Honoring Schmalstieg at The Fire Ant

Taking a page out of the Honey Badger book by using a page out of the Hero Workout book. This day at the Fire Ant, we’d honor Gunnery Sergeant Justin Schmalstieg (December 15, 2010).

First, disclaimer.
Second, minor warmup.
Third, drop to the plank and listen:

Justin grew up in the Stanton Heights neighborhood of Pittsburgh, and graduated high school in 2000. He spent a semester at Penn State before enlisting in the Marine Corps, where he initially trained as a bulk fuel specialist. After serving overseas in Kuwait, Justin was stationed in Okinawa, Japan and was accepted into the Explosive Ordnance Disposal program. He finished the demanding training required to become an EOD technician and completed two deployments in the Middle East.

In 2008, Justin received orders to Camp Pendleton in California to serve with the 1st Explosive Ordnance Disposal Company, 7th Engineer Support Battalion, 1st Marine Logistics Group. He deployed twice more, first to Iraq in February 2009 and then to the Helmand province of Afghanistan in September 2010. During a night mission, Justin’s unit was in danger of being ambushed – it was his job to clear the way back to base. Staff Sergeant Justin Schmalstieg, 28, gave his life on December 15 while working to render safe an improvised explosive device. He is survived by his widow, Ann Schneider; his parents, John and Deborah Gilkey; and his brother, John Gilkey Jr. For his service and sacrifice, Justin was posthumously decorated with the Purple Heart and promoted to the rank of Gunnery Sergeant.

The EOD WArrior Foundation is dedicated to supporting EOD service members and their families through a number of assistance programs. Please consider making a donation in Justin’s name at www.EODWarriorFoundation.org/Memorial/Warrior/Justin-E-Schmalstieg.

So, the WOD would be slightly modified for our Ruck AO to the following:

For Time:
Run 800M Slick (without Ruck)

2 rounds of the following:
50 Burpees (slick)
40 Pull-Ups would be substituted with 80 Upright Rows
30 One-Legged Pistol Squats
20 Ruck Swings
10 Hand Stand Push Ups would be substituted with 10 Carolina Dry Docks & 10 Merkins

Run another 800M Slick (without Ruck)

Once we completed this, we did a few core exercises.

Until next time, SYITG.
Maximus

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Death by Nur and a visit by Dora, Jack Webb & Dan Taylor

Thank you to the 16 other PAX who showed up to Alcatraz on this beautiful gloom to share in some great fellowship and a little fitness. It was an awesome time and if you miss it, well, you missed out. Thank you to Trucker for allowing Longshanks and YHC to lead this morning.

WARMUP

We began the morning led by Longshanks with the 10-Bombjacks because Dark Helmet said something that was on the verge of crossing the line, although it was before the workout. Then we took a short mosey down to Anchorage Lane.

THE THANG

Once we arrived at the bottom of the hill of Anchorage Lane Longshanks told us the plan. We were going to Partner up. Partner 1 was to Nur up the hill and run back down while Partner 2 performed exercises in a modified Dora. Then flapjack. The exercises at the bottom of the hill were: 100-Dbl. Count Lunges, 200-Squats, 250=-Calf Raises, 200-Monkey Humpers, and 100-Burpees.

This took us to a little after 0700 and Longshanks handed it off to YHC.

Since Longshanks had mentioned to YHC he was going heavy on legs and burpees, I figured I would add in a little upper body and . . . legs & Burpees. We took a short mosey to the baseball field. YHC asked the PAX to line up in 4 columns and we commenced to begin a combination of Jack Webbs and Dan Taylors (alternating between the two) from a ratio of 1:4 to 10:40.

Then we lined up at the edge of the field. We then did 7’s with Burpees and Bombjacks to finish off the 30 minutes.

Once we arrived at the COT Gears led in a quick session of Dying Cockroaches to complete the hour. This morning was full of mumblechatter and fun. What you want to have at any F3 Workout.

NMM

Our Nation and world have been rocked recently with multiple crises. Coronavirus took over in late March and we are still dealing with the effects. We have seen cities, towns and communities torn apart as racial tensions have risen. Our public figures are constantly attacking each other for their ‘inabilities’ just to either gain or keep power. It seems as if we are coming apart at the seams. All of these and many more can cause stress in everyone’s lives and we are all affected.

The question and challenge I have for you today is who or where do you turn to for peace. Not a peace like the end of war peace or happiness. This term is thrown around way too much to where people just don’t understand the true meaning of it. This peace can be easily lost.

I am talking about the inner belief that you are truly at peace with yourself, the world around you, and SkyQ. For me this is a peace that you can only achieve through the blood of Jesus Christ. With this peace you are able to face the world that seems to be crumbling around us and not be shaken. Because this peace is given to us by God through his son and strengthened each day through the Holy Spirit. Seek this peace and if you don’t have it, feel free to discuss it with YHC and I will share with you.

I challenge all PAX to seek that peace, whatever it may mean to you so when tribulation comes, as it has, you will not be shaken. Seek a peach that can overcome the evil of this world and keep your keel straight.

John 16:33 ‘I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.’

Aye!

ANNOUNCEMENTS

Reach out to a Site Q to Q a Workout.

Sign up to serve at Bethel Men’s Shelter. https://www.signupgenius.com/go/30e0444adaa23a2fa7-bethel

The Sweati – Sat., Aug. 15 at 0600 – Start at Colosseum

Meals on Wheels – Contact Change Order

FM Care Center Lawn Care

Read your Newsletter.

PRAYERS/PRAISES

The PAX shared their prayers and praises and Longshanks lifted them up.

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Lt Michael Murphy “The Murph”

Today we Honored Lt Michael Murphy. We had 12 Pax do the Murph. For those of you living under a rock the Murph is :

Run 1 mile

100 PULLUPS

200 MERKINS

300 SQUATS

Run 1 mile

It was hot and humid but all powered through to complete and honor one of our Nations Hero’s.

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Snowman suicide at Sweep The Leg

YHC was late to the party placing cones for the beatdown so my man Gears lead the charge from StartEx. YHC was rolling up as the PAX were rolling out so I quickly parked and jail broke it towards the elementary school parking lot untied shoes and all.

Disclaimer was quickly disclaimed, thank you Maximus for providing cues as YHC struggled to be able to talk and tie shoes at the same time.
The Snowman Suicide was on tap for the unsuspecting PAX and boy was it going to be a doozy.

During this trying time, everyone is dealing with something and I wanted to remind everyone that Life is a team sport. And developed a beatdown that allows every single guy an opportunity to jockey for the top spot. This allows for the man out front to be continually pushed so that no one gets to take a break, no matter their individual fitness level.

Just as with anything in life, we are going to have setbacks, and we must remember that during these setbacks we must focus on the path forward and learn from the experience. It is also during these times that we must share that experience with our fellow PAX and those close to us; To allow them to learn without having to make the same mistakes for themselves.
“CLEAR THE PATH”
“LIGHT THE WAY”
The details:
Ten cones are placed along the route from the Elementary school teacher parking lot through the carpool dropoff lane over to the bus lot all the way around to Dam road.
Each cone has an exercise written on it. Every exercise will be performed 10 times.
This is a suicide workout but not just any suicide. It’s a slinky suicide of life so you go up 3 cones then back 2. Meaning that everyone will start by performing the exercise listed at cone#1 then the PAX will sprint past three cones to cone#4 to perform the exercise before coming back two cones to cone#2 to complete the exercise.
Then run to cone#5 to do the exercise, then back to perform the exercise listed on cone#3 and so on and so forth all the way up to cone#10.
So each time the guy in the lead is making progress by one cone but it’s taking him a lot of effort and having to backtrack a ton.

Here comes the kicker:
The kicker is that when the man in first-place finishes the exercise after coming back to cone #2 he then yells “Charge or Onward” and starts to run towards cone#5. Every person that he passes that are still on their way back to cone#2 skips the exercise at cone#2 and joins the leaders heading to cone#5. The leader has already cleared the path and is now lighting the way towards the next cone/challenge of life. Everyone can learn from the leaders experience and head towards the next challenge together. COVID SIDE NOTE: When I say together let me clarify that the distance between cones was large enough that social distancing was easy to maintain along the route (a full-sized road with no traffic) and ample hills to naturally separate the PAX. It is an extremely difficult process that allows every PAX to pick each other up and challenge themself to get better.

Here is the list of exercises
#1: Mack Tar Jighs
#2: Suicide Squats
#3: SSH
#4: Bomb Jacks
#5: ChaCha Merkins
#6: Bobby Hurleys
#7: Hand Release Merkins
#8: Jump Squats
#9: CDD
#10: Burpees

I try to hit all of the 3S2T in all of my Q’s and I feel this one delivered. The speed, strength, and stamina were definitely worked on and the constant switchbacks and hills really focused on the mental and physical toughness aspects. The look on guy’s faces during the beatdown showed the struggle but the encouragement was strong.

I think we made it through the burpees then back down to the Cone # 4 before having to jail brake all the way back to COT.
Great work was put in by all and I think the leaders got in over 4.6 miles and who knows how many exercises.
Count-A-Rama, Name-A-Rama, Announcements and Prayers and Praises before a circle of man.

It was a pleasure to witness the longest shooting star I have ever seen with you gents.

Thank you to Gears for the opportunity to lead these great HIM.
Stay Frosty My Friends!
Olaf

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All about Stang

It’s always a pleasure to Q Laces In especially when Slapshot (fellow Yinzer) markets that YHC will bring pull-up pains. 11 PAX got better this morning. Shout out to Greenwave for finally posting after months of hibernating.

COP started in the parking lot with 13 windmills (surprised??), 5 burpees since Cornhole was late, then 13 very slow squats. Mossy to main school parking lot, 26 IW, 13 mountain climbers, 26 SSH, and 5 burpees. PAX line up in a line facing baseball field, toy soldiers half way down then NUR to end of lot. Mumble chatter started up and was wondering when PAX would be mossy to pull-up bars. Not yet…..

PAX broke up into 3 groups. Each group lined up within the parking lot lanes near the football practice field. Run from the curb line to the first parking stall. Each stall has a assigned parking number for the students. The first number = burpees, second number = squats, third number = merkins. For example: parking stall number is 287 = 2 burpees, 8 squats, 7 merkins. Run back to curb and back up the lane to the next parking stall. Rinse and repeat until we got about half way down the parking lot.

Mossy towards pull-up bars….whoops….hard right turn and mossy to the hill next to the football stadium. PAX were soooo concerned about heading to the pull-up bars…the intention was to run more this morning. PAX were surprised and glad we mossy away from the bars.

At hill we did 22’s (11’s on steroids). 2 merkins at bottom of hill, run up hill to last light pole – 22 squats. Run back down hill. Increase/decrease by 2 reps. Mumble chatter mostly by Stang….shocking! 5 burpees to complete the WO.

Thanks for opportunity to lead, everyone was gassed and sweaty!

 

Prayers to Cash, Bonsai, FMSD (teachers, leaders, admin, students, and parents) during this time.

Trucker

 

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RPG

Sasquatch takes RPG to a whole new level.  BodyWash Sasquatch and Fogerty completed a Road/Off Road run to close out the Fellowship run

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Great Way to Start the Week

It was a privilege to Q the newest AO “Sweep the Leg” this week.  The term in one of my favorite movies, “Karate Kid”.  Lots of life lessons, bad 80s music, and my Hollywood crush, Elisabeth Shue. What a beauty!

Ok, back to the workout.  Pretty simple and repetitive.  Run a lap around the parking lot.  In the main lot, there were exercises (Carolina Dry Docks, LBCs, Merkins, Jump Squats – 20 of each) at each one of the four light poles.  Sprint between the light poles.  Run a lap around the parking lot..Rinse and Repeat.

Great job by everyone.  Lots of men getting better and encouraging each other.

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Dance Naked

14 Men took the F3 plunge this morning and posted at the Ballroom on a perfect South Carolina morning.  Here is what they did:

Mosey out of the parking lot to the cement pad at the back of the school for COP:

All in cadence:

SSHX20, Windmill x10, Merkin x 7, IW x 15, Little/big arm circles backwards/forwards x 20, Squat x 15, Mountain Climber x 15/hold 6″/down dog/honeymooner/6″/right arm and leg high/left arm and leg high/6″/regular, LBC x 20

Mosey to the adjacent parking lot and line up.  From a 20 yard distance, do the following:

  1.  Bearcrawl, then 10 merkins at the stopping point.  Walk back to starting point.
  2. Lungewalk, then 10 squats, walk back.
  3. Crabwalk, then 10 dips, walk back
  4. Inchworm, then 10 diamond merkins, walk back
  5. Frog jump, then 10 burpees, walk back
  6. Walk to the destination, pick someone you don’t know, introduce yourself and learn something about that person.

Mosey to the hill near the steel bridge for Jacob’s ladder.  Hill repeats starting with 1 burpee and continue to 5 burpees.  Plank at the bottom when finished.

Mosey to the side of the school for people’s chair.  60 sec hold x 3 times, one with overhead handclaps.  YHC encouraged the Pax to sit with knees at a 90-degree angle.  People’s chair should be strenuous!

Mosey to the front of the school and recite the pledge of allegiance at the flag.

Everyone on their 6 for 6 minutes of Mary (and it really was 6 minutes):  Freddie Merc x 15, Box cutter x 10, Flutter x 10, LBC x 20

End the workout with the Body Destroyer

COT

Naked Man Moleskin

After several months on/off/on IR, it was good to be back on Q at the Ballroom with a large group of Pax.  T-claps to Boogiedown for getting both of his sons out at 5:15am for a workout.   We were all in Cub Scouts together years ago when the kids were young and my, how everyone has up!  Sorry for not using your F3 names on this backblast, boys.  I didn’t get the video on Tuesday and couldn’t remember them.

There was constant chatter from Anchorman and some of the other Pax.  It started during the disclaimer and pretty much continued for the duration of the workout.  Nothing wrong with that of course, and maybe it’s expected from someone who makes their living talking a lot.

Short Sale asked me to please do a backblast for this workout because the Q’s here have not been doing them consistently.   I said something like, ‘I always do my backblasts ” and then I didn’t get this out until two days later.   Better late than never, but I always try to get them out the same day or next day at the latest.  The interest in the backblast decreases dramatically as each day passes.  Sorry, my friend!

As far as the title, Dance Naked, no one was (thankfully) naked on Tuesday.  This is a reference to an album by John Mellencamp, one of my favorite artists.  I’ve had music on the brain lately because someone on Twitter started tagging people to post 7 album covers of albums they love and to tag someone else to do the same.  I’ve been a rock music fan for as long as I can remember and have really enjoyed seeing what the Pax have posted for their favorite albums.

it was a pleasure to lead the Pax today and I look forward to my next visit to the Ballroom.  Thanks for the Q spot, Short Sale!

Announcements:  read your newsletter

Prayers/praises

  1.  Family of a husband and father who committed suicide.
  2. Young girl with a serious illness

 

 

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Palisades=Hills

The hills were alive. Rolling in from Tega Cay I was like “How hard can a stroll through Palisades be?” Turns out hard! A couple of notes from YHC before leading a running workout.

  1. Try to post a few times when you are not the Q. It helps with getting a lay of the land. And getting to know the regulars.
  2. Review some of the recent routes so as not to be repetitive and reflect an air of not caring or just “winging it”
  3. When laying out the route on mapmyrun, take a peek at the elevation changes and adjust as necessary (or not)
  4. Know where your going (this is key)

Item 2 above gave the necessary ground for some light twitter cyber-bullying of YHC (deserved). Item 3 resulted in some grumbles, mostly from YHC. And item 4 resulted in some wayward Pax (again myself included). Tclaps to Hauschka for getting me back on track.

So the 13 of us rolled out and took on Palisades. The route is posted somewhere in the Twitter-verse and should stay there. We had a good time, got the heart rate up, got lost (some of us at least), found about 4-5 different ways to get back to Palisades Park Elementary. All told the distances ranged from 4.5 – 5.5 miles. A special thank you to Jedi and Witch Hunt for the conversation rolling back into the school. If you’ve ever wondered the many uses of a credit card and/or penny, just hit Jedi up. He brings new light to the term “penny pincher”.

COT and BOM on me.

Haushcka, thanks for the opportunity as always.

Zima out!

 

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6 pack at Sea Legs

I don’t usually document the runs, but I figured it could still be helpful for those Q’ing a workout at Sea Legs that may be unfamiliar with the lay of the land.  Every backblast counts.

Nothing special this morning, there were 6 of us on a, what’s now typical, muggy morning.  We met at the parking lot at the Palisades Elementary and went up the back road/hill by the basketball hoops and down Langston road where we hit Grand Palisades pkwy and took that all the way down to the roundabout and back.  About 4.5 miles of safe running off the main roads.  This is a good route that fits nicely within the time slot and has a deceiving amount of hills.

We finished up a few minutes early and circled up for CoT

  • 6th annual Invergance
  • Prayers for travel and the PAX attending the GRT
  • Prayers for Routers Grandmother-in-law who is having surgery

Thanks for the Q Hauschka!

-Flux

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