On a chilly Monday morning as we awaited take-off, Pele reminded me that Base Camp was where it all began for me as an F3er, and he was there to help give me my creative name (Brian Adams + former baseball pitcher). I still have memories of that first post— elbow planks and bear crawls on the asphalt. My thoughts were, “Man, I’ve gotta either toughen up or start wearing gloves. Or maybe both!” Base Camp is always a well-attended, dedicated group of guys that start the week off on the right foot. That being said, I didn’t want to disappoint!
A disclaimer was given at 5:30, and off we went for COT and then a journey off campus. It went like this…
COT — Forward/Backward suicides using the parking lot basketball goals as our markers.
IW x 15, SSH x 15, Merkins x 10, Mountain Climbers x 10, LSS x 15
The Thang — Mosey down Strawberry Ln to Rosecliff, stopping at each Road Hump (yes, that’s what the sign says, Not a Speed Bump, which must be different?) for 10 merkins and 10 squats at each.
At the beginning of Rosecliff and the top of the next hill on Rosecliff, the exercises were 5 merkins, 5 squats, and 5 burpees. At the bottom of the hill was 25 LBCs. Repeato for a total of 6 times through.
Indian Run back to SCMS parking lot and partner up, with one lifting rock per group. P1 does called exercise while P2 runs down ramp toward ball fields and back up the steps. Exercises were bicep curls, triceps extensions, overhead press, and squats.
Final exercise was the good ‘ol protractor for 1 minute to end the workout.
Moleskin — Great start to Thanksgiving week! Maybe a little heavy on the running but, hey, I know we’re gonna have some rest later in the week. Purell killed it today! Looking forward to his VQ at Death Valley on Wednesday. Header is always a consistent performer, even after staying up late to watch his Eagles whip up on the Cowboys!
Thank you to Drano for the opportunity to lead. Stay safe and enjoy your Thanksgiving with family. And lastly, I leave you with this thought that one of my old coaches used to preach to me (and I think it still applies today to us men):
Do you want success, or the absence of failure?
At 0515 on Tuesday morning, we have the opportunity to bring NASCAR to the great community of Ballantyne! Dale Junior might be retired, and Bratwurst may be playing his role on Tuesday morning by finishing in the middle of the pack in his last race, but we’ll get to some racing around a circular track!
The THANG:
17 PAX set out into the Ballantyne Corporate park on Tuesday, 11/14, for a looping course of medium-long interval running.
The THANG:
Moleskin:
Below freezing temperatures could not keep 6 PAX from showing up at the Blakeney fountains this morning for our regular 5 mile run. At 5:13 we climbed out of our heated cars, wondered why we got out of a warm bed this morning and then it was time to go.
This morning was the Flat Branch route. Cross the parking lot, right at the McDonalds, cross Rea Rd, to Tolleson Ave then right on Bullock Greenway Blvd, right on Alexander Martin Ave then over to Darcy Hopkins for a little while, then left onto Dennington Grove Lane, right onto Bryant Farms Rd., a quick left onto Lanken Drive, left onto Provincetown Drive until we reach Williams Pond Rd. Then up to Elm, left on Elm, down Parks Farm Lane, right on Rea and back to base for stretching by Paper Jam.
MOLESKIN:
In this weeks edition of Blakovery we learned that Tuck really wanted to be a fireman when he was young. He lived out that childhood dream as an adult, living in one of the neighborhoods we ran thru. One morning at 4am, he awoke to the sound of a crashing car. A drunk driver ran into a house and severed the gas line and caught the house on fire. Tuck, the first person to arrive, seeing the fire and smoke, broke down the door to save an elderly woman, dog and cat from the burning house. He accomplished this heroic feat all in a guinea tee (if you are not sure what that is, ask one of the other Italians in F3) and still post at Swift.
Everyone have a great week and remember Devil’s Jam Thanksgiving morning workout launches from Blakeney Shopping Center at 6:30am on Thursday. Rebel Yell and Devils Turn are closed.
YHC awoke this morning to a very needy and angry dog wanting to go outside and do his business. That made YHC angry and looking to bring that energy to the gloom. YHC wrote up several possible scenarios for a workout with several different options. Once arrived onsite, surveyed the PAX coming off their pre-run, the layout of the park, and after hearing first hand account of the lack of word use at Overdrive by those who will remain nameless, YHC made his final adjustments. It went something like this:
Mosey from the parking lots, around the paved concrete walkway, through the gravel, to what Hoffa mistaken-ed for an out house.
Disclaimer in which Hoffa still threatened a possible lawsuit just because
COP:
15 x SSH IC
5 Burpees OYO
15 x Imperial Walkers 5 Burpees OYO
15 x Hillbillies
5 Burpees OYO
Mosey continued around the gravel path toward the playground
On the way, random stop, 5 burpees. This appeared not to be enough for Hoffa and he lodge a verbal complaint so…10 burpees much to the delight of the rest of the pax
Continue to mosey towards the playground, random stop again, 5 burpees
Continue to mosey, arrive at the playground
The Thang
Station 1: Playground Equipment
15 Supine Pull-Ups
20 Alabama Ass Kickers On The Swings
25 Table Lifts
Sprint to the bleachers, run up, around, and back down the bleachers, run to the covered picnic area where…You guessed it, 5 burpees
Station 2: Picnic Tables
20 Step Ups (Each Leg
25 Abyss Merkins (had to be modified for most due to height restrictions and width between tables)
30 Box Jumps
Run AYG up the hill to the flag pole
Station 3: Top of the hill
25 Bobby Hurleys
30 Monkey Humpers
35 CDDs
Run to the bottom of the hill
Station 4: Bottom of the hill
30 Heels To Heaven
35 Freddy Mercury
40 LBCs
At this point Radar showed up, Hoffa thought he was an FNG and was trying to find a way to scare him off
Sprint back to the playground for…you guessed it, 10 burpees
Rinse and Repeat
Deconstructed Burpee Countdown from 10 to 1, Hoffa questioned the validity of the workout and almost brought YHC to throw in an additional 5 burpee penalty on the countdown but we were running out of time
Bataan Death March or Burpees Catch Me If You Can Indian Run from the bottom of the hill across the field, up to the road and back down through the entrance. Hoffa tried to cheat and sprinted way ahead of the PAX when Glass Joe who was second to last was doing his Burpees. Found Hoffa doing Burpees at the bottom of the entrance. However, for the shennanigans, and with their being one minute left, a 5 burpee penalty was incurred,
COT
Prayer Requests:
Pray for those who passed this week’s in the terrible car wreck at 601 and Sikes Mill Rd.
Pray for Nekot as he is still recovering from surgery. He still has another 4-5 weeks of recovery plus another 4-5 months of rehab
Announcements:
Bonhoeffer on Q at Thrive on Tuesday
YHC on Q at Conviction on Wednesday
F3 A51 Christmas Party is on Friday December 8th at the Matthews Downtown Seaboard from 5pm until Midnight $20 bucks a person, bring the M, Dress Code is “Snappy Casual” or “Festive”
Moleskine
No curves, just down and back. Actually, I ran it twice if you count the pre-run with Cul-de-Sac and Lex Luthor, plus Bratwurst and Frasier who were heading to a track workout. (More on that later.)
With the Great Wolf Lodge event redirecting 40+ men, a convergence was the right call. 13 guys with no kids (Mighty Mite), grown kids or kids with other obligations, turned up at the Blakeney Chik-Fil-A for a nearly 4 miles.
From Chik-Fil-A, we went west down Audrey Kell Rd.
1311 Main Warm-Up
Side Straddle hops x 15
Imperial Walkers x 15
Arm circles x 10
‘Mericans x 10
Low, slow squat x 15
Amazing Lash Studio
Circling the parking lot and stopping at each park-insula for 5 of the called exercise. Then loop around and plank for the six.
R1 – ‘Mericans
R2 – Bomb squats
R3 – Heels to heaven
R4 – Carolina Dry Docks
R5 – I can’t remember :/
We summited Peak AK. At the top 10 Merkins, run between telephone poles
Telephone pole 1 Regular, Diamond, Stagger right
Telephone pole 2 Wide, Stagger left
Amazing Lash Studio – The Sequel
Parknisula Burpee ladder start with 1, then 2, then 3…5 take a lap.
6, then 7, 8…10 lap optional.
1311 Main – The Sequel
LBC, ‘Merican ladded
10 LBC (IC), 10 ‘Mericans single count
thru…
1 LBC (IC), 1 ‘Merican
Audrey Kell & Rea
50 calf raises. Some laughed until they realized your calves will burn after running hills.
Mary Calling
American hammer x 20
Dolly x 20
Rosalita x 20
Moleskine
I got a chance to talk to quite a few of the crew today.
Mighty Mite has traveled so much, he’s only had a chance to take his garbage out four times since April.
Cul-de-Sac has run four marathons and once running at night with no headlamp fell off the curb. (He was sporting a light on the pre-run. #runsmart)
Gruden grew up in the northeast, then spent time in the midwest. Today he is running the Eggnog Jog at the Speedway. He’s planning to run a few half-marathons this year.
Frasier is sick and Bratwurst is hurt. They gave up on the track work and joined us for the second half of the workout.
McGee can spot the subtle differences between Mercedes models.
Lex had to leave early, but he got a full hour with the pre-run. That’s dedication.
I haven’t seen Crab Cake in a while, but he had no trouble keeping up with the speedsters.
Toolbag almost forgot his name at COT.
Mary Kay is trimming down. It’s working!
Announcements
Sign up for a Christmas Party!!!
Sign up for Jingle Bell Run (Dec) and the Joe Davis Run (Jan).
4 PAX showed up on a brisk November morning to do some work before Turkey day. OT and Joker asked a few legal questions, the disclaimer was given, and we were off to the rock pile.
COP
SSH, IW, LSS, Arm Circles
Everyone grab a running rock at the rock pile and mosey to the neighborhood with your rock. We stopped briefly at Cold Cuts’ house and saw he was home and pondered why he wasn’t posting.
7’s on the street – Karras Commons
At the bottom, curls with the rock and merkins at the top. Count was briefly lost, but regained.
Once complete, a set of curls and triceps extensions.
Mosey with the rock to the back of the school from the neighborhood. Briefly circle up for squats with the rock. Then to the small hill for another round of 7’s.
At the bottom of the hill, overhead press and jump squats at the top. Not much running here – about 10 feet, but a nice incline.
Mosey back to the rock pile and on our 6 for flutter presses. Some complaints here about having to lie in the grass.
Return the rocks at which point we pondered why the cinder blocks were taken/broken and the rock pile always remained.
To the field for a bit of variety (taken from Abacus) – each PAX throws a Frisbee and calls an exercise to the Frisbee. 2 rounds of this. Exercises include lunge walk, backwards jog, shuffle, high knees, and of course Squid always goes deep into the exercise playbook with gorilla crawls.
To the playground for a circuit between the front and back playgrounds.
Front – 10 pull ups, 20 derkins, 30 dips
Back – 10 jump ups, 20 one legged squats (10ea), 30 sit ups
Rinse and Repeat
2 minutes of Mary – Dolly and Heels to Heaven and time called.
Announcements – Area 51 party and Joe Davis Run.
Thanks to Squid for taking us out.
YHC hadn’t Q’ed in a a while, hell I haven’t done much but run since before BRR. #SoccerArms. I knew I wanted to Q in November, but today was a light day… so what to do?
The Thang:
-Mosey from Launch point to the parking lot across from the hotbox where somebody had thoughtfully placed cones for suicides. Divide into two groups.
-Group 1 Mosey back in front of the church to the launch point, then down to the big rocks, past the bball field and the playground to return to the suicide line. Meanwhile group 2 assumes high plank while 1 member at a time completes merkin suicides (run to each cone and back in succession, completing a chest to ground merkins at each cone. Add one Merkin to count at each cone so 1 at first, 2 at second etc…) Return to plank after completing your suicide circuit.
-Group 1 takes their turn on suicides while Group 2 does the ~1/2 mile mosey. Repeat above but this time elbow plank and start at 2 merkins at cone 1.
-Upon Group 2’s 2nd Mosey, AYG to to cones staged in parking lot near family life center for Heels to Heaven and American Hammer X20 in Cadence. Then AYG to cones under basketball goals for Rosalita and Dolly X20 in cadence then return to suicide line.
-2 more circuits with Peoples Chair and Donkey Kick Plank.
-AYG to cones for Mountain Climber and Low Fast Flutter X20 in cadence, AYG to other cones for High Slow Flutter X20
-Mosey back to the bottom of the launch point parking lot and line up abreast. All out sprint to cars and done
Ye Naked Moleskin:
It was GREAT to be back out in the cold doing something other than running. The Merkins hurt, as did the sprints, yet I got a lot of grumbles when I set mosey pace. It was awesome to have Runstopper and TheShore join us today. RockZero tends to have a “younger” group of PAX so when true OGs join us, its a treat. Abba graced us with his 2nd to last Saturday in CLT before he heads to missionary training in the ATL before engaging in missions work in THAILAND with his SIX KIDS?!?! Bold man, very bold. Also I’ve never had a PAX run out on one of my workouts until today… allegedly Hammer had a wrestling tournament to get to. Although Cheese Curd attempted to use the same excuse so…
Announcements:
-A51 Christmas Party 12/8 and SOB party on 12/16 (as a hybrid I would resent the separate parties but for the fact my schedule prevents me from attending either.)
-Sign up for Joe Davis 5k or 10k, RockZero will be CLOSED 1/6 in support of pushing Pax to go be part of this amazing event.
-Prayers for Abba and family as they embark on their new adventures.
13 Goats gathered in the South Charlotte Middle School parking lot for another installment of #F3MountainGoat… and a bonus Literature lesson. The pre-blast contained a palindrome hinting at the planned workout… “Say Yas”. Of course that can only mean 1 thing… Yasso 800’s… or as Lois has coined them… “Sucko 800’s”!
The workout is simple:
Moleskin
Guys… not much to say except GREAT WORK! Here’s the deal… Friday MoutainGoat is all about getting there, then getting down to business! Everyone comes knowing they will push themselves, and you do… week in and week out.
It’s never going to be “Easy”… it should be one of your hardest workouts of the week. And it is doable by any skill/fitness/running level… that’t the goal of the Goat!
I love spending my Friday morning with you guys! Thanks for making the effort to be out there! I’m encouraged by each of you… and it is never taken for granted the effort each of you make to be out there.
Sensei was putting in some solid reps buoyed by his PR at the Charlotte half. Retread, Tweetsie and Benny were doing the same. Congrats to both Benny and Retread on strong finishes in both of their first Half Marathons!
Nomad, Huggy Bear, Insomniac, Drano, Gullah, Lois, Pele and Kilowatt… strong reps as well! Great to have Drano back out after a few weeks… and then Huggy Bear and Pele returning to “regular” status!
Announcements
Great prayer from Kilowatt to close us out.
On a cold, blustery morning, 7 PAX entered the warm and toasty scout hut to recover from the week’s beatdown. Here’s how it went down:
The main thing
Moleskin
A good solid group this morning. Not a lot of mumble chatter initially, but upon beginning our Warrior poses, in order to ensure the PAX had their hips in check for Warrior 1 I referenced’ that your hips don’t lie… and being one of Paper Jam’s favorite songs, he proceeded to sing the whole song (not really) and that became the consistent theme of the workout. Thankfully the music selection was themed more around “relaxing Yoga instrumental” as listening to Shakira can be stressful.
Kudos to the pre runners this morning- it was a bit too cold for my taste.
Announcements-
New Moderate Running workout on Thursday Morning at Socrates Academy. See Madison for details.
Paper Jam leading a workout Thanksgiving day 6:30 at the fountains at Blakney Shopping Center
Joe Davis run, coming up, check the Preblast for a coupon code.
Thanks Paper Jam for the Take Out.