Playing with a deck of cards

Playing with a deck of cards

When: 11/52020

QIC: Premature

PAX

Sugar Daddy (R), Ex-Lax, Smithers, Shake-n-Bake, Deflated, 0-69 (R), Schneider (R), Rockwell, Fredo, Rigley (R), Card Load

Playing with Deck of Cards

Starting the morning at 45 degrees can always be painful but feels like heaven after 10- minutes. DiCCS were given two minutes before 5:30 and the team was introduced to a deck of playing cards.

Four PAX were assigned suits with a corresponding pain exercise: Rockwell spades Bonny Blairs, Schneider diamonds LBC, Carb Load clubs Spiderman Merkins, and Rigley hearts for Big Boi sit-ups. PAX started off with a Mosey to Dreamchasers not for a beer but “simple” warmup.

20 SSH

15 Imperial walkers

10 downward and 10 upward dog

Calf stretch 15 seconds per leg

Left and right runners stretch

Mosey to the large open parking lot to start the THANG

The Thang

Paula Abdul for ½ mile – run two poles and back one andflipped a card to determine the suit: PAX did the number on the card. No one should be shocked I told PAX Aces are 15 since I cannot figure out how to take a picture on MY phone. Wrigleyasked where did 15 come from? I said it is obvious, King is 14. He said, King is 13. I started laughing. PAX, went through 10 cards and many turned up clubs aka Spiderman Merkins.

We ran another ½ mile and flipped 10 more cards in a row. At this point, the PAX wanted to flip more cards, NOT!

My plan was to lead the PAX to the hill where the new condoswere built. I was running with Shake and he asked where we are going? I said to the hill. Surprise, surprise, we ran past the entrance and we had to back track. We finally entered the new road and headed to the new parking lot to flip 10 more cards. Thankfully many hearts and diamonds as Carb Load prayed PAX ran halfway up hill and flipped 10 more cards and this time a surprise, Joker. Of course, this means 20 Burpees. I could not understand why people were groining, its only Burpees on a hill???? PAX ran the rest of the hill and flipped more cards. What else to do after running hill? Yes, run four corners and flip more cards. We arrived back at COT but still had 5 minutes which is plenty of time to run down and up the high again. When PAX reached bottom of hill, flipped a card and what do you know, spades of 11 Bonny Blairs. PAX ran back up the hill to flip one more card and headed to COT. PAX logged over 3 miles and almost completed the full deck.

Everyone pushed it today and got in a good workout starting the week of right and stayed safe. I want to give a special shoutout to Ex-Lax. He pushed the entire time. Great job!

Sugar Daddy loved it so much he expressed how it helped stretch his hamstring!

Smithers, Rockwell, and Fredo did a great job pushing on the hill and helping the 6.

Deflated and 0-69 logged some serious steps!

Announcements

Service project, Hot Wheels, downtown Waxhax to build a ramp for a nine-year girl in a wheelchair Nov 7th. Volunteer money through Venmo and/or help build.

Chicken Little will lead a Turkey Trot Thanksgiving Day and post info on The Playhouse and NewsChannel.

Makeshift Marathon 2020 Nov 14: complete marathon by creating a relay team, run a 10k, run ½ marathon, or run complete marathon by yourself. Please makes sure you go to link and register.

Prayer Request

Kelli Niro (premature wife) and decided not to take the medication

Confidential

29:22

TL:DR – Earlier this year I had a goal to run a 5k in less than 30 minutes.  I accomplished that this morning, but only with the help of many. Here’s how it happened.

The Warmup

As you can see from the sheet, I (and others) had several goals for the year. I encouraged others to look at that list to see where they could help someone else. That help could be in better defining the goal, shared experiences with a similar goal, or help in achieving the goal.

In those pre-Covid months, Chastain would saunter up to me on long moseys, look at his watch and say, “You’re running at a 10:22 pace. You’re going to have to go faster to hit your goal!” At which point, I would slow down like a d-bag. It’s one thing to have a goal; it’s another to be public about it and invite others to hold you to account for it.

I like to run; I’m just not fast. So going to Pursuit for 5 or 6 miles isn’t painful for me. I thought I’d use that & Strava to work on speed & endurance. Overtrain. I was running, but not seeing consistent improvements. Turns out that’s not how anything ever works. Good days. Bad days. Horrible hills. Mental battles. It’s always something.

Fusebox picked up on this goal, too. Instead of running with me at Pursuit, he decided to virtually race me. My best 3.1 miles at Pursuit against his best 5k running through his neighborhood. I lost consistently. Even when I could see he walked sections & I didn’t walk at all.

Started going to the completely unsanctioned Waxhaw Express. Depending on the drill that week, I could feel some improvements. Sections of the workout where I felt a good combo of breathing, stride, & effort. And those times rarely came at the beginning, which told me I had to run up to a half mile before being loose enough to hit those strides. Great crew there, as well.

I had several 5k’s I planned to run throughout the year to gauge my progress. Of course, they all were canceled.

So when the Waxhaw Launchvergiversary™ offered a 5k option, I took it. I was incredibly humbled when Tuck showed up just to run with me. He asked what time I was looking to make, and he set his watch to that pace. When we started, he immediately said, “You’re going too fast!” Something I’d NEVER expect to hear him (or anyone else) say. Sure enough, within 1/2 to 3/4 of a mile in, I slowed way down, & not by choice. And I kept getting slower. I ended with a time somewhere in the 35-minute mark. Chastain also ran this, finished WAY sooner, came back along the route and found me. He tried to speed me to the finish, but I had already mentally given up. I was just trying to not walk.
But afterward, Tuck took the time to talk to me about pacing, which I clearly had never considered. It was why I could start off fast, crash in the middle, and make a small but insufficient comeback at the end. I had to change the way I was running. He suggested Runkeeper as a good app to help with that. I did use it at Pursuit several times afterward. It made it abundantly clear how much my pace would change throughout the run. This was such a gamechanger for my goal.

Then a few weeks ago, Weasel-Shaker-in-training Fuse comes back around, asking how that 5k goal is coming along. Why haven’t I knocked it out yet? Uh, I kinda gave up on it, maybe?
Chastain gets in the mix, too. They had put in the early work to let me know they refuse to let me give up on my goal. Do you have friends like that? How do you know? Have they proved themselves? Or has it been just talk? 
Chastain has the fanciest watch of the 3 of us. He’ll be the robotic laser. Fusebox will be the cheerleader, skirt and all.
1st mile goes great; 2nd shits the bed; 3rd wallows in it. Time somewhere in the 33rd minute.
Great! Clearly that proved to them that I need time to train on my own. I’ll notify them later when I’m ready to try again. Probably in a couple of months.
Fusebox looks at Chastain, “So we’ll do it again same time next week? Maybe cut that hill off at the high school?” Chastain agrees. Then they look at me.
“We’re doing this every Thursday until I get it, huh?”
“Yep.”
Fuuuuuuuu……

Here’s where it gets interesting. Now that I know these guys aren’t giving up on me, it becomes clear that I had given up on myself. Yeah, you probably saw that too, huh? I was happy to have a goal, happy to occasionally work on it. But I was tying my identity in the pursuit of the goal. Who am I if I actually ACCOMPLISHED the goal? Then things would change. And that’s scary. I may have to reevaluate how I see myself. But I’m so used to seeing myself this way; it’s just easier if I stay in this “struggle”.
If all that’s familiar but confusing, check out this recent podcast for a better explanation: https://soundcloud.com/artofmanliness/657-why-you-dont-change-but-how-you-still-can

The Thang

This morning, with the help of my friends, & all those mentioned above, I did it. I know there would have been plenty of others who would have happily run with me – in all sincerity – thank you, too. 1st mile was great; 2nd mile was not near as bad as before; 3rd mile was a struggle. I still had mental barriers in mile 2 & 3. I told them how to talk to me, and they did. I told them what does & doesn’t motivate me. And they did it. I hit several WXWXpress strides in different spots.

I wanted to cry, but there was no humidity in the air. I hugged Chastain with a gratitude I can’t put into words. Fuse knows I’m a hugger & has stayed 20’+ from me since we hit the finish line. Even now, I have had to work hard in telling myself that an accomplishment has been met.

Moleskine

  • I had to be vulnerable to allow others to help.
  • There are plenty of guys around who want to help.
  • There are fewer guys who will actually insert themselves to help. Most are waiting for an invitation.
  • Even fewer will refuse to give up before you give up. Most will only go as far as you will.
  • When those guys show up, try not to be a d-bag about it.
  • Be one of those guys to someone else.

A Recycled Election Hangover Weinke for the Respects and Meathead Reunion

Cool temps greeted the PAX as they rolled in, about 38 at launch.  Smaller numbers for the post election morning workout.  Point Break said he was up until 2 watching it but still posted.  YHC helped Margo get the best Christmas display in Charlotte started the night before.  It felt like a HC by Margo, but the fartsack prevailed.  Mr. Miyagi may be a more appropriate name for Margo.  “Before you learn art of Christmas lights, first, you trim the hedges.”  With little time to prepare, YHC went with a similar weinke from my Q last week at NOE.  4 respects rolled in and we were off.

COP

Mosey to the turf patio for COP.

Sharon Towers x 10 IC

Imperial Walker x 10 IC

Low Slow Squat x 10 IC

Mountain Climber x 10 IC

Plankjack x 10 IC

Peter Parker x 10 IC

The Thang:

Mosey to the Avenue of Trees closest to the church.  Lunge walk to first tree, run to second and 5 jumpsquats, lunge walk to third, run to fourth and 5 jumpsquats all the way to the end.

Using every other tree, we next ran a merkin suicide.  Run to the second tree, 5 dry docks, back to start.  Run back to second tree, 5 dry docks, run to fourth tree 5 merkins, back to start.  Each time continuing the 5 from the previous run working up to 5 dry docks, 5 merkins, 5 wide arm, 5 diamond, 5 burpees for a total of 25 dry docks, 20 merkins, 15 wide arms, 10 diamonds and 5 burpees.

Mosey to the rock pile by the baseball fields, grab a rock and groups of 3.  YHC was the odd man out and used the timer from the other groups.  Ran a grinder from the rock pile to the hot box.  In the group of 3 someone always running as the timer between the 2 stations.

Rock Pile                                                                                              Hot Box

  1. Goblin Squats with Rock                                                               1. Derkins
  2. Rock Curls                                                                                        2. Dips
  3. Rock Press                                                                                        3. Split Squats
  4. Tricep Extension                                                                             4. Step Ups

Mosey back to launch.  Smokey with the prayer.

Moleskin:

Super easy group today.  The grinders always take more time than expected, should have kept it at 3 rounds to leave some time for Mary.  Not so much mumblechatter as it was real conversations.  Kind of crazy, ha.  Snuka and I got caught up on Smokey’s church and all the great things they are doing.  Plenty of election talk, Point Break was our knowledge base and just needed an interactive map and we would have been good to go.  The 4 respects I’ll put up against any other PAX in A51, some straight up fast and strong guys.  Now that Meathead is back at 5:30 we even had a joint COT.  The negotiations started a few weeks ago and we were able to iron things out at the blood drive.  Voodoo holds a hard line, but you got to stay on the good side of the Nantan.  Amazing what can be worked out when guys get together over a pint.  Ductwork on Q next week.

“I love crepes”…NOT

Wednesday, November 4

Brothers:  25…FNG (Hang Up), Cargo, Posse, Fusebox, Loafer, Flanders, Nailz, Reaper, Shop Dog, Snitzel, Doughboy, Sugar Daddy, Ex-Lax, 0 69, Dilbert, Undercoat, Surge, Xerox, Ditka, Popeye, Rockwell, Draper, Rudy, Sledge-O-Matic, and Mayhem

As you will recall, the great Ricky Bobby (not our beloved F3 brother, but Wil Ferrell) in Talledega Nights refused to say “I love crepes” while Frenchy held his arm behind his back before finally breaking it.  Cal (John C Reilly) swoops in and states “don’t you say it Ricky.  These colors don’t run.”  Well this morning, they did…with a little gear work as well.

25 F3 brothers sported their F3 gear, American paraphernalia, and bandanas to show solidarity for this country and each other.  Yes, Fitness (F1) is important to all of us.  Fellowship (F2) in our communities (CPR training on November 9 and 16), wheelchair project on November 7, Makeshift Marathon on November 14, Briarcrest run coming up, and weekly folding parties and giveaways at Christ’s Closet) are equally important.  Don’t forget the 3rd F (Faith).  Q Source meetings on Mondays and Fridays, bible study on Zoom calls and in person on Saturdays and Sundays, and discipleship study (with pizza and beer) on Monday nights.  My point…during this time of flux in the election process, rioting, racial injustice, furloughs, COVID 19, we can be positive change agents in our homes, communities, and nations.  Braving the cold was one thing to overcome this morning.  Being there for each other to overcome the things that will hit us today, tomorrow, and in weeks, months, and years to come…MUCH more important.

OK, enough of that.

Exercises (if the Lexicon is incorrect, asking for grace).  Mash and Bootcamp collided for some blood (I pricked my finger on a rock), sweat (the salty discharge coming from my face), and tears (didn’t see anyone crying, but it may have happened).

Thangs:

Farmers carry to middle of parking lot

Irkins with coupons

Heels to heaven

Dirkins with coupons

Block burpees

Mash moseys to light and/or moseys around Mount Chiseled

Basketball slides (5 to left/5 to right with Bobbly Hurleys mixed in.  As a side note, pains me to acknowledge him, me being a Tarheel)

Jane Fondas (I made that up) with coupons and bricks

Supermans

Kettle bell swings

Plank jacks

Ditkas/punches with bricks

Moroccan night clubs

Side straddle hops

Russian crab dips

Potato pickers

21s/curls with coupons

Shrugs with coupons and/or bricks

1 handed pushups (alternating) on coupons

Love handle sit ups (made that up too)

Tricep extensions

Etc. and so forth

Ended with Have a Nice Days.  Favorite part.

I’m sure I forgot something.  Oh well…

Thanks to Fusebox for “voluntelling” me to queue.

Thanks to Posse for taking the family photo (I’m IT challenged).

Later brothers.  Thanks for who you were, are, and will be moving forward.

Mayhem out

Wizardry of going clockwise

Six frosty skunks got to know their bell well this morning at the first chilly Skunk Works of the year.

Funky Cold came in super hot, but delayed the start of the workout for a few precious seconds. Half-hearted disclaimer, because everyone is a pro.

COP

  • Side-Straddle Hops x20 IC
  • Imperial Walker x20 IC
  • Mountain Climber x 20 IC

Grab your bell, mosey to the courtyard at the back of the church.

THANG

There is an exercise called. Start at the courtyard, do 5 reps of the exercise. Pick up your bell and move clockwise (yes, opposite of the usual Skunk Works route around the church) to the next church entrance. There, do 10 reps. Move to the the entrance, do 15 reps. Move to the next entrance, do 20. Recover back to courtyard.

Round 1: Swings

Round 2: Squats

Mary: LBC and Flutter.

Round 3: High pull

Round 4: Lawnmowers (change reps to 5 right, 5 left at each stop)

Mary: Heels to Heaven, Freddie Mercury

Round 5: Merkins, no bell, back to 5-10-15-20

Back at the courtyard, do 10 swings, 10 squats, 10 high pulls and 10 lawnmowers OYO.

Mosey back to launch, we did some thrusters, curls, and some cross-body crunches.

Fin.

COT

Smokey with a great takeout.

MOLESKINE

After some good weather morning, it was cold this morning. I had to break out some of my ninja gear. But, no balaclava until it dips below freezing. It’s a rule.

This workout was meant to keep us moving, but generally keep us together. Plus, it was a challenge to the grip, which, in retrospect was a really smart decision on the day when we had such a dramatic temperature drop.

After the first round, many of us, self included, stopped the “farmers carry” style and carried the bell up on the shoulder.

This morning was also unique because as we circled the church, we had an audience at one of the entrances: The volunteer poll workers setting up shop for the day, as Christ Covenant is a voting precinct.

Obvious side note here: Go vote, if you haven’t already. If you fancy yourself a #HIM, then, IMO, you should be making an impact by participating in the process. I’m not normally this preachy, but it is my BB, so there.

We think the lady in the white SUV had her eye on Baracus, as he was the only one not wearing long pants or tights. She knew he was truly the manliest one of the bunch.

Speaking of long pants, Chicken Wing woke up his M this morning as he had to #Omaha to long pants because of the temperature. This is normally a party foul, but it was an especially egregious party foul given that it is his M’s birthday.

And, in the Skunk tradition of the recap of the previous Friday’s Ultimate match, it appears that the competitive juices are flowing over there. Go if that is your thing, but, be aware, it’s serious business.

V.O.T.E. with Yuge Mularkey

26 men showed up at Watchtower to VOTE!  The preblast went out to wear your patriotic colors (Note:  Black is not very patriotic nor reflective).

DCCS explained . . . Not a professional, Not a Democrat, Not a Republican, Modify Early, Modify Often

WAITING IN LINE

  • Short Lap to let the mouths warm up . . . Zin and Recalc showing up early to the polls
  • SSH, Merkins, Squats

RESEARCHING THE CANDIDATES

  • A Presidential Webb
  • 1 Biden Bomb (similar to Bomb Jack but yell “Mularkey” at the top)
  • 4 Monkey Trumpers (similar to Monkey Humpers but much more YUGE)
  • 2 and 8, 3 and 12, etc.
  • Schneider and Ricky Bobby wanted to learn more about the candidates as they weren’t happy we only made it to 5/20 before going back down

ENTERING THE VOTING BOOTH

  • Get into teams of 3 to decide which party . . . Apparently Glidah isn’t political as he decided to head to MASH at this point
  • DEM
    • Derkins x 20
    • Elbow Plank with partner feet on back . . . Fuse Box finally got his chance to kick me in the back
    • Mike Tysons x 10
    • Vote/Repeat twice
  • REP
    • Rocky Balboa
    • Elbow Plank Jacks
    • Pull-ups x 10 (timer for other 2 partners)
    • Vote/Repeat twice . . . Ralphie passed me on the way into the voting booth and had some choice encouraging words for me

TIME TO VOTE

  • Partner up
  • P1 runs a lap . . . Or as Easy Button and Shake n Bake call it, “A leisurely stroll”
  • P2 does V.O.T.E.
    • V-Ups
    • Outlaw (ROTATE)
    • T-Tap Merkins . . . Or as Cobbler and Blue screen call it “Talk about Patriots”
    • Elbow Plank Jacks

SUBMIT THE BALLOT

  • 3 rounds of bicep merkins x 10
  • 3 sprints across parking lot . . . Baio and Smithers really wanted to get their entries in quickly
  • 1 Have a Nice Day . . . DUNN!

POST VOTE DEBATE

  • Nice job by Floppy Disk giving his 6th Man speech . . . 55 Posts pre-COVID . . . Lot of weight post-COVID . . . Missed the fellowship . . . Welcome back brother.  Well done!
  • Chatterbox with the good deed of the day getting Baio’s keys after the workout
  • Deflated and O-69 are putting together a Podcast (“Walkin’, Rockin’, and Talkin'”) . . . Be on the lookout for the launch soon
  • Welcome FNG UnderCoat (Isaac) who works for CarMax . . . No Haggle, Sticker Price, and other easy names . . . Caught us on a good day.
  • ANNOUNCEMENTS:
    • Christ’s Closet REALLY needs help folding and organizing
      • Tonight (Tuesday) from 6-8pm . . . Bring your wives, kids, neighbors
      • Weekly on Mondays and Thursdays from 6-8pm . . . Bring your girlfriends and your neighbors’ kids
    • Project Hot Wheelz:  This Saturday 11/7 8:30am.  Fixing a wheelchair ramp.  Reach out to Centerfold, Recal, or Shop Dawg.  Need guys to dig some post holes and nail some boards

PRAYER FOR PEACE ON THIS GREAT DAY . . . MAY WE BE THE LIGHT TO ALL . . . NOT JUST PEOPLE WHO VOTED WITH US!

Passing of the Torch

8 Pax posted at Fast Twitch not scared off by the message YHC gave yesterday. After an adequate disclaimer was given, since the Giants only lost by 2 points the beatdown would be hard instead of brutal. Quick mosey out of the Arbo lot to the intersection of Providence and Shallowood.

Quick cop of
LSS 15 IC
20 Mountain Climbers IC

Main Event:
Shallowood Half Pipe Triple Nickle(aka Purple Haze go to spot for all his Q’s)
5 Squats at the bottom
5 merkins at the top

Leaders were instructed at the end to pick up the six should they finish early. After a quick 10 count by Wild Turkey, mosey up to the intersection of Windbluff and Providence for 5 squats on your own. After being told by Alf we still had more time left, I quickly told him a plan was in place. Particularly after being told by Purple Haze we were still short of being under 5 miles.We then proceeded to do 11s in the far lot of the Arbo lot, 1 burpee at the bottom, 10 Carolina Dry Docks by Sushi Rocks. Keep going till you have made it to 10 burpees or till YHC called time at 6:10 seeing we had 5 minutes to get back to launch. Followed by Lex Luthor with the takeout.

Moleskin:

Pretty sure the title speaks for itself, back in October I had reached out to Purell about stepping up as Site Q only to find out he had already planned on asking me later that same day. It’s been awhile since I’ve been a Site Q and having posted at Fast Twitch for most of my 4 years in F3 it only seemed fitting to take over for Purell. Tclaps for Purell for running a tight ship for over 2 years at Fast Twitch, you have been a model Site Q and pax the past few years. Fast Twitch will be in good hands with YHC and Astro running the show at the premier worst 60 minute workout in all of Area 51.

In terms of the workout, Plan B was 7s on Shallowood so trust me it would’ve gotten way worse(and that was just part of it). Alf was up front crushing it the entire time along with Purple Haze who is supposedly tapering for a Relay Race this weekend along with Ductwork not too far behind. Followed by the triple threat of Wild Turkey, Lex Luthor and Ironsides. With YHC and Retread not too far behind.

Announcements:

Purple Haze is on Q next week

If you have been to Fast Twitch at any point in the last few months, expect a message from YHC or Astro about Q dates. Looking to fill out the calendar for the rest of 2020 and going into the first part of 2021.

Benny out

Brother’s Keeper

Paying back an overdue promise to Rockwell, I was looking forward to using the weinkie I planned to use at Clyent Dinner a few weeks ago. But weather conditions threw most of that out, so I had to come up with some other items.

As we’re getting stretchy for 5:30, I see Waterboy extending a hand to Cargo, whose hands are firmly in his pockets. A shake of Cargo’s head told Waterboy he ain’t shaking. That hinted to me that some gloves may have been left at home for these high 30’s temps. I had plenty of spares in the car for Cargo. Not bragging. Just pick up an extra pair for a Pax. Be a pro. Be prepared.

My favorite part of the DiCCS now is asking who has the knowledge and the will to save another man’s life today. With CPR signups for 11/9 & 11/16 going well, I sense a palpable desire to have more hands raised here. Those who have been recently certified by Karen seem to have more of a swagger when they raise their hands compared to a typical corporate certification. Eager to see what the new guys think in a couple weeks.

Strong Mash crew here, so we take off the back way to make it easy to see who goes where.

The Warmup

Mosey to frontage road (Mad Dog already approved of mosey measurements).
Alternating lights with 10 Smurf Jacks & 10 Imperial Squawkers until we hit the speed bump.

The Thang

Partner with someone of opposite ability.
Point out 3 loops of various distances in front of the high school. Each person will have to do all 3 loops, but they can pick the order. While P1 runs one of the loops, P2 does one of the 3 exercises: Carolina High & Dry Docks (Dry Dock with feet on the bench) | In & Outs | Fire Hydrants (side step up with a leg lift at the end). Exercises also can be done in any order. I picked Wolverine as my partner, but I expected much faster runs on his loops. I know my Q Juice hadn’t emptied out that quickly.

Mosey around the corner to the 1st alcove. “Balls to the Wall until the 6 comes in!” I yell in transit. The group goes noticeably slower. That’s how you keep a group together.
Heels to Heaven \ Rosalita web, but starting at the top. 10 H2H \ 40 Rosies
Recover after 9 \ 36

Mosey to the 2nd alcove
8 \ 32
7 \ 28

Mosey to the lower parking lot, picking a new partner, also of opposite ability.
Start at one island. P1 does a hand release burpee in a parking spot, then bear crawls to the 2nd parking spot for another HR Burpee. P2 is running to the other island & back to relieve P1. Keep going until both partners make it all the way to the next island.
Waterboy politely asks what a hand release burpee is. Unfortunately, I don’t demonstrate because I believe at the moment he’s being sarcastic. I now realize he’s not, so this is my apology.
Some flutters until everyone finishes.

Long mosey to the steps on the other side of the high school.

7’s of Donkey Kicks at the top & Tysons at the bottom of the sidewalk.
Big crowd, so we had to split in half & start at opposite ends.
Lunge walk up the steps. For most, that meant taking 3 steps at a time.
I struggle being able to do these back to back to each other. So spreading them out was something I learned from Honeycomb a couple weeks ago when he Q’ed Homecoming. And it allowed for much better form. I never heard Recal admonish a single Pax on their range of motion.
Most didn’t quite get the full 7 in before we had to head back to the Middle School.

Hang out in front of middle school doing diamond merkins while waiting on the six. Ice9 introduced me to a new definition of Q-jacking when he picked my feet up while I was merkin’ing. I thought he was pulling me into Ignition for whatever Satanic rituals they do to stay so fast.

Jailbreak to COT.
Cargo & Waterboy both ask what a jailbreak is. Once I tell them, they light up, fly off and I never see them again.

Still a few seconds left, so we hit a 6/24 of the web. Learned that from the Ghost Q, Zin.

C2G’ed it.  Knowing this will likely be a difficult week for all Americans, I asked God that we be consistently reminded that we are to love our neighbor. Regardless of their political affiliation. When tensions escalate this week, we are called to be peacemakers. If you know someone is across the political spectrum from you, reach out this week and tell them you love them. Find something you agree on and focus on that this week. Both like fishing? Both think Star Trek is better than Star Wars? Neither know what ice cream shoes are?
The only thing that should divide us is whether you clap at the top of a burpee.
Digging in deeper on our beliefs only puts us in a hole. Love is the only thing that’s going to pull us through.

Announcements

  • We have this cool calendar that lists all the non-workout stuff going on. And there is a lot of it. Either bookmark this now, or wait until it shows up on the F3Waxhaw.com site.
    https://teamup.com/ks5u7ww6neyn6uw1g7?view=mw2
  • So much has been donated to Christ Closet in the last couple of weeks! But TONS of help are needed to sort & fold clothes, pick up & deliver furniture. Get your family & neighbors (yeah, that one) involved. The demand is just as heavy. But until we process all those items, demand goes unmet. Hop into the GroupMe Service Channel – https://groupme.com/join_group/58357491/5gjgT9Lf
  • CPR Dates
    Monday, November 9 – https://teamup.com/event/show/id/eFH2GPs3aew4inYWdjbynFtVtBLJrX
    Monday, November 16 – https://teamup.com/event/show/id/jWJEhPiEuhor2usLQaewzKaMw37vS5
    Sign up in the link above ☝ Surge is the Q of this.
  • Makeshift Marathon – https://teamup.com/event/show/id/x6gqUx73SfV9bPovogW5mNUsyKQBiZ
    Includes all details – route, volunteer, run / walk / ruck / relay options
  • Projet Hotwheels – https://teamup.com/event/show/id/c1EmdJHFPvFZupzEo1xTeroCjQocps
    Have all the cash we need; just need labor & tools. More details coming.
  • Catfish is going to plant an AO at Porter Ridge in January!
    He drives over 30 minutes each way to pick up what we’re putting down. He already has a couple of friends who have followed him over here, but that’s not sustainable.
    We need to help him get a proper plant there. We don’t know what’s going to happen; just that it’ll be life-changing for a lot of men.
    It’s going to take ongoing commitment to help him be successful. Here’s the plan so far:
    ☑ Catfish becomes Co-Site Q with Posse at Homecoming so he can get some hands-on training.
    🔲 Catfish gets crash course as Site Q November & December
    🔲
    Homecoming shuts down in January (unless 2 others step up to Site Q)
    🔲
    Porter Ridge AO opens in January
    🔲
    Waxhaw commits X Q’s & Y Pax for January at Porter Ridge
    🔲
    February Q Schools, including Q Source
    🔲
    Later, Posse returns to Homecoming, launches The Lycan, or does something else.
    ❓ Any questions, comments, or volunteering – see Catfish or Posse

Pretty Sure This Is What Happened

YHC got to launch about the same time as the pre-runners of War Eagle, Cooter 2 and Drano were heading back from the run.  Conditions were pretty windy out there, temps in the 50s, setting up a pretty windy and rainy day.  YHC got home from the workout and lost power for pretty much all of Thursday.  With being off on Friday and a Halloween weekend, we have what has become my most tardy backblast.  So here goes remembering what happened 4 days ago after a Halloween holiday weekend.

COP

Mosey to the parking lot in front of the Teeter for COP.

IW x 13 IC

Sharon Towers x 13 IC

Low Slow Squat x 13 IC

Mountain Climber x 13 IC

Peter Parker x 13 IC

The Thang:

Mosey down the parking lots to Target.  With 5 rows of parking spaces in front of us, we ran a merkin suicide.  Run to the first row, 5 dry docks, back to start.  Run back to first row, 5 dry docks, run to second row 5 merkins, back to start.  Each time continuing the 5 from the previous run working up to 5 dry docks, 5 merkins, 5 wide arm, 5 diamond, 5 burpees for a total of 25 dry docks, 20 merkins, 15 wide arms, 10 diamonds and 5 burpees.

Mosey across the street to St. Matt’s, grab a rock and groups of 3.  Ran a grinder from the Rea entrance to the wall at the Elm entrance.  In the group of 3 someone always running as the timer between the 2 stations.  Original plan was for everyone to have 4 rounds at the 2 stations.

Rea entrance                                                                                       Elm

  1. Goblin Squats with Rock                                                               1. Derkins on Wall
  2. Rock Curls                                                                                        2. Dips
  3. Rock Press                                                                                        3. Split Squats
  4. Tricep Extension                                                                             4. Step Ups

YHC was in the first group at the wall, and after doing derkins for that long we combined the first two rounds and did 3 total.

Mosey back to Stonecrest to the fountains for some Freddy.

F lutter x 13 IC

R osalita x 13 IC

E lbows to Knees x 13 IC

D olly x 13 IC

D ancing Chillcut x 13 IC

Y urpee x 5

Mosey back to launch.

Moleskin:

Great group of A51 and SOBs this morning, solid chatter.  We started with 10, and at some point during the merkin suicides Pop Tart and Floorslapper joined us.  Pop Tart did give the full disclosure that we were his sloppy seconds of the morning after remembering Hydra started at 6.  We’ll take it.  The grinder run at St. Matt’s was definitely longer than expected.  Glad we combined those 1st 2 legs.  We lost Mighty Mite heading to the fountains.  He was going to go in the Teeter but didn’t have a mask.  He met us back at launch and gave the warning to avoid the hills behind the theatre for a few weeks.  So noted.  Point Break may have called out YHC for some poor counting/math at the fountains, but that was so long ago I just don’t remember it.  I do remember Mighty Mite showing us a picture of him as a kid with his dad circa mid 80’s.  His dad looks exactly like Borat, khaki suit and all.  Thanks Circuit City for the invite and giving me the lay of the land.  Will be back.

Reflections of a Mongol

11 PAX chose not to run 10+ miles, exercise in Halloween costumes, or eat fried chicken and soda for breakfast at Blakeney.

THANG

0600 – Let’s Go!

Head over to the Tony’s Pizza parking lot to see count many restaurants were shut down by the pandemic. Warmup exercises, lots of merkins, and move along.  Head towards Lochness Lake and stop to do some ab exercises.  Make our way around Lochness with lots of other exercises.  It’s all a blur. The only thing YHC can remember was this bad idea to grab a rock from the pile, carry it around, do a bunch of exercises with it, and don’t let it touch the ground for a long… long… time. Finally 0700 hit and we all gleefully headed back to the lot.

MOLESKINE

Great work by everyone this morning! Focus of the day was to stick together, and not worry about the Strava mileage.  It was great to workout with some new faces and of course see some of the guys I have been working out with for 6+ years.

During the workout YHC asked you all to think of what your life was like before C19. Some of us may have thought of positives, like being able to watch live sports, and how that isn’t broadly possible now.  Then YHC asked what positives have come out of C19, and everyone voiced something that they gained despite the pandemic.  YHC heard better relationships with wives, opportunity to find meaningful work, more family time, etc. it was great to hear. Sometimes we get caught up in seeing only the negatives of 2020, and there have been many. But it’s the negatives that allow you to understand how special and good the positives of life are.  Now may not be a season to crush it, knock it out of the park, but maybe just persevere, don’t quit, keep moving, grind it out. Kind of like picking up a rock and refusing to put it down which none of us did this morning.  Hoping that each of you keep on adding to the positives of 2020 through the rest of the year.

MY SHORT GIVE 2 GIVE STORY

Was great to be back to the old stomping grounds of Stonehenge AO.  It has been a while.  A lot has happened since the days of being co-site Q with my good friend Wild Turkey.  Back in those days, we would overload Twitter on Fridays with as many inappropriate memes as possible, berade Tuck and the DaVinci site, troll whoever was Q’ing with photoshopped images, and guys literally were forced to create secondary Twitter handles for F3 and for personal/business.  Then we’d throw down an epic weinke, with coupons (giant logs, rock buckets), games involving Nerf Guns, tug-o-war ropes, and give everything we had for 60 minutes on Saturday, after posting Monday through Friday.  We never did let Wild Turkey force us to do leg wrestling though.  It was a great time, and we all got to know each other week after week. For me, it was the season for physical acceleration and FITNESS, and the start of my transformation.

Eventually I founded a nonprofit Speed For Need, and rolled off as site-Q at Stonehenge to focus on being at Saturday races.  I felt this yearning to look outward, to focus on helping people who were in the race for their lives get past the finish line, instead of worrying about my own ranking as I had for 42 Spartan Races and others. Many of you have participated in SPEED FOR NEED races, and are the reason it ever became a thing. A worthy thing.  Heck, I have only pushed in 2 races of the 90 races that was have had and 300+ riders.  I got to know many of you and your families a lot better than just the workout. To see your compassion and heart to push, guide, and lead someone else in the most unselfish of ways. To literally push someone across the line to finish ahead of you.  It was a season of FELLOWSHIP, and I hope we can get back to these races.

Having everything a man could possibly want, being in great shape, having an awesome healthy family, lots of friends, and financial freedom, there was something missing, and for me that thing was FAITH. I found a way to exit my toxic job at the end of 2018, and made the decision to align my new work with God’s purpose for my life. In F3 speak, to find my D2X.  It hasn’t been easy, and it’s been a journey that I did not expect.  But it has also been the best two years of my life, personally, professionally, and in my walk with God to seek truth… even through a global pandemic. I am truly a blessed man. And when I look back at all of the people I have helped in my video business, almost every single one has been a result of a relationship I’ve formed directly or indirectly through F3.  I worship with a community of F3 men at Waypoint Community Church, and just got back from a Men’s Retreat which I was honored to help lead.  It’s a season of FAITH for me, that has been the best season ever.

So when I think about it, there hasn’t been a single part of my current life that hasn’t been impacted by being a part of F3 Nation.  And it’s you, the men that are a part of F3, who have helped shape me and my life for 6+ years.  It’s been Fitness, Fellowship, and Faith with all of you.  Giving monetarily isn’t the only way to contribute. But give what you can, time or treasure. The man you help will be the man who helps you. Think of all the men that you know of who could use the principles of F3, regardless of if they put on the black t-shirt. Many of you knew me at the beginning of my F3 days, and my transformation could not have happened without this organization and you men in it. Help another man write their own transformation story in a backblast one day… that man could’ve been you or me.

Thats why I participated in the Give 2 Give Campaign and hope you will consider doing it too.

ANNOUNCEMENTS

YHC is leading the workout Mission I’m Possible at The Charlotte Rescue Mission this Saturday 11/7/2020 at 9:00AM.  It’s a 45minute workout with the men of the Rebound Program who are going through recovery for substance addiction.  We have had 40+ men there the past few months and it has been an amazing experience. YHC has brought my almost 12yr old 2.1 son Will (F3 – Simba) and he absolutely loves working out with me.  It’s one of the best hours of my week as well. Disclaimer: This isn’t a F3 dads workout (and probably not the best workout to bring 2.0 daughter either) but it’s not a super intense workout either. It’s low mileage, lots of mumblechatter, but work as hard as you want to.  Let me know if you have any questions. mrkevinmyoung@yahoo.com

If you have winter gear, shoes, socks, anything that someone less fortunate could use to survive the winter, bring them to a workout and someone will collect it for The Charlotte Rescue Mission, Roof Above, or another facility that can get them to people who need them. Thanks Lex Luthor for mentioning and being willing to collect.

WHO PUSHES WHO ~ JRR TOLKIEN