I requested a Q spot at Death Valley because I have never been before last week. To be honest I thought my Q was last week up until I saw the tweet. I know Death Valley has a strong group so I tried to come up with something that would challenge everyone.
No FNGs were identified and off we went to begin our fun.
The deal: Circle up in the school parking lot for the teachers. Begin in plank. The pax were told to hold plank after each exercise and try to maintain good form. We did slow count merkins x 20, hold plank then mountain climbers x 20.
We moseyed to Davie with a stop half way there to collect the six and knock out merkins x 20. Plank while the six brings the rear up. Mosey down to the bottom of the entrance of Davie. There instructions were given that we were doing three circuits of three pain stations. We grouped up based upon size. The first station was partner carry from the bottom of the entrance to the start of the island going towards Hwy 51. The second station had three kettle bells, three sandbags ranging from 50-60 pounds and a 20 pound smash ball. There you did ten rows with the sandbags, ten swings and five to ten smash balls. The last station was at the park were you did pull ups x 20 and knee raises while hanging on the bar x 20. Run between each station counter clockwise.
Plank once you have completed all three sets. Then we ran over to the soccer field for 5s, although this had to be abbreviated. I did have a Q fail in that I forgot about two pax still doing there pull ups. My fault boys but you found us. For the 5s you did one merkin, run to the middle of the field and do five burpees and then run to the end where you did four jump squat knee tucks. Run back to the middle and do five burpees and then back to the other end where you do two merkins. We got all the way to three merkins and two jump squat knee tucks.
Time was upon us so we headed back blazing a trail to the sidewalk running back to the school. Once again we stopped half way to do 20 merkins while the six came up and then ran back to the school were we planked for a minute and a half depending on when you got in until time was up.
Done!
Moleskin: I appreciate the old Q allowing me to Q this morning. It is nice getting around to the different AOs and meeting new guys and seeing other guys I have not seen in a while. You made the right choice to come to Death Valley instead of Anvil this morning. Haze had the Q so they probably just ran around in a circle like last time.
Great job by Sensei and Freedom navigating all the barriers and twist. Glad Sensei’s leg is feeling better.
I hope everyone worked hard and got something out of it. Enjoy the rest of the spring break and cool mornings. There will not be very many of those left.
Announcements: Catch the Bacon is coming up on 5/21/16 at The Fort. Fast 5k where a team of five runs two and half laps around the track each. You must have a Clydesdale or a respect on your team. Triple 7 said he would run twice since he fits both criteria. More to come but I encourage everyone to get a team together. It is family friendly and a good time.
After installing a new toilet that my 2 year old destroyed I had no time to pre-blast or think up a routine for the Pax. Sloppy helped put the final touches on the install and proceeded to inform the crew The Valley was going to be a GOP toilet bowl beatdown. I don’t think anyone left wanting more.
The THANG:
Warmup 30 x side straddle hops 15 squats, 10 windmills, 10 merkins
Run to 1/4 mile to greenway
Burpee broad jumps 200 yards
Bear crawl 200 yards
200 yard sprints x 10
Mosey to hill
1/4 mile sprint to top of hill
People’s chair x 30 count
Jack-la-lane x 20 count
People’s chair x 30 count
Mary filled with LBC’s, Rosalitas, and Dolly’s
The Moleskin:
Stoked to have Talkbox make a surprise cameo coming to this side of town. Good small core group of men to have fellowship with and share a beatdown. Thankful for each of them.
Sorry for the delay on the backblast, definitely my goat for Q’ing a workout.
Peace on your week,
GOP
10 PAX at #F3Swift officially launched at 0515 on Tuesday morning for a Swift favorite workout with a new twist. Some Swifters (and some clandestine Indian Land mud runners) found the late start time too slack, and instead started at 0500 for some easy running.
The THANG:
The Moleskin:
Announcements:
A year or 2 ago, “The Murph” was sweeping through F3 like a tornado in Kansas. Not many sightings since then so I thought I’d re-introduce it with some significant modifications. Some may recall that “The Murph” was named after “Murphy” from Lone Survivor whose notorious workout included 100 pullups, 2 merkins, and 300 squats as quickly as possible and in addition to running – I think it was a mile but could have been more. The modifications this morning were several: 1) broke out into partners – teams of 2 and 1 team of 3, 2) added burpees and dips, and 3) changed the rep count and included them as the team total (ie; so 100 meant 50 for each partner).
Warmup: SSH X 20; Imperial Walker X 20, Peter Parker and Parker Peter X 20 total, and Merkins (20). Mosey to fitness trail and broke into 2 groups at the pullup bars on opposite sides of the bridge.
Workout: “The Modified Mini Murph” (reps are team total):
Pull-ups X 50, Burpees X 75, Merkins, X 100, Dips X 150, Squats X 200. Complete 3 laps around the lake for each person on a team. The teams mixed in laps with reps of exercises as they deemed necessary.
After completing, the PAX stayed at the knee wall above the lake for Mary (Flutters X 20, Bicycle X 20, Heels to Heaven X 20, and Protractor for 2 minutes). Between each set, completed 5 slow merkins – each with a “slow” 5 count). Ran 3 laps around the steps leading up to the parking lot and returned to the Start.
As always, an interesting morning at SOFA WIB. We kept it simple today. Running plus 3 exercises on repeat. It was not easy.
Thang
Run to Lancer and Windyrush. Right on Lancer. Run to Olde Providence Rd (1 mi), stopping at each side street (7 in all) to complete:
10 hand release merkins
20 sumo squats
30 knee ups
Repeat on the way back, plus we threw in a bonus at the end of the route, thanks to the OP sign “It’s time to pay your dues”, which seemed like it was speaking to me.
Forgot the satellite watch, but several others had 3.6 miles total plus the 150 hand release merkins, 300 sumo squats, and 450 knee ups. As intended, a full body beat down in only 45 minutes.
Moleskine
Quote of the day, and BB title, goes to Pele, speaking to Sundancer with such sincerity. Love the attitude. We’ll be at the same place next week.
YHC had a bit of a Costanza moment this morning. Sundancer was apparently upset that we weren’t doing sumo jump squats, and therefore “half-assing it”, a comment that was mostly ignored, as we were finishing when he was arriving. Only 5 minutes later the perfect reply came to mind. I hate when that happens. For the record, we will quit half-assing the exercises when you quit half-assing the runs. #JerkStore
Swiper pulled me along, yet again, managing to talk through at least 85% of the workout. He also led some gratuitous monkey humpers as we waited a bit on the six to run back to the AO.
Queen was strong out there. I believe he was the first to join us back at Windyrush followed by Red Rocks. Iron Mike wore the hoodie, and perhaps more surprisingly, kept it on. Talkbox must have had on his Nash ninja shoes. He almost snuck up on YHC in the last 100m, forcing an all out sprint to the cars. Speaking of, Sundancer may have gotten a new one, which was not discussed at COT. I thought the “CoExist” and “Eat Local” stickers came with the car, no? Swiper’s car alarm didn’t go off, but we ran by his sister’s old house – one of many things I learned this morning. Until next week…
30-40 cars showed up at SCMS this morning. Of those, 13 rolled in for a Ghost Runner-esque Raintree tour. Just a skosh of grumblechatter about the PB and we were off.
Thangarang:
As advertised, here’s what we did:
Notepad:
Pleasure to lead this AM, gents.
HB
#FTS
Announcements:
Quarry crusher 4/16 in Columbia (home of the two-time NCAA bass fishing national champions) – see Haze for deets
Charlotte Brain Tumor 5K/10K Race this Sat in Uptown
Pecking Order
Mosey to lower parking lot while doing Two-handed Presses and with stops for Merkins and Diamonds along the way.
Two-handed Swings while instructions were given out.
Round 1
5 Two-handed Swings, 5 Snatch (each arm), 5 Clean and Press (each arm), 5 High Pull (each arm), 5 Racked Squats, 5 Merkins…when done sprint up stairs and around median and when back get in line in front of stairs in position finished. Winner does 1 Burpee, 2nd does 2, 3rd does 3, etc. to last place. Do Merkins until last place finishes his Burpees.
Round 2
10 Two-handed Swings, 10 Snatch (each arm), 10 Clean and Press (each arm), 10 High Pull (each arm), 10 Racked Squats, 10 Merkins…Sprint
Round 3
15 of each…Sprint
Round 4
20 of each…Sprint
This workout looks short and sweet from the 10,000 foot level, but trust me, the competitiveness and pain it did bring! The men had no idea what was coming their way until a trend developed when we went from 5 of each to 10…No one thought we would go to 20, and they especially hoped we wouldn’t get there. But we did, 15 and 20 was a pure sufferfest…with the added penalty of burpees, it gave the encouragement and fire to get through it as fast as possible to end up near the front of the line. Dollywood and Fletch were killing it, and then Bulldog in his usual cunning British way got Dollywood to trade bells with him (Sage advice for the young crowd, when it comes to games or workouts, never trust Bulldog!) and up the suffering for Dollywood from 11 to, dare I say it was possible, a 12! Everyone was hammering themselves and really did take the challenge to make it through and no matter get the reps in. MAD was all in and you could see it on his face how hard he was pushing himself, he’s done a great job increasing his running ability since he started F3! Great to see Dropthrill out again and all the fine Brothers of Area 51! Thanks for the great sendoff Bulldog.
Thanks for letting me lead Harley, it is always a pleasure!
Warm-up
Quick lap around the parking lot.
COP 1
SSH x 20
IW x 20
Good Mornings x 5
Mountain Merkins x 20
The Beast
(6 exercises at 6 cones, 6 rounds)
Round 1 – Bomb squats
Round 2 – Scorpion Carolina Dry-docks
Round 3 Bear crawl, big-boy sit-ups
Round 4 Backwards, Sister Mary Catherines
Round 5 Crabwalk, Low-country crab
Round 6 Burpees
Quick lap around the lot, err, not quite…
Jump drills
10 tuck jumps
10 side-split jumps
10 butt-kicker jumps
10 front split jumps
Rinse & repeat
Finish the lap
What time is it? Clock Merkin time! 12+1+2+3+4+5+6+7+8+9+10+11 = HORRIBLE (This is second time I’ve q’d this and it’s crushed me both times.)
Gimme Shelter
20 dips
10 step-ups (each leg)
10 Mahktar N’Dyie
Rinse & Repeat
Protractor
The End. YHC on the take-out.
Moleskine
It was a pleasure to lead the boys of Thrive today. Union County came to party. I heard some chatter, but everyone was giving it their best effort. I was glad to have brought a few new tricks including the Beast and Mountain Merkins. Lord knows I’ve stolen, I mean been “inspired” by other workouts and qs. Keep posting and leading men. F3 works.
9 fine men set out perfectly on time as to be expected with a floor slapper work out. Some minor hangover effect from the late Carolina Game as a distraction, overall respectful group.
Warm Up: Jog to inner parking lot
20 SS hop, 20 Merkins
20 Imp Walk, 15 Diamond Merk
20 Squats, 20 Merkins
The Thang:
Quick Pace to Rock pile: 20 curls/Shoulder press/Triceps, 15 Curls/Shoulder/ Tri, 10 C/S/T
Quick Pace to cul-de-sac: Triple Nickel explained with inside voices:
25 LBC Run up hill, 20 Merk – Repeat x 5
Plank/Gather
Circuit: 10 Pull ups/20 squats/20 incline run to the painted rock
Repeat
7 minutes of Mary: Flutter, Dolly, Bicycle, Russian twist, heels to heaven
10 burpees
I was proud to drag myself out of bed after my vacation to lead this dedicated group. 1 lost Pax to the pitch black port a jon.
Tomorrow might be the simplest SOFA WIB ever. No partners, no math, no planking, only 3 exercises (chosen for form), etc.
Run to corner of Windyrush & Lancer (HERE) – choose your route.
Continue on Lancer all the way to Old Providence (1 mile), stopping at each of the seven side streets for the following:
10 hand release merkins
20 sumo squats
30 knee ups
Repeat on the way back. Continue until time is called, or, as we will be spread out, whenever necessary to turn around to arrive back at the launch site at 0615.
I anticipate everyone will cover 3-4 miles plus 140+ merkins, 280+ squats, and 420+ knee ups, which should leave everywhere at least a little sore.