Modify Up?

Modify Up?

18 Pax started their week off with a little football themed workout at The Matrix.  We started off with a disclaimer (more on that later) then off we went on a jogging tour of the campus trying to stay out of the sloppy grounds from the week’s rains.

COP

SSH IC X 25

IW IC X 25

Merkins IC X 15

Mt Climber IC X 15

Low Slow Squat IC X15

Look – we found some minifootballs – divide into 4 groups – group 1 is the pace setter for this round

Group 1 Joe Webbs (in honor of Panthers 3rd team QB – Jack Webb with merkins on footballs) up to 10 merkins and 40 arm raises

While Group 1 does JW’s Group 2 does AMRAP Squats, Group 3 Carolina Dry Docks, Group 4 LBC

Rotate through stations until everyone does Joe Webbs

Line up in two lines for Redskins run (Indian run with footballs, pass ball back through line when it reaches the back of the line the pax sprints it to the front) – run around front of school to playground

At playground Line 1 does lap around islands while line 2 does pullups – flapjack; two more rounds with Heels to Heaven and Derkins

Mosey to parking lot for MOM – Dolly, Flutter, Rosalita then Derrick Mason twist (Mason twist while passing footballs around circle)

Moleskin

I enjoyed leading this group this morning.  I brought one of my Base Camp workouts – back when Base Camp was a moderate workout – and tried to adjust for The Matrix Pax.  In the disclaimer I added the twist that usually modify means to back down a little but some of this crew might need to “Modify up”.  Crab Cake suggested that might be a good title for a BB – and so it is

On the warm up lap around the school someone missed the curb and took a spill – I can’t say who because it was dark and they were behind me (how’s that for a twist?).  I didn’t want to turn around for fear I might be the next to hit the ground.

Only 1 football hit the ground through the workout so we only had to do 5 burpees.  Ball Control – Nick Saban would be proud of this group.

Thanks to Uncle Leo and Alf for pushing me to lead – I enjoyed it.  Hope everyone else did.

Thanks to Squid for the great send off.

 

 

 

 

SOFAWIB Preblast: The Blue Falcon

This one’s going to suck.

The Thang:
Partner up – size, speed, myers-briggs rating … all vital to success

Run the Brushback Trail* (left on Rea, left on Windyrush, down to Foxworth, left to the spooky trail to O.P.E., run to the Buddy Bench Playground)
*disclaimer

Partner A runs to the Buddy Bench Speedway.
Sprint the straight-aways, burpee-broadjump the corners.
Complete one lap and then relieve your buddy. Hurry up.

Partner 1 runs to the Buddy Bench Playground.
5 burpee-pullups. 15 squats. 30 flutters. Repeat until Partner A shows up. 10 dumbocrats each

Partner 1 runs to the speedway, Partner A stays at the playground.

Continue until 6:06, and then run like idiots on the Brushback Trail.

So if you got a hankering for accountability in your workout, meet in the Olde Providence Elementary parking lot at 0520. We sprint into the gloom at 0530.

“Looks like I picked the wrong week to quit [running The Wiggler].”

“Looks like I picked the wrong week to quit [running The Wiggler].”

Don’t quit running The Wiggler!  5:45 am Tuesday – corner of Foxcroft and Rothwood – fellowship pace…

** Airplane!

Higher Level Pyramid

At 0515 on Tuesday, the only Charlotte area running workout South of 1-485 will launch from the Vine American Kitchen in Ballantyne into temps not seen in these parts for a while.  53degrees at the start sounds pretty nice!

The THANG:

  • WHERE = Mosey from the Vine over to The Landing Strip (a.k.a. North Community House Dr).  For the longer intervals, we’ll be using the flatter sections of the strip.
  • WHAT = Building on your 1-mile race pace (a.k.a. Repetition Pace or R-pace from the calculator at http://runsmartproject.com/calculator) and previous workouts from the past 2 weeks.  This will be a Taller Speed Pyramid and has the potential to cover 5 miles just on it’s own. All intervals run at R-pace with an equal distance recovery jog.
    • 1st level – 4x200m @ R-pace (200m recovery)
    • 2nd level – 2x400m @ R-pace (400m recovery)
    • The top for the 3rd level – 800m @ R-pace (800m recovery)
    • 2nd level – 2x400m
    • 1st level – 4x200m
  • HOW = If it makes you feel better, you can put this program in your watch.  Otherwise, there will be cones.  We will regroup during the final recovery in each level (i.e. after 4th 200, 2nd 400) and START each new level as a group.

No Q Left Alone….Barely

With both Site Q’s running the Heather’s Heroes audible 5K, Transporter took control.
Read on….

The day was rainy nasty and cold, my clown car crew started dropping like flies starting at 6:10 and I was concerned that no one would show up,,,but,,, there was one other dedicated soul that braved the elements. We kept dry and still managed to get a killer work out in utilizing the entrance of the school and 6 stations to drive the work

The Thang:

Six stations
1 Curl Bar
2 Push up bars
3 Reverse lunges
4 Jump rope
5 Should press
6 Squat

In doing the stations the first rotation we partnered to do the station while the other did 10 Burpee’s finished that to incorporate ABS in-between rounds

20 LBC
20 Pulse ups
20 Bicycles

Another round of stations while Flow and I rotated 6 Burpees,,, followed by

20 LBC’s
20 Russian Twist
20 Heels to heavens

Another Round of stations while we completed 5 Burpee’s each,,, followed by

20 LBC’s
20 Russian Twists
20 Heels to heaven

Had to get to 130 Burpees so we did 4 more followed by (10) 1 armed row’s each arm and 10 back flys. Figured we couldn’t do 130 Burpees so we cranked out 10 more for 140.

Did one more round of back and FLOW says, we might as well go to 150 so we pushed to finish off 10 more for a solid 150 Burpees each and 180 ab exercises!

Moleskin

Have to give Camacho some ribbing for not showing up as he was supposed to co-lead with me, he must have been scared of the rain!:) Secondly, very proud of Flow, he has only been in the F3 crew for a month or so but he pushes himself and has shown up to every work out on Saturdays and Mondays!! He is stepping up his game!
Posted on Behalf of Transporter

Frenchie in the UK, so I stole it – never ask Pothole

I think the title says it all.  Our resident Frenchman aka Film Fest is apparently visiting home, which is actually England.  I was standing in the middle of the slow forming circle of Pax arriving, which afforded me the opportunity to steal the Q.  Everyone cheered.  Really, it was a special thing you had to be there to appreciate.

The Thang

Run like a 5-year old (aka spastic AYG, customary start for YHC) to RTS.  Brilliant, original COP consisting of:

SSH x 20ish
Merkin x10
LBC x 26
Wide Arm x10
Flutter x26
Diamond x10
Boone LBCs x10 each side
CDD x10
Knee ups x10

Run around RTS and discover small playground.  Those that could jump did 10 pullups and 20 dips.  I have no idea what SemiGloss or others did here.  Needless to say, this was not the Q’s most well executed portion of the workout.  The swingset bar was a little high, but the 10 foot estimate was ludicrous.

Mosey out RTS side drive and across Sharon View, into Pellyn Wood with a left on Gorham.  Mini-plank at Howland to regroup, and then continue to Walden Pond.  Dips on the guard rail.

Mosey down to the circle of Le Maison Dr (look it up) where chose some alternate Qs:
Swiper – Russian twist (insert lots of surprised faces)
Pothole – 10 burpees OYO (unwelcomed, lots of comments and a Semi refusenik)
Steinbrenner – Rosalita (welcomed, knew he wouldn’t let Pax down)

Mosey back the way we came, stopping at the guard rail again.  Inspired by Semi’s refusenik, Squats x20, then dips x20, then more squats x10.

Mosey back up the hill with some plank variations at the Hardison stop sign to regroup.  Mosey back to RTS, stopping at the wall for Derkins x10, dips x?.

Mosey back to Carmel Park with time to spare.  Finish it off with a mini-COP of LBCs x26ish, Merkins x10, Freddy Mercury x20, Mtn Climbers x10, and thanks to Pothole’s call, 10 BOYO.

COT with takeout by Snowflake.

Announcements:

Columbia has been hit hard by flooding. Another region set up a GoFundMe page for donations to help, and F3Columbia has a post on “how you can help” here:  http://f3nation.com/2015/10/04/be-a-him-and-help-out-the-columbia-community/

New 3rd F – Rally Point – meeting after DMZ on Monday’s at Dunkin’ Donuts (Rea / Colony).  If you’re interested, pick up a copy of True Measure of a Man.

SOFA WIB tomorrow at Olde Providence – Sundancer promised me it would be epic.

Moleskine:

Good group this AM that followed YHC, who basically stole the Q at 5:28 when it was discovered that Film Fest was visiting the motherland (fatherland? I have no interest in trying to understand the whole England / Great Britain / UK thing).  YHC ran like a 5-year old, as is my custom at the outset, and the Pax reluctantly followed along.

Bushwood nixed my “never leave the parking lot” idea, so I was forced to borrow heavily from prior material.  Somehow we only hit 2.6 miles today, which I’m going to say was preparation for my upcoming Base Camp Q next week #moderate #INCONCEIVABLE.  (Going parenthetical for self-promotion here #Iam3rd, if you were here today for the workout, you should come back to DMZ next week.  On the other hand, if you’re interested in laughing, mild 2nd F, and / or Q heckling, I’d invite you out to Base Camp).  Lowlight of the morning was the impromptu pullups – we apparently need to work out plyometrics / jumping drills in addition to pullups.  #Qfail

Highlight of the morning was Pothole calling for 10 burpees OYO.  SG refusenik was classic, and anticipated, as were the calls by Swiper and Steinbrenner.  With time running down, I had to call on Pothole again.  Great way to finish, and then we caught ABBA and Rapper’s Delight returning to the parking lot.  They apparently missed us, and we would never be found in Pellyn Wood, which may be the darkest place in Charlotte.  No street lights – only natural gas lamps, which made Agony lightheaded.   That’s all I’ve got, which misses quite a bit of the chatter, so chime in with comments.

  • Kirk

Pre-blast: Bagpipe 10/6

Tomorrow the B.R.O.O.K.L.Y.N Double-Decker will come to life in the only AO that provides the necessary deck-nology: Bagpipe.  Here is a sneak-peek:

Burpees – Deck 1

Reverse Burpees – Deck 1 ( Example )

One-legged Burpees (left) – Deck 1

One-legged Burpees (right) – Deck 1

Knerkins – Deck 2

Lateral Step Merkins – Deck 2 ( Example )

Yerkins (Yoga Merkins) – Deck 2 ( Example )

Nipple-scraper Merkins – Deck 2 ( Example )

 

For the first time we will be able to answer the question that has plagued the great thinkers of our time:
  Which is better: Brooklyn Decker or the B.R.O.O.K.L.Y.N Double-Decker?

Find out for yourself tomorrow at Bagpipe.

Life through Love: Heather’s Heroes

In January, my wife Heather was diagnosed with a nasty version of breast cancer with frightening statistics. Six months of chemotherapy, a mastectomy, and a second surgery to remove the remainder of the impacted lymph nodes followed. It has been a trial unlike anything imagined. Heather is the toughest person I know by far (she gave birth to two of our children, standing up, without so much as an aspirin). Yet chemo and cancer at a point reduced her to crying in the fetal position. Still, I have been amazed at the blessings God has provided through this trial: our marriage has never been stronger, our faith has grown, Heather has been forged like steel, and we have become more fixed on the permanent. But I do not write today about those blessings.

I write today about you. You have prayed for Heather. Many of you every day. You have asked how she is — sincerely and without pretense. I cannot describe what your support has been like. Many go through life relatively alone. They have friends through work, or church, or their hometown. Yet those friends are there when convenient or pleasurable, and often want something. They are friends of expedience.

You are not like that. Today proved it. Heather had a team called “Heather’s Heroes” to run the Komen Race for the Cure. Yesterday, Komen cancelled the race because of Hurricane Joaquin. NC was in a state of emergency. But Heather was having none of it. She organized her own race to meet at AG Middle School in Charlotte — the home of an F3 workout nearly every day of the week. Notice went out 18 hours before the race. All night long my phone buzzed with emergency warnings; lightning and heavy rain never ceased.

Yet at 8am, 54 runners and over 60 supporters — unflinching against the downpour — stood as witnesses to true friendship. They were there for love. God offers us life through sacrificial love. Today was all about love, and sacrifice for Heather.

F3 offers something special. We offer each other adversity. Daily. Through adversity, we sharpen and assist each man in mortifying his flesh so that it is ready to offer powerful love when the time comes. One such time was today, when my wife needed to make a statement against her cancer, supported by friends, her heroes. I am overcome with gratitude. Thank you.

Pictures of the Heroes can be found here: https://www.dropbox.com/sh/7a5ag7sb88nd6c4/AAAi7ogAu1yYSzMJNOmD4GiVa?dl=0.

Basic Instructions

#Cantorre had no effect on the PAX of Mountain Goat on Friday morning.  Great turnout with the 9 PAX that met and started up at 0515 at South Charlotte Middle School.

The THANG:

  • The Debate is still out on Static vs. Dynamic Stretching before running, but let’s stick with Dynamic Stretching in the Parking lot before deploying the PAX for the workout.
    • 1) Standing high knees – 10-15 per leg, thighs at least parallel to ground
    • 2) Standing butt kicks – 10-15 per leg, kick heel back until butt
    • 3) Vertical leg swings – 10-15 per leg, hold on to object for support, knee partially bent
    • 4) Horizontal leg swings – 10-15 per leg, bend forward at waist, hold on to object, swing leg back and forth across body
    • 5) Ankle rotations –  10-15 per leg, foot behind other, toe on ground, make circles with heel
  • Let’s mosey to Davey Park via Hwy 51.  Head towards the turf field and start setting up cones before the morning field marshall with 4 yoga mats kicks us off.  Redeploy to the Parking Lot.
  • Take an extra lap around the parking lot while the Q sets out some cones.
  • Running Form Drills – each of these breaks down a part of the running stride that is 3 phases:
    • 1) High knees 3 sets of 40 meters each
    • 2) Butt kicks 3x40m
    • 3) Paw skips (B skips) 3x40m – foot striking on ground, snapping motion
  • Exercises for Running Power:
    • 4) Cone hops 3x25m – feet together hops over each cone that are about 1m apart
    • 5) Diagonal cone hops 3x25m – side to side with each cone offset
    • 6) Walking lunges for 3x25m – generate 90 angles
    • 7) Bench step ups – 2×20 times each leg, lead leg steps up and down first, first time through stand close to bench.  Second time through step back 1 stride from bench and reach to bench each time.
    • 8) Strides for 50m 6 times – head over to drive towards activity center and treat each light pole as start / stop point.  Accelerate to sprint, recovery jog to next
  • Mosey back to SCMS parking lot. Regroup as necessary.
  • Circle up for Sideways Lunge IC x 20, On your Six for Single Leg Bridge OYO x 10 each leg
  • COT
  • Thanks to Strange Brew for the takeout!

The Moleskin:

  • No matter the weather, YHC knew at least Strange Brew and Slimfast would be at the workout.  But, as always, many more PAX swallowed the #DRP and posted.  Weather actually turned out to be perfect with no rain.
  • Davey turf field would have been perfect for this workout normally, but actually a little sloshy this morning with all of the rain.  Also, a little problem with a certain Field Nazi and 4 yoga mats taking up 20 sq ft of space but demanding 10k sq ft of “reserved” space.  Suggest the Site Qs offer an olive branch or turn over all profits of the workout.  Whichever hurst less.
  • This particular workout routine is recommended by some running coaches to be performed two times per week on easy days.  While the PAX may do many of these exercises during some normal bootcamp workouts, these will hit you hard if you don’t do them often.  A day and a half later while writing this backblast, YHC is still pretty sore.  Need to do this stuff more often.
  • Slimfast and Strange Brew have a great thing going at this running workout.  As things move toward a 1 mile time trial soon and with the goal of the Joe Davis Run 5K or 10K in January, getting back to the basics of running and running with others is the only way to make running more enjoyable.

Announcements:

Worm makeup on Sunday – 6am

Monsoon or shine, YHC will be out there. YHC feels less than adequate for the fail this morning.