Disrupting 12 days???

As I type this up, I realize that copy and pasting right after the workout would have been a very easy task but I decided to wait but build up the suspense….or something like that.  At the Swamp gathering, we divided into 3 groups – runners, ruckers and bootcampers.

As YHC led the bootcampers away from COT off into the gloom, we did a quick mosey that included butt kickers, high knees and side to side shuffles.  Once we reached our destination, we circled up to get in some quick warm up and stretching given the cooler temps.

Starting out we did: SSH, windmills, Moroccan night clubs, low slow squats, smurf jacks, and some hamstring and back stretches along with downward dog and honeymooner.

Once stretching and bodies were somewhat defrosted, we got into the Thang.

Given our first week of Q source was disruption, what better way to mix things up and disrupt the status quo than pick on something everyone was familiar with – the infamous “12 days of Christmas”.  With this in mind, YHC went with “12 days…since NYE” which was still true and this was only the beginning.  Each exercise was going to have a bit of a twist and was going to make the PAX challenge not only their bodies in the early gloom, but also their listening, math and memory skills!  Here’s how we started out and in true “12 day” style, started with 1, then moved to 2 and back to 1, then to 3 to 2 to 1, then to 4….and so on.  Whatever number you’re on, that’s how many exercises were done unless there was a multiplier included after the exercise (for example see #4 which is x2 meaning 8 of each variety of calf raise.  Also where there’s 2 exercises listed, you got to do both at the designated number.

1. Lap / run (which included up and down the set of stairs and around the parking lot for a short loop)

2. Cracken burpees (if you don’t know what this is, a regular burpee with 3 hand release merkins at the bottom and a Lake Wiley special!)

3. Fluttters & Rosalita & American Hammer (3 sets of each and double count with flutters and hammers)

4. Calve raises (all 3 varieties – inside, regular, outside) x2

5. Smurf jacks x2 (this is a squat position while doing SSH)

6. WWII big boy (legs in butterfly position and big boy situp)

7. Diamonds & Hand release

8. Jump lunge (each leg)

9. Dips x2

10. CDD x2

11. Plank ski jump (1 full cycle is 1 count)

12. Squats x3

13. Bonus round…Toe Taps

A few PAX made it through the 12 days and were looking for more, so in true disruption fashion, YHC was happy to accommodate with a 13th bonus day!

Headed back to COT with 4 min remaining, we managed to get in a few minutes of Mary while we were joined by our fellow runners and ruckers.  Wrapping up with name-o-rama, announcements and TAPs, YHC was happy to be called upon to lead.

Even with the disruption we face every day, no matter how big or small, it’s how we handle the change that makes us better.  Even if throwing in a small curve ball into something like “12 days” gives you pause to think about change, applying this “pause” to everyday life for bigger curve balls is great practice for the game of life. Slowing down life to wait for the curve balls that will come across the plate is a patient man’s game. Disrupting the status quo for controlled (or even uncontrolled) practice…there’s nothing wrong with that game!

Shady

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Balls of Gloom, Inaugural Edition

With a new year, YHC wanted to try something new at Quagmire. I’ve been tossing around ideas, and having some sort of benchmark workout – like the Board of Pain – that is straightforward to work through but also a good workout seemed like a good idea. So, for the month of January, we are rolling out the Balls of Gloom using the red balls outside Target. Poorly advertised, but there will be more opportunities.

Ten PAX showed up for the inaugural running of the BOG (get it? Because it’s Quagmire?). Quick explanation, brief disclaimer, and off we went on a quick mosey to the lot in front of what used to be Books a Million (that’s closed now, apparently). Some side shuffles (sorry Shady, there’s a bump there), high knees, butt kickers, and toy soldiers thrown in for good measure.

Warm up with SSH, windmills, Moroccan night clubs, and maybe something else but I can’t remember.

Mosey to Target and get going…

Balls of Gloom

The idea is simple. Workout is AMRAP for 33ish minutes, you v. you. Exercise posted on each of 10 balls, run between balls, and then run a lap from the stop sign, out to the road between Target and Kohls, around behind Verizon, and back to the start. Rinse and repeat. Try to beat your best next time.

Exercises:

  • 10 burpees
  • 20 merkins
  • 20 squats
  • 40 LBCs
  • 20 CDDs
  • 20 jumping lunges per leg
  • 40 Hello Dolly
  • 20 werkins
  • 10 squat jumps
  • 10 burpees

ChaChing and Bones knocked out four complete rounds with the run at the end and got into the burpees for round five. Three more PAX completed the burpees at the end of round 4 but not the run. Remaining five were somewhere else in round 4. All pushed hard and did great.

Quick mosey back to COT, arriving at precisely 0600 (after being stalked through the parking lot but a vehicle that seemed lost).

Looking forward to doing better next week. You should join us, at least for one, and see what you can do.

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Laces In – Going Out

A bit of cool rain couldn’t keep the 8 LacesIn pax in the fartsack this morning.  Thankfully, it was 52 degrees and not 32 degrees.  Fearing the bubble over Fort Mill wouldn’t hold up, YHC planned a workout under coverage, off campus of FMHS (someone needs to talk to Flash about getting more coverings built onto the school).  Once the disclaimer was issued, we jetted up the hill and across Munn Road to St. Philip Neri.  Vacant, well lit, and relatively dry.

Warm up under the drop-off awning:

  • SSH x25
  • Windmills x10
  • Mountain Climbers x20
  • Imperial Walkers x20
  • Low Slow Squats x10

Mosey around what would be the “loop” for the Thang.

The Thang
Webb-o-Rama is always a crowd pleaser.  Fortunately, none of the pax attended (or remembered) the last installment of Webb-o-Rama (The Abyss a few weeks ago, for the record).

[stand by while I look up that back-blast for copy/paste]

4 “stations” along a loop that was mostly covered there at the church.   The exercises at each station were to be done in a Jack Webb style, (1:4 ratio).

Station 1: Burpees and Side Straddle Hops, then Bear Crawl to station 2

Station 2: Big Boy Sit-ups and American Hammers, then wheelbarrow to station 3 (flapjack half way)

Station 3: Bombjacks and Run-Stance Switches, then lunge walk to station 4

Station 4: Traditional Jack Webb (merkins and overhead claps), then run around track back to station 1

We did a total of 2 loops of the circuit before we ran out of time.

Round 1: 1-5 (made it all the way through round 1 before Pusher started complaining – gotta be some kind of record).
Round 2: 6-8

Moseyed back to COT where we met up with the Laces Out pax (5).

Strong work by all men!  Hopefully all got a little better for it.

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The Cornerstone – Challenge ( One Year Long )

To all the Pax of F3 Nation

Are you prepared to challenge your self for 2019? I am challenging all Pax’s to join me for 2019 we will take on one exercise for January (merkins single count) 100 reps every day. Then in February we will add another exercise which will be done every day on top of the 100 merkins and so on and so on. We will increase by adding one exercise each month.  These exercises will be above and beyond when you post. So by the end of the year there will be 12 exercises that need to be done everyday at the reps set.

Do you accept the challenge? Do you want to get better?

I will set the next month exercise and reps the week before to keep you on your toes

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Movement keeps one warm

21 gathered at Laces Out and Laces In – 8 and 13 respectively – to prove the theory that movement keeps one warm in chilly December temperatures.

YHC had promised site Q for months that I would take a Laces In Q and it was great to finally fulfill that with such a strong group of PAX and make it through with good fellowship, a little mumble chatter and 45 minutes (or an hour for the 8 runners) of getting a little better than we were the day before.

After a disclaimer and delegating the assumption of risk to all gathered, we moseyed to the FMHS Band parking lot for COP:

COP: Moroccan Night Clubs IC x 20, arm circles – forward and backward in varying quantities, SSH IC x 30, Merkins IC x 12, Windmills IC x 15

Mosey back to the Stadium entrance for Jacob’s Ladder.  Since our workout was 12 days before Christmas, it only seemed fitting that the exercises add up to 12 instead of 11.  YHC, therefore, modified the ladder, given the date on the calendar.

Burpees at the bottom – 11, 10, 9, 8, etc.

Lunge Walks uphill to the 2nd lightpole (crowd pleaser )

Carolina Dry Docks at the 2nd lightpole – 1, 2, 3, 4 and mosey back down

Mosey to the main parking lot for a little partner Dora

100 merkins total – Partner 1 starts, partner 2 does a roughly 120 yard shuttle run  – switch until 100 is reached.

200 squats – Partner 1 starts, partner 2 runs, you get the idea

Had a plan for 300 as well, but YHC was compelled to call an audible at 5:57 (time ran short) to head back for a little ab work…..but just a little.

Boxcutters IC x 30, American Hammers IC x 15, and a body destroyer promptly executed at 5:59 AM.

There was much movement, a little chatter, varying amounts of sweat and a few comments in the days that followed relating to the amount of lunge walks – complimentary of course.

Announcements – Christmas Eve convergence – 12-24 at the Abyss – Palisades Park Elementary and Q source begins on Saturday 1-5-19.

Prayers for all traveling for the holidays.

Relatively new to leading workouts, it was great to see some #HIM’s who, years ago, were encouraging of this serial runner guy to get out of his comfort zone and go do something else.  You each know who you are.  Thank you.

My thanks to Lil’ E for the opportunity to lead.  It was a privilege.

Cyclops

 

 

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#Badgemire

I thought it would be special for us to have a little taste of Badger in our DRP this morning, so I brought a Hero Workout to Quagmire (now, just to raise Jedi’s ire, we will call it Badgemire)…

We yogged a moment, circled up, and warmed up to the sounds of Wild Thing being late.

Windmills x 10
Cherry/Peanut/Grass/Microcherry Pickers x 10
Merkins x 10
Imperial Walkers x 10

We ran to the parking lot at Tarjay and Jedi read to us, after straining to do so like some kind of elderly person (didn’t know he wore glasses, sorry to hang you out to dangle like that), anyway, he read to us the brief synopsis of U.S. Marine Cpl. Albert Gettings’ life. In his honor, we performed the “Bert”. It went a little something like this…

  • 50 Burpees
  • 400 meter Run
  • 100 Push-Ups
  • 400 meter Run
  • 150 Walking Lunges
  • 400 meter Run
  • 200 Air Squats
  • 400 meter Run
  • 150 Walking Lunges
  • 400 meter Run
  • 100 Push-Ups
  • 400 meter Run
  • 50 burpees

It was a real treat. Cha-Ching, Jedi, and Bones were the kings today, and managed to start that last set of burpees before we ran out of time and Indian Ran the whole way back, minus the last 75 yards or so where we broke the jail…

As noted in the tweet, good times were had by several.

NMM:
U.S. Marine Cpl. Albert Gettings, 27, of New Castle, Pennsylvania, died on Jan. 5, 2009, while conducting counter-sniper operations in Fallujah, Iraq. Cpl. Gettings was serving as a team leader with the 2nd Battalion, 6th Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, II Marine Expeditionary Force, of Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, at the time of his death.

Every quarter, Cpl. Gettings’ fellow Marines in Fox Company complete a special workout in his honor as part of the Cpl. Albert P. Gettings Award ceremony.

He is survived by his wife, Stephanie Palimino; parents, David and Juliet; and sister, Cori.

Helmet, out.

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Dura-freakin-bility

Great morning in TC- 12 men farted outside of the sack.- wait.  Unsacked the fart…wait.  Got out of bed in 26 degrees to take the DRP and get better.  It was old school good old times.

Had the stairs in mind today but not enough light- another time Pantheonians.

After a couple of PLLs(parking lot laps), we headed to field.

COP:

  • SSH, IW, Squat, Moroccan night club, with 2 burpees in between.
  • Kareoke, Toy soldiers,  70%, 80%, 90% runs across field

The Thang: Dora 123

  • 100 Mac Tar N Jai
  • 200 Sumo Squat
  • 300 Freddy mercury

Merkin Clock: # of merkins = position on the clock.  total 78.

Close with some MAry: Box cutters and Dying Cockroaches

Naked Man Moleskin

Everybody rocked the #king today as we did all cadence and partner PT today.  Great work by Pax in picking up the #6 during Dora.  that’s what its all about men.  Leave no man behind.  Good grass work today- no one complained.  Funhouse spouted some nuggets on durability.  More accurately- dura-freakin-bility.  Posting in adverse conditions better prepare you to succeed especially when handling hardships or challenges.  Do the hard thing men.  take the DRP.  A few words on changing your mindset by swapping the words “have to” for “get to”.  This simple little trick will help you really appreciate all your have and move towards gratitude.

Announcements:

  • Bear Grylls taking over as Pantheon site Q- AYE!  Great work Fishsticks and looking forward to Bear Grylls leadership.
  • Bear Grylls Rucking again in honor of cousin who committed suicide from PTSD serving to tours overseas.  He will cover 125 miles and has a goal of raising $2200.  He will tweet out details so you can read more and donate/support.  #WYH
  • Christmas party Saturday
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Big 50 Birthday bash

Today was my 50th Birthday and Maximus allowed me to lead a Beyond so that I could take some extra time to discuss somethings that I have been pondering as I approached this milestone birthday.  To go along with our monthly theme of Vulnerable I took the opportunity to share some struggles as well.  With that we moseyed.

Warm up of SSH, Imperial walkers, Squats, Mountain Climbers, Merkins, and Plank Jacks

Moseyed to Rite Aid parking lot(some chatter about too much running, but I ignored it).

Sharing time #1 – Shared with the Pax that I feel like 30 year old me would have thought that 50 year old me would be “further along”.  Further along Professionally and Financially, Further along Spiritually and in Family.  In 2001 I was recruited to Charlotte for a position with a new company, for a salary that I thought would be my ticket ahead.  I had great plans that I could do this for a bunch of years, make a bunch of money and then I could check out and go do something that I wanted to do , maybe full time ministry or teaching.  Within 1 year it all blew up, I was demoted for not doing a good job, salary was slashed plans were gone.  17 years later we’re still feeling the affects.

First circuit – Partner up – Partner 1 does People’s Chair Partner 2 does a lap, then flip it.  Next Partner 1 does Plank, Partner 2 does a lap, flip it.  Next Partners do 100 Merkins as a team, 1 runs I does Merkins, flip it.

Sharing time 2 – Felt like I would be further along spiritually.  30 year old me would have thought I would have gotten past my need for man’s approval.  I would have thought that the sins that tripped me up back then would be conquered and pride & lust would no longer be an issue foe me, but they are still there.  Felt like I would be further along in family & parenting. My plan was to be an empty nester at this point, but here I am with a 7th and 9th grader still at home, and t top it off I’m not particularly better at parenting then I was when I 30.

Circuit #2 Partner again – Lap #1 Partner 1 does Al Gore Partner #2 does a lap.  Lap #2  Partner 1 does Flutters Partner 2 does a lap.  Lap #2 Team does 100 Big Boy Sit ups total while 1 partner runs.

Sharing time 3 – The truth is that when I look at my life with clear eyes I can see that my life has been Blessed beyond measure!  I have a job that I mostly enjoy, and work with great people(shout out to Royale) and I am well compensated.  I have a beautiful wife of 26 years and we have a great marriage that keeps getting better.  I have 5 awesome kids who are healthy and bring me great joy, and sometimes frustration.  To add to it I have found this thing called F3 and a group of friends and Brothers that I never even knew I needed!  To see my 50 year old life s anything but blessed is ridiculous.

Off to COT for 2 minutes of Mary

Final share – What I have found is that the only times that I get down about where I am at 50 is when I look around me at others and I compare myself to what  my perception of them is.  This can lead to pride but for me it mostly leads to despair.  What I am trying to learn is contentment as Paul describes it in Phil. 4, whether he had much or little Paul was content.  The source of this contentment is found in Phil. 3 where Paul shares that all of his achievements, any possession he may have or any legacy he may be able to boast about , all of is it is worthless, or as he calls is a big pile of manure, compared to knowing Christ.  Paul says he has 1 aim, and that is to Know Christ!!  The secret Paul learned is that all he need was Jesus and if he had Jesus he had all he needed, and if he had Jesus, he could never lose him so therefore he could always be content.  In whatever amount of years I have left let this be my aim; that I may know Christ!!

Thank you for the opportunity to lead.

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Charter Band-aids for Little Warriors – PreBlast

As most of the PAX in the Fort and Rock regions knows my 5 year old daughter (Emma) is a leukemia survivor. We still make a trip every 4 weeks to get blood drawn to check her counts at Levine Children’s Hospital. We also stepped up and raised money last year (Christmas time) for a fellow brother bout-time out of Area 51 son Jennings who has leukemia also.

It has come to my attention that the budgets have been cut in some of the pediatric departments and the first thing to go is usually the character band aids. You say how important is to have these band-aids? Well as far as the cancer kids go every time the have their PORT’s (Port is a small medical appliance that is installed beneath the skin. A catheter connects the port to a vein) which for some kids is traumatic they get a band-aid over it. For others that are done with treatment such as my daughter Emma has to go back for the next 21 years to get checked (mainly blood counts). This not always easy for instance this past Wednesday she was poked 3 times. Well at the end the band aid can put a smile on a child’s face. This also goes for those kiddos that have to constantly get blood work done not just cancer kids.

So what I am challenging you to do is every week you go grocery shopping buy at least one box or more of character band-aids girls or boys. Also Spread the word in every COT. I will tweet out what AO’s I will be at and if anyone wants to step up and help me collect that would be awesome.

I also challenge others in different regions to pull together and do the same thing. My goal is to gather as much as possible and split it between Levine Children’s Hospital and Novant Health Hemby Children’s Hospital (St. Jude Affiliate Clinic) before Christmas.

Let a simple act of kindness put a smile on a little fighters face.

AYE. Lets do this.

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The Yard – “Is this a moderate?” In name only!!

12 PAX and YHC arrived at The Yard for this gorgeous Saturday morning. Nothing like a double down beating early in da gloom!! At least among friends. 9 PAX for 10k run and 5 of those stayed for the double down……definitely a nap day!!

I mention friends because when I look at F3 and especially the 2nd F, I don’t think I ever had as many Friends as I do in the PAX. Grade school, high school, college and career combined can’t touch the number of guys and families I can call “FRIEND” today from the PAX.

God said Abraham was a “Friend” of his. That is powerful when you think about all the things we do as friends together and for Abraham to be called a friend of God’s. In the PAX we workout, eat together, laugh together sometimes cry together. We do crazy CSAUPS we go to church together some of us work together and we are living life together. God calls each of us Friend that choose to be his friend.

Remember everything you do Sky Q is there and wants to share in the highs and the lows and goes before you in all you do. He is your friend and is constant! Never Changing!! Always!!

The Thang:

Little mosey to see if Football field was open, but no dice. The sign with “Private Property” on it was interesting considering each of the men is paying for the field if they own a home in Ft Mill. Anyway…..

Some shuffles, high knees, butt kckers, mosey again to COP

Wind Mills, Squats, Merkins, Freddy Mercurys, Moroccan Night Clubs, 5 burpees OYO

The meat and potatoes:

2 exercises alternating between them completing the reps and going for 3 min

Here they are:

  • SSHs-10
  • Burpees-5—-3 rounds
  • Merkins-10
  • Jump Rope-20
    • 5 burpees
  • Mtn Climbers-10
  • Dips-20
    • 5 burpees
  • Squats-15
  • Curls-10
    • 5 burpees
  • Lunges -10/leg
  • Calf raises -20
    • 5 burpees
  • LBCs-10
  • Donkey Kicks-5
    • 5 burpees
  • Freddys-10
  • Partner Wheelbarrow-curb2curb
    • 5 burpees
  • Big boys-5
  • Partner Plank Hand Taps – 10

With all the burpees mixed in we ended with 55 burpees

Great work by all the PAX. The encouragement and hard work was inspiring.

Thanks Hasselhoff for the Q……as always I am humbled and honored.

Cake Boss

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