This weeks’ work travel took me over to the Field of Dreams AO with the pax in Cary, NC.  While it was a terrible workout, I had to share some of the exercises with my brothers back home..so off we went.

Weather: 60’s – darn near perfect.

The Thang:

Run around the Pantheon circle with high knees, butt kickers and karaoke x2 to the COP:

COP:

• Good Mornings x 10 IC
• Windmill x11 IC
• Imperial Walker x15 IC
• Mountain Climber x15 IC
• Peter Parker x10 IC
• Side-straddle Hops x30 IC

With a short-ish mosey over to the soccer fields, the fun was just about to begin.  First up was four corners around half of the soccer field after breaking the group into two. Group 1 started with the mode of transportation while Group 2 started with the exercise on the first corner. 10 reps of each exercise:

• Bear Crawl/Carolina Dry Docks
• Guerilla crawl/Squats
• Lunge Walks/Lunge Jumps
• Franksteins/Star Jumps

In keeping with the soccer field theme, we performed 2 figure eights around the soccer field.  Karaoke along the sideline – facing the field, hard across the center line, karaoke facing field down to opposite goal line, hard across goal line, karaoke up the sideline to mid-field, hard across mid-field, karaoke to other goal line, ending with a hard spring to the starting corner.  This was done twice, the second time with side shuffle facing the field instead of karaoke on the second figure 8.

With only a few more minutes to spare, we headed over to the Pantheon short track and group 1 ran a lap while group 2 did merkins.  Once the lap was complete, flip flop.  We were able to get in 2 rotations of this fine gem and them we moseyed over to the COT as the Pantheon lights came on.

COT:

Announcements

• Keep an eye on Twitter for a possible visit from Olive, our brother from Isotope who lost his daughter very suddenly.  There is a good likelihood he will be at WEP on Saturday, 5/21
• May 21 Fastest 5K
• May 21 Cannoli Run with an 8am 30-minute bootcamp followed by an F3 led stretch at 8:45
• Continue to bring snacks for CAH, team with most snacks at Fastest 5k gets their choice of lane
• Get with Cerrano for more details on the 24 hour of Booty (participate or donate)
• Marriage Challenge – Day 2

Prayer Requests

• Pyro’s brother in law deployed to Germany/Poland
• Prayers for patience for raising 2.0s
• Prayers for Larry and his wife who was recently diagnosed with cancer
• Payers for Bear Grylls brother battling addiction

It was great to see my friend, David Lando (Notorious) finally chose to jump in to F3 with both feet. He has been asking me about it as he sees my posts on Strava and had a co-worker in Raleigh mention how great it is to hit workouts all over the Carolinas.  Notorious also travels the Carolinas for work so we will have to get him the imaginary F3 Passport also!

136 items collected for the CAH today.  Great job!

I am humbled to lead such a great group of HIM and look forward to my next opportunity at Q.

Till next time…Bing out.

That is correct! What better way to celebrate the 1 year anniversary of Pantheon than by creating a parade of horribles that will be timed, recorded and celebrated. For the entire year it’s all about U vs U and getting better. For this one day, it’s going to be about #winning. It’s going to be about giving it all you got and seeing if it was enough! The games will involve strength, speed, endurance and will definitely involve a mental component. We will be timing everything and points will be awarded for every category. We will publish in the backblast the top 3 finishers for each category, as well as the top 3 overall #winners. Here are the categories:

Pantheon Games
• Merkins AMRAP (2 minutes)
• Sit-ups AMRAP (2 minutes)
• Burpees AMRAP (2 minutes)
• 100 Yard Bear Crawl Dash
• 1 Mile Timed
• Balls to the Wall (2 minutes or until only 1 PAX is left)
• Timed 6 inch hold (2 minutes or until only 1 PAX is left)
• Stair Run Timed Not enough space or time
• Burpee Chase

Unlike most workouts, this one will start promptly at 0500. Let’s be honest, if you can get there by 0515 you can get there by 0500. If you show at 0515, you can still participate but may miss out on a few categories. This will be a great time for the PAX to see how hard they can push themselves. This will be a post not to miss!

Aye!
Zima

14 ready Pax and perfect weather awaited YHC for another run at Q at #Pantheon. It was dark and outlines of the Pax was about the best I could make out before I noticed a beam of light heading in our direction…based on speed alone, I guessed a shooting star but alas, ’twas Aquaman rolling in to the gloom hot from a little EC run. So, after a quick FNG check (none) and a disclaimer (lackluster), we headed off into the gloom.

Counterclockwise mosey around the main parking lot/drop off area with a healthy mix of butt kicker, high knees, side shuffles, knee pulls and ankle pulls before heading over to the back parking lot to circle up and warm up…

Warm-Up: 10 WM, Plank series, 20 SSH, 10 Low Slow Squats, 20 Slooooow Merkins, Maybe something else, I forget..

THE THANG (partner up):

Round #1 (200 Merkins): Partner #1 completes Burpee broadjumps from one island to the next (approx. 40 yrds) then moseys back around to Partner #2 to continue chipping away at the 200 Merkins.

Round #2 (200 Squats): Partner #1 completes Inchworms from one island to the next (approx. 40 yrds) then moseys back around to Partner #2 to continue chipping away at the 200 Squats.

Round #3 (300 LBCs): Partner #1 completes Gator Merkins from one island to the next (approx. 40 yrds) then moseys back around to Partner #2 to continue chipping away at the 300 LBCs – CROWD PLEASER!

Mosey over to the 3-leveled Amphitheater – one of my favorite locations of any Fort AO

Round #1: Bearcrawl up level 1, Backwards bearcrawl up level 2, Bearcrawl up level 3 – 10 Burpees at the top then mosey back down

Round #2 Sprint to the top – 10 Hand release Burpees then mosey back to the bottom

RINSE & REPEAT

Mosey back to the COT to stick the landing at 0600.

Time flew by this morning and that was all we got to despite a few more fun twists awaiting on the mental Weinke…Great work by all involved and an absolutely perfect morning in the gloom!

Thanks as always for the honor to lead such a group of HIMs. Truly a pleasure.

Thankful for the reminder form our Site Q Zima that I had the Q this morning, I love the Pantheon especially since it’s walking distance from the house.  Great to see all the cars already there eager for a great workout as I walked on a beautiful clear chilly morning,  Seems especially dark as I can’t seem to make out who anyone is.  As the Pax assembled it was obvious that we were in for a treat with a Who’s Who of The Fort and Rock Hill as well as a mumble chatter Who’s Who , thanks for Atlas and Italian Job for making the trek over the river.  No FNGs, disclaimer given along with the initial installment of our message today on taming the tongue and Fatherhood, and we’re off.

Mosey thrugh the parking lot with some High Knees, butt kicks, toy solders and other dynamic warm ups I can’t remember. As we head to trailhead park there is many comments about this not being Tempo and concern about hills.  Circle up in the Trailhead parking lot

COP

SSH, Low Slow Squats, IW, Mountain Climber, Ski Abs, Frogger(crowd Favorite)

Head down to the Basket Ball Court

7s up the hill with Merkins and Jumping Lunges

4s Bear crawl up the hill with CDD & Bombjacks

4s Bunny Hop up the hill with Diamond Merkins & LBCs

One last run up the hill to the playground, and before recess is over 10 Pull ups, 20 Dips and 20 Swing Abs.

Recess is over, head back to school.  Lunge walk in front of the school, sprint back to start(Fishsticks is fast and Italian Job is VERY fast)

Crab walk the front of the school(again Italian Job is very fast, even as a crab)

6 minutes of Mary with the Pax calling the exercise

LBC,Protractor, American Hammer, Grave digger(Left & Right), X & O and Cakeboss finished us off with the Makhtar N’Diayes.  I called time and COT although there was a very pungent odor that came for the area of DH that caused the pax to already be moving quickly to COT.

I must admit that before Zima reminded me about my Q I was planning to Smartsack this morning, but it didn’t take long for the infectious enthusiasm of the Pax to push all those thoughts out of my head and it was and awesome morning. The message for the day was around taming the tongue, and being careful to not be boastful because when we boast we tell those that can hear us that it’s all about us, when as children of God we know that it is all about Him.  When we remember that everything we have is a gift from The Father that we neither earned or deserved, the words that come from our mouth will reflect humility & grace.  Remember the only thing we have to boast in is The Cross of Christ. Here is a link to the message I preached on the topic last week in interested https://www.eternalchurch.net/sermon-archive

Announcements – Lake Wylie launch Sat 7:00, CAH Sat. 11:00 for some kickball, 3rd F convergence 4/15 Eternal Church office, Italian Job looking for some help to set up a concert on Saturday(pre-blast to come).  Bunch of other stuff(read the newsletter)

Prayers – Healing and encouragement for ailing Pax, Dark Helmet co-worker who lost his daughter to cancer, Royale lost a friend to an aneurism recently, prayers for her family. Smokey’s daughter is in the hospital dealing with dehydration, prayers for her recovery and wisdom for the Drs. to figure out proper treatment.

Work travel has been ridiculous as of late, causing me to have to get replacement Q’s way too often (thanks to the Pax for stepping up).  While I have enjoyed meeting Pax from across the F3 Carolinas, it was great to be home much of this week.  When Zima asked me to cover for our wounded brother Cable Guy (get back soon!), I jumped on the opportunity.  I am so honored and humbled to lead such a great group of men.

Weather: Balmy 41 degrees (joking)

Clock struck 5:15 and we were off.

The Thang:

A lap around the carpool drive with some high knees, butt kickers and karaoke to shake off the morning chill.  Ended the warm up lap down in the Pantheon Amphitheater (we need to come up with an appropriate name for this area),

COP:

• Windmill x10 IC
• Imperial Walker x10 IC
• Mountain Climber x20 IC
• Planking – all different varieties (left arm, right arm, 6-inches)
• Side-straddle Hops x30 IC

Merkin Ladder, also known as pure torture.  Run up to top sidewalk for 20 merkins, back down for 19 merkins, repeat until to 0.  210 Merkins if you are counting.  We were all disappointed that FishSticks wasn’t in attendance to join us, as he has created this monster of merkins.

Mosey to the playground behind Pantheon.

15x dips coupled with suicides on the basketball court x4

Mosey over to the parking lot on the side of Pantheon.

Lucky 7 (Thanks for the inspiration in your backblast, Longshanks).

• 7 Squats
• 7 Mountain Climbers (3 count)
• 7 Carolina Dry Docks
• Lap around the nascar track (all lefts)
• Rinse and repeat 7 times

Perfect timing as the lights came on as we moseyed back over to our launching point.

COT:

Announcements

• F3 Bicycle club starts Saturday, 7am, Baxter Starbucks
• Nun Run in Rock Hill – April 9
• Lake Wylie launch – April 9
• May 21 Fastest 5K
• May 21 Cannoli Run

Prayer Requests

• Safe travel for those traveling for work and/or spring break
• Focus – work and personal
• For Smokey during a very trying and challenging time at work, prayers for patience and clear vision for a resolution
• Patience

It was a true honor and pleasure to lead the pain this morning.  I often think back over the last 7 months and am amazed at how much my life has changed due to F3.  Upon first glance at F3, I dismissed it quickly thinking it wasn’t for me.  Who gets up that early in the morning to exercise? I was a runner and was fairly happy with my running, but I knew something was missing.  I HATED doing core, but knew it would only help.  Now, I hate when I miss a workout and realize that F3 is exactly what I needed, getting stronger, physically, spiritually and as a dad/husband. If you haven’t had a chance to participate in the 2nd and definitely the 3rd F, give it a shot. You won’t regret it.

Thank you for all the support and encouragement and the motivation to prove the rumors of my hatred for merkins as false! I knew what your plan was all along, FishSticks!

YHC had the honor of covering for Bing for a Q at one of my favorite Fort locales…the Pantheon.  I’m always drawn to the amphitheater and couldn’t resist her draw again today.  Fantastic group of men with the highs and lows of P200 still in their heads and the adoration of the non-P200 Pax (YHC included) still be feverishly handed out.  It’s been said a hundred times already but it can be said a hundred more – FANTASTIC JOB REPPIN’ THE FORT and getting out of your respective comfort zones to tackle such a feat with your fellow brothers. Now off to see if those legs have recovered.

The morning started off with a disappointing text from the one-and-only Apache indicating that he was going to miss The Pantheon and post at a Rock Hill AO (always a good choice by I do loving having Apache around).  That text was quickly followed by a “Chicken” text from CSPAN who was down-range.  Then things got silent…

5:15 hits and we begin our warm-up mosey around the parking lot…lo and behold, I feel a bump on my right shoulder and none other than Apache had rolled in hot to join the fun!  Spirits and volume lifted by his presence we continued the warm-up:

High knees, butt kickers, side shuffles both ways, knee pulls, etc. until we circled up near the mouth of the amphitheater.  Nice continued stretching warm-up there with:

1. Good Mornings;
2. Plank series;
3. Soccer knees (in and out);
4. SSH
5. WM
6. Sloooow squats
7. Sloooow merkins.

The Thang

1. Mosey to the base of the amphitheater for a round of 11’s starting with 1 merkin at the bottom and 10 burpees at the top.
2. As we were winding up the 11’s, it was brought to YHC’s attention that it was Spiderman’s birthday…mosey to the back of the school
3. Balls to the Wall with a rousing rendition of “Happy Birthday” – quite the head rush.
4. Mosey down to the far base of the steps….stealth mode (Apache still needs work with this but his efforts were commendable) for the following:
   1. Sideways run-up approx. 50 stairs to the mid-way point and then jog it back down;
   2. Reverse direction sideways run-up back to the midway point, jog it back down;
   3. Jumping Squats back to the midway point, jog it back down;
   4. Apollo Ohnos back to the midway point, jog it back down;
   5. Low Squat double steps back to the midway point them mosey back to the top of the stairs.
   6. Once at the top, 4 Pax took on the short landings of steps with quick feet 1 up, 1 down, 2 up, 2 down, etc. etc. until the top.  Remaining Pax did some ab lab until that got boring and YHC audibled to running laps while the remaining Pax completed the quick-steps.
   7. Mosey back to the front of the school for some “Lawyer Up Burpees” (Drop down to 6″ pushup and bring both knees to elbows, extend to top merkin position and bring knees to elbows and then complete the burpee with a jump up = 1)
5. Hit the COT

Wonderful group of 17 today that took it all in stride even when the last part became a bit cumbersome due to the number of Pax.  As always, I appreciate the opportunity and honor to lead such a group of #HIM.