June 21 changed the lives of many because of one man’s approach to life. Today we came together to honor Cheech aka John Flanagan, one of our F3 brethren who was called home to the Lord. We had 99 men from The Fort and surrounding areas but the number was 100 because Cheech was right there with us. We know this because what happened to Cheech could have happened to any one of us, and so that gives us all this connection we in F3 can only explain from being part of this PAX beyond our town of Ft Mill, SC  but across F3 Nation.

The Thang:

• Longshanks on Q at 0515 takes 21 for a 5 mile run to our mothership AO, The Fort. Once there they plant the Shovel Flag with a sleeveless shirt in honor of our fallen PAX Cheech. The crew heads back to The Yard for the main event.

• CSPAN on Q at 0515 with crew of 7 for a ruck through the woods before the boot camp.

• Old Bay on Q – Moderate:COP Warm-up
  * SSH
  * Windmills
  * High-knee around 1/2 the circle
  * Imperial walkers
  * Low Slow Squats
  * Toy Soldiers around 1/2 the circle
  * Merkins
  * Hello Dollies
  * Butt kickers
  * Flutters
  * Plank JacksCone drills -Zig-zag cones pattern:
  * Line up for run through by all (backwards run to start)
  * Shuffle through by all (backwards run to start)Zig-Zag Cone Drills
  * Line up for run through by all (backwards run to start)
  * Shuffle through by all (backwards run to start)
  Partner-up for flap-jack work
  1. LBCs –> lunges
  2. American Hammer –> bunny hops
  3. Peter Parkers –> Karaoke
  4. Flutters –> backwards lungesMosey to basketball goal for “One-Shot Basketball with Bucket o’ Pain”
• What Did and Flat Tire on Q Traditional:

• 30 + HIM took to the boot camp beatdown by WhatDid and Flat Tire. With what did on Q to kick off the beat down, we moseyed to the parking lot to circle up.- 25 SSH IC
  – 15 Moroccan night clubs IC
  – 15 windmills IC
  – 20 Mountain ClimbersWith a brief pause to recognize that Cheech lived an intentional life and achieved a goal of running 1,000 mikes in 2016.. the pax collectively banged out 1,000 merkins IC and loud.Then we moseyed to the bottom of the entrance/exit driveway for some Dora. The thang:100 LBC
  200 squats
  300 jump squatsWhile P- did the move, P2 ran up to the hill backwards then back down and switch.There was great mumble chatter on the increasing pain of the Dora. I reminded the pax that in life each day throws an elevated challenge to us and that because of what we accomplished before, we can meet that challenge. So yes, elevated pain was warranted.With that, the Q was handed to Flat Tire for some more pain!Hand off from What Did. Mosey back up the hill (finally) and Switzer in the side lot. YHC spoke some more about Cheech. He was just like us. He was one of us. He was us. We think about the tragedy of his passing and the family he left behind. Romans 12:15 says to “rejoice with those who rejoice and mourn with those who mourn.” We mourn the loss of our brother. But it also says in 1 Thessalonians 4:13 that we don’t grieve like those with no hope. Cheech had hope because he was a committed follower of Christ. He believed that Jesus died for his sins and through the finished work on the cross, he was forgiven and saved. He and his family and friends know his eternal destination is secure. The PAX was encouraged to make sure their destination is secure as well. AYE!Grab some curb for 20 dips OYO. Stay on the curb for round the clock merkin set. Start at 15 past the hour for a set of 10 merlons with left hand up on curb. Switch to 30 past for 10 Derkins. 45 past for 10 merlons with right hand on curb. On the hour for 10 inclined.Partner up for ab work. 2 sets each of partner assisted big boy sit ups and leg lifts.Mosey up to the school and grab some wall. Peoples chair in tight formation. First PAX peeled off for burpee broad jumps down the line then back on the wall. Crowd pleaser and everybody got a turn!

  Just enough time left for an encore. Australian Mountain Climber (complements of Rock Hill PAX). Balls to the wall then 10 inverted mountain climbers in cadence.

   

• Geronimo and Walker on Q Black Diamond:Mosey to pump station on the jeep trail on the east side of campusShort disclaimer
  Short warm up/stretchingBreak into buddy teamsGoal
  Take the hill!
  1st man starts doing Merkins at the first cone
  10 reps after 2nd man moves to the next cone and starts doing merkins
  1st man runs as fast as possible past the 2nd man and signals he is passing.
  Upon reaching the next cone he starts doing merkins
  2nd man does 10 more merkins after the signal and runs as fast as possible past the 1st man signaling as he goes.
  Repeat until all PAX take the top of the hill.Recon the area.
  Form 4 man teams
  Each team is given an area to “recon”
  Upon arrival at the location teams find their flag for further instructions:Location 1 and 2
  Sprint approx 100 yards
  20 Bomb Jacks
  Sprint approx 100 yards back
  40 MerkinsLocation 3 and 4
  Sprint 10 yards
  5 Burpees
  Repeat until reaching the other end of the Football fieldLocation 5 and 6
  Sprint across the lot carrying 1 brick at a time (2 bricks)
  50 Flutter Kicks
  Return the Bricks to start 1 at a time
  50 Flutter KicksLocation 7 and 8
  20 Derkins
  Lap around the Playground
  20 Dips
  Lap around the Playground
  Repeat 3 times for 60 reps total

  Area Secured…

• Turn over to Walker for further instructions.20 merkins, 20 squats – 5 rounds, 10 plyo merkins, 10 squats, 20 diamond merkins, 10 squats, 10 merkins with right palm down, left backside of hand down, 10 merkins with left palm down, and right backside of hand down, 20 merkins with backside of both hands down, 10 jump squats, 20-10s using a squat thrust as the exercise – for this routine you work hard as you can for 20 seconds and then rest 10 seconds for a total of 8 cycles. This adds up to 4 minutes of pretty intense work. I probably had us do a few more merkins and squats but I can’t remember all of it.

COT:

99 counted off and did namearma with 4 FNGs, Neymar Hat Trick, Green Monster and Gilligan.

YHC with some words on why Cheech is in each of us and it’s up to us to live like Cheech did.

I had 3 things that I was left with after the news of Cheech. So here we go…

First, Stinger from charlotte wrote a BB and spoke about “no wasted days”. I asked Anchorman to cover this as it really spoke to him as well. In summary;
-each day is a gift
-live with intention and purpose
-find who you are and who’s you are—–this is critical in the peace that Cheech had in life and his wife in this aftermath. 

Second, I saw picture of Cheech and family at Disney World. He was a man that had it all together and life was good.
In his F3 life he was being very intentional as well.
-1st F–challenged himself to running 1000miles and posting regularly
-2ndF–on Friday June 23 an FNG posted that Cheech invited. He was social and funny
-3rdF — Cheech was leading 3rdF study on Peter/Jesus relationship recently and I find it interesting as many of us approach Jesus the way Peter did.

Peter Walked and knew Jesus but did not change until he had encountered the resurrected Jesus.
We all might have heard of Jesus or think we know him, but have you encountered him?? Have to invited him into your life and made him Lord? I ask because just like Peter, Cheech was sold out for Jesus by the way he was living his life. Truly “I am 3rd”.

Third, Cheech seemed to be doing everything right yet still bad things happen We are left asking, why do these things happen? Why if even I’m doing the right things I still have storms in my life?

How many of us when hearing this story immediately thought the driver was at fault??
Cheech did everything right how could it be anyone’s fault but the drivers??

This reaction is evident of sin, naturally in us and also brokenness in the world, not God’s intention,  It creates disorder in Sky Q’s original order and when you have disorder bad things happen.

Before I go on, continue to pray for Becca, the driver of the car. Teenager who’s life has changed as well. God bless her as she has a strong faith and may God use her as he wills and all of this Glorifies him.

Cheech had order in his life in a disorderly world. We can learn from Cheech and I believe this is how we honor him most. Some things I learned about Cheech in two days;
He knew his Lord and Savior Jesus Christ
He loved his M and “loved loving his M”
He was a dad that was present and full of grace
He worked his way up in his company from part time to being a leader for 19yrs
He was a deacon and leader in his church
He was a leader in his community full of life and pouring into others around him.

Through knowing and encountering Jesus, Cheech had order in a disorderly world that gave him Peace and his M peace, and you too can have this peace.
No wasted days and leave no doubt of who you are and WHOS YOU ARE.

Thank you Cheech, thank you Jesus, and thank you PAX for allowing me to be a part of something that is way more than a workout.

Cake Boss 

When I’m 59, I want to be like Bruce Dickinson.

Disclaimer, etc.

Slow mosey around the bus loop and back to the side of the lot, near the recycle bins.
Back and forth across the basketball lot …
shuffle L, shuffle R
karaoke L, karaoke R
On the curb/short wall, 10 dips IC, 10 incline merkins IC
squat walkers 1/2 way, jog it out, windmill walkers 1/2 way, jog it out
imperial walker walker 1/2 way, jog it out, toy soldier 1/2 way, jog it out
On the curb/short wall, 10 step ups each leg
bear crawl 1/2 way, jog it out, powerskip back
run down at 50%, back at 75%, back all you got

Mosey to the end of the school, small lot nearest the school entrance
THE ENCORE
22 Acacia Ave (off 1982 Number of the Beast) … 22 single ct shoulder taps IC
Run to the Hills (off 1982 Number of the Beast) … run down the hill to Springfield Pkwy and back
The Prisoner (off 1982 Number of the Beast) … 22 power squats IC
Aces High (off 1984 Powerslave) … find a partner, 11 power merkins OYO
Run to the Hills (see above)
The Ides of March (off 1981 Killers) … OYO, 30 LBCs, 20 dips, 10 hand release merkins
Run to the Hills (see above)
Seventh Son of a Seventh Son (album and title track 1988) … 7 burpees, 7 bomb jacks OYO
2 Minutes to Midnight (off 1984 Powerslave) … 11 donkey kicks OYO, 58 Moroccan night clubs OYO
Run to the Hills (see above)
Deja-Vu (off 1986 Somewhere in Time) … repeat the first, 22 single ct shoulder taps IC
Mother Russia (of 1990 No Prayers for the Dying) … 10 Russian twists IC
Run to the Hills (see above)
Book of Souls (16th and current studio album) … 16 scorpion DD
Run to the Hills (see above) all the way back to the curb/short wall by the recycle bins

OYO 10 box jumps, 20 dips, run to the other side of the lot and back
OYO 10 each step ups, 20 dips, run to the other side of the lot and back
OYO, 10 derkins, 20 dips, mosey to the grass near COT
10 Makhtar N’Diayes IC
10 LBCs IC

COT, count, name-o-rama, announcements, prayers & praises

Looks like we made it,
Barry Manilow

8 high impact men came out to a nice Saturday morning moderate workout ready to encourage each other.

After the disclaimer, and some needed mumble chatter from Twister, we started out with a nice little mosey past the basketball courts with some high knees, butt kickers, shuffles, karaoke, and WWL skipping.  This was followed up with warmups including: SSH (x20), Imperial Walkers (x15), windmill (x10), monkey humpers (x15), merkins (x20), mountain climbers (x20), peter parkers (x10).

Now that the PAX were warmed up, it was time for some DORAs (plural).

DORA #1:

• 10 jump knee to chest (followed by a mosey from starting point to other end of parking lot after each exercise)
• 25 merkins
• 50 regular calf raises

Since wisdom is our word of the month, DORA #2 was same as above, but modified (which was wise given our moderate themed workout and what was ahead).

DORA #2

• 5 jump knee to chest (followed by mosey as noted above)
• 15 merkins
• 25 toes out calf raises

DORA #3

• 10 leg ups (each leg) using the benches by the school (followed by a mosey run as above)
• 30 dips
• 50 squats

Wisdom strikes again, as DORA #4 was DORA #3 cut in half and also with a partner for encouragement.

DORA #4

• 5 leg ups (each leg) using benches (and more running)
• 15 dips (16 for Twister)
• 25 squats

DORA #5 (with a new partner) – Partner A runs while Partner B does exercise until Partner A returns for relief

• 100 team total crab cakes (started out as double count, but wisdom struck again where half way through went to single count
• 200 Moroccan night clubs
• 300 shoulder presses

This was the end of DORAs but then we mosey’d over to the basketball courts where a piece of paper was waiting for us titled “Bye bye shoulders”.  Here we did as a group the following.

• 3 burpees (then 15 seconds Al Gore)
• 5 dive bombers (then 20 monkey humpers)
• 8 diamond merkins (then 20 calf raises)
• 10 wide arm merkins (then 20 flutters)
• 15 merkins (then 20 SSH)
• 20 carolina dry docks (then two 10 count rests)
• 25 plank jacks (then 30 seconds of Al Gore)
• 30 mountain climbers (then 25 LBC)

Then headed back to COT for 1 min of abs.

• 30 seconds of american hammer
• 30 seconds of flutters

Wrapped it up with name-o-ramma, announcements, prayers and praises.  Great having everyone out this am, thx for the added encouragement and of course the Saturday morning banter and mumble chatter.

Shady

Ten high impact men appeared out of the gloom to get stronger and push each other along.  QuickBooks and I were there to poke the bears as it were.

The first half(ish) we played around on the basketball court after COP.

After everyone was split up we did the following, all in cadence each round being five, ten, fifteen or twenty of each:

• Squats
• Single Leg Lunges
• Air Dead Lifts
• Merkins
• LBC’s
• Reverse Crunch
• (Hello) Dolly
• Superman
• Flutters

As every time I q this workout, I always have doubts I’ve made a wise choice about half way into it.  But we survived and you guys pushed through.  Great work!

Next up I handed the reigns to QuickBooks who had his eye on the rock pile.  It’s hilarious how I’ve been to so many AO’s now and almost all of them have random rock piles laying around, just waiting…

So we partner up and partner one runs up the hill with their rock buddy while partner two performs called exercise at the bottom of the hill.

When partner one is back, partner two runs the hill and grabs the rock and heads back down the hill and flapjacks.

We had time for about three rounds then headed to COT after depositing our rock buddies back in their home.

After YHC’s six was finally in the circle we called it a day.

Great work brothers, great to finally get my first Fort lead under my belt.  Thanks QuickBooks for taking us out and killing whatever muscle use we had for the rest of the day.

Always an honor to lead and be in the brotherhood.

DT out.

We brought it back to the origins of The Yard by combining a tough workout with sports. What should you do when it’s below freezing?

Play basketball! Make sense? Nope, and that’s why we did it. McGruff and Barry Manilow were going for the MVP title. The rest of us were going for ESPN highlights. #GloryDays

The Thang:

Mosey to the bus loop

COP: SSH (30x), IW (20x), WM (15x), Sumo Squats (15x), MC (15x), Merkins (15x), Penguins (20x)

Mosey to the basketball court

Play a game of five on five up to 10. Each basket counted as one point so it took forever before any team to win. #OLD

COP: Scorpions (15x each side), Superman (10 second counts), Burpees (5x OYO), Chopsticks (20x), Peter Parkers (20x)

Moleskin:

Life is too short to watch it pass you by. With the limited time that we have on this planet, be intentional with the following aspects of your life.

1) God – Practice thanksgiving daily, pray and read the bible on a daily basis.

2) Family – Spending time with them in one on one settings (e.g. Daddy & Me time, Date Nights).

3) Resources – Everything that we have comes from God. It’s only right to invest your resources (e.g. time, talent, money) to build His kingdom.

Life is short. We don’t get do overs. Be intentional.

Peace,

Deacon