Freed to Lead, on a Monsoon Monday!

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  • QIC: Royale
  • When: 11/02/15
  • Pax: Geronimo Crash Fish Sticks Cornhole Vinny Puddles Mainframe
  • Posted In: Quagmire

On a rainy Monday morning in the gloom, on my way to the Rivergate Quagmire I was driving very carefully due to my special cargo in the van…one mistake and I’d have some deadly projectiles looking to take me out!  I pulled into the parking lot, got out and was greeted by 6 of my fellow PAX…and at 5:14am our Cousin “Vinny” fish tailed it in to the parking lot to make the disclaimer.

I’ve been reading Dredd and OBT’s “Freed to Lead” book (thanks Cornhole) and I thought today was a great day to share some of the insight I’ve gained from the book.  So I started with asking the PAX what was F3’s mission?  I shared that mission, “To plant, grow and serve men’s small workout groups in order to reinvigorate male community leadership.”  and with that we moseyed.

The Thang

Mosey to HD parking lot for COP (there was a steady and strong rain coming down now)

15 IWs 20 MCs 10 Merkins 25 SSHs

20 LBCs in 2 inch puddles during which we got the quote of the day… our shirts made this god awful sucking noise in the rain so a member of the PAX yelled out “it sounds like flushing a toilet!” …maybe you had to be there…

20 Seal Jacks 15 LS Squats 10 Windmills

Mosey to side of Target where our favorite Red Balls of Pain begin.

We did Burp-a-cides: Run 1st ball do 2 burpees, run back do 1 burpee, run to next ball 2 burpees, etc.

Rinse and repeat until all ten Red Balls were done.

Plank until six, but some strong men picked up the six (thanks Crash, Geronimo and Cornhole) = great leadership!

For our 10 counts I asked all who knew the 5 core principals of F3?

1. Free 2. to all men 3. held outdoors (rain or shine) 4. lead in rotation by a member of the group 5. closes with a COT

Mosey to Books-a-Million were my present for the PAX was gathered (and the potential deadly projectiles were) 12 cinder blocks!

Cinder Block exercises included

20 Curls 10 Cinder block Burpees 10 Overhead Presses (I asked if a Q ever splashed merlot during his own workout)

For our 10 count I shared 1st F = Magnet   2nd F = Glue   3rd F = Dynamite!  and elaborated a little on each..back to those cinder blocks!

10 Durkins 10 Squats 20 Curls finally 10 more cinder block burpees (the PAX now yelled aloud that they hoped I WOULD splash my merlot for this one)

Mosey back towards our launch point, found out the fountain was filled with soap from some pranksters, finished with AbLab again in the pouring rain.

20 Freddie Mercury’s 20 LBCs 15 Hello Dollies finished with Protractor

Mosey back to COT

Announcements

Christmas Party 12/19 PAY FUNHOUSE! Gladiator Games 12/12 Children’s Attention home this Saturday

Prayers for Crash’s Uncle Tommy – heart stints:  Royale’s coworker Father – heart triple bypass

It was my honor to lead this fine group of men on this rainy morn!

 

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Pre-Blast “The Yeti”

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  • QIC: Zima
  • When: 02/20/16
  • Pax: Open to All Pax
  • Posted In: Uncategorized

Date:  February 20th, 2016
Time: 6:00 AM Yeti (Running) / 7:00 AM Iceman (Run/Bike) – Bikes to Coop by 6:30 AM

Begin: Pantheon
End: Pantheon

Because we don’t have enough stupid things to do during the winter, The Fort will be hosting its newest CSAUP for the season, “The Yeti”.  The Yeti is an excuse for you to start training in an effort to reduce the extra lbs you put on over the holidays.  The Yeti, or Abominable Snowman, is an ape-like creature that is taller than your average human, not unlike an F3 man.  This event will consist of 17+ miles of running and biking and feature multiple pain stations beginning at Pantheon and ultimately concluding at Pantheon.  Don’t fool yourself!  It will be awful and it will be cold!  There will be no trophy!  Only the knowledge that you completed this CSAUP with your fellow F3 brothers. You can participate in several ways.

Yeti:        Solo Run (17.5 mi)
Iceman:  Solo Run (6.5 mi) & Bike (11.0 mi)
Relay:     2 Man Relay (Run and Bike 1 leg each)
Relay:     2 Man Running Relay (Run 2 legs each)
Support: Support the Pax with Hydration Stations along the route

Sign Up Here for The Yeti! Need a decent count for the event!

As of now, the plan is to complete the following route but is subject to change based on the Qs mood.

Route
Run: Pantheon to Ballroom: 3.0 miles
Run: Ballroom to Coop: 3.5 miles (6.5 mi run)
Bike: Coop to Run N Gun: 6.0 miles
Bike: Run N Gun to Pantheon: 5.5 (11.5 bike)
Total: 18.0 miles

Here is a map of the route

Here is a MAP for you Endomondo users

Pain Stations (Approx 15 minutes each station)
1. Pantheon
2. Ballroom
3. Coop (Bike exchange at The Coop)
4. Run N Gun
5. Finish at Pantheon

Shirts will be available prior to the event (see link below).  I predict long sleeve to be popular this time of year.  Keep an eye out on the Twitter Machine for updates.  This is CSAUP gentlemen!  HC Now!

Click HERE to order your Yeti gear before it’s gone! (It’s Gone)

2nd F following the event at Fort Mill BBQ

Zima

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Finishing Right is More Important Than Finishing Fast

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  • QIC: Gears
  • When: 11/03/15
  • Pax: Aquaman, Crabcakes, Gekko, Santini, Deacon, Jekyll, Backdraft, Dog Pound, Boeheim, Gears (YHC)
  • Posted In: The Colosseum

10 Men answered the call this morning at Colosseum.  No FNGs, Disclaimer Disclaimed, and we were off.

 

The Thang

Mosey around the lot, then back to the back lot for a quick warmup.

COP including SSH, IW, Windmills, Peter Parker, Parker Peter, Mountain Climbers, and MNC

Moseyed to lot behind elementary school and partnered up for B.O.M.B.S.

One PAX does the following, while the other runs from the bottom of the lot, over the wall, touches the elementary school, back over the wall, then back to flapjack.

  • 50 Burpees
  • 100 Overhead Claps
  • 150 Merkins
  • 200 Big Boy Situps
  • 250 Squats

Moseyed back to the Shovel Flag for short COP:

  • 50 Russian Twist IC
  • 30 Flutter IC

 

NMM

Today’s focus was on form instead of speed.  It is easy to finish fast, but much harder to finish right.  This overflows in all aspects of our lives, and those we lead will emulate our commitment (or lack thereof).  Keep this in mind when you Q, when you lead your coworkers/employees, and your family.

 

Announcements:

Crossroads continues… 9 strong this morning.  Get after it.

2nd F Oyster Roast Sunday, See Pre-Blast and sign up

6-8:30 Springfield Elementary, need volunteers for games for Mom and Son’s night

Santini speaking Thursday morning at Christ Church 7-8:30

Dog Pound VQ Friday at the Hive

 

Prayers:

Crabcakes aunt Anne with recent prognosis of cancer.

Gekko’s daughter on mission trip to Dominican Republic.

Deacon’s praise for healing of co-worker Marilyn’s son and prayers for her daughter to seek the Lord.

 

Honor to Serve.

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15 miles and 1000 burpees

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  • QIC: Dark Helmet
  • When: 11/03/15
  • Pax: Geronimo, Kotter, Elmer (Respect), Bass-O-Matic, Twister (Respect), Gofer, Change Order, Anchorman, Barry Manilow, Dark Helmet (YHC)
  • Posted In: The Ballroom

At least that’s what the PAX thought they were getting into when I told them I was filling in for Zima and using the weinke he created… It was slightly less terrible than that, but it still was pretty sucky…

The Thang:
Jog from Ballroom to the bottom of the hill with some dynamic warmup mixed in on our way down to the cul-de-sac. Frankensteins, knee-to-chest pulls, high knees, etc…
At the bottom, we circled up for:
Windmill x15
SSH x25
Mtn Climbers x25
Imperial Walkers x15

Drop the Bomb (Super 21 over 3 cycles)
Cycle 1 (1-7):
Diamond Merkins and Jumping Lunges
Cardio Break (Run to halfway up hill and Back)
Cycle 2 (8-14)
Merkins and Monkey Humpers
Cardio Break (Run to halfway up hill and Back)
Cycle 3 (15-21)
CDD and Squats
Cardio Break (Run to halfway up hill and Back)

Ab Ladder (Run a lap, do 25 reps of an ab exercise, repeat for as long as you want or until someone splashes merlot) We did 25 double count flutters, 25 double count Hello Dollies, and 25 double count Dying Cockroaches each with a lap around the small lot at the bottom in between…

Return to COT

=============================

NMM: Always glad to lead, more glad to be out there working alongside my friends. Zima has a sports hernia and is out from all activity for at least the next week, so prayers for him to recover so he doesn’t go completely insane from doing nothing…

Check your email for announcements and such and BRING A GUY next time you post. Remember if you think is strictly a workout group, you’re doing it wrong…

Helmet, out.

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Fly Eagle Fly: Intro to Wall Burpees

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  • QIC: The Riddler
  • When: 11/03/15
  • Pax: The Riddler, Apache, Burgundy, SGT York, Turbine, Popeye, River Rat, Catfish
  • Posted In: Uncategorized

We had a good showing of men this morning for a good Eagles Nest Worthy workout. Wanted to workout some arms and obliques today. Popeye and Turbine made their much anticipated return from IR. Welcome back boys!

The thang:
Warmup
Seal Jacks 10
Plank jacks 20
Mountain Climbers 20
Spiderman push up 10 each leg
Moroccan night clubs 20

Mosey to the Winthrop Fountain
Plank-Knee ups and all pax move two to the right circle around the fountain until you return to starting point.
Side Plank – forearm down to the ground and side dip 10 second count both sides.

Mosey to front of Winthrop
Dips 20 in front of Brown Hall

Mosey to Lights in the middle of campus
9 lights
Side crab down to each light partner-up slap hands on each side movement.
At each light perform 10 Carolinas dry docks with partner

20 Bear Crunches – flip over into crab position – right knee to left elbow arm held back switch to left knee to right elbow

Mosey to Circle Down Hill
Plank up
Each person bear crawl to pavement and back to plank, whole rest of the group does a low plank.

Mosey to backside of Winthrop
On the Ramp we did 20 pull ups OYO

Mosey to walls outside Winthrop Fitness Center
Bear crawl up stairs
Burpees wall walk up x10
Each walk up the walk was five seconds up then five seconds down. Wall push up in the middle. Lots of pain 🙂

Mosey to front of residence hall AKA Winthrop Art
Plank-Knee ups and all pax move two to the right circle around the statue until you return to starting point. Knee to alternating elbow right to left, left to right.

Mosey back to AO
Two sets of stairs, why not bear crawl up one, and reverse bear crawl down the other.

Continued Mosey back to AO

Wrap up time permitted a last little exercise
Jack webs 50
15 merkins

Closing
Prayers for injured, lots of events coming up check newsletter.

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Q4 2015 @F3TheFort Notes

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Saturday, November 07, 2015 Knoxville with Catfish
Sunday, November 08, 2015 Oyster Roast =Jekyll on Q & Crab Cakes is hungry…
Saturday, November 14, 2015 Augusta Trip = CSPAN Q + Clown Cars
Monday, November 16, 2015 Welcome back Kotter week = bring back your #sadclown to F3
Saturday, November 21, 2015 Savannah Trip = CSPAN/ Tatanka Q
Monday, November 23, 2015 Monday AO Convergence (normally at Armory= Menthol normally organizes Qs)
Thursday, November 26, 2015 Thanksgiving Convergence= Santini/Pusher Q + Cake Boss fried Turkey + Turkey Trot with M+2.0
Saturday, November 28, 2015 Savannah Trip = Dark Helmet Q
Saturday, December 05, 2015 Q School all AO (30 minutes prior)
Saturday, December 12, 2015 Gladiator Games @F3IndianLand
Saturday, December 19, 2015 Christmas Party = Funhouse Q
Friday, December 25, 2015 All AO Closed
Saturday, December 26, 2015 FNG Day
Friday, January 01, 2016 Baxter Trail Race 16K this year 0900 start
Saturday, January 09, 2016 Joe Davis = close all AO except WEP? RockTthrill QIC / WWL Q
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2015 Children’s Attention Home Angle Tree

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THE THANG:

We are partnering with CAH to give the PAX an opportunity to give back to the community in a small way. We are participating in an Angel tree for the Children’s Attention Home.

This Angel tree works a little differently than other tree’s you may have participated in the past. You are taking an Angel to purchase a gift for a general need rather than a specific child. These needs may be satisfied specifically during the Christmas season or throughout the year as new Children arrive or leave CAH.

We have volunteered to provide for the needs in three areas for the kids:

  1. Scooters, Skateboards, Ripsticks, Rollerblades, Helmets, Knee Pads  – All Sizes
  2. Card Games –  Go Fish, Old Maid, Uno, Phase 10, Skip Bo, Flash Cards, Playing cards
  3. Art Kits & Acrylic Paint – Jewelry Making, Beading, Scrapbooking, Origami Kits, etc.

** Note: CAH houses children from ages 18 months to 18+ years so you don’t necessarily need to just buy for the younger children.

Please bring your unwrapped gifts to any AO site Q (see weekly e-mail for Site Q list) through December 19th or to the Christmas Party on December 19th and they will funnel them back to me, Chicken Hawk.

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A Morning Swim at The Armory

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  • QIC: Barry Manilow
  • When: 11/02/15
  • Pax: Dark Helmet, Socrates, Patton, Howitzer, Barry Manilow (YHC)
  • Posted In: The Armory

5 men made it to The Armory on the wet November morning (There might be a song in that).  All kidding aside, is was great to see headlights join Dark Helmet and I in the parking lot, my expectations were not high.

Disclaimer and a brief comment of where we may stay dry, but the boards were in place and we were off.

A traditional Armory warm-up mosey around the lot, 20 SSH, 20 IW, 20 Windmills, 20 Squats. Mosey with your bell to the front ledge (a 2ft incline). OYO 20 dips, 10 each step-ups, 10 derkins. Mosey to the big lot. NOTE: In a heavy rain … 2x4s, duck tape and Sharpie …

One end of the lot there are 8 KB exercises, on the other there are 8 w/o the bell. KB first, run around the edge to the others, then back.  We made it though the entire program once, then the KB side twice, with running in between.

KB side: 20 tricep extensions, 10 each arm curls, 10 goblet squats/10 overhead, 20 chest presses standing (Howitzer insisted we do the second round like it was originally written, on your 6 w/ flutter kick), 20 swings 2 handed, 10 rows each side, 10 each side clean & press, 10 each way figure 8s.

w/o the bell side: 10 merkins, bear crawl to the corner, 10 bombjacks, 5 burpees (yes, only 5 and modify if needed), 20 mountain climbers, 10 monkey humpers, air chair with 20 overhead claps, 10  carolina wet docks.

Back to COT. Safe travels to Howitzer as he is on his way to the Middle East.

This morning marked 6 months for this former sad clown. Honored to Q at The Armory, thanks to Dark Helmet for giving me the keys and Howitzer, Socrates & Patton for joining me on a tough morning.

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Hills of gloom No disappointment

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  • QIC: Apache
  • When: 11/1/2015
  • Pax: Walker, Riddler, Winchester, Cheeto, Catfish, and YHC (Apache)
  • Posted In: Uncategorized

Early morning hills of gloom and the smell of bacon coming from the grill of Hardees and then it happen the sound of my truck door shutting and thinking YHC just locked his keys in his truck!!! But who needs keys when you live a mile from the AO

THE THANG!!!!!

5 pax showed up discussed mileage and speed and decided walker would lead the pack with the run and was informed cheeto was on the way so 4 of us set out with Winchester hanging back for cheeto.

1st mile was our warm up and went really well with us passing cheeto driving by to the AO, but no worries we know the speed of him and Winchester. and by mile marker 3 they had caught me and the riddler and heading toward walker and catfish who was show amazing speed and form.

The riddler was great to run with and discussed his Halloween outfit from the night before and something about spandex. And I quickly changed the subject to The Joe Davis 10k. And possible training for future Marathon.

Its amazing how running and spending that quality time with your brothers of the gloom, you can discuss and come to common ground on all types of daily issues, we as High Impact Males,  go through but don’t have the outlets to get the issues off their chest.

We ended up running just under 6.5 miles under 1 hour. The hills of gloom PAX have came along from getting 4 miles in an hour and now getting over 6…. I’m super Proud of the F3nation group for giving us the opportunity and guidance to start an AO and maintain it in way fitting for true leaders…

In closing Catfish closed us out in a great prayer and Sent us on our way to our respected worship.

The mile splits:

mile 1 8:53

mile 2 8:57

mile 3 9:16

mile 4 8:30

mile 5 9:17

mile 6 9:36

Extra credit for YHC for locking his keys

mile 7 7:55

mile 8 7:58

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The Fall Classic?

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  • QIC: Crab Cakes and Bubba Gump
  • When: 10/31/15
  • Pax: High Life, Pusher, Galloping Ghost, Santini, Tesh, Cable Guy, Longshanks, Javier, Hotty Totty, FNG - Rad, Quack Attack, Dog Pound, Lil' E, FNG - Pippen, Minime, Hasselhoff
  • Posted In: The Fort

18 Strong Men entered the chilly Gloom this morning with a reason for being there.  Some were leading, some were following – all were getting better.  Joined by some strong 2.0s who didn’t think the crisp fall weather was anything to worry about.  No long sleeves?  No gloves?  No problem.  After a quick disclaimer review – we were off.

NMM:

Little Baby Jog to the 160 lot for a quick warmup.

IW x 15

WM x 10

Low Slow Squats x 15

CDD x 10

Peter Parkers x 10

Parker Peters x 10

Warmup over.  Little Baby Jog to the visitors lot for some AMRAP and OYO.

The “Perfect” Merkin (show’em Longshanks!).  Not the one with your butt in the air or the one where you barely bend the elbows.  These have to be perfect.  All the way down – all the way up.  AMRAP – You against You – until you start to break – then get up and sprint up the path and around to the street and then back around to the lot.  Do this again – your reps should go down considerably.  Then do this one more time – your reps should go down again.  If they didn’t – then you are lying to yourself.  Don’t lie to yourself.  The worst kind of behavior can happen when you lie to yourself – YHC knows all too well.

Mosey down to the field next to the Veterans Memorial.  Sorry folks who didn’t brings gloves – it’s about to get real.

Bear Crawl – Sprint – Bear Crawl – Sprint (Crowd Pleaser)

Suicide between the light posts (another Crowd Pleaser)

Little Baby Jog to the Bank Lot for a Flat Jacobs Ladder x 5 burpees at the end of the lot.

Little Baby Jog to the 160 lot again for some ab work – Dying Cockroach/Hello Dollies/Rosealitas

YHC had to bail at the half way point – sorry that sucked – enjoy the rest of your ride, men.  Hand off to Bubba Gump for the second half.

Little Baby Jog to the Baseball Diamond for some serious work.

Hitting for the Cycle – Partner Carry – Shuffle – Karaoke – Home Run Trot around the bases.

Loaded Bat (or the George Brett – too much pine tar!) – run to the right field pain station then home, then center field pain station then home, then left field pain station then home.

Touch’em All!  10-rep pain stations at the 10 cones set up around the field.

Sounds like an awful way to enjoy the National Pastime!

COT

Thanks to all the Pax for showing up, bringing a friend who probably isn’t talking to you anymore, bringing a 2.0 to show them what hard work feels like (those kids are strong! – put a hoodie on them next time!), and giving everything that you have after a week that may not have been “easy”.  I know I speak for Gump when we say – It’s always an honor to lead these fine men!

If you haven’t signed up and PAID for the Christmas Party – DO IT!!!  Prayers for those on IR – it’s an awful place and one can get off track quickly so reach out to the guy you haven’t seen in a while and make sure he’s alright.

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