (delegating/Instructing)
– Planning your workout
– Scouting and reconnaissance of the AO
#Moleskin
Huge thanks to Chastain (for leading), Fuse Box (for showing us what NOT to do and why) & Paper Jam (for some great Q Hacks) for putting together a extremely informative and well planned Q School and to all the veterans, especially One Star that offered great examples and incite from vast Q experience. Being my first Q-School, looking forward to being able to now prepare, lead, and follow-up assigned Q’s for the next few Q’s I’m assigned to.
Since this was Q School this won’t be your normal Backblast. But you should read it anyway.
#DICCS
(Disclaimer, Cell Phone, CPR, Safety)
#Warm Up
No real warm up this morning. It was cold so most pax warmed up in place while we started going over what is involved in Q’ing an F3 Workout.
Overall an extremely informative session and a nice refresher for me. The material covered will be super helpful for all those that have not lead a workout yet.
#Moleskin
Many thanks to Chastain for putting on a great Q School and it was nice meeting so many new (to me) pax.
F3 is an interesting mix of personalities and I always find that the groups all have similar dynamics no matter where you go to workout. It’s familiar and can make you feel at home when you aren’t. I’ve been in Waxhaw since fall of 2018 but haven’t really planted myself in the F3 community down here. It’s my fault. I haven’t put in the effort and made connections with many of the pax. Everyone I’ve met has been more than friendly. It has been hard for me personally, to make the switch from Harrisburg to Waxhaw. Much like the workout, I need to put in the work. If you don’t see me around feel free to call me out here, on GM or Slack or wherever you see me.
Aye!