Convergence @ the Deep for the celebration of 1 year in Lake Wylie!

  • QIC: Witch Hunt, Davinci, Wild Thing, Dark Helmet, Royale
  • When: 04/22/2017
  • Pax: Flux, Beast, Dark Helmet, Longshanks, Cornerstone, Limp Bizkit, NASA, Mighty Might, Haushka, Omaha, Rooney, Straight Up, Short Sale, Bones, Shady, Craw Daddy, Short Shorts, What Did, Twister, Bounty, Maximus, Bonsai, Geronimo, Deacon, Mr Clean, Cakeboss, Fish Sticks, Sharkbait, Change Order, Kenyan, Cornhole, Freebird, Sparkplug, Austin Powers, Andretti, Tesh, Sauerkraut, Olaf, Flea, Lutefisk, Mr Rogers, Mary Lou, Lil E, Bolt, Double D, Bart, Assassin, Villa, Chef, Jack knife, High Pockets, Nunchuk, Vuvuzela, Yogi, Lincoln Log, Spud, Sen Tressel, Cheers (FNG), Shakespeare (FNG), Cutter, Cable Guy, Witch Hunt, Davinci, Wild Thing, Royale (YHC)
  • Posted In: Convergence, The Deep

Convergence. Post it…and they will come… tweet out date…and they will come…close AOs…and they will clown car…

I had the privilege of coordinating the one year anniversary convergence of the launch of F3 on the west side of Lake Wylie. Since I was given the task of launching this 1st AO “The Deep” with my F3 brother Dark Helmet I was happy to get this thing rolling! So I found three of those PAX that started in the first two weeks at the Lake Wylie Launch. These PAX have bought in big time to all 3 Fs we bring to F3. I asked them to Q with me, and requested they share (in just 1 minute) what F3 has meant to them over this last year. Here are there workouts and words. but first…circle up!

COP on the soccer field for all 65 PAX together
20 SSHs – 15 IWs – 10 Windmills – 15 LS Squats – 10 Merkins – 20 Mountain Climbers – 10 Peter Parkers – 15 Plank Jacks

Count off by 4s, this is now your group for the rest of the hour. Follow 1 of 4 Qs. Witch Hunt, Wild Thing, Davinci and Royale.

The Thang from Royale:

I had the back side of the school, nice long running track so I set up a few cones and picked some fun stuff for the PAX to do.

First, Partner Up to switch between exercises:

Round 1
Partner 1 : Suicide Sprints for two cones
Partner 2 : BTTW
Round 2
Partner 1 : Bear Crawl to Cone 2 run back
Partner 2 : Wall Sits
Round 3
Partner 1 : Lt Dan’s to cone 1 and back
Partner 2 : Durkins on a bench (painful)
Round 4
All out sprint to cone #3!

Royale Moleskin

Being the “veteran” guy in Lake Wylie I focused my speech on the Leadership opportunities you are given as part of this group. I shared how one year ago, after I moved across the lake that guys like CSPAN and Pusher told me to just get out here and open your own AO. That’s how this F3 thing works! After dragging my feet for the winter, CSPAN came back to me and said hey, we’ve got a guy that can help you get this thing moving, and he hooked me up with Dark Helmet. As a team we finally got it rolling early in April 2016. I couldn’t have done it without him!

So how does F3 make you all Leaders? Let me count the ways…the opportunities are many!
– Lead a warmup
– Lead a workout
– Run an AO
– Run a 2nd F
– Run a bible study
– Start an AO

In summary, NONE of this works and is here without the PAX taking ownership and leading in all of these ways. Now get out there and find how you can show that Leadership!

The Thang from Wild Thing:

I wanted to revisit my first workout with F3 so I channeled Dark Helmet and Longshanks.

With the workouts firmly affixed to a cinder block by some good ole fashioned duck tape, we got started.

The PAX circled up with block in the middle. First man up would read the exercise and then take a lap around the islands while the remaining PAX completed that exercise. Repeat until all 10 exercises are complete or we run out of time.

First lap – Kracken Burpees (burpee with 3 hand release merkins)
Second Lap – Squat Jumps
Third Lap – LBC’s
Fourth Lap – Calf Raises
Fifth Lap -Carolina Dry Docks
Sixth Lap – Flutters
Seventh Lab – Merkin
Eighth Lap – Bear Crawl
Ninth Lap – American Hammer
Tenth Lap – Jump Lunges

Wild Thing’s Moleskin

I wanted to revisit this workout that only a year ago brought me to my knees and nearly splashing Merlot. I encouraged the group to look at their lives and think about how much better you will get if you show up and put in the work everyday. It doesn’t come overnight, but the results will compound over time.

Also a big “thank you” to everyone for pushing me over this past year and encouraging me to expand my horizons and try new things…

I look forward to what the next year has in store for all of you.

The Thang from Witch Hunt:

My section of the workout would include two of my favorite things: Partners and Burpees.

I setup four cones in a square pattern approx 25 yds apart. Pax would pair up and work there way around the cones.

Cone 1: Partner A: 10 Merkins; Partner B: 15 Squats; Partner A: 20 LBCs; Both 1 Burpee
Cone 2: Partner B: 10 Merkins; Partner A: 15 Squats: Partner B: 20 LBCs; Both 2 Burpees
Cone 3: Continue pattern adding 1 burpee at each cone

The goal was to continue this pattern until we got to 8 burpees. Each group met there goal.

Witch Hunt Moleskin

Thank you to all the Pax that have made my first year of F3 something I will not forget.
Witch Hunt

“Merkin Mile” at the Deep with DaVinci:

Rather than being a rinse and repeat of my fellow Q’s, I opted for a set-it-and-forget-it workout. Credit for my introduction to the Merkin Mile goes to Kenyan, one of our other original PAX at The Deep. The title pretty much sums it up: You run a mile, and along the way, you do some merkins. In my set up, the number goes down with each lap, which gives us something to look forward to.

Here’s The Thang:

Get a running start to first set of cones; do 9 merkins; run half a lap to second set of cones, do 9 merkins.
Complete lap to first set of cones; do 6 merkins; run half a lap to second set of cones; do 6 merkins; etc.
…do 3 merkins for lap 3
…do 1 merkin for lap 4

And then it’s off to the next Q!

Fun Fact: I didn’t consider the fact that I’d have to repeat this workout FOUR TIMES during the hour. So, as Shady pointed out, I had my own Merkin Mile 5K®. But I made it, and it was a lot of fun.

Thanks to all the PAX that came out to show support to us in Lake Wylie. We hope you will join us again.

Aye!

DaVinci’s Moleskin

When Royale was working on plans for the convergence and asked each of us to Q a segment of the workout, he requested we each give a mini testimony about what F3 has meant to us over the last year. While we only had a minute on Saturday, I want to take this opportunity to expand on what I said.

As I was thinking about what I hoped to say during my Q, the word I kept returning to in my mind was “thankful.” I am thankful for this group. For what it represents, certainly, but more for the individuals in its ranks. There are so many who have profoundly impacted my life over the past year. You welcomed me, worked out beside me, sweated with me, pushed me when I was ready to quit. You have prayed with and for me, and through your words and actions inspired me to hold myself to a higher standard as a man.

Because of this group, I am in the best shape of my life. In the past 12 months, at age 47, I trained for and ran my first 10K. I ran the Yeti with Dark Helmet. I ran the Palmetto 200 as a proud member of The Mostly Respectables. This weekend, I will be joining 60+ brothers to take part in the F3 Custom GORUCK Tough Challenge. On May 20th, I will be participating in the 2017 Ultimate Challenge MudRun with Cha-Ching, Wild Thing and Witch Hunt.

I am doing things I never imagined, and having the time of my life.

But more than that, is this:

Because of this group, I know I am a better husband and father than I was a year ago.

Because of this group, I have grown closer to our Creator than I have ever been in my life.

Don’t get me wrong: I am still a mess. But I am working on being better every day. And it is my prayer that thorough my presence in F3, I can in some way give to my fellow PAX what you have given to me.

For all this, I am thankful.

~ Derick Wells, 47, DaVinci

To close, Dark Helmet provided a wonderful breakfast on site, many of the 65 men got to stay and share stories and complements for the killer workout. It was really a sight for our newer Lake Wylie PAX to see that many men out at the Deep in support of these guys. I’m truly appreciative of everyone’s efforts and we all look forward to continued growth for the area.

-Royale

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Pre-blast for the Lake Wylie One Year Anniversary Convergence – Saturday 4/22

One year ago… in April… the men of the Fort and Rock Hill brought F3 over to the west side of the Lake to battle the sad clown syndrome plagueing the men of Lake Wylie and Clover. It’s been a good year, and we’ve gained many PAX that like posting 5-6 days a week with their F3 brothers…but the work will not be complete until every man has killed that #sadclown in their souls! So on Saturday April 22nd at 7am, let’s gather together for a good old celebration convergence at the best AO you’ve NOT been to, the Deep! This beauty sits at the center of Oakridge Middle School in Lake Wylie, has all the best conditions that an F3 AO needs. And what if we run out of room? Then there’s another school right across the road! Complete with a running track and field…

We’ll have 4 Qs…YHC and 3 PAX that started at the Deep that one year ago…who we’ve seen become solid members of F3, get stronger in all 3 Fs in their lives, and helped build the F3 Lake Wylie area from 1 workout to 4 in just one year. Witch Hunt, Wild Thing and DaVinci will take you on the tour of this great AO!

We’ll have a solid 2nd F gathering right at the AO after the workout, so stay for some coffee and breakfast. We’d like your help with ideas or supplies for our 2nd F gathering. Dark Helmet has already promised to Q the 2nd F and will provide great mumblechatter…the likes he saves for convergence’s level work ONLY! And a special thanks to Dark Helmet, his work in the Lake Wylie area over the last year is one of the main reasons we’ve continued to see strong growth here. T-Claps to you brother!

All other Fort AOs will be closed this Saturday 4/22. Come out and tell the PAX of Lake Wylie how much F3 has meant to you…and bring that FNG you’ve been EHing for 6 months. They are always impressed by a convergence level beatdown!

Royale OUT…

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PREBLAST: Pre-Ruck before the Dragon Convergence

Are you soooo ready to celebrate the 1yr Anniversary of the Dragon this Saturday (2/4/17) that you just cant wait till 0700?  No worries, grab a pack and meet YHC to do a pre-beatdown Ruck March/ Workout.  We will meet in the same parking lot area as we normally do but at 0530.  We will leave from there to conduct a short ruck around the block (approx. 3mi) as a warmup before the big game.

This ruck can be used to go towards Pathfinder or to just come out for the experience and fellowship.  If you don’t have a pack, hit me up and I will make sure we get one for you to use.

Saturday Time Schedule:

0530  Meet up for the pre-ruck

0545  Depart from the parking lot

0655  Arrive back to the parking lot

0700  Dragon Convergence BeatDown Commences

0745  Dragon Convergence BeatDown Ends

0800  Football on the Field!

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Thanksgiving convergence Food Drive

PAX – As we prepare for our annual Thanksgiving convergence (PREBLAST BELOW)

http://f3nation.com/2016/11/01/an-f3-thanksgiving-a-tradition-unlike-any-other/

The Fort Mill Care Center is looking for donations to help kick off their Christmas Holiday Food Drive. We will be looking for canned vegetables, dry stuffing mix, instant mashed potatoes, cranberry sauce, etc., as donations to be dropped off to them the Monday after Thanksgiving. On Thursday, please plan to bring any items you are led to bring to convergence.

If you will not be in town, please consider an early donation and leave it with the various site Q’s and I will coordinate pick up from them. We’ve always been a generous PAX and we all look forward to ways we can give back. There will be other opportunities as well, such as Operation Sweet Tooth and Turkey Trot. Aye!

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MAY 16 Convergence Pre-Blast

Calling all PAX. One of F3’s younger members is stepping to the plate for an HC May 16 at #Tomahawk. Patton, 14, will lead a guaranteed to be brutal beat down. Patton, Socrates son, has been coming to workouts for many months and is ready to take the plunge. Let us gather and encourage this young man as he reminds us all what it was like when we were 14. The time 5:15 the place Doby’s Bridge Elementary School.

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The Ultra-vergence… Man, that’s a lot of vergence…

(Poorly paraphrased from Dredd that AM): “Well, we [he and OBT] said, we’ll show up and if it’s just us two, then we’ll go do something else, but if they [the other invited Pax] show up, then we might have something and we’ll see where it goes…” (emphasis added)

That was 5 years ago. Now, we’re celebrating a new year, and we’re celebrating the 5 year anniversary (birthday?) of F3. Clearly, they had something…

As approximately one Pax for every day of the year crawled out of their clowncars and onto what may have been the wettest field I’ve ever been on, the energy was palpable. Friends from all over F3 Nation were reconnecting and new ones were being made, including an FNG from The Fort who apparently EH’ed himself (welcome Speaker)… There were smiling faces and shovel flags everywhere. The fun had started, but before long, it was time for the workout to begin…

As you can imagine, attempting to lead a group of 365 Pax is… well… ridiculous. It’s a little amusing to me that part of the whole reason Dredd and OBT broke off from the other workout group to create F3 was because the size of the group had become problematic and unwieldy. So, how should we celebrate 5 years of F3? Well, let’s see if we can’t have the most problematically-sized group come together and let’s try and make them follow instructions. (*COUGH* *GASP* *COUGH* You’ll have to excuse me, I’m choking a little on the irony…) Regardless, though, we warmed up, Dredd split us up into groups, and off we went. The workout, the “thang”? It was in there… We rotated through stations… there was some running, some ladders, some dips, some derkins, hills, burpees (of course), some other stuff… Was it the best workout I ever had? Well, it wasn’t the worst one for sure. But if you came for the workout, you may have overlooked what was happening.
As always, there were a couple of guys who were definitely there to prove they were fitter than the rest of us. That’s cool, you’re welcome here. There were a couple of guys who were clearly struggling to keep up at all. That’s cool, you’re welcome here. There were guys who wear blue collars all week long. That’s cool, you’re welcome here. There were guys whose net worth is that of a small country in certain parts of the world. That’s cool, you’re welcome here, too. Black, white, fast, slow, tall, short, rich, poor, fat, thin… all irrelevant. Welcome is what you are when you are here. It is this way because for that one hour, we all look basically the same (you know the uniform…) so you don’t know who is rich or poor or otherwise. For that one hour, we all basically act the same (unless you are Apache), we’re here to workout and fellowship a little. No one is elected, there is no hierarchy, no one is grading your performance… You know what it is? It’s because for that one hour, I believe, we are about as free as we can be in our modern, over-technologized, overcommitted, over-everythinged lives. We’re free from roles that weigh us down, free from the constraints that life and the world put on us… We’re just free to BE. That’s why we plant a flag, hustle, then take a knee at the end to give thanks to the SkyQ. That’s why we are proud to call ourselves a part of the Brotherhood of Minivan Centurions.

So, we converged, because I think somewhere deep inside we wanted to show our gratitude for this thing that has meant so much to us. Partly to God for leading us to it (or it to us, whichever), partly to the Redwood Originals for starting and sticking with it until it got to us, and partly to each other for continuing to push us to make ourselves more of what we were put here to do. I think that we came because there is strength in knowing and then physically seeing the fact that we are clearly not alone in this battle we fight. That at every turn, there is a man in a black shirt and running shoes that will help if needed.

Again, paraphrased very poorly from Dredd (right before the Ball of Man): “So now our job is to give it away. To share what has meant something to us. Because there are guys out there right now that you know who are crappy fathers, guys who are crappy husbands about to lose their marriages. There are guys who are crappy employees, or are otherwise just dissatisfied with their lives… and YOU CAN SAVE THEM.” (again, emphasis added)

To quote the immortal Forrest Gump: That’s all I have to say about that…

Until the next one…
Helmet, out.

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Clown Cars from the Fort for 1/1

Gentlemen (and the rest of you):

I can’t speak for everyone, but I can speak for me, so I will. On 1/1/16, all PAX of F3 Nation have been invited to celebrate the 5th anniversary of this crazy thing that has inspired so many of us to burn the ships (and our fat pants), to reach in out in service and love to our community (and to our F3 brothers), and to straighten our walk with the SkyQ (which for me = My Heavenly Father). For me, this experience has touched and helped to shape nearly every aspect of my character over the last year that I have been involved, and I look forward to the next 5 years to see what changes will come from my association with all of you.

That said, we are going to support this “ultra-convergence”, if you will, and clown car up to the celebratory workout on New Year’s.

Here are the details as I know them:
1. We will meet at 0600 with wheels up at 0610 at the Baxter Starbucks
2. The workout location is Alexander Graham (AG) Middle School in Charlotte.
3. The workout start time is 0700. End is 0800.
4. There won’t be a much better time to bring an FNG, than to this. SO EH SOMEBODY.
5. I am not personally aware of any formal coffeeteria plans immediately following the workout, but I am certain that there will be at least one or two happening, so I’d plan on spending that time there as well.
6. The link to the Pre-Blast is here: http://f3nation.com/2015/12/16/the-fifth-anniversary-convergence-1116/

Several of you have committed to driving a car of clowns up, but if there are more, please let me know @darkhelmetF3, or let me know if you’d like to go, but not drive (which is the camp I fall into… Ask Spiderman (@F3_Spiderman) or Whitesnake (@Raindawg), nobody wants me to drive).

AYE!

Helmet, out.

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Star Command Convergence – POSTPONED DUE TO WEATHER. DATE TBD.

As many of you are already aware, our brother Padre left the Fort Mill Region and joined the Pax in Easley. We hear he, and his burpees, have been a great addition to the Upstate. Since we haven’t met many of our Pax in the GSA area, we have decided to converge 1/23/16 in Sparkle City. Details below:

WhenJanuary 23, 2016 @ 0700-0800 Boot Camp, followed by Coffeeteria (more details to follow) EVENT POSTPONED DUE TO WEATHER. NEW DATE TBD.

Where: “Star Command” 9768 Warren H Abernathy Highway Spartanburg, SC 29301

Who: All hungry for pain!

Qs: Padre, Iceman, CSPAN

This promises to be a fun event with PLENTY of mumble chatter, maybe even some friendly region-to-region competition. This AO is a middle point between the Greenville-Spartanburg and Fort Mill-Rock Hill locales. Work with your regions to clowncar. You will not want to miss this event.

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Singing in the Rain

  • QIC: Jekyll, Cable Guy, Padre
  • When: 12/24/14
  • Pax: Cspan, Gears, White Lightning, One Niner, Ringer, Senator Tressel, DD, Twister, Old Bay, Decibel, Mcguyver, Pebbles, Pusher, Santini, Flipper, Minute Man, Tatanka, Cornhole, Mr. Clean, Beast, McGruff, Lil E, Red Eye, Trucker, Hasselhoff, Freebird, Anchor man, Boeheim, Chicken Hawk, Burgundy
  • Posted In: Convergence, Ring of Fire

Christmas Eve convergence 2014

33 amphibians manned up and got their Christmas Eve #downPAINment done at the pond, er…#theCoop Wednesday.  Surprisingly there was not one mention of being soaked, waterlogged, finding a dry spot(or #wetspot), – our group has really gone #mumblechatter free…back to reality…

After Cable Guy gives the disclaimer and “the reason for the season” – once more into the #Gloom, dear friends, once more:

COP

  • SSH, MC, IW

Partner in 3’s

  • hill run, pull ups, superman. Rinse/Repeat

Jekyll

  • Sumo Walk, MC, Dying Cockroaches

Padre

Terrific words of “obscure service”.  Serving for purpose, not recognition.  #humbleobscurity  The Christ Child born into humble surroundings.  Also- Sir Nicholas Winton saving of 669 children from Nazi fate. See video

Bottom of Hill

  • Partner Burpee, Squats, LBC.  100, 200, 300

COT

NMM

  • Been a few days since the beatdown.  Padre’s words still resonating.  Do what is right, when no one is looking.  Because it is right to do. AYE!
  • shout out to One Niner and Tatanka for the Pilot
  • 5kFlipper name change to #shutterfly.  All in favor?
  • Prayers and praises for health, fellowship and the ability to do this everyone morning
  • My feet are still wet…

Love and Respect each and everyone of my brothers.

 

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PRE Blast Christmas Eve Convergence 12/24/14

 

With respect given to the secular:

O come all ye faithful(#PAX),

joyful and triumphant….(#mumblechatter)

O Come ye, O come ye to Nation’s Ford…

Come and behold him (#Trucker)

do one hundred Pull Ups

O come let us do merkins

O come let us do merkins

O come let us do merkins

in the gloom

Tomorrow’s convergence across all of our respective AOs: The Fort, Rock Hill, Indian Land will begin 0515 and go for 1 HOUR ending at 6:15.  Place is THE COOP (NAFO HS).  It will be wet, but not cold.  Good chance for an FNG or brother in law to post.  EH some of our #kotters and get them back.  The more the merrier… 

Don’t miss it!

Aye!

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