Category: Run ‘n Gun

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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Run-n-Gun – Cake Boss stroll around the lake

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  • QIC: Cake Boss
  • When: 03/09/16
  • Pax: Rebel, Corn Hole, Cobra Kai, Bolt, Freebird, Mainframe, FNG Backhand, FNG Atlas,
  • Posted In: Run 'n Gun

9 PAX came to the VQ version of Run-n-Gun by Cake Boss. YHC has never posted to RnG and I thought I don’t have the right to Q that gem, however I was on the list and my number was up, so I took it! It was my responsibility to lead that night and I prepared a plan and regardless, led the PAX for a little beatdown.

Couple FNGs came out and I was not expecting that, but they did great and held strong with the group. Thank you CSPAN/Bolt for the Q…..very honored

The Thang:

25Merkins

1 mile run around lake and school, back to soccer field

25 merkins, 25 lbcs

1 mile run around lake and school, back to soccer field

25 merkins, 25 lbcs, 25 squats

1 mile run around lake and school, back to soccer field

25 merkins, 25 lbcs, 25 squats, 25 plank jacks

COT:

Mud run and some other announcements on the newsletter

Prayers for Corn Hole and career changes and Prayers for Rebel with ultrasound on liver

Way to go Backhand and Atlas for coming out to a tough workout and hanging strong. 5 of 9 went to Six Pence for bite to eat and some liquid carbs. Great night and humbled by the awesome PAX!!

Cake Boss Out!

 

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The Yeti 2016, No One Died…

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If there was one phrase that rang true for this epic CSAUP, it was this…”Don’t die!” There was a lot of excitement leading up to The Yeti and possibly a little training. There were whispers of “I’m a little nervous” and “17+ miles is a lot” and “I wonder what the pain stations will be like.” All that said, 60 #HIM from 5 Regions (Fort, Rock Hill, SOB/Indian Land, Gastonia and Area 51) wanted a taste of this beast of a track! Categories ranged from running the whole thing (Yeti), Running and Biking (Iceman), various relay options, as well as a couple of made-up categories.

Temperatures were perfect for this thing to happen. PAX started arriving at Pantheon at 0530 to kick this thing off. But before we get to The Thang, there is a cast of characters that needs to be recognized:

Your Qs: YHC (Yeti Warmup), Crash (Iceman Warmup), Package, Spitz and Cable Guy
Paxarazzi: Solid State, Bolt and Spud
Support: Hasselhoff, Cobra Kai & Professor (While they did the relay)

Thanks to all of the PAX that made this CSAUP a success. It’s your event and you made it happen! And now…

The Thang (0600 Yeti & 0700 Iceman):

BOM

Mosey around the carpool lane at Pantheon w/ dynamic stretches (Butt Kickers, High Knees, Karaoke both sides) and then circle up on the field:

COP
• SSH X25
• IW X25
• Low Slow Squats X25
• Windmills X 25
• Merkins X15
• Mountain Climbers X25
• Burpees X10 OYO

Mosey to the parking lot, mention “Don’t Die” one more time and then begin the Yeti route

Run: Pantheon to Ballroom (3.0 Miles)

Ballroom Painstation (Package)
1 Minute Each w/ 15 second Recovery
• Plank Jacks
• Shoulder Taps
• Merkins
• Parker Peter
• Wide Merkins
• Peter Parker
• SpiderMan Merkins
• Mountain Climbers
• Right Arm High
• Left Arm High
• Merkins
• 25 Burpees OYO (Crowd Pleaser)

Run: Ballroom to Coop (3.0 Miles)

Coop Painstation (Spitz)
100 Merkins
200 LBCs

Run or Bike: Coop to Run N Gun (6.5 Miles)

Run N Gun Painstation (Cable Guy)
10 Merkins
20 LBCs
30 SSH
Repeat 10 Times (Another Crowd Pleaser)

Run or Bike: Run N Gun to Pantheon (5.0 Miles)

Wait (or collapse into a pile) for the 6 and then mosey to Fort Mill BBQ for some Grub!

Total Mileage: Yeti – 17.5 Miles Run / Iceman – 6 Miles Run & 11.5 Miles Biked

Moleskin
The Yeti is just another great example of PAX coming together and supporting each other. This event would not have happened without a lot of energy from several people. I am humbled how it all came together. But let’s get to some facts and “special” moments as reported by the Pax.

• Fact: Several PAX reported that this was the furthest they’ve ever run at one time. Tclaps!
• Fact: Several PAX also reported that this was their first CSAUP
• Fact: This CSAUP counts as 1 workout towards your 250
• Fact: PAX ran over 650 miles and biked over 200 miles
• Fact: The Yeti Route does resemble our great state of South Carolina and was unintentional…but cool nonetheless
• #HIM Longshanks ran the entire Yeti supporting #HIM Dark Helmet (quoting Longshanks, “At one point Dark Helmet told me he was “excited” as he had been staring at my ass for the previous 12 miles”). According to DH, “No one told me I couldn’t do it (The Yeti), so I did it!” Awesome job brother!
• Geronimo’s Family met him at every AO. He thought it was so nice that some family came out in the gloom to support, then he realized it was his.
• Apparently Cake Boss picked up a cigarette rolling in to the Coop and told the PAX he picked a bad week to stop smoking
• Cobra Kai and Professor Handing out water on 160 while competing in the Yeti Relay
• One Word: Tatanka! This guy came all the way from Florida to spill Merlot (twice) with his closest friends. Several reports came in from separate sources that his form was suffering at the painstations. Alas, brothers CSPAN and Chaser were there to comfort!
• Run N Gun, Sir Topham Hat, Spandex!
• CSPAN stopping by his daughter’s bridal shower…awkward
• FNG Sloppy Joe
• Riddler not understanding Cable Guy’s Instructions and doing far too many Merkins, LBCs and SSH
• 2nd F at Fort Mill BBQ had over 75 PAX, Ms and 2.0s. Thanks to Sloppy Joe for opening early and supporting The Fort. Let’s do what we can to support him in the future.
• Maximus (with Walker) ran 2.5 more miles just to see if he could
• Tclaps to Gridlock on his mileage
• Tclaps to those who could not commit to the whole event but did what they could
• Tclaps to all the support PAX for water, gatorade, bananas, gels, gummies, and the list goes on

I apologize if I left anyone out or missed a “special moment.” All errors fall on my shoulders!

Here is a link to pictures from the event -> Yeti Pictures

So glad everyone enjoyed the beatdown and I’m glad that no one died. Don’t forget the Hog & Coyote later this year! Here are the times as reported:

F3 Name Type Time Notes
Sir Topham Hat Iceman 2:10:00
Defib Iceman 2:35:00
Dolph Iceman 2:35:00
Brownstreak Iceman 2:37:00
Whoopee Iceman 2:40:00
High Life Iceman 2:42:49
Atlas Iceman 2:45:00
One-Niner Iceman 2:45:00
World Wide Leader Iceman 2:47:00
Bounty hunter Iceman 2:47:00
Italian Job Iceman 2:47:00
Chaser Iceman 2:53:00
Ringer Iceman 2:53:00
ColdCuts Iceman 2:53:00
Royale Iceman 2:57:00
Cornhole Iceman 3:02:00
CSPAN Iceman 3:02:00
Tatanka Iceman 3:02:00
Atticus Iceman
Decibel Modified Run 6.50 Miles
White Lightning Modified Run 1:17:26 8.15 Miles
Free Bird Modified Run 1:21:30 8.15 Miles
Pusher Modified Run  8.15 Miles
Cake Boss Modified Run 1:28:17 8.15 Miles
Spiderman Modified Run 2:14:44 14.46 Miles
GridLock Modified Run 2:47:00 13.92 Miles
Photobomb Modified Run
Boeheim Yeti 3:23:00
Cerrano Yeti 3:24:00
Geronimo Yeti 3:24:00
Sasquatch Yeti 3:24:00
Tater Yeti 3:24:00
Gekko Yeti 3:25:00
Maximus Yeti 3:25:00
Corruption Yeti 3:27:00
Gears Yeti 3:36:00
Rooney Yeti 3:40:00
Senator Tressel Yeti 3:40:00
Zima Yeti 3:40:00
Fish Sticks Yeti 3:42:00
Minuteman Yeti 3:45:00
Ginsu Yeti 3:45:00
Copay Yeti 3:45:00
Axl Yeti 3:45:50
WhatDid Yeti 3:47:00
The Riddler Yeti 3:49:00
Javert Yeti 3:53:09
Seacrest Yeti 3:55:00
Dark Helmet Yeti 4:04:00
Longshanks Yeti 4:04:00
Belding Yeti
Catfish/Guage Yeti (Relay) 3:00:00
Burgundy/Walker Yeti (Relay) 3:04:00
Cobra Kai/Professor Yeti (Relay) 3:07:00
Smuggler/Bing Yeti (Relay) 3:27:00

Aye!
Zima

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Merry-Go-Round The R&G

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  • QIC: Catfish, Geronimo
  • When: 02/10/16
  • Pax: Bolt, Catfish(QIC), Geronimo (QIC)
  • Posted In: Run 'n Gun

So, basically this was my 3rd Post of the day. At about 4PM I was feeling pretty gassed, and wondering how on earth I was going to lead Run & Gun. I got home, changed and as I contemplated what the routine would look like, things started getting a bit easier. I recalled a bit of scripture that may be familiar: Philippians 4:13 “I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.” With that I rolled out to the AO.

I circled the entire lot once to see if anything inspired me, as I was still uncertain what direction this WO would go. I dismounted and circled up with the other hardy men of the Evening Gloom. At this point we all followed Catfish for the warm-up.

Warm Up

As my middle school gym coach used to say: “GET A LAP!”

Laps around the soccer field x 3 or so

Sprint the field, the long way. Jog the short. Sprint back.

Repeato

Sprint the long way, 5 Burpees, then Sprint back.

Having a good bit of conversation at this point, so everyone must be pretty warmed up. Catfish handed it off to me. So, LET’s ROLL!

The Thang

We jogged up the street while carefully avoiding getting pancaked in our dark clothes and no headlights. My plan began to come together at this point, and the word for the first part of this routine would be “Fartlek”. What did you call me? That’s right, Swedish for “try to make the PAX call me inappropriate names”. No really, it’s something like “speed fun”, but I’m sure Google can tell you the right answer. We continued at a jog and each of the PAX took a turn picking a landmark and decided when to start a fast run to their landmark. We made a couple turns around the Baxter roads alternating jog and all out effort letting everyone have a turn.

We finally found our way to what will now be called “The Merry-Go-Round” in my lexicon. This is the corner atrium and stairwell for the Commercial building at the corner of Sutton and Market Streets. Stairs up and down and in a nice big circle. At this point my plan was clear:

Bomb Jacks x 10

5 Laps, up the Merry, around and down

Colt 45: 15 Wide arm, 15 regular, 15 diamond merkins

Bomb Jack x 10

5 Laps, up the Merry, around and down (start humming a tune at this point).

Peoples Chair

Colt 45

Run back to COT

Flutters and Hello Dollies ’til time

NM

“I love it when a plan comes together.”

-Colonel Hannibal Smith

I’ve been Q enough times that I can say ‘many times’. I always appreciate the opportunity to get out there and do something hard with like-minded individuals. I’m also surprised when I can gel a pretty good routine, on the fly, as it were. Catfish was a bit low on O2 the whole way, but he still kept the pedal down. Bolt lapped us on the Merry, but I expected that.

I think that I like the cool weather more than most. Unfortunately that translates into low posting for the R&G. I expect as we get into the spring, I’ll see some more of the one-time R&G regulars. I expect. I believe that this expectation is not too high for the PAX of The Fort to meet.

“If you build it, they will come.”

Geronimo! Out

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Taming the Dragon in York – Recon

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The re-con operation of York Comprehensive High School was a success. So much so we have upped our hard launch date of F3 York to February 6th 2016 0700. Be there with your #EH’ed #TurkeyPunched #sadclowns!! However on this day 19 PAX including 1 FNG showed up to break ground on #F3York.

THE THANG:

The YCHS campus has so much potential for pain stations we barely scratched the surface. After a standard warm up we moseyed over to the YCHS Navy JROTC obstacle course where there was so many options YHC couldn’t think of what to start with first.  There is a dip bar where we did a variation of real bar dips, then CSPAN suggested we do a dip race which for those of us who still suffer from gravity issues was a real humdinger.

While half the group dipped the other half did a set of merkins and sqats at what I’m going to call the poles of pain.

The cargo net was a challenge of balance for all. There was a lot of mumble chatter about making sure everyone had good dental plans.

Next Bear Crawls under another station made of black culvert pipes. We all enjoyed watching Burgundy do his best Luke Kuechly impersonation, for one hopping over the waist high hurdles.

After a short mosey YHC handed off to Apache to take the reigns for a moment and it wasn’t very long before he found a painful Jacobs Ladder hill.  At the bottom Merkins at the top Burpees 5 to 1.

After a short mosey our man Pusher saw potential in a walk way with walls so BTTW & People’s Chair killed for a few rounds.

Mosey back to the COT for Menthol’s calf killing 200 SSH

For the last minute, Turbine threw in a half a parking lot of low country crab crawls for good measure.

All in all this, AO has huge potential for Turkey Punching the men of Western York County. Also now with Royal Site Qing Lake Wylie soon, this will be just like Operation Anaconda (Little Civil War Reference if you get it) squeezing the men of York County into taking the red pill towards becoming #HIM.

Afterwards and until further notice #coffeeteria will be held at Sandy’z (formerly Pope’s at the White House) across from the Moss Justice Center.  During this coffeeteria a #F3York board meeting was held and the vote was unanimous that this AO will be named #TheDragon for the historical reference that the York High School mascot years ago use to be the Green Dragons. We though Cougar would be more fitting for a FiA name. (Oops I said that out loud).

Check the Q List – Apache and I have already threw many of you to the Dragon. https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1mfnvJ9faf5NVFU9afWW4IDWBxJglS-4YFzZx39RGa4M/edit#gid=1726409880

Lets do this!

-Popeye OUT!

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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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PRE-BLAST: The Gloom is Coming to York, SC

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Back at the 5-year anniversary Ultra-Convergence in Charlotte, something Dredd said at the end stuck with me. I’m paraphrasing this quote but it’s fairly close: “Some guy out there needs this. Some guy out there is wondering what the heck his life is all about. Some guy out there is being a lousy Dad. Some guy out there is being a lousy Husband. Some guy is out there is getting ready to get fired. YOU may be the only guy out there to help him.”

For months I’ve tried #EHing Deputies and other folks I work with to come to F3. Each time I swing for the Turkey Punch, they would ask, “When would #F3 come to York?”  No matter how hard I would Turkey Punch them to try out The Fort, The Patriot or any other AO, the excuse was, no one (right now) has the desire to wake up at 0 dark 30 to drive 20+ minutes to Rock Hill or Fort Mill to work out. Each time we’d end the conversation, I would answer “I didn’t know when F3 is coming to York, but we were thinking about it.”

Well it’s time to stop thinking! It’s time to pull the pin and throw the F3 grenade to York, SC.

At first, I didn’t think I should be the guy who lives in Catawba 30+ minutes away, to be the one to take the leap in being the site Q for a new AO in York. I work in York, so that was a lame excuse.  So after Dredd’s quote kept repeating in my head, a lot prayer and getting constantly #TurkeyPunched by Apache, I feel the call that now is the time to bring F3 to Western York County.

We can’t be selfish with this F3 thing.  From my perspective the first F is a by product of my favorite part, the second F.  Which has helped me be stronger in my third F.  I love this brotherhood. Many of you have become more than just work out buddies. You’ve become brothers to me, which I learned so well over the Christmas holidays.

So let’s do this!

RECON THANG:

We are planning a few recon workouts before we launch this thing full throttle.  The first is set for January 30th 2016 0700 to 0800 at York Comprehensive High School (275 Alexander Love Hwy. York SC). The folks in York call it York University, because from the road, the facility doesn’t look like a high school at all.  Apache and YHC are going to Q round one before we plant a shovel flag in York.

YCHS has most everything a F3 AO needs to bring the pain. Parking Lots, Hills, walls, an ROTC obstacle course, 1.75+/- perimeter for running. Plenty of options for a Q.

So now your job is to #EH guys you know who live in York, Clover and points between, to swallow the #redpill, and start this process of becoming a High Impact Man.

Popeye 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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2 BB’s in one, that most of you won’t read anyways

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  • QIC: Longshanks
  • Pax: Run n Gun - Corruption, Stang, Longshanks Ranch - Maximus, FNG Lunchables, What Did, Longshanks
  • Posted In: Run 'n Gun, The Ranch

After having 3 guys at Run n Gun (Corruption, Stang, and YHC) and 4 today at the Ranch (Maxiumus, his brother-in-law FNG Lunchables, What Did, and YHC), I figured why write 2 Backblast’s that most people aren’t going to read anyways.  I mean if you’re not posting, you’re probably not on the website either. More on this later.

Run n Gun Thang – Moseyed from Baxter YMCA up the back trail around the lake the fountain.  Did a warmup of IW, windmills, Cotton Pickers, and hamstring stretch.  Moseyed to the OPES bus lot, aka the track.  5 rounds of 4 corners under the canopy with a lap around the track after each round of 10 merkins, 10 squats, 10 LBC, 10 CDD.  After everyone finished, we ran up Hugh St, turned right on Sutton, ran that to 160, took a right on 160 and up Market St until we ran back to the YMCA.  Did a few laps around the YMCA to get us over 4 miles.

Ranch Thang – Lap around the parking lot with butt kicks, high knees, karaoke, and toy soldiers.  Circle up for warmup of 16 each IC of SSH, Windmills, IW, Peter Parkers, Mountain Climbers, and Parker Peters.  Moseyed to the long strip of the car line.  Partnered up.  Went with the 2015/2016 theme minus the zero.  One partner runs down and back while the other works towards 215 squats and 216 Bombjacks.  Rinse and repeat with 215 LBC’s and 216 Flutter kicks.  Plank when finished.  Mosey to the wall by the picnic tables.  People’s chair followed by 15 Derkins and 16 Dips.  Rinse and repeat but flapjack the dips and Derkins.  2 more series of people’s chair with 15 calf raises and 16 calf raises accordingly.  Mediated about best moment of 2015 and what looking forward to in 2016 while in the people’s meditation chair.  Moseyed back to the parking lot for one round of dealers choice and sharing your 2015 memory and 2016 looking forward to.

Announcements – 1-1 Convergence, Joe Davis Run, Yeti

Moleskin

Maximus asked the question this morning: “where is everyone?” Great question Maximus.  I’ve been wondering the same thing after leading workouts of 2, 3, and 4 this week.  I’ve got some potential answers and I don’t think some of you may like them, but sometimes the truth hurts.

  1.  “It’s raining.”  I get that it’s not always going to be perfect, but they make rain resistant workout gear.  And just like in life, it’s not always going to be perfect.  In life you don’t get to just skip over the days that suck, so get up, put your rain gear on and post somewhere.
  2. “I’m off of work this week and don’t want to get up early.”  So am I.  It’s called commitment.  Been up at 4:30 everyday since break started. Next
  3. “The workout is too hard”  If it doesn’t challenge you it doesn’t change.  The workout is supposed to push you a little bit.  It’s how you get better.  And if you can’t do something modify it to something you can do.
  4. “I’m tired”.  I get it.  I’m tired too.  See number 2 about commitment.  Go to bed earlier if you have to.
  5. Insert whatever your excuse is for not posting lately here. “He that is good for making excuses is seldom good for anything else” – Benjamin Franklin

If you’re still reading this and thinking I’m a huge prick.  I’m okay with that.  All I want you to do is get out of your fartsack and start posting again.

Less Fartsacking in 2016, cuz God called you to be a HIM

Longshanks

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