Broga/RPG – Blame it on the Rain!!

5 for Broga under the Bank Drive Thru lanes (Stay in your Lane Bro)

4 for quick run to Regent Park Tennis Courts and back

YHC had Q of RPG and ChicknWizdim so lucked out that the PAX avoided the rain and Bass O Matic and I got about a 3mi run and then out so I could make to Chick-filet in time

Thanks for the Q Bass and awesome time with Broga!!

 

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Fooled!

The Thang

12 days into spring, in SC, you’d think the gloom would be a perfect time for a run. Not that it wasn’t anything we couldn’t handle, but the 11 PAX that made it to Flight Plan were shocked, shocked I tell you, at the low 30’s temperature accompanied by a constant wind that seemed to come from every direction.

But we carried on with a newly modified River District route that avoids New Gray Rock since traffic has become too heavy. Down Sutton, right on Founders and over to Sterling Heights (which seems to be uphill in both directions), cross over to Harvest Pointe and loop it back the same way.

Announcements:

Canoli Run May 18th at St. Philip Neri – Proceeds sponsoring the Children’s Attention Home.

Praise:

Rebel’s Daughter starting a new job in San Antonio

Strong F3 representation at Christina Memorial 8K and Virtual Run at Alcatraz

Hootie – Running bridge run Saturday; Dungaree Bridge Run AND A Spartan Race!

NMM

I know it was a coincidence, but the slight change in the route, brought about big challenges today. Heading back up Harvest Pointe, the wind hit us dead on. Heading out Sterling Heights was hillier than any of us remembered. But we all made it back. We all agreed we were better for the extra effort the run required of us. So when you have those challenges in your routines, with your family or with your job, are they really worth getting upset about? Maybe just think of them as a windy/rainy day at your AO. Yeah there’s a little more effort, but those are the ones we always remember. Make sure you’re not looking back shaking your head because all you could do was mumble chatter, but you’re looking back smiling because you knew all along you could get through it.

 

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Preparing For the Storm

I was excited to be the Q at The Colosseum this cool morning and my attempt to push the Pax at one of The Fort well known challenging AO’s.  Being one of the older pax, I wanted to push everyone physically and also share what has been going on in my life storm and how I have felt the love and support of the Pax.

A short disclaimer was given since all of the Pax were well versed in F3.  Off we moseyed to the basketball courts and circled up for some warm-up.

  • Wind mill
  • SSH
  • Squats
  • Merkins
  • 6 inch hold 10 sec
  • Mountain Climber
  • MNC

Moseyed to the back bus entrance drive for some light pole work.  I arrived early and with the side walk chalk (borrowed from a neighbors child, DD made mention that my kids were to old for sidewalk chalk) I put an exercise at 6 poles.  Start at 1st pole, do the exercise and run to 2nd.  Return back to 1st and go 2nd, 3rd and return.  Continue this up the hill to the 6th pole and back.

Poles:

  • 20 Merkins
  • 30 Squats
  • 30 Monkey Humpers
  • 10 Burpees
  • 20 CDD
  • 25 Dips

Once all Pax completed then we went back to the 6th pole and worked our way back to the 1st pole.

Mosey back to the basketball court for Mary.

  • Freddie Mercury
  • Dynamic LBC (LBC with feet at 6 inches)
  • Hello Dolly
  • American hammer

This past week has been one of the toughest in our parenting years.  When we got a call at 1:30am from our 21 yr old daughter and she had a serious accident and her car flipped and then caught on fire, our hearts sank.  Thankfully through the Grace of God, all of the events of that night turned out to be ok for our daughter physically.  No injuries and just a loss of material items.  This has opened our eyes to a couple of things.  God’s love and protection of His children even when sometimes we have run far away from Him.  Mental Illness is real and when you see your adult age children struggle with this, it is heart breaking.  The relationships that we build in F3 are real and I have felt the love and support of the PAX.

In the QSource we talk about preparing for the expected and unexpected and the unexpected preparation was confusing to me.  I now understand that for me, this preparation was building the relationships with My Lord, My Shieldlock, Pax and having a good relationship with my M. When the unexpected storms of life come and crash on the beach, you have to have others around to help walk through the storm and lift you up.  I have felt this over the past week.

Thanks to Jekyll for the opportunity to Q and share!!!

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Run through the RP

Broga – with the Squatch out of town, Bass O Magic stepped in to lead the crew in some Broga….I’m sure we all felt like we were yogis, perfectly stretching and contorting ourselves into positions that would enable enlightenment.  I can only imagine the cars driving by at 5:00 am saw something entirely different.

Run – once limber, YHC led 5 of the 7 of us on a casual tour of Regent Park, including a pass-by of YHC’s new abode. Not sure what the other  2 PAX did,  but they smelled of bacon and stale Waffle House coffee upon our return.  Our tour consisted of 3.25 miles at ~9:00/mile pace, with some great conversation.  Also completed some Mary upon the return.

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The Fort: Flat Tire & Band Camp

8 PAX gathered in the gloom among many more vehicles than the represented by the posting. Clearly some P200 Runners were  training in our midst.

Flat Tire on Q

Disclaimer

Clockwise Mosey full-loop around jogging path.
COP IC
SSH
Imperial walkers
Windmill
Wide arm merkins
Low slow squats with calf raise
Bomb jacks
Overhead claps

Mosey down jogging path to mile marker for group work
At each marker, start with 1 exercise, 5 count.
At each subsequent marker do that again and add next exercise plus 5 more IC.

We did:
5 burpees
10 Scorpion Dry Docks
15 Freddy mercury
20 jumping lunges
25 mountain climbers

Mosey to the dreaded hill

Pick a partner around the same size
Wheelbarrow up hill
Walk back down and switch Back up

Handoff to Band Camp

Monkey Humpers x10
Howling Monkeys

Mosey down the hill towards set cones

Lateral Slalom through cones

Bearpees (OYO 1 Burpee followed up by 4 count bearcrawl forward) from cones to bottom of the hill

10 squats, 10 leg thrusts, 10 Merkins, 10 leg thrusts, then up (Deconstructed Burpee)

Bearpees back to cones (2 burpees, 8-count bear crawl). YHC had more of this planned but was smoked after two rounds…..If you can’t Q it, don’t do it….so I modified.

Plank–>Honeymooner–>Downdog–>High Lunge–>rinse repeat
Message during sequence

Lateral Slalom through cones x4

Plank–>yoga quad stretch (Crescent Lunge: Anjaneyasana)

Bear Crawl Slalom through cones x2

Slow mosey towards the hill (called out for walking by the returning-from-a-9-mile-run Gecko)
Crawl Bear up the hill

Mosey towards Calhoun St. field.

Bear crawl back to COT (this was a long way to bear crawl)

Plank
Shoulder Tap x10
J-Lo x6

Saved just enough time for some Pigeon Lunges

NMM

In my professional life as a music professor, I’ve been thinking about language and the way we talk to ourselves. After attempting something for the first time or a skill that is still developing, I often hear students say, “I can’t ______.” As if saying “I can’t” excuses them from needing the skill/competency/etc.

My response is often a little pithy at first. “Well you know what Abraham Lincoln said. If at first you don’t succeed. . . . . . just quit. You’re done.” This usually gets a little laughter. Then we redirect to more constructive language. E.g., I’m still developing that; I’m not there yet; (or if “can’t” must be in their vocabulary) I can’t do that yet. The yet makes all the difference; it allows for progress to happen in the future.

We would never talk to a friend the way we talk to ourselves. If a friend attempted something for the first time and failed, no one would seriously respond, “Oh well, guess you can’t do it.” But we tell ourselves that or something similar all the time. And what’s even worse: we believe it! By believing it, we make it true! Living out the definition of self-fulfilling prophecy.

In our inner monologue can we treat ourselves like a fellow PAX? Strive to create an internal language that leads to encouragement and acceleration. A language that allows for disruption rather than just perpetuates the status quo.

-Band Camp dismissed

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Footloose: Fancy Free and Moderate

23 PAX gathered in the foggy gloom (24 at COT with Polaroid joining in after he hit his miles)

Started out with a VERY clear and complete disclaimer. See the full version at: Disclaimer

Mosey towards the Church of God parking lot. Sugar Bug fell about 30 yards in…..good thing the disclaimer was so thorough. Also good thing he popped right up and continued on. Went serpentine on the COG stairs to get the PAX all back in one place after the mosey spread us out.

Warm up:
SSH x10
Merkin x10
Held Plank
forced Bomb Jacks (TWSS – Kielbasa)
Mountain Climber (slow count) x10
Held Plank
more forced Bomb Jacks (TWSS – Kielbasa)
SSH x10
IW x10
HW x10
Spiderman Merkins x10
Hip Flexer stretch (Lizard Pose)
Al Gore
Al Gore + Moroccan Night Club x10
Hooneymooner–>Downdog combination

Thang:
Partner up: Dora
100 merkins
200 squats
300 flutters

Mosey to giant wall
Wall Sit while PAX performed 5 burpees down the line

Message synopsis:
What is Moderate? What do you moderate?

Mosey back to FBC
Line up on a parking lot island:
Mike Tyson x10 –> bear crawl across to adjacent island
Rinse and Repeat

Lined up for called Lunges and Squats
Right Leg Lunge x5
Left Leg Lunge x5
Squats x5
Hold Squat w/ calf raise x5
Finished with Pigeon Lunge

NMM:

It’s an honor to lead. Lots of respectable PAX out there today. These men working on getting better in their 50s and beyond are an inspiration. They push YHC to want to be better.

Announcements:
Welcome FNG: Hardwood
Convergence: Baxter Harris Teeter 3/8
Joe Davis Run 3/9
Operation Sweet Tooth 3/30

Band Camp Dismissed

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SlowBurn – Wegman’s Send off to Chimbote

Today at SlowBurn it was about Wegmans and his choice to say YES to a calling to serve. He heard this calling and it spoke to his heart and he accepted the opportunity to be vulnerable, uncomfortable and go into the world for his creator Sky Q. The cool thing about mission trips is we think its about serving others, but in reality its about Sky Q working on us.

38 PAX came to show Wegmans support. They were running, rucking, boot-camp and even Broga was represented. for 45 mins everyone got better in some fashion, but for YHC I felt led to honor Wegmans by pulling some of his work from previous workouts. I felt the best way to respect a man is to use his material. So away we went.

The Thang:

Warm Up mosey to lower lot

  • Typical COP stuff 5-7 exercise moves
  • Line up at end of lot for some others
    • High Knees
    • Butt Kickers
    • Karaoke
    • Shuffles
    • sprints

Mosey to far side of Indian Restaurant

DMB from Wegmans Ranch workout

  • Duckwalk – 20 yards
  • Merkins – 10
  • Bearcrawl back – 20 yards
  • 3 rounds

Mosey to Far side of Lowes

From the Wegninator’s Coop workout

  • Partner up
    • #1 = Wall Sit
    • #2 =
      • 10 Broadjump Burpees
      • 10 Powerskips
      • 10 Plankwalks (right and then left)
    • Flap jack
    • 3 rounds

Mosey to opposite side of Lowes

From Wegmans’ Slow Burn workout – The Triple Check

Groups of 3

  1. Al Gore
  2. Plank
  3. Run Lap around parking lot
  • 3 rounds, with each person rotating position

Mosey back to COT

Wegmans’s shared his WHY during the workout and serving others and his willingness to be vulnerable in a strange place and open to see what Sky Q will do.

Many in the group have been on mission trips before and I believe that we all have intentions of serving and helping others, however these trips are about what Sky Q teaches us about ourselves. Gives us perspective and understanding that everyone around the globe are all children of HIS and we should love each other.

Best to you Wegmans and look forward to hearing the lesson’s learned.

Cake Boss

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We’ll Make It Breathable

I know Beacon had this idea in mind but as you’re reading, think about an area of your life where you can push yourself just a little bit more. Not in the sense of looking to DO more but rather, looking to BE more. This comes from pushing yourself. Push yourself to meet guys at another workout, push yourself to be present for others, push yourself to be more engaged. When you get comfortable with your routine, you coast rather than accelerate.

23 was the number at Footloose this morning and evidently, not everyone knew who was on Q. Once they learned, I was happy that nobody left. We started with 23 and we finished with 23. My ask of the PAX was this: I don’t know what you’re carrying on your mind as you roll in here at 0515 but as you’re here for the next 45mins, be HERE, be present, enjoy the guys to your left and right.

Once we were disclaimed, we took a long mosey over to and up Main Street to the Methodist Church to circle up in their parking lot.

Wind Mills

Imperial Walkers

Hillbilly Walkers

5 Burpees by special request

Squats

Moroccan Night Clubs

Carolina Dry Docks

5 more Burpees by special request

Mosey over to behind the Baptist Church

Switzer to explain the deal. Partner up while partners start on opposite ends of the large parking lot.

Each partner bear crawls to their respective 1st island then run to meet their partner in the “middle” of the lot. 20 Single count merkins, run back to that previously-mentioned island and crawl bear back to your starting point. Remember, push yourself just a little bit more.

Rd 2 was crab walk to that island, then run to meet the partner, 20 Wide Arm Merkins, run back to the island and walk crab back to your starting point. Remember, push yourself just a little bit more.

Mosey back to our starting parking lot for a little plank work.

20 Mountain Climbers

10 Peter Parkers

10 Donkey Kicks

10 Parker Peters

2min plank hold

2min Al Gore

1min Burpees

Remember, push yourself just a little bit more.

1min Side Straddle Hops

7min of Mary

WWII Sit-Ups

Flutter Kicks

Freddy Mercury

Heels to Heaven

Protractor

Remember, push yourself just a little bit more.

And that was it…well done.

Announcements:

  1. Mini-convergence at Slow Burn tomorrow to pray for and send Wegmans off on his F3 mission trip to Peru. (Broga will be at 0500 at Slow Burn AO)
  2. Engage in the running training plan that Anchorman and Barry Manilow are leading guys through
  3. Read your newsletter b/c I forgot the remainder.

Prayers:

PRAY

 

Until next time.

Maximus

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Frozen Shart Run

Apparently according to reliable source if one farts when it is 20 degrees below 0, it will freeze to you pants… try at your own risk.

We met at Foodlion did some Broga, ran down the street, around the ‘hood and back for about 2.7 miles.

Good times!

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Lucky 7 at the Yard

7 was the number at the Yard on Saturday for a cool start to the day.  I got out there early to do a little pre work on the site.  Chalk is necessary item for school yard planning.  Went through the disclaimer and a brief intro to our coupon for the for the morning.  Mr. Kettlebell that signifies the burdens that we hold close to our vest and don’t share with other.  It was encouragement to have the pax think about men they would like to lock shields with and be held accountable. Kept passing it around to all the pax so everyone gets a turn.

After the brief intro it was on to the excitement with a mosey to our first stop.  Warmup consisted of Imperial Walkers, Windmills, Merkins, Mtn. Climbers, Moroccan night clubs and squats.

On to the meat and potatoes.  Short mosey over to the basket ball court for some four corners.  Three exercises at each corner 15 reps each. Corner 1 – Merkins, LBC’s, Squats. Corner 2 – Mtn Climbers, Rosalitas, Freddie Mercuries. Corner 3 – Carolina Dry Docks, Calf Raises, Flutters.  Corner 4 Side-strattle Hops, shoulder taps, LBC’s.

Brief word of encouragement and on to the next series of fun.  Short mosey to the light poles.  If you ever wanted to know how many light poles there are at the Yard there are way to many.  We ended up doing 13 with 20 counts of the following CDD, Freddy Mercuries, Hillbilly Walkers, Mt. Climbers, American Hammers, Shoulder taps, SSH, Flutters, Calf Raises, CDD, squats, LBC’s and Merkins.  Rinse and repeat. Yikes

Headed back to COT for a few minutes of Mary.  Off to Q Source.

All PAX took turns at hanging onto the bell.  Hopefully this allowed some reflection time to think of those back we could get into a shield lock with.

Thanks for the opportunity.

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