If memory serves (and it rarely does) the last time I was at Skunk Works, Witch Doctor played the 12 days of Christmas for an hour straight and then I left F3 for about 4 months. That’s what that horrible song (and an “overactive thyroid”) will do to you. A sad clown home KB workout a couple of months back left me blistered of hand and taut of hamstring for about a week so, with the BRR a mere 10 days off….NAH GONNA DUH IT. Not gonna harsh my taper, man.
[Voodoo, High Tide thought cloud: “BUT, BUT….KBs are the runner’s best friend. Posterior chain, hamstrings, glutes, they make you faster.”] They are right, of course. But not, after 6-8 months off, if you put them in the week before a race. I might be stupid, but I am not dumb. So that’s why you get a little bit of KBs and a lot of conditioning today. Thank Witch Doctor.
Surprised that we had 6 for the 0500 Skunk Runner. I thought that more or less died when Sussudio packed up his capri pants and moved to Del Boca Vista. Not surprised, however, that Fletch rolled in at 5:02. Not content to just catch up, he rolls down his windows to survey the faces and says….”Only you guys, eh? Go ahead (you sluggardly clumps of flesh), I’ll catch this group in no time. Probably have time to drop another deuce beforehand, too.” Those weren’t his exact words, but that’s what he meant. I saw a TED Talk on Body Language one time so I know these things. And catch us he did.
Meanwhile, the Spacklers, Bounces and Freedoms of the world were doing what they do at 0500: Swerving, yelling and honking at runners; working on masturbation jokes; and anthropomorphizing cast iron gorilla heads. Respectively, mind you, so as to not confuse the reader (and whatever body oversees 4 point Baptists). The Oxford semi-colon is key. (Funny thing there…I typed “Semi” and “Colon” and the concession stand at SCMS immediately came to mind. True story.)
Before we go any further, a note to any barrister reading this: your client was told, in a great cloud of 24 witnesses, that what was to follow were only suggestions and that he should have the common sense to KNOW THINESELF and modify as necessary. [Mermaid, your house is safe on my watch, buddy.] Thus forewarned, we moseyed to the suicide curb. Well, not entirely accurate: we walked down there. We started with some swings and ended up by doing cleans, reverse lunges and presses. This is a happy coincidence because when stacked one on top of the other, you get a Viking Salute, one of my favorites. The main set went like this:
Repeat with Reverse Lunges. Then repeat again with Presses. Then, stack them together and do the combined movements, or modified version, 3 times ea side, with the same suicide stations.
The backwards run up the hill on the last set reminded me of the backward bear crawl for some reason so we assembled at the bottom of the hill and, with a 25 arse salute to passing traffic, BBC’d up the hill with our KBs in tow, an exercise well-received by all who did it (not many).
Back for Mary followed byt a little bit of running and stretching. FINIS.
MOLESKINE
I gotta tell ya, I worked harder during this BB than I did during the workout. Quiet bunch today. It was probably the tension between Header and Arena that killed the buzz. Their respective MS Soccer teams face off in Game of the Century: The Carmel Candy Apples vs. Kings of the Jungle. In an unfortunate turn of events for the Candy Apples, Header, the always-effervescent Head Candy Apple, says their best player’s dad took the doors off the family Jeep, got caught in a freak 68 degree cold snap, and is hypothermic (the kid, not the dad). Or maybe just has the sniffles, but either way is expected to recover fully but won’t play today. Arena, the rock-ribbed Capital-P Presbyterian that he is replied. “Don’t matter no way. We be Frozen, Chosen and Bull-dozin’.” The blood-letting begins at 4:15 at Warner. Get your tickets.before they sell out. I hate to poke the Happy Candy Apple and then not show but I’ll be half way to Virginia watching my middle child run for 13 minutes.
F3 Hashtag Pro Tip: Chatty is good during the work out and when counting. Not good during COT.
Peace out.
P.S.: Rachel Price’s birthday today. Some gifts from her to you:
Finally a “cooler” morning, relatively speaking. Small group of four, and oddly, no Subarus, alt country, or Sundancer. Figuring he followed through with his decision to post to Skunkworks, we launched into the gloom.
Thang
Run 1.8 miles to Sundancer Ln. Partner up.
At the bottom of Sundancer Ln., do 5 Partner Dumbocrats each (P1 planks, P2 feet on P1 back – both do 5 merkins, flapjack).
Run to the top, do 20 WW2 situps each (P1 in situp position, P2 planks with hands on P1 feet).
Repeat until 6:00 and run back to OPE.
COT
Announcements
HDHH is on this week (hey, that’s tomorrow!) at The Lodge. Show up anytime between 4:00 and 6:00, and you’ll probably find someone there.
Church on the Street is THIS Sunday morning. I will be there. Will you join me in serving the poor?
Area 51 is having 5-year convergence on 9/14 (YHC’s 35th birthday).
BRR is next Friday (9/9). Time to start training – no, that was a couple weeks ago, but inopportune injuries occur every year, so if you’ve been posting several times a week, step up to fill in if asked and able. It’s like a great 24+ hour road trip somehow improved by a few hours of godawful running.
Moleskine
Small crew of four today, after ten-ish last week. We rolled up on the FT crew as we were heading up Rea to Sundancer Ln. Drudgery at its finest? Brady and Gerber were relatively talkative. Alf mumbled “Hey something or other”, which I assumed was a complement. Frasier was smiling, even expressing concern about guys going the wrong way. I think Runstopper was smiling too.
One Eye, getting stitches out today but still posting, modified and assisted with plank. YHC and he got in a couple of rounds when Hammer showed up. Apparently he has a bad right ankle and left knee, never knew…but I’m sure the 1.8 mile jaunt up was fun. Anyway, he jumps in with us for a couple rounds. Thunder Road rolls up, and partners with One Eye. Think everyone got in something between 5-9 rounds, but I stopped counting after 3.
These are both difficult exercises, so we kept the rep counts relatively low and went with multiple sets. Sundancer Ln. is a short little hill, which provided virtually no rest. Core was shot by the end, and probably going to feel that one tomorrow.
Pulling back into the drive way around 6:30 this morning, and get a text from Sundancer. He is alive, didn’t post to Skunk, and apparently had one of those nights – “even the dog is drinking coffee this morning”. They happen, but 90% of life is how you react to what happens, or something like that.
Final reminder to hit up HDHH tomorrow. For once, Runstopper will not be wearing spandex.
We’ll be back at it next week and try to get some decent hills / manageable mileage before a taking few rest days before BRR.
7 pax chose to forego the long drive to the Horsey and instead focused on the hills nearby the AO.
Run through the church parking lot and down Colony to the intersection of Sharon View with stops along the way for: SSH x 10; IW x 10 and Arm Circles x 10
Partner up for the main event where speed matters most.
Run up SV at Colony section 5 times stopping up at the top of the hill (Allison) for 10 burpees OYO and then back down for partner hand slap merkins x 10
Run back up Colony towards AO stopping for: knee-ups x 20; Russian twists x 20; granny situps x 20; over/under x 20
Run to bottom of church lot for sprints from your belly x 3 with varying distances
Boone L & R x 10; LBCs x 20
10 burpees OYO and then 10 x-fit burpees OYO
COT
Skin
Love Boat was talking smack before the workout so YHC altered the original plan which included fence jumps to this one. Hope everyone enjoyed. YHC was smoked after the main event. Pele seemed to agree.
Announcements
LD Convergence at Freedom Park – 7am
Thanks to Pothole for taking us out and the pax for the opportunity to lead.
LB
Grab your Subaru with factory issued COEXIST sticker, worst Radiohead / alt country play list, and patchouli, and come on out to OPE for the most entertaining workout of the day.
For those that don’t know, Sundancer has a bit of a physical reaction to WW2 situps, which we all believe is truly psychological. Basically, he becomes a merlot spilling station. We’re here to help, and to do so, we have designed an immersion therapy program to deliver maximum results in only 45 minutes (better than an hour long infomercial).
Partner up – speed, weight, smell, and conversational ability may all be worthy of consideration.
Run 1.8 miles to Sundancer Ln. In Swift parlance, this is your Interval or 2-mile race pace.
At the brick entrance, 5 partner dumbocrats each. Run to the top (Sunstar Ct.) for – you guessed it – 20 partner WW2 situps. Repeat until 6:00.
Run the 1.8 miles back to OPE for COT.
Total mileage should be north of 4 with significant core / upper body work.
Swift is going back to the Green – as in Cash, Moolah, Cheddar (not that one), DownPainment of Speed for the BRR and events beyond. Here’s the plan:
SYITG,
Bratwurst
The first day of school brings mixed emotions for many. For the 2.0’s, it’s the anticipation of seeing old friends and the making of new ones. For the parents, it’s likely the anticipation of quiet time and/or some sense of order around the house, or perhaps it’s the anxiety that comes with trying to understand common core math homework. No FNG’s were present, so the disclaimer was announced to the group of upperclassmen and we were off with only one tardy slip needing to be passed out. The mumble chatter was strong out of the gate – definitely a sign of things to come over the next 45 min.
The Thang
Warm up lap around lower parking lot
COP:
SSH X 20
IW X 20
Low Slow Squat X 20
Mtn Climber X 20
Merkins X 20
Line up on curb for Lieutenant Dan across the parking lot. When you reach the other side, partner up & mosey across the field to the cinder blocks.
Partner Up & grab a block
P1 does called exercise while P2 runs to far side of pitch (translation for Floor Slapper = soccer fields) and returns. Flap jack until reach 200 reps per exercise
Exercises:
O/H press
Goblet Squat
Merkins
LBC
Return blocks
Plank ladder with shuffle in and out from middle light pole to parking lot
Mosey to school for Balls to the Wall & People’s Chair
Mary:
Flutter x 25
Freddy Mercury x 25
Rosalita x 25
LBC x 20
Planks
The Moleskin
The first day of school brought slightly cooler morning temps and a lot of mumble chatter to The Matrix this AM. There were lots of discussion around soccer teams and soccer seasons but the conversations quickly changed to the pain the lower extremities with the calling of Lt Dan across the parking lot. YHC recalls hearing some concern from the PAX regarding an exercise named after a movie character with no legs, but everyone was all in to give it a try.
More grumbling could be heard when we moved across the soccer field to the pile of cinderblocks. Poptart inspected each block for lack of ants. He found one, but promptly handed it to McGee. As we started the called exercises, groans of disbelief could be heard when the rep count was to reach 200 before we could move on. No refuseniks were spotted, but YHC cannot speak to the amount of jellylubing — it did seem quite odd that some partners finished much sooner than others. #cuttingcorners
The American football faithful had to have “pitch” defined, but those who started the morning off with soccer chatter went right to it. More dissatisfaction was made known as soon as P2 took off across the pitch. Apparently some did not appreciate getting their new school shoes wet when there was a “perfectly good parking lot right over there.”
Everyone completed their assignments in a timely manner and the morning drew to a close with everyone feeling like the Big Man on Campus. It is an honor to lead such a strong and motivated group of like-minded men. Thanks to Poptart and Squid for the opportunity.
Announcements
Labor Day Convergence Monday @ 7AM at the Stonecrest shopping center
Area51 5yr convergence on Wednesday – check the email for details
Pray for Mario & his family in the passing of his dad
Thanks to Smokey for taking us out
Folks –
I am announcing my official “retirement” from the Wiggler. I have enjoyed Q-ing the “original” F3 workout for the last few years, but my 50 year-old knees and joints can longer take the pounding on the pavement. I also have two high schoolers to get out of the house by 6:45 am each day.
Besides – it’s time for some new blood! I hope you all will keep it going and if you do – I will be sure join you from time to time. Probably need a new Q to step up so spread the word. New Q can change the launch location, format, pace, distance at their discretion – but hopefully maintain the “fellowship” pace ethos we enjoyed.
Best to all.
Kenyon Slider
One crazy summer at this AO and the site leaders decide to end the season with a slow old man at the Q – more later.
44 men gathered for the first annual running of the Mt Charlotte race at #F3HorseyMcHorseArse. Unfortunately, the founder of this wicked workout is still laid up with a bad back but T-claps to Horsehead for the idea. F3 BRR teams will definitely be stronger as a result of training here. This is what makes F3 great, men pushing other men to get stronger and faster.
The Thang:
Mosey down Old Bell to base of Blue Ridge for the start of the race. Up Blue Ridge and take right at Mountain View, go around the circle to Wilby all the way around to Chester’s house and then left on Mountain View. Two laps and then back to Old Bell to finish line (touch the Manhole just like Chester). I hear FIshwrap won the race but a protest may be forthcoming based on some alleged trickery. Mt Charlotte Champ with trophy
Remainder of the morning spent free play with suggested choices including the Full Yucca Succa Full Yucca Succa and Mt Charlotte route.
Stop at 6:08 for Pledge of Allegiance and than run back to start for COT.
Naked Sweaty Moleskin:
When Tiger Rag and Horsehead tapped me on the shoulder to Q this I thought – did Fishwrap let those two smoke some of his stuff? An accountant that can’t write or run fast has to follow Shakespeare (Ice 9) and Edgar Allen Poe (FW) in writing a back-blast (the Q’s only real job at this AO). I thought, WTF, why not – I haven’t hit 10,000 fails yet so this might count for at least 100 – and accepted. I read FW’s BB from a few weeks ago and watched all 6 Rocky movies for inspiration. Probably should have added Lone Survivor, Rambo, and McFarland while listening to Ozzy Osbourne.
Carrier shadowed me all morning. Thanks for the push brother, made me work harder – #strongwardaddy. That’s what this AO is about – guys at different running levels pushing each other to get better – #accelerating
As I was thinking about the prior back blasts and all the crazy stuff that comes into guy’s heads, I googled “Third Dimension” and came across this. Transcending the Third Dimension Pretty sure Horsehead was outside the 3rd dimension when he wrote http://f3nation.com/2016/07/18/streamofconciousness/ and remembered FW likely is always in another dimension after re-reading http://f3nation.com/2016/08/15/bawitdaba/ . Not sure about the rest of you but I felt like I was in another dimension running up the Full Yucca Succa at the end.
Horsehead was not able to make it but he texted me the following words of wisdom the night before – Remember to touch the Manhole like Chester, that’s where the segment starts. Now I know why he didn’t show this morning. Bad back my ass.
Prohibition has speculated that Fishwrap is AKA Chester since no one has seen the two at the AO at the same time. No Chester sighting this morning so it may be true. Of course, Margo left early “for school” but this was after staying late last week and having Chester follow him. Maybe Chester and Margo had a date, hopefully just having Deer Carrion for breakfast. If so, FW is off the hook.
Cheese curd wasn’t trying to recruit this morning so hoping that means his team is back to full strength. I should make some sh$% up for fun but I gotta go match some debits and credits.
Cindy said the Metro JV team was coming this am – sad to hear he doesn’t even make JV now.
Finally, thanks to TR and HH for tapping me on the shoulder. It was an honor and privilege to “lead” this group this am. Not saying much but it is making me faster and stronger to be out with this group.
Announcements: Check website for Labor Day convergences and good luck to all the BRR teams. Let’s smoke that b$(tch.
Thanks to Tiger Rag for the great take out. Let’s all use the strength, endurance, and perseverance we get from F3 and go make an #Impact. Our community needs ALL of us.
The following is posted (quite late, unfortunately) on behalf of co-Q’s Safelite and Boerewors:
The Thang
Warmup: Run to the far side of Calvary for some SSH, merkins and Imperial walkers.
3x Northface loops consisted of some lbcs, jump squats and Russian twists. Slight detour on the first loop to picking up Hoover as he came in late after HighT.
From Nothface we took a nice scenic perimeter run down Rea to Pineville Matthews where we stopped at every lamppost to do merkins. Started with 20 and worked down by 2 at every post. We got a bit more than half way before the pax were complaining too much so we switched to lbc to finish the run to entrance 1.
Head over the Grassy Knoll, 20 lbcs at top (working down by 2 every loop), and 2 jump squats at the bottom (working up to 20). eTrade was showing us how it is done, and was most likely the only one to complete this activity.
Quick water break on the way to the rocks.
Do loops around baseball field while watching and explaining the rules of Cricket being played on the baseball field. 20 curls, 20 overhead press, 20 tricep ext.
Head over to hotbox for another water break before some trashcan loops, including: dips, donkey kicks, step ups.
Mosey back to start for 5 minutes of mary.
The Moleskin:
Good work guys, total distance of 3.5 miles. Next week is my 1 year anniversary of joining F3, so was fun to Q again, especially since it turns out the whole pax today happen to be people I roped into F3, haha. Great work by co-Q safelite too.
Thanks eTrade for taking us out.
Announcements:
Convergence for labor day
The fastest growing workout in F3 goes into hibernation after tomorrow but first we determine the champion of Mt Charlotte. 5:15 start from parking lot on Sardis at entrance to McAlpine Greenway.
Mosey down Old Bell to bottom of Blue Ridge for the race. Two laps around Mt Charlotte with only one trip up and down Blue Ridge (start and finish) for total of 1.8 miles. No VT at Horsey McHorse-Arse as we have fitting trophy for an AO with this name. See strava segment – Mt Charlotte Route
Rest of morning combines intervals of Full Yucca Succa – https://www.strava.com/segments/13011088 or Half Yucca Succa (Blue Ridge instead of Mountainview) alternating with Mt Charlotte circuit. Meet at flag pole at 6:08 for Pledge of Allegiance before sprint back to start.
Notes
Horsehead is injured but vet hasn’t put him down yet. Hoping the mad man with idea for this AO can make it. I told him he could ride his big wheel if his back is still hurting.
Hoping Fishwraps will share some of his magic potion with the PAX to ramp things up
Cindy – no way he will show – the thought of losing to an Area 51 runner (or my mom) is too scary for him
OBT/Dredd – I heard they sometimes still run and may need another man for BRR team. Maybe they will show to recruit as we have best collection of runners in Charlotte on Monday at 5:15am.
Fast runners – This will be great opportunity to see how fast you really are against some steep competition.
Chester – Chester is always there (where would he go?). Who knows what his final act for the season might entail.
