Breaking Patterns

Leave a comment

What a great morning for a run. Low 50’s, no wind and 20 PAX for a post P200 Monday. Up in the rotation today was the newest member of the Flight Plan plans, “Loops of Choice.” They include a 2.5 mile loop that goes over the walking trail at the end of YMCA parking lot, out 6th Baxter, up Sutton and back to Starbucks. And a 1.5 mile loop that goes down market, comes up Sutton and back to Starbucks. Modify as necessary, find a running buddy, have some fellowship, attend COT, check the box.

Flight Plan is an AO that’s predictable. Because of safety, we stay on the north side of 77. We have 4 routes and run each one, once per month. Today’s route emphasizes, (maybe represents is a better word) those circles we find ourselves in. Don’t get me wrong, the workout is beneficial. And I love the sense of accomplishment of conquering the long climb up Sutton (twice) in the gloom. However, the round and round is indicative of what can become of us as men.

But F3 is there to break those patterns. In COT we were reminded of that by two very strong PAX. Pusher (along w/ Twister & Change Order) who has taken the monumental task of leading Q-source. The weekly study of how this group can shape lives, of not just ourselves, but our families and community. If you’re not involved, you’re missing out. If you’ve been going, you know what I’m talking about. The added support outside of fellowship of the gloom, is great.

The other PAX is Stang. What happens when something throws us off these loops we find so comfortable. Something devastating or tragic.  Or what if we struggle just to stay upright on the loops but don’t feel like we can tell anyone so we use other outlets to hide the burden?  Stang is going to lead the discussion on these topics Wednesday at The Tomahawk (Doby’s Bridge Elementary – Kettle Bell). The last 15 minutes of the workout will be a stretching session with discussion on these heavy topics. Things we need to be able to share and discuss if we are going to be the leaders we need to be.

It’s great to see these HIMs pushing us past the 1st F.

Annoucments:

  • See Above
  • Cristina Latini Memorial 8K – Saturday March 30th – Clown Cars leaving Baxter Starbucks at 7:00 for Huntersville or Virtual run 6:30 at Alcatraz
  • Cake Boss 40 Day Challenge – On going

Prayers and Praises

  • Rebel’s daughter getting her first real job
  • The safe return of all the PAX who ran the P200

Welcome FNG – Seuss! (EH’d by Cake Boss)

See you in the gloom!

Boeheim

 

TClap |
2

Shovel flag hand off at LacesIn

Leave a comment

15 Pax sounded the call and hit LacesIn on this brisk morning while 4 Pax hit the track for LacesOut.

The Thang

YHC ran through the disclaimer and then handed off Cyclops to get the party started.  I think Cyclops may have said Mosey, but it was basically a sprint from the stadium parking lot to the band parking lot.

COP – all in cadence.  Moroccan Night Clubs x 16, Baby Arm Circles foward and backwards x 16, SSH x 32, windmills x 16, Merkins x 8

Mosey back to The Hive’s parking lot and start at first light pole for 64 squats, mosey to light pole across parking lot for 32 walking lunges.  Mosey to next light pole for 16 calf raises regular, 16 calf raises with toes pointed in and 16 with toes pointed out.  Mosey back across parking lot to light pole for 8 box cutters, 4 bomb jacks and 2 burpees.  Do same exercises in reverse starting with the 2 burpees and working back up.

Hand off back to YHC.  I had planned on some NCAA march madness trivia and life got in the way, so just settled for one question.  Who has won the most titles and how many?  Bonsai and Offset combined for correct answer of UCLA with 11.  In honor of UCLA’s 11 titles we did 11’s with burpees and squat jumps.  Lined up on curb to start with 10 burpees ran to 2nd light pole for 1 squat jump, back to curb for 9 burpees then back to light pole for 2 squat jumps.  Continue until you are 1 burpee and 10 squat jumps.

Mosey back to stadium parking lot for 6 minutes of mary all exercises in cadence to 10.  LBCs with feet on the ground, lbcs with feet raised (normal), lbcs with right leg straight, lbcs with left leg extend, and dying cockroaches.

Announcements

Christina Latini Memorial 8k in Huntersville on 3/30.  If you cannot make that they are doing a virtual 8k at Alcatraz.

T-claps to Cyclops as he takes over as site Q of LacesIn.  Very excited to see what he will do as new site Q!  Also, much appreciated to everyone that has come out or Q’d at LacesIn the past couple of years.  You have made posting each Thursday enjoyable.

TClap |
4

Slow Burn Therapy

Leave a comment

After some therapy for Destiny a short Disclaimer for the FNG and off to mosey down the hill

High knees and butt kickers on the jog for good measure

warm up. SSH 15, Seal jacks 10, Plank jacks 10, mt climbers 10, Out/ ins (there was a technical term i do not remember)10, shoulder taps 20

mosey to the guard rail

incline merkins on rail 10,   dips on rail 10,  incline merkins on rail 10 ,  dips on rail 10

The thang

Mosey to the right side of lowe’s for 3 ten count wall sit followed by a crazy Indian wall sit w/ burpee’s

5 core principle of f3 for the new guy and the 3F’s for the new guy followed by circle burpes for about 10 times.

partner up for P 200,200,200/ Running (its starts today)

squats , LBC’s and Dry docks ea. to 200 with partner

mosey to the back of lowes for a kenyan special of calf raises 15,25,15.

Mosey to the parking lot by charanda’s for a short ab circle and mosey back to COT for the name o ramma and FNG naming. Help me welcome “Loading dock” to the mix.

Late appearance by long shanks to close things up for the Prayer

 

 

 

TClap |
1

I Hate It… But I Love It!

Leave a comment

Jiffy asked me to Q The Ranch, and I was of course honored to be a part of #BlackDiamond month. I wanted to do something different, not only because it’s nice to mix it up, but because I was smoked the prior two days by other PAX and couldn’t handle another Merkin. I also wanted to throw some “recovery” into the weinke, which meant slow and methodical moves with added burn. It was harder to write this weinke because it really fell out of our norms of mosey/merkin/burpee. It was a welcome change, nonetheless.

It was a “balmy” 42 degree as I rolled up to The Ranch. Dirty Harry was awaiting my arrival. As we both got out of our vehicles, we spotted a soccer ball on the field. We immediately began showing off our skillz. By skillz I mean I played baseball my entire life and couldn’t do anything remotely skilled with my feet. Tinsel rolled up and showed us his actual skills. Jiffy set up the shovel flag as Duck Dynasty pulled in. We had a minute until 5:15 and Dirty Harry kicked a beautiful goal, bent just like Beckham to the far post. I couldn’t have defended it if I tried. The clock struck 5:15 and we were underway.

Disclaimer was disclaimed, and then we warmed up in place.

Warm Up

SSH x 30
Windmills x 11
Al Gore Night Clubs x 20
Tappy Taps x 7
Cat/Cow x 10 Breaths
Yoga Flow to stretch those glutes!

I was intentional about NOT moseying one bit today, and it changed the overall tone of the work out. It was focused, and it was filled with solid laughter and mumblechatter. We instead Walked Like Egyptians (WLE) to each station.

WLE to Picnic Tables

Step ups x 10 each leg
Dive Bombers Merkins x 10
Box jumps x 10
Superman Hold x 30 Seconds

Rinse & Repeat

WLE to Soccer Field

Renfrows x 5 Each Leg
Good Mornings – Back Extensions (Bent Over, Hands at Hips) x 10
Broad Jumps x 10
High Planks w/Opposite Arm/Leg Raises for 5 seconds each x 6

Rinse & Repeat

WLE to Parking Lot

Parking Lot
Duck Walks Across Lot
Single leg deadlifts in cadence x 10 Each Side
Squat holds with pulse – 30 Second Hold, Then Pulse x 10
Superman Hold 30 seconds then Pulse x 10

Rinse & Repeat

Mary

Ab Ripper X.

25 Each Exercise
In & Out
Bicycles (Forward)
Bicycles (Backward)
Crunchy Frog
Cross Leg/Wide Leg Sit-Ups
Fifer Scissors
Sadly it was at this point that we ran out of time… one day I’ll get all of Ab Ripper X into one Mary session.

The burn was felt during the workout, but I told the PAX that the burn would be felt at a later date… as we worked muscles we don’t usually hit on a normal weinke. I hope this is true, and that they enjoyed the different approach.

During the Squat and Superman holds I asked each of the PAX what they like so much about F3. I identified with each of these on a high level, because we are all cut from the same cloth.
Tinsel: Waking up early – gives him structure and he starts his day on the right track.
Duck Dynasty: All three F’s have already been sharpened in a few short weeks.
Dirty Harry: Brotherhood – he said otherwise he would have no friends!
Jiffy: He loves that we’re all going through the same things. It’s easy to think everybody else has it all together, but it isn’t so.

Announcements
Tinsel signed up for Let Me Run Boys Rock Hill

Prayers
NASA and his son/family as they navigate a diagnosis.
My 2.2, Gwenevere (Winnie), is in the 1st percentile for weight, so we have to supplement with formula and wake her up late in the evening to add a feeding. Pray she grows and gets healthier. Pray for my M that she knows she is doing the best she can for our 2.2 without feeling like a failure as a mother.
Dirty Harry’s M’s job search, still looking for full time, found a short term gig in the meantime to calm the nerves.

Jiffy, as I said in my tweet – you are a Mensch! Thank you for your leadership at The Ranch and for your positive influence/wisdom that we all absorbed that morning in the gloom! Until next time…

Punch List out.

TClap |
3

FTW – Forget The Winkie

Leave a comment

I had prepared a coin flip workout 5 weeks ago where we flipped a coin to see if we would use the right hand side or left hand side of the winkie for each exercise.  This week was to be the “other” side that didn’t get selected.  After seeing no FNG’s and giving a disclaimer, the ruckers (led by Maximus) took off and so did we.  Since our numbers were low (good luck p200-ers), Mile High suggested I ditch the winkie and see what happens.  So knowing nothing about what to do, I found us a nice little parking area to get warmed up.

WARM – O – RAMA:
– 15 x imperial walkers
– 15 x hillbilly walkers
– 10 x tempo merkins
– 10 count 6″ plank hold
– Back up for a 10 count: right hand and right foot high
– Flapjack
– 15 x LBC
– 10 Crunchy Frogs, OYO

Mosey to the wall hall between HD and Target:
– Hands on the wall, 10 x shoulder taps, dc
– Run to opposite wall, feet on wall, 10 x shoulder taps, dc, run back
– Wall sit, add on, one PAX at a time as follows:
(PAX 1) –> run to other wall, 10 x derkins, run back
(PAX 2) –> same, add 10 x SSH after the derkins
(PAX 3) –> same, add bear crawl instead of run to other wall
(PAX 4) –> same, add high knees instead of run back
(PAX 5) –> same, add 10 x merkins
Now reverse, so PAX 1 does them all, PAX 2 removes first exercise, PAX 3 removes first and second, and so on.  If you’re confused, just stop trying to figure it out.  It was so that we all ended up doing the same amount of work.

Mosey to water fountain for the thang:
YHC has either a 1 or 2 behind his back. Get it right, do the exercise and run a lap without the islands. Get it wrong, the lap is with the islands. YHC calls out the PAX one by one to guess, and they also get to call the exercise. First up, (1) #wrong 5 burpees + long lap. Second up (1) #wrong 15LBCs but HOLD UP.  We’re going to add on again.  5 burpees plus 15 LBCs + long lap.  Third (2) #correct 5 burpees + 15 LBCs + 10 double count heel touches + short lap. Fourth (1) #wrong 5 burpees + 15 LBCs + 10 DC heel touches + 7 merkins + long lap.  Last (2) #correct 5 burpees + 15 LBCs + 10 DC heel touches + 7 merkins + 30 dips + short lap.

Mosey to Office Max parking lot close to COT. Shuffle back and forth for about 15 parking lot lines. Jailbreak to COT.

All in all we hit 2 miles and did some great exercises and got to build on each other’s ideas.  Not a bad start to a Friday considering there was no plan.  Sometimes, no plans are the best plans.  I had a blast being able to lead for a moment today.  Mainframe had to take off to more bigly importanter things but we ended with a strong COT.  Announcements included a F3/crossfit event at WEP and operation sweettooth. TAP’s to the P200 PAX and all racers for health and safety.

TClap |
1

Quagmire Suicide Medley

Leave a comment
COP
Imperial walkers x 20
Burpees x 10
Hill Billy walkers x 20
Windmills x 10
Left legged Burpees x 10
Merkins x 10
Peter Parkers x 15
Right legged Burpees x 10
Low slow squats x 10
Moroccan night clubs x 20
The Thang
Pax mosied over to the old BAM parking lot and set up for suicide pyramids.
1.  1st cone (seal Jacks x10), 2nd cone + 1st cone (seal jacks x10 + planks Jacks x10), 3rd, 2nd + 1st cones (seal jacks x10 + planks Jacks x10 + bomb jacksx10), 2nd cone + 1st cone (planks Jack’s x10, bomb Jack’s x10), 1st cone (bomb Jacks)
2.  Crab walk to 1st cone and back (30 crab cakes), crab walk to 2nd cone and back (30 dips)
3.  Same as round 1 with squats/sumo squats/jump squats
4.  Same as round 2 but bear crawls and diamond/regular merkins x 15
Mosied back for 5 min of Mary before COT
Thanks Jedi for the opportunity to lead.
-Copyright
TClap |
0

Bermuda Triangle gets introduced to Olaf’s capture the coupon

Leave a comment

Loaded up my truck with all the goodies the night before since YHC usually does it the morning of as a preworkout routine but since I had a bit longer commute it was deemed necessary.

First time making it to the triangle of Bermuda and was excited because I know that region is constantly finding FNG’s.

The disclaimer was disclaimed in dept before the party started.

If you haven’t experienced the joy of childhood games while almost killing yourself and your friends, all while trying not to throw up, you really need to look for my next Q.

NMM: Homebrew remains the mastermind strategist of capture the coupon and will forever have him on my team. It was great meeting so many new faces.

FLUX owes me a replacement kitchen or bathroom sink.

Chop block owes me a replacement log. yeah, (I know what you’re thinking), “how do you break a log?”

Note to self: Always locate keys before loading up truck after beatdown. Finally found them under some logs.

Grateful for the opportunity to lead.

Stay frosty my friends!

Olaf

TClap |
2

OLAFS Leg day at Pantheon

Leave a comment

It was perfect weather, upper 20’s, for the snowman to take the lead for a reminder to never skip leg day since P200 is just around the corner.

Disclaimer was disclaimed and the party started with an easy mosey over to the flagpole for the pledge in unison.

An easy lap around the soccer field with some soccer hips, side shuffle, side lunges before making back for the main event.

Wanted to offer up a large assortment of exercises for my new friend, Pothole, who is just two days into his F3 journey but already starting to drink the kool-aid so here is the list:

Circle of hump: 10 monkey humpers each PAX but hands must remain on ankles until everyone is finished.
Circle of merk: same as circle of hump but with merkins, PAX holds a plank while waiting.

One lap around the soccer fields interval style. Slow on the two main straights but sprinting the corners.

Introduced Ring of fire to the PAX. Thanks to the brothers down in Rock region for the intro.

One legged hops down and back the car rider pickup lane.

Partner carry car rider lane. Mile High was worried about YHC but forgets he is now a featherweight.

Some power skips because YHC and WWL love them.

Cha-Cha merkins,

Hip touches,

Lunges,

One legged calf raises,

Suicide squats,

Pistol squats,

Bridges,

and finally some free-standing peoples chair for good measure.

Count-A-Rama, Name-A-Rama, Announcements and Payers and Praises before YHC taking us out.

Oh and since it was so cold I might have worn a full fleece onesie with the intent on taking it off after warm up but never actually managed to because got too sweaty then was freezing.

Always a pleasure leading great men. Grateful for the opportunity to Q.

Stay frosty my friends!
Olaf

TClap |
1

Capture the coupons @ThechupracabraSwamp

1 Comment

My apologies for the very late BB. This poor guy got stuck in draft mode. Cobains

We had the ruck boys join us for some fun at the Swamp. To know what went down, show up next time.

Olaf

TClap |
1

Where are you cheating?

Leave a comment

16 HIMs descended upon the Coop this AM for the DRP and a downpainment for the day. YHC volunteered to Q a few months ago when Punch List took over as  Site Q. IMHO the Site Q sets the tone and culture for the AO and is the most important building block of leadership in the 1st F. Punch List has continued the momentum from the past Q and has added his style. Honestly, I wanted to be a part of that momentum.

The topic was Choosing to Cheat written by Andy Stanley. This book has served as the Q point for previous workouts led by YHC and resonates with me after the most recent Q Source on M and the Jester. Despite all of my attempts to create relational rhythm across my #Concentrica, I simply can’t keep all of the plates spinning at once. When I choose to spin the M plate, my Mammon slows. When I choose to spin the Mammon plate, I notice my M plate, 2.0 plate and #shieldlock plate slow down. In every instance, I am choosing to cheat when I spin one plate vs. another plate. Something or someone is being cheated.

YHC asked the Pax this AM to choose not to cheat on the workout and away we went…

Mosey down the hill

SSHs x 30 (30 is the minimum)

Its x 15

Windmills x 10

CDDs x 15

10 Burpees

Mosey to next spot

10 Burpees

Peoples Chair x 3 ten counts

Squats x 20

Monkey Hummers x 10

10 Burpees

Mosey to pull up bars

10 Burpees

Group 1 – 10 pull ups

Group 2 -LBCs while we wait

Flapjack and then do it again

10 Burpees (We are up to 50)

Mosey behind the school

10 Burpees

Step Ups x 10

Dips x 10

Rinse and repeat

10 Burpees

Mosey to breezeway

10 Burpees

Big Boy situps x 15

Flutters x 15

Rinse and Repeat

10 Burpees

Mosey to parking lot

10 Burpees

Mosey to COT

IWs x 8

3 Burpees

Windmills x 8

2 Burpees

Total of 105 Burpees

 

Moleskin

  • Prayers and praise to Chicken Hawk and the impact of F3 at the Children’s Attention Home
  • Praise for Repeats Mom for her recent scan improvement with pancreatic cancer
  • Reminder about the Operation Sweet Tooth 8k on 3/30
  • Prayers for Esso who injured his back during the workout
  • Read the newletter

Thanks to Punch List for the opportunity.

Pusher out…

TClap |
13