Category: The Fort

The launch of Pathfinder

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  • QIC: SkateOrDie
  • When: 01/02/2018
  • Posted In: The Fort

What started as a need for an accountability partner and an option close to home has morphed into a weekly run group bouncing week to week through different neighborhoods along Dobys Bridge Road. That run group has grown and is ready for its next transformation. We are excited to announce the launch of “Pathfinder”, a new running AO, on Tuesday, January 2, 2018. This Tuesday morning run group is open to the PAX of F3 (and FNGs!) and will launch at 5:15 each week from the location of the Q’s choosing. We typically run between 4-5 miles, but vary that based on location and the PAX present.

Message me on Twitter for details @SkateOrDieF3.

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Frozen: The Fort Version – Let It Go – 12/30/17

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12 men met on the frozen tundra that was Walter Elisha this morning to get better. Freebird led the first half of the workout and Ginsu closed it out. Motivational words were given re: purpose & intentionality heading in to the new year.

Warmup

Mosey to the field

  • 21 side straddle hops
  • 10 slow windmills
  • 21 side straddle hops
  • 11 monkey humpers
  • 21 side straddle hops
  • 10 merkins

The Thing

Mosey to the playground & partner up

  • Partner 1 – run a lap around the playground
  • Partner 2 – toe taps on the playground barrier
  • Flip flop
  • Rinse & repeat 3x

Mosey to the tree line

  • Lunge to the first tree
  • crab walk to second
  • lunge to 3rd
  • crab walk to 4th
  • lunge to 5th
  • crab walk to 6th
  • mosey back to start

Hand off to Ginsu

  • 10 burpees OYO
  • 10 Merkins OYO

Mosey to the playground and get back to parters

  • Partner 1 – take a lap around the playground
  • Partner 2 – pullups AMRAP
  • Flip flop
  • Partner 1 – take a lap
  • Partner 2 – dips AMRAP
  • Flip flop
  • Partner 1 – take a lap
  • Partner 2 diamond merkins AMRAP
  • flip flop
  • Partner 1 – take a lap around the playground
  • Partner 2 – pullups AMRAP
  • Flip flop
  • Partner 1 – take a lap
  • Partner 2 – dips AMRAP
  • Flip flop
  • Partner 1 – take a lap
  • Partner 2 diamond merkins AMRAP
  • flip flop

Mosey to the big hill for modified Jacob’s ladder

  • Run to top of hill, do 1 Merkin
  • Run to bottom, only 1 burpee
  • Run to top, 2 Merkins
  • Run to bottom, only 1 burpee
  • Continue until 10 merkins at top, 1 burpee at bottom

Mosey to the wall at Springs

  • Muscle ups – in cadence – 10x
  • Rinse & repeat x3
  • Captain Thors to 5×20
  • Boats & Canoes

Mosey to COT

Announcements

  • Joe Davis Run – last day to sign up
  • Convergence on the 12th
  • GoRuck Lite

Prayers & Praises

  • Prayers for Mr. Clean & Family
  • Praises for Freebird’s new job
  • Prayers for Gobbler’s sister
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Changing of The Guard- Ranch Style

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When checking in with the scheduled Q that was suppose to bring todays beat down, and he said he needed to call in a relief. YHC took it as an early Christmas present. Not only was I able to Q today I also got to hand off the shovel flag to a true HIM. It has an an honor to get to spend the last year leading on of my favorite AOs in all of The Fort, but also to be as excited to give it to Jiffy. He will only make this site even better.

We started off the morning with cars pulling in all the way up to the disclaimer. It was brief but to the point. All PAX knew to give what they could. Dig deep it will only hurt for 45 minutes. So they thought.

Start with easy mosey throwing in some high knees, butt kickers, karaoke.

Circle up SSHx20, IW x 15, windmills x 15, monkey humpers X15, Peter parkers x 10, 6 inches and hold x 2.

mosey to picnic benches dips in cadence x10 followed by derkins x10 for 3 sets.

change to legs 10 squat box jumps, 10 calf raises X3 sets

mosey to wall keep legs burning by doing 20 second wall sit.

Mosey to back of school. Partner up for DORA 1-2-3.

Partner 1 runs loop, Partner 2 merkins, squats, flutters.

Mosey to playground- 5 pulls ups 10 big boy sit-ups, 4 pull ups 8 big boy sit-ups down to 1.

Max set of pull ups.

Mosey to entrance 5 trees lunge walk to first, broad jump to second, bear crawl to third, squat walk to forth, and reverse lunge to fifth.

go back with lunge walk sprint, lunge walk sprint.

Mosey to COT. 1 min ab work.

Hand off Shovel Flag to Jiffy.

Announcements- Joe Davis Jan 6, Convergence this Saturday tega cay elementary 0600 5k/10k.

Prayers and praises for family’s coming and going out of town.

It has been a pleasure to serve the Ranch, the PAX and look forward to another leadership roll in F3.

Backdraft out…

 

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BRR Comes Early to Laces In

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It was a cold, windy December morning where 9 pax (7 BC and 2 Runners) showed up for their daily down payment.  The wind was fierce today, the kind that cuts right through you so I wanted to make sure we got nice and warm.  Laces Out went off campus for a tour of Fort Mill.  Here’s what went down (or as best I can remember) at Laces In:

Mosey to Band lot (it was further than I thought) for COP

Line up facing across the band lot for a series exercises

  1. Toy Soldiers to mid way – Sprint to other end of parking lot
  2. Butt Kickers back to midway – Sprint back
  3. Karaoke one way
  4. Karaoke back the other way

COP: SSH x 20, Windmills x 10, Mountain Climbers x 15, Squats x 15, Slow Merkins x 10

Main Course: Line up facing across the band lot for a series exercises again

  1.  Alligator Merkins for three parking spaces – sprint to other end.  LBC x 25
  2. Frog Jump Merkins for three parking spaces – sprint to other end of lot.  Flutters x 25
  3.  Bear Crawl half way – Sprint to other end of lot –  LBC x 25
  4. Bear Crawl half way – Sprint to other end of lot

Mosey to hill by stadium for partner work .  B.OM.B.S – 75 Burpees, 100 Overhead claps, 150 Merkins, 200 Big Boy Situps, 250 Squats in accumulation while your partner runs to (almost) the top of the hill.

Once finished – Partner 1 holds a plank while partner 2 runs hill and performs 10 Bombjacks at the (almost) top.  Rinse and repeat until COT

NMM: 2.3 miles was the count on my Garmin this morning.  I had no idea we were going to run that far but we did.  Thanks Longshanks for pointing that out!  Team Chafing the Dream is locked and loaded again for BRR 2018 so I was anxious to get out there and hit the inclines.   I love running hills and feel it really gets the blood flowing and makes you stronger.  The pax worked hard this morning and we were all better for it.  Thanks Lil E for the opportunity.  I’m usually at Laces Out so it was cool to explore the bootcamp option at FMHS.  Lastly, I had never formally met Sugar Daddy.  It was nice to meet you and I appreciate the mumble chatter.

Announcements: Joe Davis Run, Christmas Convergence, Focus on recruiting those FNGs

Prayers – Deacon’s upcoming Christmas present!

Until next time…

STH

 

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12 Laps of Christmas with Some Discussion on our Favorite Gifts as Well as The Greatest Gift

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We began with Sugarbug taking the lead for a mosey around the park and circle up in the field to get warmed up on this fridged 20-something morning.

24 SSH, 12 Windmill, 12 Moracan Nightclub, 12 Peter Parker, 12 Parker Peter (by now Dark Helmet and his ruck were starting to notice a trend and were getting nervous)

 

Mosey over to the playground to do some laps “12 Days of Christmas” style. It went like this (feel free to sing along)

One 4 count merkin and a lap around the WEP playground

Two 4 count LBC’s, One 4 count merkin and a lap around the WEP playground

Three 4 count Mountain Climbers, Two 4 count LBC’s, One 4 count merkin and a lap around the WEP playground

Four 4 count flutters, Three 4 count Mountain Climbers, Two 4 count LBC’s, One 4 count merkin and a lap around the WEP playground

Five bombjacks, Four 4 count flutters, Three 4 count Mountain Climbers, Two 4 count LBC’s, One 4 count merkin and a lap around the WEP playground

Six lunges (each side), Five bombjacks, Four 4 count flutters, Three 4 count Mountain Climbers, Two 4 count LBC’s, One 4 count merkin and a lap around the WEP playground

Seven dry docks, Six lunges (each side), Five bombjacks, Four 4 count flutters, Three 4 count Mountain Climbers, Two 4 count LBC’s, One 4 count merkin and a lap around the WEP playground

Eight double count american hammers, Seven dry docks, Six lunges (each side), Five bombjacks, Four 4 count flutters, Three 4 count Mountain Climbers, Two 4 count LBC’s, One 4 count merkin and a lap around the WEP playground

Nine dips, Eight double count american hammers, Seven dry docks, Six lunges (each side), Five bombjacks, Four 4 count flutters, Three 4 count Mountain Climbers, Two 4 count LBC’s, One 4 count merkin and a lap around the WEP playground

Ten SSH, Nine dips, Eight double count american hammers, Seven dry docks, Six lunges (each side), Five bombjacks, Four 4 count flutters, Three 4 count Mountain Climbers, Two 4 count LBC’s, One 4 count merkin and a lap around the WEP playground

Eleven plank jacks, Ten SSH, Nine dips, Eight double count american hammers, Seven dry docks, Six lunges (each side), Five bombjacks, Four 4 count flutters, Three 4 count Mountain Climbers, Two 4 count LBC’s, One 4 count merkin and a lap around the WEP playground

Twelve burpees, Eleven plank jacks, Ten SSH, Nine dips, Eight double count american hammers, Seven dry docks, Six lunges (each side), Five bombjacks, Four 4 count flutters, Three 4 count Mountain Climbers, Two 4 count LBC’s, One 4 count merkin and a lap around the WEP playground

 

Once the carol had been sung the choir lead was passed over to Quack Attack who began his lesson on the greatest gift

-Began with a circle of core work.  Quack Attack would call out an exercise and a PAX would ten count followed by another ten count by the next PAX clockwise. He would then discuss the next exercise as well as some insight into life for about a 10 count and we would begin again with the next PAX clockwise for a revolution around the circle. I don’t remember every exercise because I was trying to not fall over, but we did some plank, a dying cockroach of sorts (but it looked much nicer so we called it a dying palmetto bug), as well as some side planks with a hip dip that apparently looked so impressive the women on the track started giving us more room when they came by.

-Following this circle of fun we proceeded to run halfway around the tack around the park in a “native american” fashion… The PAX running to the front was instructed to yell their F3 name and the favorite gift they received as a child.  I must say based upon the answers it seems Nintendo did well during our childhood… Also I felt bad for the poor lady who must have thought 10 minutes earlier “What a nice cool morning for a peaceful walk with Fido at the park… It will be so relaxing… The odds of 20 men running in circles around me screaming the names of video games is incredibly low…”

-Once everyone had discussed their favorite gifts and we reached everyone’s favorite hill we split the group in half for a relay race.  The line was at the base of the hill and those PAX in line were to squat while the lead member ran up the hill and completed some sort of one leg squat jump that from any distance away looked like a typical drunk wedding dance.  They were then to run back to line and tap the next PAX

-Following this completion which was decided to be a tie (dealing out 5 burpees to everyone) we finished with another “native american” fashioned run the remaining distance around the park to the lot for COT.  On this run we were to say our F3 name and who was going to win the College Football Championship.   While there was some limited SEC support CLEMSON certainly was the polling favorite with a notable write-in (scream in) vote for Air Force… Maybe this is the year of the triple option…

 

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JOE DAVIS + SPEED FOR NEED = IMPACT

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In just under a month, we will have an opportunity to run one of the best races of the year which has become our Signature Fort Race, The Joe Davis Run for Recovery.

This year is going to be particularly special in that we will also be adding the opportunity to push race chariots for SPEED FOR NEED.

Here’s how you get involved, if you know of someone who has a child with a disability, someone who has a child whose home has been affected by addiction, or a child in some other kind of need, then DM Dark Helmet on Twitter and let him know. If you would like to help push, let him know.

We have a chance to have as many as 6 chairs there (several are already spoken for, but some are empty). That’s the most of any race yet…

So man up! Register, find a “Track Commander” to push, and let’s get after it!

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BEYOND…The PreBlast

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  • QIC: Maximus
  • When: 01/09/2018
  • Posted In: The Fort

Beyond: One definition defines this as, “Outside the understanding, limits, or reach of.”

Isn’t that the statement of what we typically try to avoid? We’re instructed to do our jobs, keep our heads down, stay in our lanes and to contribute…but don’t disrupt. What if the very thing I am contributing to isn’t benefiting anyone? What if I told you that in order to be an agent for positive change, you sometimes have to go against the grain? What if I saw injustice with my very own eyes? Would I have the courage to intervene?

Now, what if someone looked at my life and noticed an area where I could make a change or take a step forward and stretch myself to do just a little more? What if I was doing the same repetitive workout time after time? Should I expect a different result? Or what about punching the clock at work; was I always just saying “good morning” and moving on from a potential conversation with a coworker? I think you get the idea. It’s easy to stay in our lanes and go unnoticed.

But deep down inside of us there is that desire to be a disrupter, to be a change agent.

I want to…Get stronger

I want to…Be a better husband

I want to…Be a better father

I want to…Give more

I want to…Help more

I want to…Be a better leader

I want to…Be more faithful

This is where I invite you to join me in going BEYOND. Beyond our comfortable conversations, beyond our typical faith, beyond our everyday relationships and yes, beyond our normal workout. BEYOND will be designed to break us down in order to build us up better. Just like muscles, we get stronger after being torn. Does every man need a workout like this? Absolutely not. But I know there are other men like me that need something different, something really difficult, something that smacks them in the face and wakes them up to realize our blessings and how we need to do what we’re made to do.

So here are the details. BEYOND is a Black Diamond AO that will meet at existing AO’s on different days of the week. We will open with the workout at the existing AO and close with their COT. We’ll start on a Tuesday, then the following Wednesday, then the following Thursday, then the following Friday, then that next Monday, then the following Tuesday and so on. The dates are as follows:

Jan 9 (at Block Party / Walter Elisha Park), 17 (at The Coopj / Nations Ford H.S.), 25 (at a Thursday AO)

Feb 2, 5, 13, 21

March 1, 9, 12, 20, 28

I will work to build out the Q schedule 2 months in advance and will work with the scheduled Q to build the topic and let them take control. The requirements are that it has to be hard; not 200 burpees kind of hard but hard that I don’t care how strong or fit you are, you’re feeling it the next morning. There also needs to be a relevant message that is hard for some of us to stomach because it forces us to look in the mirror. It can be faith based, service based, relationship based or something different. It simply needs to be based on us getting better as men.

Thank you for this opportunity to go BEYOND in my own life and for letting me walk with you in going BEYOND, in yours.

Maximus

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THE PAX OF FORT PLEDGES TO HELP ANOTHER BROTHER AND HIS FAMILY OUT

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Its Christmas time and the word of the month is giving so I am asking if you would take moments pray about giving to help a fellow pax. Last year Stang got the Fort and the Rock pax to donate gift cards, cash and presents for me and my family.  This was huge for me and my family, with that  being said I feel the need to help a fellow pax and give back. I have been in touch with our pax of the Fort looking for someone to help out. This morning in COT it was mentioned by Destiny that a fellow pax’s son has just been diagnosed with leukemia and his wife is pregnant with twins. Then again Ginsu and Rock thrill had a tweet about it and come to find out it is an Area51  pax named Bout time his sons name is Jennings. This hits close to home and just knew this is who we need to help this year. a few

If I have never had the pleasure of posting with you in the Gloom I would like to take a second and share my story, Dec 2015 on Christmas eve my 2.5 year old daughter was diagnosed with Leukemia ALL Type B, on Christmas day she had surgery to have a port installed and her first 3 rounds of chemo. We spent Christmas in the hospital and I broke down never cried so hard in my life. I reached out to God prayed that everything will be okay and about 10 min later after the took my daughter back for surgery he answered my pray because a peace just came over me and heard the words its going to be okay.  The last 2 years have been a hard 2 years with ups and downs but also have enlightened me, allowed me to get closer to God.  It also allowed me to become apart of F3 with out the men of this group not sure where I would be mentally and physically today. I like to thank you for the push the words of encouragement.

 

I am asking pax to give what your heart tells you. Prayers gift cards, cash etc. I have seen what awesome pax you can be when challenged to give you all always go above and beyond.

See your site Q’s for collections and or Dark helmet , Stang, Witch hunt, Royale and Cornerstone, we want to wrap it up by 12/22/17

 

2 Corinthians 9:7

Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.

Proverbs 18:16

A gift opens the way
and ushers the giver into the presence of the great.

Luke 6:38

Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.

 

Thanks Again HIMS

Cornerstone

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Twin Towers

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Flat Tire

Longshanks

Geronimo

Frat Boy

Quack Attack

Uncle Same

Bonsai

Sugar Daddy

 

8 Pax decided to get out of bed this morning instead of fart sacking.  Flat Tire kicked us off with the disclaimer and the introduction of the Twin Tower beat down.  Longshanks also pointed out that he was the only Pax there shorter than 6ft.

 

With that said here is the Thang:

 

Mosey over to the parking lot beside the park for the warmup which someone forgot to tell Flat Tire you don’t start a warmup with merkins!

 

Merkins

Wind Mill

SSH

Wide merkins

Hill Billy Walkers

I believe there were even merkins mixed in

 

Then we moseyed back over to the park and moved to the first drill bit.  At each drill bit we would add an exercise until we completed all 5 drill bits

10 merkins

20 Big Boy Sit-ups

30 Jump Squats

40 Squats

50 SSH

 

 

Next we moved over to the middle of the field and divided up into two teams.  There we ran a relay race where each person would sprint to the track and perform 10 hand release merkins and run back.

YHC was accused of cheating however I can verify my chest touched the ground each time and my hands left ground during the merkin.  Therefore I believe I met all specifications of a hand release merkin.

 

After this Flat Tire handed the reins to YHC (Bonsai) for the remainder of the workout.

 

We moseyed up to the Ann Springs building where there was a covered cat walk.  YHC was trying to plan for the rain however it wasn’t doing so during the workout, but the wienkie was set and I didn’t detour.

 

Last year I came up with this workout and it seemed like the Pax enjoyed it so I thought I would bring the Christmas grab bag back out.

 

How it works – grab 12 – 15 Christmas bows and write an exercise and number on each.  Throw them in a gift bag and have Pax take turns pulling a bow from the bag.

As a group perform the exercise and another Pax pull another bow.  Once 2 exercises are complete run a lap and then repeat until all bows are gone or time is up.

 

Depending on how much time you have and the number of bows you can throw them back into the bag or keep them out.  We were able to go through all 12 exercises before COT.

 

Merkins

squats

burpees

lunges

calf raises

bear crawls

crab walks

BTW – 30 seconds

LBCs

6 inches – 30 seconds

CDC

Flutter

 

COT:

Sign up for Joe Davis

Christmas convergence

Prayers for families, wives and stress of the holidays

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The Fort pledge to help another Pax out

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Its Christmas time and the word of the month is giving so I am asking if you would take moments pray about giving to help a fellow pax. Last year Stang got the Fort and the Rock pax to donate gift cards, cash and presents for me and my family.  This was huge for me and my family, with that  being said I feel the need to help a fellow pax and give back. I have been in touch with our pax of the Fort looking for someone to help out. This morning in COT it was mentioned by Destiny that a fellow pax’s son has just been diagnosed with leukemia and his wife is pregnant with twins. Then again Ginsu and Rock thrill had a tweet about it and come to find out it is an Area51  pax named Bout time his sons name is Jennings. This hits close to home and just knew this is who we need to help this year. a few

If I have never had the pleasure of posting with you in the Gloom I would like to take a second and share my story, Dec 2015 on Christmas eve my 2.5 year old daughter was diagnosed with Leukemia ALL Type B, on Christmas day she had surgery to have a port installed and her first 3 rounds of chemo. We spent Christmas in the hospital and I broke down never cried so hard in my life. I reached out to God prayed that everything will be okay and about 10 min later after the took my daughter back for surgery he answered my pray because a peace just came over me and heard the words its going to be okay.  The last 2 years have been a hard 2 years with ups and downs but also have enlightened me, allowed me to get closer to God.  It also allowed me to become apart of F3 with out the men of this group not sure where I would be mentally and physically today. I like to thank you for the push the words of encouragement.

 

I am asking pax to give what your heart tells you. Prayers gift cards, cash etc. I have seen what awesome pax you can be when challenged to give you all always go above and beyond.

See your site Q’s for collections and or Dark helmet , Stang, Witch hunt, Royale and Cornerstone

 

2 Corinthians 9:7

Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.

Proverbs 18:16

A gift opens the way
and ushers the giver into the presence of the great.

Luke 6:38

Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.

 

Thanks Again HIMS

Cornerstone

 

 

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