The highest of the high intensities, probably hit ludicrous intensity
Anvil has new managers: McGee, who talks more than anyone and has a short neck #mutuallyinclusive, and Lobstah Roll, who never talks and runs an IT company but doesn’t understand the twitters #howdidyougetthatjob. It really is a perfect match of AO site Q’s. The original plan was to run to the Day Zero AO where 1) it is the place were the high intensities are located and 2) there are FIA chicks who work out there on Wednesdays. But I nixed it. Instead, we found some intensities at Anvil. Huge tracts of intensities.
7’s on entrance 3: Diamonds at bottom, Wide Arms at top
–LBC’s and Flutters (x 25/each)
11’s at concession stand: Derkins/Dips
11’s at concession stand: Jump-ups/Monkey HUMPERS
–Mountain Climbers x 20
Ladder at entrance 4: Burpees at top (10, 8, 6, 4, 2)
–Freddy Mercury x 25
Ladder at entrance 3 lights:
–Round 1: Merkins (5, 10, 15, 20)
–Round 2: Squats (5, 10, 15, 20)
–Round 3: Peter Parker Merkins (5, 10, 15, 20)
–Round 4: Monkey HUMPERS (5, 10, 15, 20) #feelthebern
AYG back to base
Moleskins
Lobstah complained about not having a warm up. Sorry. It was too cold to stand around, so the 7’s at entrance 3 was the warm-up. You’re welcome. Also, no disclaimer. My B. Totally forgot that one.
McGee was feeling the Bern on the Jump-up/Monkey Humpers 11’s. Not sure why, but the humpers hurt. Also, not sure why Bernie is steamrolling Hillary. All of America (Dems only) are feeling the Bern. What if Bernie did Monkey Humpers on stage? #mindblown
Utter got a flat tire after the 7’s. A real flat tire. He displayed his NASCAR pit crew skills to change a flat during the 11’s and reengage the crew at entrance 4. It was impressive to say the least.
Good to see the security guard keeping a watchful eye over the pax cars. The last time the security guy showed up at my Q at Anvil, he kicked us off the parking lot “road”. I feel fortunate that we had a relatively tame workout. Expect for the hugeness of the intensities though.
Announcements:
Lostah Roll is required to purchase and read “Twitters for Dummies”. #shamereading
UC Run – Week 2 Preblast
** UPDATED ROUTE **
Meet at Lake Park Academy – 3624 Lake Park Rd, Indian Trail, NC 28079
5:00 AM – warmup 15 min run
5:15 AM regroup back at Lake Park Academy to pick up folks who didn’t make the warmup
Workout runs from 5:15 AM to 6:15 AM.
We will be running intervals this week. This is a “no drop” format, and all running skills and speeds are welcome. There will be a lot of looping around and back tomorrow, so you won’t get left behind. We’ll have guys who run 10min miles and guys who run 5:30 miles posting, so don’t feel like you need to be a speedster to come out.
Wear something reflective. Pretty good streetlights, so you probably don’t need a headlamp.
Route Below – 3 different sets of intervals.
https://twitter.com/HorseheadF3/status/697582880629919744
- Horsehead
First in Freedom on a Prancing Pony
At 0515 on Tuesday AM, post Sleet, 17 PAX showed up for some Hills and History to the weekly speed workout in SoB-land known as #F3Swift.
The THANG:
- 0500 – Early crew – probably about 9 PAX (including 2 Bagpipers) got in 1.3miles.
- 0515 – Grab the rest of the PAX and head off 1mile to the wilds of the Ballantyne Country Club West – via Ballantyne Commons PKWY, up Ben Nevis, and into the CC.
- Commence warm-up with dynamic exercise with heels, toes, high knees, and butt kicks.
- Start rounds of :30, :30, 1:00. Generally, run at 1-mile race pace effort up a significant hill, regroup down to the bottom after each :30 interval, start next together, and then regroup to move on to new location after the 1:00 interval. Actual event went something like this:
- Set #1 – Question #1 – What is the 2nd new plate option in NC behind “First in Flight”. Wrong answers included lighthouse, and something else… JRR Tolkien visited the NCDMV recently, so he knew that “First in Freedom” was correct. Because someone got it right, we’re running 1st set normal – 1mi race pace.
- Set #2 – We’re on James Jack Ln, so Question #2 is – Who is that? Since HoneyBee and a few others have heard this spiel before, they knew that of course James Jack is the same Captain Jack as in the “statue” meet point for the Muthaship Monday. Because someone got it right, we’re running 2nd set normal – 1 mi race pace.
- Set #3 – We’re now at the bottom of Resolves Ln, so Question #3 is – How does “Resolves” relate to James Jack and First in Freedom? No right answers (see bottom for right answer). Satisfied that the PAX we’re stumped, let’s run backwards for 30 seconds up Resolves Ln. Next, we’ll do high knees up Resolves Ln. And for the 1:00, per HoneyBee’s suggestion, let’s do Bounding (a.k.a. Prancing Pony) up Resolves Ln.
- Set #4 – Out of Questions, we’ll just run normal up Resolves Ln. Up hill. Forwards. 1 mile race pace.
- Set #5 – Back to a low point in James Jack Ln, we’ll do this set Up hill. Forwards. 1 mile race pace. Instead of the last interval at 1:00, finish at the original start point of Set #1.
- Back to COT about 1.0mi away.
- The SIX comes in at COT around 0620.
The Moleskin:
- Didn’t make Swift? Find something interesting at bottom about the First in Freedom plate.
- Despite talk of American Revolution and Independence, 3 British subjects (Bodybag, Mr. Bean, Haggis) and 1 loyalist (Canadian Strange Brew), were only mildly offended. Probably spurred Haggis on to showboating his rage a few times, but Bodybag (Swift FNG) was probably more offended by the Bounding because he was eager to get it done – somehow having strong Football legs must propel a man to bound up a hill like a gazelle.
- Also welcome to Swift FNG Grapejuice.
- BountyHunter was surprised to show up and see another IndianLander with OneNiner there. He was beginning to think it was “his” workout.
- Got a note from one of the PAX, and wanted to share for all of you in SoB / Area51 land that are intimidated by Swift. Yes, we’re an hour workout and you’ll get in about 5 miles of running. You may not remember the last time you ran that far intentionally. Yes, there are some fast dudes like Frasier and HoneyBee that will be out front. Then there are guys like Haggis who redlines against the Q’s suggestions and JRR Tolkien pushing himself to keep up with him, Abacus who trains to beat his brother, Champagne who comes so he can give his KB-shredded palms a rest, CableGuy who surprises us all with what a young 48 he is, Bunker who’s one of the newest out but is strong and quick, and Gumbo who will drop a huge PR at the RaceFest Half in April. All speeds and all types of PAX. One thing in common is that on Tuesday all we do is run. No frozen hands from bear crawling across ice for one day. No soiled clothes from laying in goose poop. Just running. Straightforward and simple. We’d love to have you out for all of these reasons and more:
- There are certainties about posting at Swift (from StumpHugger):
- It’s the toughest running workout I will do all week.
- Everyone is way faster than I am.
- The fast guys treat you as an equal (work is work)
- Every time we launch I say to myself “I cannot believe I am doing this”
- I am faster today than I was yesterday.
- Do I have enough in the tank to get back to the start?
- It’s mind over matter.
- Wow, I just did that!
- After the workout I am freezing to death for the next 4 hours (regardless of outside temps)
- I am starving!
- I am thirsty! (end up drinking 64 oz of water by noon)
- Dang! Look at my pace on Strava.
- These recovery compression sleeves feel great!
- I’m sleepy
- #MakeStumpHuggerRunAgain
- There are certainties about posting at Swift (from StumpHugger):
See You in the Gloom!
– Bratwurst
About the “First in Freedom” Plate
North Carolina native Charles Robinson, a license plate collector and historian, designed the “First in Freedom” plate, which recognizes two important events: the signing of the Mecklenburg Declaration of Independence on May 20, 1775, and the Halifax Resolves on April 12, 1776. These two events are also commemorated on the North Carolina state flag and are regarded as the first steps toward independence from Great Britain during the early stages of the American Revolution.
Skunkworks
21 PAX crawled out of the fartsack for another edition of Skunkworks. Short disclaimer given, and off we went.
WARMUP
SSH x 25 IC
IW x 20 IC
Merkin x 15 IC
Low Slow Squat x 15 IC
20 2-handed swings OYO
THANG
Grab bells and mosey to pkg lot, line up along the entrance to the first two rows.
20 two hand swings
Run to buses and back
20 two hand swings, 20 goblet squats
Run to buses and back
20 two hand swings, 20 goblet squats, 10 shoulder presses each hand
Run to buses and back
20 two hand swings, 20 goblet squats, 10 shoulder presses each hand, 10 lunges each leg
Run to buses and back
20 two hand swings, 20 goblet squats, 10 shoulder presses each hand, 10 lunges each leg, 10 snatches each hand
Run to buses and back
Some plank work in between sets
Mosey to hill, partner up with like size bells
P1 run up hill and do 20 diamond Merkins
P2 double swings
Flapjack x 2
P1 run up hill and do 20 jump squats
P2 double suitcase lunges
Flapjack x 2
P1 run up hill and do 5 burpees
P2 double high pulls
Flapjack x 2
P1 run up hill and do 20 LBCs
P2 Louganis with bell
Mosey back to field, just in time for one more set of Mary. Chorus of boos, so screw it, 10 burpees OYO.
DONE
MOLESKINE
Great group out there today. YHC was too busy trying to remember the next exercise to pay much attention to the mumblechatter, so sound off with anything worth noting. I’m sure I missed something since the usual chatterboxes were all here. Always enjoy leading Skunkworks, it’s always a fun workout with a great group of guys. Thanks to Fletch and Harley for the opportunity. Thanks to Busch for the great sendoff. Always well done.
You Gotta Wanna
In the famous words of Dick Trickle, “You gotta wanna”. You gotta wanna get up early, you gotta wanna run fast, and you gotta wanna push through the pain and be uncomfortable. That was the goal of today’s workout. 13 PAX decided they wanted those things and showed up at SCMS ready to work.
While running with Devil’s Turn a few weeks back, YHC encountered a beast of a hill on Rea Rd. and wondered if there were any adjoining neighborhoods that incorporated that hill into some sort of loop. Well, Google maps provided YHC with the Parview loop. A perfect .55 loop that has three decent size mounds.
The Thang
Warm up run from SCMS to Carmel Estates Rd. While waiting for the PAX to regroup: Merkins IC x 11.
Mosey to Parview Dr. and Parview Dr.
Counter clockwise loop of Parview, Mountain Climbers IC x 11.
Clockwise loop of Parview, Squats.
Counter clockwise loop of Parview.
Clockwise loop of Parview, Hand release tuck jump burpees x 10.
Fast mosey back up sneaky Carmel Estates Rd. and Rea Rd. to 51 and plank while regrouping.
Fast mosey to Strawberry Ln. and then turn around to regroup with the PAX.
AYG to last entrance of school.
Moleskine
Group kept a great pace on the way out to Parview. Stayed pretty compact . YHC was pretty worried about the lighting while running down Carmel Estates Rd. Alf said it best “There could be a deer carcass in the middle of the road and I wouldn’t even know it”. However, lighting improved when on Parview. Once the intervals began Turkey Leg and Mr. Brady shot out front and sent the early message they were the ones to chase. Hairball and Alf were close behind in the chase group. Margo, Mermaid, Soul Glo, Van Pelt, Fault Line, Duct Work, Cane, and Huggy Bear were all pushing hard and right on everyone’s heels. Huggy Bear probably endured the most punishment as he ran all four loops non stop. Very little chatter until the hand release tuck jump burpees were called. The disappointment on Hairball’s face was palpable as he proclaimed his disappointment in the direction of the workout. The Carmel Estates Rd. on the way out was more hill than YHC remembered. Although there were 3 perfectly good porta jons awaiting the PAX today, none were used. Again a pretty compact group on the way back to SCMS. 6.3 – 6.5 miles were covered. YHC wanted to try something different this morning and thanks all the PAX for their willingness.
YHC has been coming out to F3 since the end of September (thanks Blades). It has been a pleasure to continue to get to know the PAX and YHC appreciates the opportunity to lead a workout (thanks Haze).
Starfish sometimes have negative effects on ecosystems
That was a statement I read on wikipedia and that tv commercial says you can’t put anything on the internet that isn’t true so I wanted to test the theory…
I pulled into the Thrive AO a few minutes later than planned (about 5:25) to find an empty parking lot. I seriously began to question whether it was really Tuesday or if this was a dream. Then I started to think about if I will do the “Lone Joe” workout like Glass Joe did in the ice a few weeks ago at Overdrive. (May need to submit that to the Lexicon)
A few minutes later headlights and squealing tires started to make their entrance to the AO.
5:30 and off we go with a #HairbandMile to warm up and pick up the last straggler, Short Circuit.
COP
SSH x 10
Imperial Walkers x 15
Low Slow Squat x 15
Windmill x 15
LB Arm circles (civilian count) x 25 forward & 25 backward
Manmaker Merkins x 10
The Thang
Explained the Starfish:
4 islands in the parking lot with a cone (or in this case a Happy Graduation megaphone which worked all the same) in the middle. Complete exercise at an island, run to the middle for an exercise, run to next island for exercise run back to the middle etc.
So it went like this
Round 1: (upper body suckage)
Island 1 x 10 Merkins
Burpees x 5 in the middle
Island 2 x 10 Nipple Scrapers
Burpees x 5 in the middle
Island 3 x 10 Carolina Dry Docs
Burpees x 5 in the middle
Island 4 x 10 Wide Arm Merkins
Burpees x 5 in the middle
Repeato
Plank until all are done
Round 2: (lower body)
Island 1 x 20 Lunges
Jump Squats x 20 in the middle (audibled to 10 going forward)
Island 2 x 20 Mountain Climbers
Jump Squats x 10 in the middle
Island 3 x 20 Monkey Humpers (it was dark & no women or children around)
Jump Squats x 10 in the middle
Island 4 x 20 Squats
Jump Squats x 10 in the middle
Repeato
Plank
Round 3: (Core)
Island 1 x 30 Rosalitas
LBCs x 30 in the middle (audibled to 20 going forward for time)
Island 2 x 30 Flutter
LBCs x 20 in the middle
Island 3 x 30 Rock Hoppers
LBCs x 20 in the middle
Island 4 x 30 Freddie Mercury
LBCs x 20 in the middle
Repeato but knock it down to 20 reps for time.
Plankwork
Look who showed up! My friend Jack Webb!
1 merkin to 4 air presses up to 10 merkins:40 airpresses 8 merkins: 32 air presses due to time
Done!
COT
Thanks for taking us out Short Circuit
Moleskin
My goal today was to push everyone hard while still accommodating my knee… Based on comments and heavy breathing I think it was a success! I was disappointed some regulars were out today, but that’s ok, I can recycle this plan in the future. It was the first time most have done the starfish and Jack Webb so it was a good reminder that Union has grown so much we need to mix in some old routines once in a while because they are not old to many.
To answer the original question I think the internet was true in this case, the Starfish was a negative to the environment, if time wasn’t up I got the feeling there would be some refuseniks on reps 9 & 10 of Jack Webb. Everyone worked hard though and we will be better for it! #AlwaysPushedAlwaysPushing
Thanks for the opportunity to lead, it’s always an honor!
Aye!
Hair Band
Relay Day & 6-inch Challenge
19 fierce competitors hit the mean streets of Ballantyne for this week’s edition of #F3Bagpipe. Here is how it unfolded.
Mosey to nondescript parking lot for COP:
- SSH x 20 IC
- IW x 20 IC
- MC x 20 IC
The Thang
Mosey to a separate but equally nondescript parking lot for a relay race.
Don’t Turn Arounds (DTA’s):
- Count off and form teams of 4 or 5.
- All team members must complete each phase before moving on to next phase.
- Teams with 5 members have members 4 and 5 compete at same time.
- Phase 1: Sprint to end of lot, run backwards to start
- Phase 2: Bear crawl to 1st line, crawl bear back to start
- Phase 3: Same as phase 1
- Phase 4: Burpee broad jump to 1st line and back to start
- While waiting, combination of plank, merkins and flutter
- Winner: Team 4 (Paper Jam, Outback, Morning After, Turnpike)
Mosey to Costigan Park for another relay.
Win At Any Cost-igan:
- Same teams as before
- All Pax hold plank with feet up on fountain wall
- Team member leaves plank and runs down closest path to street, touches street and runs back to the fountain
- When runner is back in plank position, team leader calls 10 derkins for team. When complete, the next team member takes off.
- When all team members have run and derkins are complete, team jumps up and stands on wall.
- Winner: Team 3 (Frehley’s Comet, Big Tuna, Morning After, Madame Tussauds, Tuck)
Mosey to basement of BV parking deck.
6-Inch Challenge:
- Tight circle, on your 6
- Feet 6-inches. Hold as long as possible.
- If your feet touch the ground, or raise up in the air, you’re out
- When you’re out, proceed to 1 of surrounding walls for people’s chair and to either encourage or discourage remaining competitors at your discretion
- Winner: Blades of Glory, who else?
- Honorable mention: Soft Pretzel
Pillars of the Community:
- Line up at bottom of ramp, on your belly.
- AYG to top of deck.
- Along the way, muscle up and over white pillars lining last ramp and top level (pick either left or right side).
- Al Gore while waiting for 6.
Stairs down to bottom and back home at 6:15 sharp.
Moleskine
- Tried to bring the spirit of competition this morning. Helps keep the Pax together and can be motivating and fun.
- The broad jump burpees were particularly unsavory and slippery for an added bonus.
- The 6-inch challenge was a lot of gut wrenching fun. The trash talk and encouragement started slowly but then grew to a fever pitch as Pax gave up and hit the wall for people’s chair, where they had front row seats for the main event. Paper Jam did a great job, almost making it to the end. Eventually it turned into a dogfight between Soft Pretzel and Blades of Glory who were the last men standing… er… laying. Who would break first? The young gun or the grizzled veteran? On and on they went, trading metaphorical blows (wait, what?) and ducking unseen punches. Softie’s eyes seemed to go black like those of a raging bull, frothing at the mouth like some kind of rabid animal. Blades disappeared deep inside himself, slowing his heartrate to that of a blue whale and finding the type of inner tranquility that the Dalai Lama only dreams about. In the end, the cool, calm and collected Blades of glory took home the Gold. God only knows how long he could have held those feet up. YHC is willing to bet he could have won wearing ice skates. Good show men.
- As always, it was an honor to lead you fine gentlemen.
Announcements
- Black Diamond workout tomorrow at 5:15AM at Vine Restaurant – preblast
- SOB Family Hike on Saturday 2/20 @ 12PM @ Anne Springs Greenway
Frogger Grinders at SOFAWIB
6 men descended on Old Providence Elementary for our weekly you vs. you workout called SOFAWIB. Kirk joined us a little late to bring us to a lucky #7. Bel-Air claims YHC rolled in at 5:28, but I’m pretty sure the clock said 5:26. #plentyoftime
The Thang was as advertised here.
Everyone completed between 4.5 (YHC) and 5.5 (McGee) rounds. That equates to 100-120 dips/step ups/derkins and 80-100 rock OH presses/rock squats/rock bench presses. Mileage should range from 3.7 miles up to whatever McGee ran.
Thanks to Kirk for the take out in COT.
Moleskine:
This was a straight up rip off of a WIB workout YHC saw (and admired) from a few weeks ago. YHC thought it might be a fun way to start the morning. YHC was wrong, it was brutal. Sundancer had the right idea by snuggling in his warm #fartsack instead of posting.
There were 6 Larry Birds out there this morning. For you non-math majors out there, that means YHC was the six all morning. Thankfully, I’m used to leading from the rear. #iamseventh
The reviews of the new mile route seemed mostly positive, aside from Cheese Curd, who complained about a hill, but Strava says the elevation gain for the whole workout was only 75 ft. McGee told him to post with F3 Atlanta if he wanted some hills. YHC will not be posting in Atlanta.
The multiple crossings of Rea Road gave this workout its name. YHC could swear there were twice as many cars out there this morning than he’s ever seen before.
That’s all YHC has to offer. It’s nap time. Sound off below with any additional comments. Thanks to Kirk and Sundancer for the opportunity to Q. Sundancer, I’m starting to take your fartsacking of my workouts personally.
Toe Jam
Posted by Slim Fast on behalf of Insomniac:
14 points – the difference between the winners and the losers in the Superbowl. Still fresh on the minds of 9 Pax ready to repent of their losing ways in the gloom surrounding Basecamp, and undeterred by hangovers, cold, or depression, we got down to it. As YHC rendered his typically obscure and informal disclaimer to no one in particular, we moseyed around the parking lot for an opening lap, landing in a circle:
It was standard fare for post-loss depression workout, but YHC had the added treat of losing a toenail that apparently died when jamming his toe at the Thanksgiving Turkeybowl tourney… but I digress if only to talk about something other than our team losing the biggest game in sports. The 8 hungry men eager to stuff the pain down in the hurt locker with some old-fashioned work made YHC proud, though, and honored to lead through the gloom once again.
Just a good ole fashion beatdown
Short started us off with the warm up:
30 SSH, 10 Merkins, 20 Somethings, 10 Merkins, 26 MC’s and handed it off
The Thang:
Mosey over to the school for a quick people chair then 3 rounds of 15 Box Jumps, 15 Dips and 15 LBC’s with a V-up hold in-between and after we were done a set of 20 rock hoppers. We then did a short mosey over to the front of the school for a ring of burbee fire. Starting at one and ascending to 7 at each light pole around the parking lot. We then reversed it back starting at 7 working our way to 1. That was work but not the bulk of it. Also lined in the parking lot were cones to show some additional work. The game plan was simple yet effective run forward to cones, do the work, run back a cone. The cones were as follows, 20 Squats, 20 Jump knee tucks, 20 Russian twists, 10 Maryland Crab merkins, 20 heals to heavens, 10 burbees, and 20 flutter kicks.
We all ran the cones and circled up for a bit of ab work. Ring of fire protractor abs followed by 25 dollies. Good news!! We had enough time to run the gauntlet backwards for a quick stop at the stations listed above. Finish with some planking and a jail break to base camp. Finished up with 30 Russian Twists just for fun.
Moleskin:
I could tell some of the pax enjoyed the football game a bit to much yesterday and were sluggish at first,,,, slowly but shirley (don’t call me Shirley) they sweat the sloth out of them and got into gear. It was good to have Turnpike head on down from Outland and hang with the pax here. Great to see Ole McDonald and Flow were working the gears back up and running, Popeye continues to impress. Shampoodle and Turtle pushed the Pax while the rest of us put our work in.
Ole MacDonald thanks for taking us out