Category: Pre-Blast

Yeti 2021 – The Beast Lives On

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  • QIC: Gears
  • When: 03/06/2021
  • Posted In: Pre-Blast

As the frigid wind sweeps across the region, the men of The Fort hear the wild call of a winter beast.  The annual appearance of the Yeti has been rumored for weeks…. and today is confirmed.

The Yeti is a formidable foe, offering roughly 13 miles of ground to cover including both road and trails with multiple pain stations along the route to challenge the PAX.  There is a relay option every 3 miles to cut the event up so it is manageable by all PAX.  There is also a ruck option for those who choose that method to challenge the beast.

This year’s edition starts and ends at the newest brewery in Tega Cay, Model A Brewing, at 8am for runners and 7am for ruckers.  This will setup an endex at roughly 11am for an amazing 2nd F experience for the Pax to cap off a brutal morning with beers and food.  Check the route here and the menu here.

Painstations:

Leg Routes (Strava):

High Level Turn by Turn:

  • Leave Model A, Up Stonecrest in Front of Walmart
  • Right on 160 all the way down to right on Sutton
  • Right on Founders Street then directly into the park (Painstation #1)
  • Follow trail route markers
  • Upon exiting the park go up Founders across Sutton up Market
  • Right on Shady Grove Crossing
  • Enter YMCA parking lot and go to the right lot by Soccer Fields (Painstation #2)
  • Leave YMCA from opposite end of parking lot on Third Baxter
  • Right on Market up to left on 160
  • All the way down to Dave Gibson, around to the Colosseum Parking Lot (Painstation #3)
  • Leave out the back of the school and then left on Dam Rd.
  • Left on Gardendale (watch traffic) down to a right on Orchid way
  • Dead end at Lake Ridge Community Center (Painstation #4)
  • Leave Lake Ridge Community Center going up Angelica to take a left on Coralbell Way
  • At Dam road, cross over to take a right onto to the sidewalk
  • Left on Stonecrest Blvd all the way back to Model A

And for those willing to go the extra mile, there will be a traditional Zima Mile option at the end for bragging rights.  This pre-blast will be updated with the route link once we cap off the finishing touches.

This is the premium winter CSAUP in the region, so order a shirt and then lookup three Kotters and get them to HC today.

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Acceleration

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  • QIC: Anchorman/Pusher
  • When: 03/20/2021
  • Posted In: Pre-Blast

I get it.  We’re all busy.  We’ve got work, kids, and wife vying for our time.  Pre-dawn posts work so well because we don’t take time from anyone to do it.

You’ve gotten faster.  Stronger.  Better.

And perhaps you’ve allowed COTs to open you up to speak on things you never thought you’d share before.

But what if your community needed you to do a little bit more?

Because what is in evidence in the world around us now is a lack of leadership and empathy.

I define empathy as the ability to see the world how someone else sees it.  I don’t have to agree with their view, but understanding where they come from allows me to open my view wider.

I have accomplished this through conversation, reading and podcast listening.  Not just of things that I would normally gravitate to, but subjects and people that would be polar opposite of where I am.  I take recommendations and consume them.

Because of this, I have been accused of being a mile wide and an inch deep, but it makes me fun at cocktail parties (remember those?)

All this leads me to an idea I’ve had floating around in my head for a while.  I like Q Source.  But I’ve felt like there is a more to discuss when it comes to leadership and growth outside that book.  2020 opened up the world of podcasts to me, and with it a lot of different ways of thinking.

So after consulting with Pusher, Barry Manilow, Double D and others, I’d like you to set aside some time for 6 weeks starting March 13 post workout on Saturdays for Acceleration.

Acceleration is a discussion lead by a Pax who share with all of us a podcast or an article that has struck something inside of them. At this point, I have no idea what subjects will come up.  There won’t be a common theme – other than something that made an impression on the Q and them sharing it with you.  It could be leadership or parenting or faith or how to build shelves.

The Thang:

Double D will kick us off week one.  On March 13, he will let you know what podcast or article you need to consume.  You will have that week to do so.  That Saturday the 20th, he will lead discussion on his chosen article or podcast.  He will want to hear your takeaways.  Your disagreements.  How it could change something in your life.

And the kicker is, you might not agree with the premise or conclusion.  It may be outside anything you’ve thought about before.  It’s a challenge.  That’s the idea.

Just like anything, you will have to put in a little work to get the most out of it.

Following weeks will work the same.  Q will announce his chosen article or podcast one week prior to his Q, so you will have 7 days to get it done.  This will be in-person only.  Location TBD but will be outside so being a chair.

We get better together.  Staying in our own echo chambers consuming what we always consume puts us in a rut.  This is a start to try a new path.

What will the you after six weeks be able to see that the current you can’t now?

Step up.  Step forward.  Contribute, listen and learn.  It’s all about Acceleration.

 

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We Stand Alone Together

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We Stand Alone Together

B.L.U.F. – Changes are coming to Fire Ant.  New start time – 0500.  New location – Tega Cay Elementary School.  New name – Currahee.  Launch date is Feb 2.  Read on to understand the why.

The purpose of this change is to establish a ruck AO that is purposefully built to be a harder option.  This will be THE place to come to prepare for your ruck events.  Even if you are not doing an event it will be the place to show up when you are ready to put in max effort and push yourself beyond what you thought you were capable of.  As I stated when I first took over Fire Ant, this is the not the place to come “to get some miles”.  There are other options, very good ones mind you, for that (if you haven’t been to Sole to Soul you are missing out).  This AO is built around purposefully seeking pain and discomfort because we know it is only through these things that we can truly grow.  Let me explain each change a bit more…

Schedule is 0500 – 0600 each Tuesday.  There is a lot that can be done in this extra 15 minutes.  Rather it be allowing for greater distance to be covered or just extra pain the 1-hour format asks a bit more from the Pax and requires a bit more of the Q resulting in growth.

New location is Tega Cay Elementary School.  New location is better suited for more ruck style pain.  Available options, for those who haven’t visited Pantheon, include a very large field, hills, plenty of parking lot, on site coupons, short travel to Tega Cay trails (more hills) and the playground set in the back.  I too will miss seeing the guys at Golden Corral, but this change will allow Ruckers to stretch themselves beyond what is available now I believe.

New name (effective Feb 2) is Currahee.  If you are not familiar with this word, I highly recommend watching Band of Brothers.  It is a Native American word meaning “to stand alone” or “to stand alone together”.  When the paratroopers were first getting established the 506th Airborne Regiment were training at Fort Benning, Georgia.  They would run 3 miles up and 3 miles down Currahee mountain.  This was a brutal test of strength and endurance and truly only the strongest would make it.  That is the tone the new Currahee AO will set.  We stand alone together (not as individuals) and apart from others as we choose to do the harder thing – the thing that even we didn’t think was possible all in an effort to be an elite group of men ready to take on whatever comes at us.

So…if this excites or intrigues you then prepare yourself and be ready to post each week to embrace the pain and the discomfort and ultimately the strength that comes from it.  See you Feb 2 0500 Tega Cay Elementary School.  1-2-3 Currahee!

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Only one thing stopping you….

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…that’s you.  Here’s a fun quote for you, “Do your future self a favor and work hard now.”

There’s been a lot said right now about New Years resolutions, and One-words, and goals for the year.  My question to you is have you acted on any of it?  Have your written anything down regardless of what you want to do?  There is a solution out there to get you thinking and it will take less than 30 min (I would highly recommend thinking about one-word too).  I’ve included a link at the bottom for anyone interested in the ~30 min 8-blocker that CSPAN does.

Once you’ve done this, share it with another PAX or ShieldLock (SL) if you have a SL.  This will be your accountability tracker for at least the next 6 months if not 12.

Moving on to my topic – NoOYO or No On Your Own.  This is HUGE right now and I can’t overemphasize this enough.  There are a lot of sad clowns, lonely guys, PAX / Kotters (guys that haven’t posted in a while) out there right now that need you!  Covid isn’t helping but this is where you can step in.  Each of us has this…probably using it right now as it’s a little computer we call a phone sitting in your hands.  Think of 1-3 guys who you haven’t seen or spoken to in a while, a neighbor down the street who doesn’t know F3, a Kotter or a fellow PAX that is at home.  Reach out to them.  Give them grace and don’t badger them to come to a workout…especially when you may not know their situation.  Offer to meet them at a workout, meet them 1:1 for a walk or run (if they want to be socially distant from you), offer to be an ear to talk to or maybe just meet for a coffee and talk through car windows if that makes them comfortable.  Point being, be the HIM (High Impact Man) you are.  Remember, “we leave no man behind, but leave no man where we found him”.  Here’s my advice: expect excuses, but don’t give up.  Remember the excuses you gave if you were one of those guys and how much F3 has changed your life (or maybe you’re new and still seeing what it’s doing – that’s ok too – and very exciting).  Biggest thing is to not be the guy who turns them off or pushes them away.  Maybe your selling point needs to change or maybe joining them for a virtual beating or 2nd or 3rdF is more what they need right now.

I was reminded this past week how much F3 meant to me.  I spend Christmas and New Years in Michigan on the east side of the state where F3 doesn’t exist.  It was cold and grey and snowy and was not very motivating or enticing to go outside.  But when I thought about taking a week off and being in the back with you knuckleheads, that was the spark I needed to dress appropriately and get my butt out the door.  When I’m reading slack and feeling the FOMO, or seeing the text messages from my SL about how bad the beating was that morning, that spark was fanned.  So I put on my layers and set out to catch up on my 1000 burpees for December and my run prep for D2D.  You know what happened on my run?  First I got cold, but then it got lonely.  Lonely is not a fun place to be. When I started thinking of you all, the loneliness subsides.  Here’s the difference between me (or what we have) and a sad clown – you’re able to draw from what you’ve experienced in F3 and push yourself.  You also have someone barking in your ear when you don’t workout or when don’t show up for a SL meeting or a 3rdF event.  Sad clowns don’t have this because they’re flying solo and don’t have those accountability partners.

I personally can’t imagine living like that now that I have experienced this thing we call F3.  I told my M (my wife) that if we ever moved back to Michigan (which I don’t see that happening anytime soon thanks to the cold and snow we re-experienced when we were there), I would start F3 immediately!  We aren’t meant to be alone and honestly, it’s 100x more fun when we get to be together!

Takeaways:

  1. Continue thinking about your one word – and then share it!
  2. Do the 8 blocker (link below) – this can be very intimate so share accordingly but plan to share
  3. Reach out to 1-3 guys

Remember that this all starts now.  What are you waiting for?

 

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60

Christmas Presents Abound

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  • QIC: Gears & Boss Hogg
  • When: 12/24/2020
  • Posted In: Pre-Blast

Pax, we come bearing gifts for our annual Christmas Eve convergence at Pantheon (TCES).

First Up: The Santa Boss 5k/10k @ 0600

This year Boss Hogg is transforming the Clave Boss to the Santa Boss 5k/10k, and he’s going to the next level to support the Dam 2 Dam fundraising:  An anonymous donor has pledged $10 for every PAX who runs the 5k and $20 for every PAX who runs the 10k.  All proceeds go to Harlan’s Heroes.  On top of this, there will be “AMAZING” prizes for the top 3 finishers in each distance.

The Main Event: Convergence @ 0700

As in years past, we’ll have three Q’s to cover Boot Camp, Kettle Bell, and Ruck Workouts.  We’ll throw down at 7am for a 60 minute workout to start your day off right.

Extra Credit: Coffeeteria @ 0800

After the workout, spend time with your Brothers at the premier Christmas Eve Coffeeteria in the Fort Region.

We hope to see you all there, and Merry Christmas.

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Dam to Damn Bar 10K

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Pay attention The Fort pax, you will want to do this event:

When: January 30th 2021, 10:30AM Ruck/Walkers; 11:00AM Runners

Where: Race start is at Catawba River Access (Fort Mill Dam), and ends at Amor Artis Brewing on Main St. Fort Mill.

Course at: https://connect.garmin.com/modern/course/42887530

Who: any/all F3 Pax, FiA crew, and the general public are allowed to participate

Why: 1) Proceeds go to Harlan’s Heroes, which supports families dealing with pediatric cancer, 2) great warm up to the Dam2Dam race, and 3) one free beer per participant and fellowship/fun times will be had post-race at Armor Artis!

Cost: Registration is $40…remember you’ll get one beer and a tee shirt is included!  Payment options: Venmo: @Joe-Lyons-17 and mark as Harlan’s Heroes, or check to Rick Baldwin.

How: Register at https://www.signupgenius.com/go/9040a49aaab2aa2fd0-damtodamn

Sign up now, space is limited to 100 entrants!!

D2DB 10K Route

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We have much to be Thankful for…

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You may be feeling like 2020 will never end…. There have been obstacles put in your way all year.  You may be hung up  on all the challenges you’ve faced.

You may think you are ready to just sleep till January 1st.

I want to invite you to wake up, take a step back, and look around you.  Take a look at your brothers to the left and right.  Remember that guy who reached out to you during lock down to make sure you were ok, and maybe even convinced you it was time to come back out and post again.  Remember that we live in a free country, regardless of your political views, and democracy is a gift.

Remember that we have the freedom to converge and count our blessings.

This Thanksgiving we will continue The Fort tradition of a Thanksgiving convergence at 0630 at The Ranch.  We will celebrate what we have here in the region as we complete #AssKickingAutumn.  We will be led by two HIM who will push you physically but will also ask you to take stock in what you are thankful for.

We are blessed to be here with our brothers.  We are blessed to have you.

HC now, you’ll be thankful you did.

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Christmas Party 2020

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  • QIC: Backdraft
  • When: 12/04/2020
  • Posted In: Pre-Blast

Holiday Party 2020- 2nd F

When December 4th, 2020 7pm-10pm
Where: Regal Manor Clbhouse 585 Starlight Dr., Fort Mill, SC 29715

Come out and celebrate the Holiday season with some of your F3 brothers and their M’s. Unfortunatly like this past year this party will be a bit differant. We are going to be limited on the amount of people so the first 40 couples to sign up and pay will get to attend. I know that i do not like to have to limit the amount of people but Covid-19 and the rules of the clubhouse have to be followed.

We will have a signup genius coming out soon or you can reach out to YHC directly.

The cost will be $60.00 per couple and that will include attendance, dinner and awesome background mixtape put together by Flattire. This event will be bring your own alult beverages. Not sure what some of yall like. Some non-alcoholic drinks will be available.

Look forward to seeing some of yall there. Dress code is whatever you like but no nasty terrible smelling workout shirts. Be festive and wear a mask if you feel the need. Payments will be made through paypal. thefortF3@gmail.com put in notes this is for Christmas party.

Backdraft-
twitter- jwosje1

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pre_blast_METTLE FORGER_new_gear_AO

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Friends:

I’d like to make available the training gear I’ve accumulated as part of my personal training venture to the Pax of The Fort and start a new Gear AO!

What:  Dealers ( Q ) choice gear AO.

Where: 12:15 pm on Fridays at Turner Field parking lot in Tega Cay.  45 minutes in length.  Inaugural workout on Friday, 10/23.

Why:  To serve the Pax who have flexibility to work from home or may not be early risers.  To reinvigorate Kotters or recruit new FNG’s who need a shieldlock.

How:  the Weinke could include the gear in my trailer or based on the Q’s of the day preference like kettlebell, ruck, or a combination of all.  I will assist the Q’s in setup.

Special Bonus:  a commemorative patch will be awarded to the first 10 Pax who post!

FAQ:

What gear will Bear Grylls make available to the Q’s?

    • The contents of my trailer include sandbags, kettlebells, dumbells, barbells, slam balls, TRX, battle ropes, jump boxes, bench, water jugs, squat rack, strength sled, speed and agility equipment and resistance bands.  A full gear list will be provided to Q’s so they can build their Weinke.

What if the weather turns bad, will the equipment be ruined?

    • Most of the equipment is rubber-coated, however, we won’t use any bare metal items if there is precipitation.  The Q of the day can always revert to a run or boot-camp model.  There is a soccer and baseball field at Turner which provides many pain-station options.

Other questions and concerns can be sent to Twitter at F3_BearGrylls or on Slack.

 

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New Fellowship Ruck AO Official Starts 9/10 at 5 am

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The fellowship ruck Sole to Soul that we have been doing unofficially for about 3 months has been gaining momentum so we have official start  date of 9/10 at 5 am. We shoot for  4 plus miles every Thursday starting at Panera Bread in Kingsley followed by Hanging with Stang afterwards. What better way could you start your day with a awesome mumblechatter while rucking and a great conversation afterwards with a great sunrise. Join YHC as we launch this AO. I look forward to seeing you in the Gloom.

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