Category: Flight Plan

Memorial Day Murph at The Fort

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Step 1: Finish your regular Monday Post
Step 2: Show up at The Coop (Nation Ford High School, Ft. Mill) and do The Murph.
Step 3: Remember that Memorial Day isn’t just cookouts and pool time…

The Thang:
We began with a warm-up led by each of the Veterans who were in attendance (CSPAN, Blackhawk, Howitzer, and Apache – my apologies if I missed anyone, but that’s all I could remember). There were a number of Seal Jacks, SSHs, Imperial Walkers, and some Bro-ga…

We then brought it in to be reminded of why were really there. The workout is good, but Freedom isn’t free, and we were there to honor men and women who gave their lives for our freedom. So, after a lesson from CSPAN on how to count to 4, we moseyed to the track to begin.

47 Pax completed the following for time (some with 20lb weight vests, and some with our built in weight vests who competed in the “modified” category):
1 Mile Run
100 Pull Ups
200 Merkins
300 Squats
Another 1 Mile Run

And there you have it… Workout complete. Then we circled up and each man present read the name (either one that they brought or one that CSPAN provided) of a fallen serviceman/woman so we could memorialize them.

NMM:
It’s always humbling to do The Murph for me. Not just because it is very physically demanding and I get to see how many times guys like Mary Lou can lap me on a mile track, but also because I am reminded of the men and women that gave all so that regular folks like me can live free. It is a gift that is unmatchable, unrepayable, and undeserved, and for it, I am grateful.

I can’t speak for everyone’s faith tradition, but in my personal belief system, Jesus Christ gave His life willingly to pay for my sins, my stupidity, and my weakness that I may live again in the presence of my Heavenly Father with my wife and family for eternity. Through His sacrifice, He has made me free from the tyranny of the Devil, free from pain, from death, and from Hell. He did something for me (and all of us) that we could not do for ourselves. It is my feeling that in keeping with that pattern, anyone who performs a service for another that they could not perform for themselves is acting in a Christlike way. The fallen soldiers that we honored today (and the many, many more that went unnamed this morning) did much that same thing. They willingly gave their lives and sacrificed that I may live on Earth in this country with my wife and family. They have provided me freedom from the tyranny of evil men, and they have done for me things that I could not do for myself. Reading their names after a workout is small in comparison, but I like to think that they are looking down and that maybe they appreciate the fact that we are trying, in our feeble ways, to honor them. To acknowledge that we rise and sleep in a country that their sacrifice made possible…

Helmet, out…

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Pre-Blast for Memorial Day MURPH “FunHouse FunRun”

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If you don’t know by now, The Fort will be conducting the Annual Memorial Day Murph at NAFO high school (The Coop and Varsity AO).  This is a great opportunity to work out with The PAX to honor our service men and women. Post to your regular AO, then head over to NAFO for the double-down.  In addition to the workout, there will be awards handed out to those who perform at the top of the group.

However, there is one award that perked my ears, the Funhouse Pull Up award.  I assumed this award was for the PAX who increased their pull up count exponentially from the last go around (go search the last Fitness Test).  This was not the case.  ‘Casa de diversion’ (modified pull-up version aka the FUNHOUSE award)…..  “Don’t fall short, if you cannot or do not have a vest at least strive to perform your pull-ups without variation or as we stated above – try not to perform a #Funhouse so start working on those pull-ups today – you have time!”  So yes, YHC likes to modify.  Especially a freaking pull up. So why not “modify” the MURPH with a typical “FunHouse FunRun”?  Call it a triple-down.

So if you’re not afraid of modifying (CSPAN I see your “burpees” so I KNOW you love to modify) join me for this THANG:

Memorial Day – Monday, May 30th 0430

Start (Leg #1): 0430 at Trailhead Park in Tega Cay for a run to Flight Plan (Baxter Startbucks) ~ 4.2 miles

Leg #2: Flight Plan 0515 (YHC the Q) – I will find a suitable 4.5 mile loop that will get everyone ready to go do the MURPH- Total so far ~ 8.7 miles

Leg #3: Run to NAFO 0600 – There will be little time for COT at Flight Plan for those on the #FunRun, so I may hand this off to someone staying behind.  We must get on our horses and head out to make the 5.5 miles to NAFO in 50 minutes before the MURPH starts. The route is down 160 and take a left on 21 and then a right on 460 to NAFO. – Total so far ~ 14.2 miles

Leg #4: The MURPH – 1 mile run, 100 pull ups, 200 push ups, 300 squats and a final 1 mile run. Ugh. So final total mileage ~ 16.2 miles

So join YHC to “modify” your typical day.

 

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LAKE WYLIE LAUNCHES “THE DEEP”: A Pre-blast…

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Highly anticipated… and I anticipate your attendance to make it a launch of epic proportions… SO HC NOW. We will be looking for your support over the coming weeks as we launch this newest Region of F3. That support will come in the form of your willingness to Q, in your attendance at workouts, in your talking it up in COTs, and in EHing those guys that you KNOW desperately need the multitude of goodness that comes from F3. Someone gave it to you… Now it’s your turn… Call that buddy that lives in Lake Wylie or in Steele Creek area that you haven’t talked to in a while. Tell him your story. Then drag his a$$ to the AO for a glorious beatdown…

Where: Oak Ridge Middle School in Lake Wylie (5657 Oakridge Rd, Clover, SC 29710)
When: 0700 – 0800 on April 9th, and every Saturday thereafter until we either die or the Earth passes away…
Who: All Pax of F3 Nation that are up for it… (But particularly those in Lake Wylie and Steele Creek and surrounding areas)
What: Horribles. Lots of them.
Why: Oh… You know why…

Weinke sneek peak…
Let’s see… what should I tell you??? Let’s just say that there will be lots of speed work… Bear crawls… Oh, and a new exercise, called THE KRAKEN. You won’t want to miss that…

BE THERE.
Helmet, out.

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Last chance to order a FORT Region shirt (new colors)

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We will be doing a redesign of the FORT logo later this year, so this is your last chance to order the current FORT design before then. Think of it as a way to say you are a FORT region original before all the newbies arrive. For all of you wondering if we would ever have another option other than gray, you are in luck. MudGear just released red and royal blue!

The MudGear obstacle race jersey fits close to the skin without compression (tapered cut). Its highly breathable, wicks sweat, and has excellent drainage capability. This is the style all regions wear across this great nation of ours. Don’t you want to be a great American? Aren’t you proud of the hours of pain and gallons of sweat you lose with your F3 brothers? Why wouldn’t you get this shirt? Also available in badass black (standard F3 Nation uniform color for our workout ninjas). Is it visible to oncoming traffic at 0515? Nah. Does it need to be? Meh. Will you blend in with your surroundings? Probably. Will you look good wearing it? Heck yes!

Price: $33 (MudGear red, blue, black)

Also available is the black Sport-Tek Adult Competitor Tee. This one is lightweight, moisture-wicking, and breathable. It has a looser fit. This is the more cost-effective version. Not as durable, but just as sweet. Ladies cannot resist a man in black. Heck, there was even a movie (or 3) about men in black. Don’t you want to impress the ladies? Why wouldn’t you want to rock out a bad mama jama black F3 shirt? Show the CrossFitters what a real shirt looks like on a real #HIM! I hear it actually makes you do better merkins.

Price: $24 (Sport-Tek black)

The grey on black looks pretty sweet. Last day to order is 4/3/16. To save you shipping charges, I’ll deliver them to you when they arrive in late April. Get them before they are gone! Don’t look back on this and say, “I wish I would have gotten the shirt.” Just click below and order it now. Operators are standing by. Do it!

F3 The Fort Shirts Pre-Order

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Fighting Addiction – 2016 Joe Davis Memorial Resolution Run – THANK YOU!

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The 4th Annual Joe Davis Resolution Run took place on January 9, 2016, and, for the first time in the race’s 4 year history, the temps were not only not bone-chilling, they were perfect for racing!

As I have come to expect, a whole bunch of you #HIMs joined my family again this year to fight Addiction. We had 723 registered participants and at least 143 of those noted they were part of F3 Nation. (59 ran the 5k, with the Top 5 averaging 19:58. 64 ran the 10k averaging 39:39. #FAST) That is almost 20% and, combined with the 36 women from FiA, makes almost 25%! That spells IMPACT, men, and believe me, the community notices. In fact, they have come to expect a sea of black to descend on Walter Elisha Park one Saturday morning every January to lock shields and honor Joe’s memory by spreading awareness that a battle with Addiction does not mean the loss of Hope!

With your help, we raised just over $30,000 for Keystone this year, bringing our 4 year total to just over $97,000!!! No way this happened without the support of F3 the last 3 years. I am truly humbled.

You guys won’t ever know what your participation means to our family. I love seeing the leadership in motion and one of my favorite moments this year was looking out, as the sun rose, and seeing The Fort’s Worldwide Leader leading a COP/warm-up that was filled with race participants of all kinds in the circle! That is a great picture of what we need to do as #HIM.

WE NEED TO LEAD. If we do, others will follow.

Addiction is a monster and, even with the help of facilities like Keystone, those who struggle need YOU and ME. I wish I could tell you every story of when someone tells me, my mom, or my sister that this race matters. Many of you have told me. That is why we do it every year. We know it saves lives. If you were not there, or left early, the highlight this year for me was having a gentleman named Sean speak after the race. Keystone literally saved his life. He was at rock bottom and got his life back on track with Keystone’s help. It is hard for me not to think that could have been Joe, but Sean’s testimony helps us understand why we had to lose Joe. It was for God’s good.

Please know and be aware that Addiction is everywhere. You have no idea who is struggling. It could be a family member or a friend or a guy doing bear crawls beside you. Be there if you are needed. I hope everyone knows they can come to me if they are struggling. Anytime, anywhere.

So, some of you ran, some slept in for the cause, some volunteered, some prayed. YOU ALL MADE A DIFFERENCE!
Thank you and we hope to see you next year!

If you missed this event, I truly hope you will join us next year. You will no doubt see God’s work being done in a BIG way.

Special thanks to Slim Fast and Bushwood for Qing the event this year and to all the workout Q’s who supported it.

Special thanks also to The Fort Pax who have truly embraced this event on their home turf.

Special thanks to the men of Outland for their “virtual run” and gracious donation.

Special thanks to Subway in Metro and Riptide in Harrisburg for their constant RTs.

Special thanks to our sisters at FiA for their support.

In Him and with gratitude,
Rock Thrill

Please feel free to post comments about your experience below!

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PRE-BLAST: Uptown Lunch Gonna Funk You Up…

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Oh me, oh my…
The revival begins on Feb. 5 at 1130, and will continue on the First Friday of EVERY month going forward. PUT IT IN YOUR CALENDAR.
Location: Jason’s Deli in the Epicenter Uptown.

The 2nd F Uptown lunch had sputtered and maybe even stalled, but just like two good F3 men who don’t know when to quit (yes sir, may I have another?) Italian Job and YHC decided it was time to get serious and make it a thing again. (Because somewhere in my brain-damaged mind, seeing you fools in the Gloom isn’t enough…)

BUT! You say, can’t we go somewhere else? Jason’s Deli isn’t my favorite… Answer: It’s a free country. Do what you want. But WE will be here. Trust me, we wracked our brains to figure out the best spot based on seating capacity, price range, proximity, etc. This is the spot. The VSF is planted and this is the plan until further notice.
I mean, I get it. Jason’s isn’t exactly gourmet. Might not even be all that #FuelChallenge friendly, but kind of like First F stuff, if you came for the food only, you may be missing the point. So, spread the word to all your favorite Uptown-working PAX, tell it in the COTs, tweet it, etc., and get over there for some high-quality 2nd F.

Again, the details are above. To reiterate, Jason’s Deli in the Epicenter. The First Friday of every month. At 1130.

Questions? Concerns? Please feel free to bug Italian Job with that crap.

Otherwise, see you there. It’s Friday morning and we’re in the spot… Don’t believe me? Just watch…

Helmet, out.

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The Fort Fuel Challenge 2016

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Listen… We work out… Some of us work out most days a week.  So with all this working out, the question is: Why aren’t we shedding the love handles and the spare tire?  With the amount of physical torture we endure, we should be chiseled like a Marble Statue.

Alas, working out is only a portion of the plan… you have to stop eating garbage.

With that, I bring you The Fort Fuel Challenge 2016.  This is the new incarnation of what we did a little over a year ago (found here), but this time around you have experience on your side… I am not a professional, but we’ve done this before and have seen results.  YHC lost 7.5% of my mass (presumably fat), with the overall lead by Cash coming in at just shy of 10%.

The key to this isn’t calorie reduction (although that may be something you have to look into) and it isn’t about eating the same food every day for lunch.  You don’t need to starve yourself to see results, you just need to feed the machine the right fuel.  To feed yourself the right fuel, you need discipline and accountability.  That’s really what the Fuel challenge is all about…

So here’s the deal.  We are going to kick off on January 18th through February 29th.  This gives you two weeks to do two very important things… in fact, these are so important that I would propose that you cannot succeed in this program with out completing them:

  1. Clear out all the junk in your pantry/fridge.
  2. Get the M on board

Number 1 is easy.  Get rid of the junk now before you start.  Less junk means less temptation.  Eat it in the next two weeks if you have a problem with throwing it away, but get it out of your food storage before January 18th.

Number 2 is not as easy for some of us, but it is crucial.  You cannot do this in your house on your own, especially if your wife is eating a bowl of Ice Cream after dinner every night.  You will either come off as a self righteous prick or you will cave.  Neither of these is a recipe for success.  Get the M on board, she really wants to eat better too.

Base Program

The Fuel Challenge will give you a chance to test yourself with the support of your fellow men of F3.  And maybe after 6 weeks, you will stick to the plan (or much of it) in order to live a healthier lifestyle. The program will have a base list of items that are prohibited during the six weeks as follows.  This is mandatory and is really what will make the biggest difference in your quality of food intake.

  • No Fried Food
  • No Fast Food (inc. Pizza)
  • No processed snacks like Potato Chips, Candy Bars, Etc.
  • No Dessert
  • No Sodas or Sweet Tea
  • No Cheeses (including shredded, feta, or slices. Get it off your sandwiches and salads)(Cottage cheese will be allowed)
  • No Cream Based Sauces/Dressings (This Includes Fat Free Options for Ranch, Caesar, Alfredo, Etc.)

This seems like a significant challenge, especially for the road warrior, but you can do it.  You just need to be aware of what you are eating and plan.

You will receive ONE free pass per week – this could be a steak dinner, a pizza, etc. – no carryovers though, the pass can only be used that week – try to use your weekly pass in moderation.  Some call this a “cheat”, but use if you need to.

After week one, we introduce challenges, which are cumulative.   Some would argue the health benefits of a few of these, but I don’t think anyone can claim that limiting these items will have a detrimental effect on your well being.   Remember this is not about “dieting”, but about discipline.  Keep that in mind.

Here are the cumulative challenges:

Week 2 (and on) – No Red Meat
Week 3 (and on) – No Breads (Sprouted Grain is accepted)
Week 4 (and on) – No Pork
Week 5 (and on) – No White Starches (Potatoes, Pastas, White Rice. We’ll talk about substitutes)
Week 6 – No Dairy or Things Cooked in Butter

Just like last time, we’ve “modified as needed”.  Here are a few “Extra Credit” challenges for those so inclined.  These are not mandatory, so feel free to adopt whatever works for you.

  1. HC to F3 250.  For those that are at 2-3 posts a week, this could be a way to up your game.  Tracking F3 250 along with this attention to dietary details could be what takes your fitness (and physique) to the next level.  You can even track using this handy template.
  2. Implement Intermittent Fasting.  I’m planning on doing this and would encourage you to try the same if you can handle skipping breakfast.  There are numerous health benefits that are purported as side effects to Intermittent Fasting, but do your own research and try it if you think it makes sense.

Similar to last time, here’s how we’ll be tracking for accountability/encouragement from the participants:

  1. On January 18th, post your starting weight in the comments of this page. You have time to buy a home scale or find out where the one at your gym is. On the pending February 29th backblast post, you will post your weight using the same scale. This requires honesty and consistency. If you want to weigh yourself in the buff (don’t tell us) just do it both times. Same if it’s in underwear and t-shirt, swim trunks, etc. Having a scale also helps track progress along the way but is not the ultimate measure of health. You will need to post your weight on both posts. You will also track your weight on the My Fitness Pal page.
  2. Sign up for My Fitness Pal and download the app if you have not done so already (http://www.myfitnesspal.com/ ).  Enter in all of your information including starting weight. This will factor into your suggested daily calorie consumption. Send me (Gears) your MFP id so I can invite you to the group. You can reach me via twitter (@vinsonizer) or simply put the id in the comments below.  If you didn’t have enough options, you can just go to the following URL and request group membership: http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/group/100013-f3thefort
  3. Track your exercise and calories on My Fitness Pal. If you see really good results, guys may want to go back and see how you did it. The app allows you to scan bar codes, enter in recipes and ingredients to determine calories, and already has a robust library of foods from restaurants and grocery stores.  You can also enter in weight goals and it will help provide daily calorie count, protein, carb and fat limits. You gain higher limits to stay on track with your goals by entering in your workouts.

One last comment to reiterate the above: If you are moved to do so, please view this as an opportunity to exercise not only physical/mental discipline, but also spiritual discipline. Any type of fast can be leveraged as a catalyst for prayer and worship, allowing the limiting of the desires of the flesh to remind us of our dependence on SkyQ. My personal hope is that this will be fruitful in all the self-dimensions of our personal lives: Heart, Soul, Strength, and Mind.

If you are ready to go, comment below

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

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(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

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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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F3 Dads 2nd F Star Wars

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Gents

Make it a full on 2nd F weekend: December 20th, the day after the great F3 Christmas Party- (Thanks Funhouse!), we have another opportunity for 2nd F.  This is an F3 DADS event.  Bring your 2.0(s) boys and girls for the 3:50pm showing of Star Wars, The Force Awakens.

Here’s the deal:

  • What: Star Wars Movie
  • Who: All Pax and 2.0(s) (boys and girls) are invited.
  • When: Sunday December 20th
  • Where: Manchester Cinemas, Rock Hill, SC
    • Time: 3:50 show time.
  • Why: F3 Dads.  Spend time with our 2.0s and give them the same experience we had as kids.  And transport back to when we were kids ourselves.  Wearing your Han Solo jacket or Yoda ears is purely optional.

This is opening weekend and the screen cannot be reserved.  The 3:50 time slot will sell out.  Call the theater or book on line for this show time.  Currently there are 230 seats open.  I anticipate our group to be atleast 100-150 ppl.  25-50 Pax each with kids.  Book ASAP…that is, after you finish booking your tickets for the Christmas Party.

Q’s- talk up in your COTs

Thanks

 

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