Tag: Gekko

Swimming Upstream

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6 men showed up on a cold morning at Minnow Pond.  The theme of the day was hills, lots of hills.

We first ran up Massey to the gas station.  At each stop, we did a set of 10 merkins, squats, and LBCs.  Next stop, the Christmas tree  at Massey Park.  I consider this the warm-up portion of the workout.

Next, we ran to the warehouse parking lot on Wither street.  If you haven’t been there, it is at the top of a hill.  We ran down the hill and at each right turn, we performed the exercises above, ran back to the warehouse parking lot for another set of the exercises.  Rinse and repeat until we reached Tom Hall.  Once complete, we ran the course in reverse.  We were all chasing Sir Topham Hat as he cruised up and down the hills.

 

Back of COT

Great job by all!

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The Equalizer

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9 got better this morning and 1 got lighter as we tackled a routine I call “The Equalizer.”  Conditions we’re perfect for a sweatastic Merkin Mile beatdown. Here’s what we did…

The Thang

  • 5 Burpees

Run to the 1st entrance of Brayden

  • 10 Wide Arm Merkins

Run to Dave Gibson Blvd

  • 20 Bobby Hurleys

Run to Dam Rd

  • 30 Ranger Merkins

Run to Tara Plantation

  • 40 Squats

Run to YHC’s House

  • 50 Merkins

Run to Tara Plantation

  • 40 Calf Raises

Run to Dam Rd

  • 30 Diamond Merkins

Run to Dave Gibson Blvd

  • 20 Lunges

Run to 1st Entrance of Brayden

  • 10 Tempo Merkins

Run back to Earth Fare

  • 10 Tempo
  • 20 Lunges
  • 30 Diamond
  • 40 Calf Raises
  • 50 Merkins

Circle the lot

  • 10 Wide
  • 20 Bobby Hurleys
  • 30 Ranger
  • 40 Squats
  • 50 Merkins

Mosey back to COT

  • 5 Burpees

NMM
This workout was designed to have the PAX finish together. How do you keep the non-gazelles with the sub-6 minute milers at a running AO? Add Merkins.
As expected, Scalp and Gears had the major lead in the running portion. But as we closed in on the final assault at Earth Fare, Dark Helmet took the lead and never looked back. Major kudos to Band Camp and his Merkin prowess for powering through to the top-5 after the run. As usual, Gekko, Quack Attack, and Fish Sticks finished towards the top. And though he doesn’t like to admit it, Sugar Daddy is starting to look like a runner. Spider-Man did bail early, but when nature calls, you know, you answer. I understand he looked three shades brighter and 2 pounds lighter after his…break.
Thanks for the opportunity to lead. I know this is more Merkins than normal for STL (as noted by the grunting and grumbling), but it’s the only way I could keep up with you fast guys. But as usual, you men persevered and powered through. You did the hard thing and you’re better for it.

One last word to start the week:

You can’t force someone to respect you but you can refuse to be disrespected.

Now go be a force to be reckoned with. Crush the day!

Aye!

Italian Job

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Take no fish/prisoner

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22 showed up to get better….22 left better (more tired like YHC, but they took the red pill today).  Pledge of allegiance was properly performed, very short disclaimer (I think) but 5 core principles were done for the FNG…YHC tried to wait for what he was told about 2 PAX coming in HOT only to realized they were already there.  Upon that notification, we were off at a 7 min pace.

We ran down Academy street to the open parking lot by the top of the hill before we got to all the churches…did some planking while we waited for the 6…counted off to make sure we started and left with the same number.  At this point, YHC explained the drill and early route.

  • 10 – hand release merkins
  • 20 – squats
  • 30 – American (no, not russian twists) hammers

We did these in the parking lot, ran down the hill, were greeted from the Footloose PAX (welcome FNG) with some proper form (I guess) monkey humpers.  Very nice call Trucker – brownie points…  We ran to the corner of Tom Hall where we did our 10, 20, 30 – then ran to Hardees for another 10, 20, 30.  Waiting for the 6 we planked…as we should.  Once all PAX were in attendence, YHC instructed the PAX to run up Spring St and cross over to Unity where we would do 10, 20, 30.  At each “up and over” (basically creating an L), we would perform the exercises at either Unity or Spring depending on the up and over…always doing the exercise at the “over” cross street.  Once we reached Summersby (all the way in the back of the neighborhood), we ran back to Hardees.  Due to bad time management by YHC, this caused everyone to run all the way back to COT so you’re welcome for the non-rest.  Sorry, not sorry.

At COT, we named our FNG – Trickle (welcome!!).  D2D race for announcements which sold out in about 5 hours to the surprise of everyone.  Prayers and praises – we had a little of both.  Overall, just the right amount of suck but we got better and that’s the goal.

Shady out (thanks Shanks for the gap in schedule!)

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New Fellowship Ruck AO Official Starts 9/10 at 5 am

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The fellowship ruck Sole to Soul that we have been doing unofficially for about 3 months has been gaining momentum so we have official start  date of 9/10 at 5 am. We shoot for  4 plus miles every Thursday starting at Panera Bread in Kingsley followed by Hanging with Stang afterwards. What better way could you start your day with a awesome mumblechatter while rucking and a great conversation afterwards with a great sunrise. Join YHC as we launch this AO. I look forward to seeing you in the Gloom.

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Sweep the Leg runs into Pantheon

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I got the call to come off the bench and Q Pantheon and figured it was time to step up my game as Q. It was time to do something I hate (but know it’s needed) and that is to run run and run. So taking a chapter out of the new STL WO, I figured why not…plus add a little coupon into the mix.

After 3 (I think) took off for Tempo, we did a quick COP of 15 low slow squats and 15 IW. Thankful for Jekyll to cal me out for not starting with SSH…but little did he know.

Walked to the drop off zone where the weinke was written in chalk next to 2 sandbags and 2 rucks (Thanks Change Order for your ruck). So here we go!

Run a full lap around the long road (about 0.35miles)

5 Burpees

Run the loop again

10 Squat Thrusts with coupon – PAX picks the poison (each coupon was different weight)

Run the loop again

15 Merkins

Run the loop again

20 Squats

Run the loop again

25 LBCs

Run the loop again

30 SSH (your welcome Jeykll)

Run the loop again

35 V-ups

If you finish the 7 laps, rinse and repeat.

All PAX finished 7 laps plus 1 additional round. Some PAX accelerated – cough cough – Fishsticks – who I think got in 2 full rounds. He knows when to turn on the burners. As the PAX were running the laps, we noticed a FNG joined in with Fishsticks on the laps and exercises.  He was headlocked during the Tempo portion and stuck around! Nice work Gecko and others!

Appreciate the opportunity to lead and make everyone push themselves past their comfort zone. YHC logged in over 3 miles and couldn’t have done it without each of the PAX encouragement.

Prayers for CASH! Prayers for those fighting anxiety, for the teachers and students, and marriages.

Trucker

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Big Words & Others’ Plans

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15 PAX in the gloom at Pantheon for a workout featuring some big words and other people’s plans. A Backdraft WOD from the stricter quarantine period and 38 Special’s from All the Yogging

Warm-Up
– SSH x21
– Moroccan Night Club x15
– Yoga sequence
– Merkins x10
– Shoulder Taps x10
-Did the first round of the Thang as PAX still considering it the warmup.

The Thang

See above. Modified the the reps so we hit the full numbers after 10 stations and right at 0600. On the second loop, we had to reverse course to station 3 and then finished at station 1 for time.

NMM:

The school exterior has new modifications for entrance and exits to keep kids physically distanced as the start of school is right around the corner. YHC has been thinking a lot about failure and how to encourage better failure and better growth. If the Chapel HIll experiment is any indication, the best laid plans of mice and men for returning to school during COVID-19 will fail. How will the PAX of The Fort respond for our families, our schools, and our community?

We’ve all failed in our lives and I pray we can use failure to make things better.

COT

Lots of praises for good things: children’s athletic success, marriage length, parental birthdays, grant awards. Prayers to remember the good during our moments of tribulation.

—

Band Camp Dismissed

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7 of Diamonds

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There were 3 runners and 9 PAX joined YHC for the boot camp portion.  Was thankful for the help as this was my VQ for a boot camp.  Wanted to make it memorable…

After a quick reminder, gave the disclaimer and we were off.


Warm Up

Moseyed toward the back of the school stopping at first parking lot for Moroccan night clubs (x15) and merkins (x10).  Then moseyed past the back of the school to the next lot where we did low slow squats (x15) and mountain climbers (x10).

The Thang

As we headed up toward the field the PAX saw the chalk on the ground with the 7 of diamonds exercises laid out…I explained each exercise is done at the four locations I pointed out around the loop that goes around the field – about 1/3 mile loop.  All exercises were oyo.  Then it was time to get to it.  Gears was out the gate first and the rest eventually joined in on the fun.  The exercises were:

Burpees (7, 28 total)

LBCs (14, 56 total)

Lunges (21, 82 total)

Flutters (28, 112 total)

Jump Squats (21, 82 total)

Diamond merkins (14, 56 total)

Burpees (7, 28 total)

 

Only a couple made it all the way through and after the six was in we had about 2 min left.  Found a curb and did 30 dips (IC) and 10ish LBCs with a very irregular counting cadence.
Headed back to the shovel flag for COT.
Thanks 38 Special for the opportunity to lead.

 

 

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Start Fast, Grow Steady, Finish Strong

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17 HIM descended upon the Swamp for a strong finish to the month of July.  YHC got a call from Duck Dynasty this week asking to step up and take the Q.  Upon arrival, YHC was greeted by a few early arriving #HIM and the remainder wandered in between 0507 and 0515 – well all but Olaf who came in hot and eventually caught up to us quickly at COP.

Disclaimers were announced and it was confirmed that no FNG’s were present today.

The theme of the workout, fittingly, was 7’s, 31’s and focusing on how we are finishing.  YHC laid out the theme and off we moseyed to the Home Depot Parking Lot for COP and the warm up – all exercises in cadence:

15 D/C Imperial Walkers, 5 burpees OYO, 15 hillbilly walkers, 5 burpees OYO, 10 low slow squats, holding the people’s chair we did 10 D/C Moroccan night clubs in cadence, held the chair for a Duck Dynasty 10-count and finished in the chair with 10 D/C shoulder taps in cadence.  5 more burpees OYO and then moved to 10 D/C seal jacks in cadence followed by 5 burpees OYO before moseying off to Target for the main event.

Main event – 7-31 – Start fast, finish strong.

Fittingly, July 31 required 7’s and 31’s on this relatively breezy morning.  PAX lined up to complete kracken burpees on one end of the parking lot, run roughly 50 yards and did lunges at the rate of 6 kracken burpees & 1 lunge, 5 & 2, 4 & 3, 3 & 4, 2 & 5 and 1 & 6.  After the 6 was in a short plank was called, after which we moseyed to the fountains for 15 D/C dips in cadence and then took on the 31’s to finish July strong.

31’s were a combination of merkins and squats – merkins on one end of the parking lot, followed by a run to the opposite end – roughly 200 (ish) yards and squats.  The sequence went as follows:

27 merkins, 4 squats

23 merkins, 8 squats

19 merkins, 12 squats

15 merkins, 16 squats

11 merkins, 20 squats

7 merkins, 24 squats

3 merkins, 28 squats

As the six came in all PAX, fittingly, got on their respective 6’s for 31 D/C (of course) flutters in cadence. A recover on our feet and a mosey to COT was called where PAX had just enough time for a 60 second protractor at varying degrees and a 30 second body destroyer put us right on 0600 and COT.

Announcements:

Sweati on 8-15 – launching from Colosseum (0530 for ruckers, 0600 for runners): Questions?  Get w/Backdraft.

Operation Stuff the Bus is a week from tomorrow, 8-8, starting at 0800: Bonsai is your Q.  Sign ups for 2 hour time slots are available.

Read Your Newsletter.

Prayers & praises were offered up both out loud and in the silence of our hearts.

NMM – The purpose of today’s workout was missional and aptly was held at the end of a calendar month – to start fast and finish strong.  In fulfilling our personal missions, it is imperative to answer the question “Are we intentional about how we finish or do we go through the motions and check the box?”  What would our M’s, 2.0’s and inner concentrica say if they were asked these questions about us?  Do we take the necessary steps to be thorough?  Do we take the extra minute or two in a conversation with a loved one to let them know we are present and available and not let our minds wander to the next task that lies ahead?   If you could look back at July, how purposeful was your month?  How did you “finish”?

Between 0500 and 0515 (or earlier to get EC) every weekday morning, we as PAX have the benefit of starting a workout with intentionality and purpose – completing that mission by 0600.  Do we take the same level of intentionality to our relationships, our families, our work?  How intentional is our time allocated and used?  We all get the same amount every day.  It is in finishing strong with that time that we make impact for the better and leave no doubt to those around us.  Start fast, and with purpose.  Finish strong to maximize your reach and impact.

YHC is grateful to Duck Dynasty for the opportunity to Q and to the PAX for encouraging the acceleration brought about by F3.

Start fast, grow steady, finish strong!

With Gratitude,

Cyclops

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Hill Suicides at STL

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Late night, 1-3 AM 2.0 cuddles. Lack of sleep. Sure to be a strong showing at STL. Roll up to find Gears with that smile he always has on when he knows he is about to put in work. Solid crew to start, into 0514 the cars keep appearing.

 

YHC tried to explain the warm up lap, but it just didn’t make sense verbally (see below). Only way to ensure we followed the right path was to lead the way.

Warm Up Lap – 1 Mile

Start in Parking Lot

End at bottom of Brayden Pkwy Hill

Arrived in the 6:45 pace range… plank it up for the six to explain the meat and potatoes. Right arm high, left arm high, six inches. And we’re ready.

Weinke – Hill Suicides – 1 Mile Each

From bottom of Brayden Hill there are three breaks in the median. First break, 10 reps, back down the hill. Second break, 20 reps, back down the hill. Third break (top of hill), 30 reps, back down the hill. One full suicide was 1.08 miles.

Round 1 – Merkins/LBC’s

Round 2 – Curb Dips/Flutters

Round 3 – CDD’s/Hello Dollies

Round 4 (few made it into this round) – Squats/Rosalitas

After Bones and Vuvuzela decided to kick this weinke in the teeth, we made a break for COT with 5 minutes left.

Get to COT with time for Mary. 15 Reps WWI sit ups, plus a few Fifer Scissors before the clock struck 0600. Elevation gain was 364 ft.

Bones, B.O.B, and Vuvuzela were top three.

 

COT

Announcements

Sweati 8/15

Blood Drive Tomorrow

Read your newsletter!

 

Prayers/Praises

MOAB’s father rung the bell for Chemo and is prepared to take the next step

Cake Boss’ 2.0 (Owen) had and MRI for his knee. Prayers for a good report and that his degenerative tissue be healed. 

Band Camp’s friends going through a divorce – prayers for their reconciliation. We are only a few poor decisions away from that same situation. Be vigilant.

Pray for families and the leadership of fathers – without strong leadership for our families, everybody is bound to fail.

 

Gears, that was fun. Please put YHC on the Q list again soon.

 

Punch List out. 

 

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Snowman suicide at Sweep The Leg

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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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