Freedom!

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  • QIC: MacGuyver and Pusher
  • When: 7/1/17
  • Pax: Flat Tire, Tesh, Quack Attack, Atomic Q, Lil Jon, Asphalt, Night Court (FNG), Rebel, Mary Lou, Geronimo, Bonsai, Airborne, Repeat, Jiffy, Longshanks, Atticus, AC/DC (FNG)
  • Posted In: The Fort

MacGuyver and YHC were honored to be chosen as the Qs by Bonsai at our maiden home here in the Fort. With the beginning of the month, a new word, Freedom, was celebrated as we gathered to enjoy all 3 Fs.

MacGuyver was up for his 2nd Q of the week and even put in 6 miles as a pre-run (Strong!) YHC had learned of his Weinke late Friday and knew that it would be terrible. Rather than doubling down on his plan, I decided to stay in the park (no grass, though) and take the 2nd half.

Weather – Humid and hot…did I mention humid?

The Thang

MacGuyver on Q

Lap around park with warm up exercises at each post

Stop at 4/10 mile post

Hill work

Decline merkins on the way down/Incline merkins on the way up

Increasing Drill Bits

5 merkins/10 Squats/15 LBCs

Increase by 5 at each mile marker

Handoff to YHC – Mention of Freedom and what we take for granted

Mosey to playground

Plank/Crab Sequence x 3 – Crowd pleaser!

Monkey Humper/Squat Sequence x 3

Moroccan Night Club/Carolina Dry Dock Sequence x 3 – Again with the shoulders!

Lunges x 20

Partner Up

Partner 1 runs a lap around playground

Partner 2 Dips

Rinse and Repeat x 3

4 Minutes of Mary

Jack Webbs x 10 – Another crowd pleaser!

Mosey to COT

 

Moleskin

  • Asphalt brought his 2 sons out as FNGs. Great additions to the Pax!
  • Upcoming 8/4 3rd F convergence with our school leaders. Mark the date on your calendar!
  • Read your newsletter and celebrate your freedom every day. Don’t take it for granted!

 

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Disclaimer, Warm-up, Converge

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  • QIC: Old Bay
  • When: 07/06/17
  • Pax: Training Wheels, TomTom (FNG), Old Bay
  • Posted In: Laces In

3 pax gathered at WEP for LacesIn. YHC later found out a rumor Bonsai had started (unconfirmed) was swirling that I’d bring the board of pain to WEP, and that may have steered pax toward Footloose. For the record, no board of pain was in the plans for this week’s LacesIn.

One of the pax was a quasi FNG in that he already had a name, but had yet to attend a workout. Thus, we decided to find the Footloose pax and join them. But not before the disclaimer and a warm-up.

Mosey to parking lot half way between WEP and FMFBC.

  • 20 SSH
  • 10 Imperial Walkers
  • 10 Windmills
  • 10 Mountain climbers
  • Perhaps a couple others I can’t remember

Continue mosey to catch Footloose guys. See the Footloose backblast for more details after this point. But I will say here that our FNG was named (or I should say, “renamed”) to be “TomTom” on account of navigation difficulties finding a Rock Hill workout earlier this week.

We did COT with the Footloose guys. And I should mention that while YHC and TomTom caught a ride back to our cars at WEP (thanks DH!), Training Wheels earned extra credit for running back. Nice work!!!

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Post 4th Beatdown

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  • QIC: Jekyll
  • When: 7/5/2017
  • Pax: Pusher, Cakeboss, Straight Up, Fishsticks, Atticus, Jekyll
  • Posted In: Pantheon

I put out the call on the twitter machine that this edition of Pantheon would be tough.  It did not dissapoint.  Six Thoroughbreds answered and got better.

Mosey to Memorial Park, circling the flag and beginning with a moment of silence.

COP:

  • SSH
  • 9 Burpees OYO
  • IW
  • 8 Burpees OYO
  • Merkins
  • 7 Burpees OYO
  • More warm up and decending burpee OYO.  Closing out with 10 burpees OYO

Mosey to trail head park for modified Dora.  P1 exercise, P2 lunge walk

  • Pull up X50
  • Merkins X100
  • Flutter X 150

Indian Run to Stairway to Heaven (down hunters run to rear school entrance steps)

  • run steps, 5 merkins at each landing (6).  Rinse/Repeat x3

Indian run to flag and finish with Mary

NMM

Straight up straight brings it everytime.  Strong, fit and driven lifts this PAX.  YHC benefited twice from form correction by Straight Up.  apparently I dont jump very high during the burpee… Keep at it brother and keep getting on Q lists.  Fishsticks was the king of Stairway to Heaven while Pusher and Atticus dominated the warm up Burpee section while keeping it light with jokes/Mumblechatter.  Dont sleep on Cakeboss’s Native American Run apptitude or more importantly, his commitment.

“Your value does not decrease based on someone’s inability to see your worth.”  Ive been dealing with a pretty dysfunctional relationship at work.  It was really getting in my head and I was spending an unproportional amount of time on the negative impact and not on the majority of the good relationships that are flourishing.  You can choose not to own someone else’s baggage.  All of this is to say, I was struggling here and got great perspective and things to try from sitting with my Whetstone Partner.  If you have a partner and use them, you know the value.  A mentor- mentee relationship is a powerful bond.  If you dont have one, prayerfully consider.  Its a game changer.

Aye!

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Casting Call – Father Figures of Daughters

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  • QIC: WhatDid
  • When: 7/18/17
  • Pax: The F3 Nation
  • Posted In: Pre-Blast

Pax of The Fort and F3 Nation:

I’m looking for 12 -14 High Impact Men that are Father’s or Father Figures to a daughter, niece or any combination. I know we have many of them among the pax of F3. For what…wait for it….

As many of you know, my wife and her colleagues are working to ignite a movement to illuminate the awareness of the importance of the father daughter relationship and help fathers to be a positive influence on their daughter’s life – they’re doing this through a documentary titled A voice that Carries. A powerful teaser of the documentary, being produced by Brett Culp (@brettculp), can be found here:

http://avoicethatcarries.com/teaser/

For me, as a father of two young girls, you know that this topic hits home and that I’ve shared my perspective with many of you.  And if that’s not enough, here’s an alarming fact: statistically there are only 3 out of 10 of us(fathers) that think our involvement plays an important role in our daughter’s life and her well-being. Now, I’d like to hear more from you on what it means to be a father to your daughters.

The casting call – We need 12 -14 fathers that are willing to be filmed on camera and included in the documentary sharing their perspective on fatherhood and being a father figure. You will be discussing topics in a small and close setting with 4-6 other father figures being moderated by Brett.  Topics will include questions such as;

  • What is hard/easy about having daughters?
  • What are the challenges that you face with daughters?
  • What do you wish someone told your younger self about raising daughters?
  • What advice would you give a new father of a daughter?

If this sounds like something that you want to be part of, which I hope is the case, here are the logistics.

  • Filming Date: 7/18/17 (Tuesday)
  • Time: Morning 9 -11:30; Afternoon 3-5:30
  • Commitment: about 90 minutes give or take
  • Location: TBD but likely either South Park or Fort Mill Area (still scouting a location)

If you’re still in, here’s what I need.

  • Email me at BMCKEON29@gmail.com
  • In the body of email share:
    1. Birth Name
    2. F3 Name
    3. Your Age
    4. Number of kids and sex (i.e. 3 kids, 2 boys and 1 daughter)
    5. Brief background and any story or perspective you know you already want to share. (I.e. I have an adopted daughter, I’m primary care giver for my niece, etc…)
  • Filming Preference
    1. Morning
    2. Afternoon
    3. Either works for me

The big question, since we normally see one another in the gloom, what is the dress attire?  First, a shower is a must. But from that, feel free to where your latest F3 shirt or any other appropriate shirt.

If you have other questions not in the pre-blast, send me an email at BMCKEON29@gmail.com.

Thanks and I look forward to hearing about your perspective on being a positivie influence on your daughter’s life.

WhatDid

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BackBlast from Run ‘N Gun – July 5, 2017

Standard crowd (4) at RNG tonight, but we had a good time. Joining me was Corruption, Mainframe, & Goose. Here goes:

Mosey a few blocks over to the elementary school for a warmup.

WARMUP

  • 30 Side straddle hops
  • 10 double count Windmills
  • 20 double count Merkins
  • 20 4-count LBCs
  • 20 Mountain Climbers
  • 30 Low Slow Squats
  • 30 Moroccan Night Clubs

Mosey to the other side of the lot & partner up (difficult to do with only 4 PAX).

THE THANG

  • Partner 1 runs to the end of the street and does 5 burpees, Partner 2 does LBCs until P1 returns. Switch places and do same.
  • Partner 1 runs to the end of the street and does 5 burpees, Partner 2 elbow planks until P1 returns. Switch places and do same.
  • Partner 1 runs to the end of the street and does 5 burpees, Partner 2 does Flutters until P1 returns. Switch places and do same.
  • Partner 1 runs to the end of the street and does 10 Merkins, Partner 2 does LBCs until P1 returns. Switch places and do same.
  • Partner 1 runs to the end of the street and does 10 Merkins, Partner 2 elbow planks until P1 returns. Switch places and do same.
  • Partner 1 runs to the end of the street and does 10 Merkins, Partner 2 does Flutters until P1 returns. Switch places and do same.

Mosey back to the field next to the Y.

  • Captain Thors to 7×28
  • Sprint
  • 20 double count Peter Parkers
  • Sprint
  • 20 LBCs
  • 10 Boats and Canoes
  • 20 Mac-tar-jais (no clue how you spell that)

Mosey to COT

Praise for health for Goose, prayers for Ginsu’s father in law, prayers for Corruption’s friend.

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Burn off those Dogs!

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  • QIC: Sugarbug
  • When: 07/05/2017
  • Pax: Sasquatch, Wegmans, Backdraft, Spitz, Hoser, Skate or Die, Sugarbug
  • Posted In: Ring of Fire

7 pax were American enough to realize they are ENTIRELY too much food over the weekend  and needed to burn some of those dogs off… or they were like me and their M reminded them regularly how much they were eating and guilted them into getting back into it… either way… 7 showed up in the gloom at The Coop to begin the morning with YHC, who was just excited he didn’t accidentally go to Tomahawk…

The disclaimer was given and we began with a mosey around the parking lot and then circled up to complete the warm up in cadence: 20 SSH, 20 Moroccan Night Clubs, 10 Peter Parker, 10 Parker Peter, 10 Windmill. We then mosey over to the wall at the school to begin the fun

The Thang:

People’s chair on the wall with 10 counts from one end of the PAX to the other followed by horizontal planks with feet on the wall for 10, raised to 45 degrees for 10 then BTW for 10… this was so much fun we did it 2 more times.

Following this we mosey on to the bus circle behind the elementary school and circled up. I happened to leave some 10 lb weights in the vicinity so we decided to have one PAX run the loop with the weights while the remaining PAX completed an exercise. The action went like this:

1. Merkins

2. Squats

3. LBC’s

4. Donkey Kick

(it was about here that Sasquatch astutely pointed out this workout is shockingly similar to my HIIT plan from last Friday… hey it was a holiday weekend and I did change a few small things…)

5. Mountain Climbers

6. Dips

7. SSH

8. Inch Worm Merkins

9. Flutters

10. Plank Jack

11. High Knees

12. Lunges

13. Dry Docks

14. Bomb Jacks

15. American Hammers

Then we mosey back to COT and had some time for Mary. Completed LBC’s, Superman, Box Cutters and John Travolta’s in cadence. Then we circled up for announcements and prayer.  Lots of talk about prayer for marriages and our youth standing against suicide.

Things I learned from this Q

1. PAX do pay attention and remember past workouts… at least for 5 days…

2. My 45 degrees and BTW are very similar… not sure which measurement is off…

3. Entirely too much about Spitz…

It was fun! Thanks for coming out and joining me!

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11* at Tempo Tackle Molokai

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  • QIC: Zima
  • When: 07/05/17
  • Pax: Gekko, Gears, Maximus, Spud, Fish Sticks, Nasa, Decibel, Change Order, Falcon Crest, Rad, Zima (YHC)
  • Posted In: Tempo

Apologies to Gekko for the late BB but my vacation schedule has been a bear. Last Thursday 11 Pax met in the gloom, well 9 met at Trailhead Park while 2 (Gears and Maximus) were running in circles (intervals) already at TCES. I’m sure the intervals were “fun” but that’s all the intel I could gather.

For the rest of us, we ran from Trailhead Park further into Tega Cay, made a left at Molokai, ran it (down) to the end (or almost for some of us) and then returned (up) the way we came. It sounds boring except there’s quite a bit of hills on this run and it’s a great training ground for BRR teams. You can view the route HERE

Anyways, it was a great morning for some running and fellowship. Appreciate the opportunity to lead from the back.

Aye!
Zima

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Remembering 56 HIMs

It’s always an honor for me to lead the pax.  When you throw on top a July 4th Convergence, WEP as the AO, and my fellow Founder of The Fort, Santini, as co-Q, my pulse picked up more than a few ticks.  Thank you to Cake Boss for piecing this together and inviting Santini and me to lead.

90 pax posted, including 3 FNGs, for the holiday adventure and fully engaged in all 3 Fs throughout the morning.  In addition to FNGs, we had a number of Kotters back in action as well as some pax returning for only their second workout after initial post in the past week or even yesterday.

Upon arrival, it was clear Santini and I were out of sync with a large group who had already completed some Extra Credit.  10+ ruckers.  20-30 runners.  Lots of sweat already flowing from this group before we even launched.

Independence Day marks the adoption by the Continental Congress of the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776.  This document was signed by 56 men, representing all 13 colonies.  These men were lawyers, farmers, merchants and teachers.  They were educated, had families, owned property and were visible leaders in their communities.  They ranged in age from 26 to 70, with an average of 45.  These traits sound familiar?  Yes, these men were just like every member of the pax.  They had full lives with great blessings.  And yet they chose to risk it all by signing their names to that document, knowing fully that it would be viewed as an act of treason and potentially punishable by death if they were captured by the British.

They signed the document anyway.  They went to war.  Eight years of war.  We know the stories of Thomas Jefferson and John Adams who signed and later became President.  We know of Benjamin Franklin and all he contributed to America.  What we may lose sight of amid the hot dogs, burgers, brews, swimming and fireworks on July 4th is the risk these 56 men took.  And many paid a steep price.  Nine of these signers died in the war.  A dozen had their properties pillaged and burned.  Several were captured and mistreated for long periods.  Many suffered irreplaceable losses of loved ones and livelihoods, leaving them and their families to live in radically different circumstances for the rest of their lives.

So on this day when we celebrate Freedom, what would you be willing to die for?  What truths are self-evident to you such that you would be willing to risk everything you have to stand up for?

The Thang

Mosey to the parking lot at Springs building

COP —  13 reps IC of Mtn climbers, Squats, SSHs, Merkins, Moroccan Night Clubs, Peter Parkers, IWs

Mosey to the hill along 160 and plank it up on sidewalk

Partner 1: run to top of hill + Merkins x13 + run back
Partner 2: Plank
(Flapjack)

Handoff to Santini & cross street to Memorial park

SSHs x56

CDDs x10

Merkins x10

Bombjacks x10 OYO

Pledge of Allegiance led by Shark Bait

Burpees x10 OYO

Merkins x10

Bombjacks x10 OYO

Handoff to Double D and mosey to parking lot behind Hobos

Plank sequence

Donkey kicks x10 OYO

Monkey Humpers x10

Donkey Kicks x10 OYO

Monkey Humpers x10

Mosey to corner of Tom Hall & Main Street and form column on sidewalk on each side of Main Street for July 4th Lunge Walk Parade to Hobos

Mosey back to Memorial Park

Partner up & complete 56 Merkins w/partner (either aggregate or 56 each)

Mosey back to WEP

Form 5 columns for Santini’s famous Pain Platoon and proceed to complete countless series of squats

Partner up & complete 56 Burpees in aggregate w/partner

Mosey home

COT

Naked Man Moleskin

Thanks to all pax for enduring the meandering path through town.  Santini and I chose not to poke at those whining about grass and rashes and instead took the group off campus.  Not an easy feat with 90 pax in tow.  It certainly wasn’t perfect, especially when I took us down Main Street for the “parade” session.  Santini would not have made that call, but like a good partner he locked shields, pushed forth and pressed the “teaching moment” element.  Thankful for the safe return without issue and the enthusiasm the pax displayed throughout.

Shout out to Cable Guy, who sat broken on the curb after a rolled foot during the pre-run.  He was off to Urgent Care later in day and enjoyed his fireworks in a boot.  Look forward to getting you back out soon!

Shout out to Red Banjo, High Life & Flacco — three of what may have been even more Kotters out for the celebration of pain.

Solid lead put forth by Shark Bait on the Pledge when called upon on the spot.  Well done!

Welcome to our three FNGs — Price Check, Pylon & Snow Cone!  T-claps to Dixie Chicken and Olaf for EHing them.

Great to meet some newcomers, including Kung Fu Panda, Night Court & Prophet.  Keep posting, men.  It doesn’t get easier, but you get stronger/better.

What a terrific morning! We had the full spectrum of brothers out — Pax & 2.0s, young guns & respectables, black, brown & white, gritty F3 veterans & recent comers, Kotters & FNGs.  On those cold mornings of 2-5 men posting at Block Party in winter of 2012, neither Santini nor I could have imagined this is where God would take this thing we call The Fort.

None of us will ever know what those 56 HIMs expected to come from their efforts to draft and adopt a document called the Declaration of Independence 241 years ago.  What we do know is what each of them believed because it is there in black and white with their signatures at the bottom.  “Life, liberty & the pursuit of happiness.”  Freedom is a gift granted by God that these men chose to pronounce, to honor and to defend.  That Freedom works two ways — Freedom from something/someone AND Freedom to choose something/someone.  What are you doing with your Freedom?

Thanks for honoring your country, your brothers and Santini & me by posting today.

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5 at The Hive

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  • QIC: River Rat
  • When: 06/30/17
  • Pax: Tesh, Airborne, Backdraft, Seacrest, River Rat
  • Posted In: The Hive

4 men showed up to better themselves on a muggy Friday at The Hive. Having never spent any time at this location I was not well acquainted enough to do anything very creative with the landscape. That being said, I hope I was able to deliver a sufficient workout to suit the PAX.

Warmup:

  • SSH x20
  • Windmill x15
  • Imperial Walker x20
  • Little Baby Arm Circles x20
  • Merkins (3 count down, 1 up) x10

The Thang:

  • Mosey a lap around the parking lot
  • 10 Kettlebell burpees OYO
  • American Hammers x20
  • Flutters x20
  • LBC’s with bell x20
  • Mosey a lap around the parking lot

Next Exercise was a “500”

  • 20 Curls (10 each arm)
  • 20 Dips
  • 20 Calf Raises
  • 20 Squats
  • 20 Tricep Extensions
  • Run to the far side of the parking lot and back (approx 200 yards)
  • Repeat this set 5 times to achieve 100 reps of each of the 5 exercises

We wrapped up with a dealer’s choice workout. A PAX would call out an exercise and then run to the far side of the parking lot while rest completed the exercise. We completed 2 before the time ran out.

  • Staggered Merkins – one hand on bell
  • Kettlebell Swings

We had some quality mumblechatter and shared announcements and prayer requests. Thanks to the men for allowing me to honor of leading you guys.

-River Rat out…

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Volume 1 Bonsai’s Greatest Hits

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  • QIC: Bonsai
  • When: 6/29/2017
  • Pax: Shady, Lil E, Cooter, Iron Sheik, Crawdaddy, Training Wheels,
  • Posted In: Laces In

Usually when I know at least a couple days ahead of time that I am going to Q I try to come up with something that is either new or I haven’t seen done in a long time.  However with the crazy work schedule and everything that has been going on at home I didn’t have any time to cruise the internet looking for “good ideas”.  Wednesday afternoon I started trying to think about what I was going to do then it dawned on me.  I am going to be at WEP and there are a lot of great things to do there many of which I have done during one of my previous Q’s. That is when I decided I would do a greatest hits q of some of my favorite areas / exercises.

Warmup
Mosey to the brick church with the stairs in front:

In the parking lot of the church we were careful not to be too loud so that the police weren’t called on us:
SSH
Moroccan night club – hold squat for last 15
Merkins
Mountain climber

After warmup we moved over to the steps and did each exercise twice:
Double touch each stair
Regular
Bunny hop
Skip a step
Start with feet together and jump up to the next step and move your feet out like you would with a SSH.  Then jump to the next step and bring them back in.
Side lung hop up the steps (repeat other leg for #2)

After completing these I pulled out a deck of cards for a couple rounds of (Burpees, V-ups, squats and merkins)

Then we mosey back towards the large parking lot at the top of the hill
In the parking lot we did the following:

One leg hop to next set of parking spaces and switch feet to the next then run back
Burpee broad jump from parking spaces to the next and run back
Pulled the cards back out for another 4 cards

After the cards we headed down to the bottom of the hill and moved over to the grass where we bear crawled back to the top then mosey back down to the lower parking lot.  Once in the lower parking lot we all got in the wall sit while each Pax took a turn bear crawling to the other side of the parking lot and ran back.  Legs were screaming after this!  With less than 10 minutes left I ditched the cards and headed up to the low walls where we proceeded to do 2 rounds of:
10 Derkins – downward merkins
10 LBCs with feet on wall
10 Dips

Mosey back to COT for a couple minutes of mary to finish.

It was an honor to lead and honestly if it wasn’t for the push to Q I probably would have fart stacked so thanks for the push Lil-E!!

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