14 Pax made the decision after YHC laid down the gauntlet as to what would happen for my Fast Twitch VQ. Seeing how Fast Twitch hasn’t done an AYG run in awhile YHC felt it was time to have the pax stretch the legs out when Purple Haze put me on the Q Schedule. Last week YHC decided to announce that we would be doing “The Mermaid”, big reason why I think we only had 14 instead of 23 last week. At 5:05 not long after I pulled in, Van Pelt was the only car in the parking lot making me wonder if Purple Haze was right that no one would show up to Fast Twitch. Knowing behold right around 5:10 the caravan of cars came in. After a proper disclaimer that was very much approved by the pax that your hands will not touch the ground today we moved onto the main event.
The Thang:
Run-AYG from SCMS to the top of the CLT Catholic Parking deck and back to launch. Get as far as you can and turn around at 28ish minutes. Those who have completed “The Mermaid” can agree that the hill leading up to Calvary Church coming back is pretty brutal. Mileage ranged between 6 and 7.81 by the pax.
Moleskin:
This was and still is Mermaid’s brain child, this is my 2nd time doing this workout and 1st time qing it. As Alf said I made the Q fail with Astro and instead of going to the top of the parking deck just ran straight to the end of campus. As I told Alf in my defense, in August I didn’t have the stamina to make it to the parking deck and come making it this far YHC blanked like my students do when they forget there homework. Q fail on my part however and a good learning lesson. YHC also learned a very valuable lesson, don’t plan something as crazy as “The Mermaid” coming off of doing sub 7 minute mile paces in a Half Marathon. Many would call that suicide doing this crazy workout but the pax proved me right and killed it out on 51 today.
YHC took off and led the pax for a good 2.5 miles of the workout with Purelle, Rachel and Turkey Leg not far behind me. Upon reaching Calvary, as Turkey Leg normally does on downhill runs took off and wasn’t found till COT. Alf wasn’t that far behind, along with Utah. Astro in his 2nd Fast Twitch workout did a great job in one of our tougher workouts. He made “The Mermaid” look like it was nothing. Van Pelt and One Eye also killed it out on the workout today, haven’t seen those two run that fast since BRR training season. Mr. Brady, Mermaid, Purple Haze, About Time, and Retread making his return to Fast Twitch killed it out there as well. There was a six group however, it was hard to really see it with how well everyone responded to the challenge.
YHC also took shots at the pax prior to beginning. Purple Haze admitted prior to the start of today that he did everything to avoid coming and that YHC should plan a different workout. I then proceeded like Frazier has done told Haze I’m the Q and I could plan something worse. Having told Retread of my Q awhile back, he decided to come back to Fast Twitch after going to lesser sights *cough Swift post BRR. Purple Haze was shocked as he was about to call Retread out and YHC beat him to it, saying something that I could see you being a site q one day. It truly was an honor to lead you all today, thanks Purple Haze and Rachel for asking me to lead today. I’d be happy to lead again, plus given that “The Mermaid” has been used twice in the last 3 months I doubt you’ll see “The Mermaid” till BRR season.
Thanks to Mermaid for the takeout.
Announcements:
Joe Davis Run Sign up!
Area 51 Christmas Party December 8th see backblast by Alf bellow to sign up
SOB Christmas Party December 16th, see backblast by Thin Mint bellow to sign up
Only 5 Pax showed for the 1 year anniversary celebration at The Big House. I’m going to blame the weather and not the lack of a well-conceived promotional campaign, that should have included several pre-blasts, by the usually competent site Q’s. Anywho…
Yours truly provided a proper disclaimer and we were off. Due to last weeks political developments, Dumpster decreed that he will now have to review and approve all future disclaimers. Congrats.
COP:
Occurred during several stops on way to baseball fields near Pineville Elementary. All in cadence:
SSHx20
Imp Walkers x 20
Merks x 10
Abe Vigodas x 10
Dry Docks x 10
The Thang
Once at Pineville El Someone commented that Shrink Wrap would have to leave because of some rule about him and schools…
Gather at short retaining wall in the west parking lot for a called exercise and then do a lap around ball fields, stopping at picnic tables in middle for 30 dips & 20 step ups each time.
20 derks on wall – lap- dips & step ups
25 donkey kicks on wall – lap- dips & step ups
40 incline merks on wall – lap- dips & step ups
20 more derks and then depart
Again, we stopped at various locations on way back to launch for you call it exercises that included 20 burpees (thanks Drago) and
all kinds of Mary and even some J-Los. Also got in about a 50-yard sprint and then some additional Mary before times up.
COT/Moleskin
Hard to believe its been a year at The Big House. I’d like to personally thank Dumpster and F3 for the opportunity to improve.
Announcements
Christmas Parties
Pineville Police – Shop with a Cop
Joe Davis Run
On a gloomy Thursday morning, 7 PAX stumbled through the cold and the rain to make their way to Peak 51.
After fruitless attempts to sway the Q to calling an audible to Brakeman’s we got under way:
This morning 6 PAX showed up bright and early for 5 miles of fun. One of the Blakovery faithful did a pre-run to Harris Teeter and when he returned, reported in 3 pounds lighter and we were off. Up Ardrey Kell, past the high school, right onto Zachary Ave, right onto Pomerane Place and right onto Old Ardrey Kell Rd. Avoiding the sprinklers but not the puddles, a right on Honeynut Dr, left onto Hazelview, left onto Linden Tree Ln, right on Torrelle Drive, left onto Society Dr. to Community House Rd. 4 PAX went across the street onto Highgrove to complete a loop around Highgrove-Fortbridge-Summer Club, Pemswood and then back to Community House while the other 2 went back to base. Broga mats for all to concentrate on the IT band and calfs stretches led by Paper Jam.
MOLESKIN:
The definition of recovery run continues to be elusive for the Blakovery faithful but today there was a clear distinction. While 2 of the PAX were trudging up the hill of Ardrey Kell, they saw up in the distance 4 lights straight across the travel lane. At first, we thought it may be the bright lights of the 4 horseman of the apocalypse, but alas, it was the sprinters circling back for the 2 who were the six.
We closed the morning our with a riveting discussion about orthopedic shoes and lululemon gear. We are just waiting for the first person to show up in yoga pants. Thank you Tootie for pushing me to get my 5 miles in when I thought I was done 1 mile in.
Had 4 PAX who either weren’t participating in Charlotte Marathon/Speed for Need relay or the SOB BALROG CSAUP but still wanted to get in a workout on a chilly Saturday morning. YHC had a horse show for 2.1 over at Anne Close Springs Greenway, so needed to get some work in before heading over to serve as stable boy/lacky. O’Tannenbaum was looking forward to the 3:30 match-up of his Auburn Tigers & the Georgia Bulldogs (Have to imagine he was pretty stoked with the outcome). Couple of the regulars, Pop Tart with the SFN guys & Squid carrying Old Glory at Balrog, had other commitments. Rest of the crew may have still been recovering from Turkey Leg’s beat-down the week before.
Clock struck 0700, so YHC led the group down to the track for a quick lap and then we circled up in Bus parking lot for COP:
Head back over to the track for a round of 7’s across the track infield, with Burpees & LBCs.
Made our way down to end of the track and lined up for some field work. Ran from one end of track to the other & completed 11 reps of called exercise. Back to the other end & repeated the 11 reps of the called exercise, as follows:
By this time seemed like everyone was warmed up and the chilly breeze we had at the start didn’t quite have the same bite. Headed down to the rock pile and everyone grabbed a decent size rock. Made our way down to the soccer field. Started in 1 corner of the nicely lined field and worked our way around the perimeter of the pitch, stopping at each corner for the following:
Return the rocks to their resting place & we headed up to the playground for a little circuit work:
Head over to the front wall of the school for PC/Lunge Walk combo:
Over to the parking lot for a Suicide Ladder:
Had about 10 minutes left, so we wrapped it up with Jack Webb & 6 MOM:
COT
NMM:
Announcements:
Today Horsehead turned 40. He didn’t do 4o burpees. Didn’t even really seem to entertain the idea for a second when it was mentioned before COT.
So this was my first Q at Base Camp. Always a good steady group of guys out there and this morning was no different. 5:30 Disclaimer was followed by a short mosey around the parking lot and circle of for COP.
SSH x 15 IC
IW x 15 IC
Alternating Lunges x 15 IC
Romanian Dead Lifts x 10 each leg OYO. This was for Geraldo, because these are so much more fun with a ruck on. Plus I like doing them.
Merkins x 10 IC
Plank Jack x 10 IC
The Thang:up
Mosey down to track. No moon, no stars, heavy fog, extra dark and wet track. Perfect.
Lunge walk 50m and mosey to the corner. 10 Jump Squats. Run to next corner, 10 CDD, Run to next corner, 10 Heels to Heaven, Run to next corner, 10 Merkins, run back to start. LBC’s while we wait on the six.
Repeat track loop with 15x each exercise. Then 20x and then 25x for the last round. Did Flutter’s, Freddy Mercury, and other assorted Mary while waiting for the six after each loop.
Lunge walk 50m and run back up to Semi-Gloss’s office.
People’s chair with 30x Air Presses IC. 10 Donkey Kicks. Repeat
Mosey down to baseball bleachers. 3 rounds of 10x step ups each leg, 10 dips, 10 supine pull-ups.
Head back to the office for another round of People’s chair with 30x air presses IC.’
Circle up in the lot for Dolly, Old School Sit Ups and a 10 Burpee closer.
Done.
Moleskine
A great way to start off a Monday morning. Hammer strolled up on COP 5 minutes late. Good thing we didn’t go far! Chin Music read the weather forecast for this past Saturday morning and dressed for sub-30 degree weather. He was still fast out there. Abba was hauling around the track leading on every lap. Geraldo kept a nice steady pace with the ruck even after hitting the Ruck half marathon just 2 days ago. I believe it was Windex who had to drop some weight 30 minutes into the workout. Maybe it was the People’s Chair that got things moving.
Thanks to Goonie and Drano for leading a solid AO and allowing me the opportunity to Q.
Thanks to Insomniac for the solid takeout.
-Alf
Announcements:
Joe Davis Run signups – See preblast
Area 51 Christmas Party – Seaboard in Downtown Matthews on Friday 12/8. Sign up via pre-blast.
You know when you have that gut feeling that you’re forgetting something? YHC had that friday night, and fortunately was smart enough to check on the Q schedule before falling asleep after a late game night. So apologies about the KB reminder tweet technically being on Saturday morning…
Anyways, as a longtime Q, YHC has a stack of somewhat organized weinkes, so after grabbing a random KB one, off we went.
The thing started with a few warm up laps around the short track, and a few hip stretches courtesy of the Gumby workout and YHCs recent postings there.
With 7 faithful in the gloom, we circled for a little Usain Bolt. (One PAX calls an exercise, the rest do said exercise while the exercise caller runs a wind Sprint to a distant fence about 100 yards out and back)
Two full rounds of this included everything from halos, presses, triceps, rows, lunges, squats, even some flutter press and Lou Ganis found their way in.
Next, a staple of YHCs workouts, a mini timed Murph (pull ups, Merkins, squats, and laps around the baseball field). Seems a waste to not take advantage of one of the best pull ups and supine bars around south charlotte.
With time running short, a trip to the wall for a chain of merkins and people’s chair air presses, then circle it up for some KB Mary
Pretty relaxed group today, enough mumblechatter to keep things interesting, but nothing noteworthy that YHC caught wind of.
We’ll just ignore that I’m +/- 2 weeks late with this backblast. Cobains!
Fall race? New Year’s Race? Just want to get faster and have more endurance? Visit Swift this week. We start at 5:15am from the restaurant of the Vine American Kitchen Parking lot in Ballantyne Corporate Park.
The THANG:
See you in the Gloom,
Bratwurst
This was one of those morning when, as Q, there are a few ideas kicking around, but nothing absolutely decided. In short, I was torn. Sundancer was there (first bootcamp of 2017 #truthnugget), but he was without tunes….so by process of elimination, the plan was set.
As all know, the clock stops for no man, so at 0530, 11 men rolled out of the lot at Carmel.
Thang
Mosey down to Carmel Middle for brief warm-a-rama: SSH x20 and Mtn Climbers x20. Silent cadence start threw Swiper. Orlando has no idea how to climb a mountain #WTF3?
Mosey through Camp Gladiator set up, slowing to enjoy the irony and sweet tunes. Over to the rock pile to select a “rock you’d be proud of” – not running too far with it. Swiper chose a rock to make SemiGloss proud (IR #iceupson #damnskateboard #kidsneverpickuptheirtoys).
Mosey back through Camp Gladiator, pausing with overhead press x15 and squats x10 to enjoy some more of the free music. Given the music selections, this was mostly group punishment for Sundancer forgetting tunes.
Threw in some different rock holds while running – overhead, straight out…Q was inspired by the music.
Mosey with rock down to the cul de sac on at the bottom of Brandermill Pl for the main event.
5 trips to the top of Brandermill – 5 burpees at the top and 5 rock burpees at the bottom.
Swiper Kirk lead brief Mary (LBCs x50) until all were finished. Move rocks up the hill slightly to the street light.
5 trips to the top of Brandermill (running backwards) – 5 lunges (each side) at the top, 5 rock squats at the bottom.
Mosey with rocks back to the rock pile behind Carmel Middle, looking like a bunch of criminals as we passed Camp Gladiator.
After replacing rocks, more Mary – flutters x25 and partner assisted WW2 situps x20 (cough Sundancer, yes).
Mosey back through Camp Gladiator to the benches at the front of the school – dips x15, incline merkins x10, dips x10.
Mosey back to launch lot, finishing up with Boone LBCs x10 each side. Fin. COT.
Ye Olde Moleskine
Little known fact that the guy running Camp Gladiator was actually in NSYNC. No – that’s not true, but there was an inordinate amount of bad ’90s pop everytime we passed by. That combined with Swiper’s infatuation with Natalie Imbruglia to heavily influence this backblast.
Good to finally see Sundancer again #RIPSoFaWIB. Original plan (with tunes) was to run a little short-short-long partner circuit around the church with music in the middle…but no…so rocks it was. YHC hates running while carrying anything and takes an unapologetic No-post-Refusenik every freakin’ time that Chelms even mentions pavers…but it’s good to work on those weaknesses. What doesn’t kill you yada yada yada #noImentionedthebisque. Lot of dadgum leg work today – probably going to be feeling that tomorrow.
Orlando looked like he was skipping up some damn mountain instead of climbing it. Terribly distracting and can never be unseen (and yes, YHC did look like an exploded box of highlighters this morning, which could have been distracting).
Think One Eye and Bout Time were out front along with Swiper on the forward running hill work. Backward running portion saw some changes at the top. With the fancy “import pax” item that eliminated Gummy’s non-paid internship, have to go here to give Respect to Snowflake and Chelms (along with his aka Tatertot) and a hearty Kotters to Sundancer.
Enjoyed it, gents!
What-
The 6th Annual Joe Davis Run for Recovery
When- 01/06/2018 at 8:00 AM.
Where-Walter Elisha Park in Fort Mill, SC
Please join my family again this year as we celebrate my younger brother Joe’s life and continue our efforts to #breakthestigma associated with Addiction. All proceeds of this event go to benefit Keystone, York County’s authority on substance abuse and their unwavering efforts to help those fighting Addiction in York County. This event is family-friendly and will offer a 1 mile Fun Run, a 5k Walk/Run and a 10k Walk/Run. Ruckers welcome! It focuses on HOPE!
Why-
Because my brother Joe died on October 4th, 2009, of an accidental drug overdose, at the age of 28 with most of his life still ahead of him. That is tragic. Joe struggled with Addiction from the age of 12, but had gotten sober in conjunction with turning his life over to Jesus Christ in October of 2007. In the end, though, this battle was one that proved too strong for him to fight alone, unfortunately. Our family was unaware of Keystone as a resource for Joe to get help until after it was too late. So, in the wake of his death, we felt a call to serve and we decided to take action to get the word out. With my sister and I both being involved in running, we felt a race was a great way to not only get the word out about Keystone as a path to Health, Hope and Healing, but also to bring awareness to what our family already knew was becoming a serious problem in our society now.
This is an issue we need to face head-on. it affects and is affecting more people in our community than you realize. Think about these realities-
Action-
Last year, F3, FiA and their family members accounted for at least 275 of our almost 1000 participants! If you are unable to run or walk, we can always use volunteers and there is also a Sleep In option to support the cause from afar. To date, we have successfully raised more than $125,000 for Keystone to fight the awful disease called Addiction. These funds are primarily used to support the Men Under Construction program.
In appreciation for the continued support of F3 and our sisters of FiA, we have arranged for a $5 discount code, F3FIA, that will apply to whatever the current price is for the 5k or 10k races at time of registration, for as long as online registration is open. It will not stack on top of any other discounts, however. Please help spread the word at COTs!
Register HERE.
Final Thoughts-
Joe spent a lot of his adult life as a lonely man. I firmly believe F3 could have helped change his course. While this event does benefit Keystone from a financial aspect, it is also allows for an incredible opportunity to let our communtity know what F3 and FiA are all about, so let’s take advantage of that. Wear your gear, let’s get the F3 flags and tents up, bring the business cards and let’s EH some folks while we fight Addiction. Aye?
I am especially excited for this year’s race as we will be hosting Speed for Need to kick off 2018. If you know of someone who would like to ride or you would like to push in the 5k, please reach out to myself or Dark Helmet. Check out this amazing effort that goes hand-in hand with ours at Speed for Need!
With gratitude,
Rock Thrill