Start Fast, Grow Steady, Finish Strong

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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Noderate at Footloose

I pulled into the lot with a deck of cards and 4 different versions of the Deck of Pain planned. The pax in attendance all looked like runners so I changed the plan and we all ran to check out the Minnow Pond AO. We couldn’t find anybody but Hallelujah! we found a porta-potty for Training Wheels. The rest of planked it up and did some merkins while we patiently waited. Next we ran back to Footloose (1 mile!) and started on the original plan of the Deck of Pain.
Clubs: Squats
Spades: Merkins
Hearts: Flutters
Diamonds: Big Boys
Joker: Burpees
We played this game through most of the deck but I called an audible for the last 11 minutes and we all ran another mile.

Footloose is a moderate boot camp but when the Q knows the dudes in attendance can push a little harder than moderate, please push.

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Quagmire Burpecides

YHC was laying the trashtalk thick for your Monday beatdown. 11 HIM regretably showed up at Quagmire.  4 left to ruck #scared

We ran the dark trail for a good bit before we got lost, turned back and went to HD parking lot for the warmorama including windmills x 6, pickle pointers x 15, hillbilly walkers x 10, plank, 6″ hold, plank, chillcut hold. Ran to the Target balls for the thang: burpecides.

PAX lined up at the line, run to ball 1 = 1 burpee.  Run back.
Run to ball 1 = 1 burpee, run to ball 2 = 2 burpees. Run back.
Run to ball 1 = 1 burpee, run to ball 2 = 2 burpees, run to ball 3 = 3 burpees.  Run back.
Repeato to ball 9.  That’s 165 burpees and 2.5 miles today.  Cha Ching and Olaf did with a ruck… wow.

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Rust removal via building pyramids

22 HIM descended upon Golden Corral, 6 of whom opted for the Fire Ant.  Prior to arrival YHC wrote out the exercises with sidewalk chalk around the grounds and was quickly reminded how rough the parking lot surfaces were around the grounds.  While it made for a few challenges to write things out, all was sketched legibly enough for the attending PAX to enjoy.   The fun was about to begin.

The boot campers ventured off with YHC around the A/O grounds.  Cabana Boy and Slow Jams were also present but YHC could not find them in the tags.  Cobains.   YHC was coming off a week of vacation and looked forward to getting back out with the PAX.  It was time to roll

Here’s what we did.

Mosey to Grace Presby parking lot for the warm up (just before the signs went up for voters).

Imperial and Hillbilly Walkers x 10 (D/C and I/C – Olaf  decided to make the exercise literal

5 burpees after each

Low slow squat x 10 holding into people’s chair after the 10th rep to do the following (all D/C and in cadence)  Morroccan night clubs x10, air press x 10 and shoulder tap x 10

Recover to standing position for 5 more burpees before 15 SSH D/C I/C and off to the Harris Teeter wall for:

Wall Sits while each PAX did 3 burpees.  Cha Ching had the best burpee form.  YHC did not.

Mosey to the back lot, into the fresh country air with accompanying humidity and the main event: Partner Pyramid Work – DORA style.

PAX paired off – 16 made for 8 teams of 2.  While Partner 1 started the pyramid, partner 2 ran to the opposite end of the lot, through the clean smelling aforementioned air, did an assigned exercise for each trip and returned to switch off, picking up exercises where the partner left off on the pyramid.

Run #1 & 5 – 10 burpees

Run #2 & 6 – 10 squats

Run #3 & 7 – 10 diamond merkins

Run #4 & 8 – 10 wide arm merkins

The pyramid was 10 lines total – 5 lines down and 5 lines back up

10 burpees

10 burpees and 20 squats

10 burpees, 20 squats and 30 merkins

10 burpees, 20 squats, 30 merkins and 40 flutters

10 burpees, 20 squats, 30 merkins, 40 flutters & 50 jump squats

50 jump squats, 40 flutters, 30 merkins, 20 squats & 10 burpees

40 flutters, 30 merkins, 20 squats & 10 burpees

30 merkins, 20 squats & 10 burpees

20 squats & 10 burpees

10 burpees

Work was done around a little mumble chatter (but just a little), PAX got better and finished just in time to mosey briskly to COT for a 1-minute geometry class.  A protractor ab exercise was completed for 60 seconds at varying degrees.  For some reason, 0 degrees was the preferred choice but we never quite got there.  At 0600, we called time and circled up for name o rama, announcements, prayers and praises

Announcements:

Convergence at WEP on 7-11

Classroom ready notebook fundraiser is in full swing and runs through the end of June.    Questions – reach out to Bonsai.

Praises were offered up and prayers were offered up for those battling addictions and for families as well.

NMM – In a time of crisis, all of us benefit from routines, disciplines and accountability – staying true to the values and standards that make us the leaders we are called to be – at home with our families, at our places of work and in our community.  In any crisis, a person can only rise to the level of their training.  As we work our way through this pandemic it is YHC’s hope for all PAX that they look around and know that no matter what they are going through, we all can use the unforeseen events of the past months as opportunity to enhance our resolve, encourage one another and to help one another accelerate in our development of all dimensions – physical, mental, professional, spiritual, the list goes on.

My thanks to Lutefisk for the call out and opportunity to Q.  It was good to get out in the gloom and accelerate with a great group of #HIM.  I’m thankful for all of you.

Honored,

Cyclops

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The Herd at Sweep The Leg

Week 3 of Sweep The Leg was not about to be a letdown. Apparently, 24 other PAX posted to hold me accountable in ensuring they got the return on their investment, too. Gears started this AO a few weeks ago to present the PAX with an opportunity to push themselves harder and faster than currently offered at another AO, at least on a Monday. It is so easy to come out of the gates hot but the hard work is in consistency. Hard work was what we did for 40 of the 45mins this morning which concluded with some up hills and a jail break to ensure we finished as strong as we started.

Lots and lots of headlights kept rolling into the lot and as we were about to start the disclaimer, 4 more cars rolled in. So…
Sweeper identified…check (Thank you Cake Boss)
Overview  of Sweep The Leg for the rookies…check
Count off…25, are you serious?
Disclaimer…check

Warm up mosey out of the lot, L/T Len Patterson, L/T 160, L/T Dave Gibson Blvd and circle up at intersection with Ben Casey Dr.

Warm Up
Wind Mills
Imperial Walkers
Moroccan Night Clubs
5 Burpees

Overview of the pace. When I say “Get It”, it’s your fast pace or All You Got to get to the next stop. If you’re in the first wave of runners to get to the destination, we’ll be starting the exercises and doing them until the 6 got in.

Get It: To parking lot in front of GHES
Box Cutters
Dying Cockroaches
10 Burpees

Get It: End of straight way in front of the schools to the lot for Colosseum
5 Merkins

Get it: Run the GHMS drop-off loop then 1/2 the GHES loop taking us to the benches near the basketball hoops
20 Derkins
20 Dips
10 Carolina Dry Docks

Get it: Run to the end of the bus parking lot, run back, run to the end of the lot again and stop

Get it: Run up the long, never-ending bus entrance hill to just before Dam Rd and back to the start.
Mountain Climbers (keep the merlot down)
Peter Parker
Parker Peter

Get it: Run the remaining loop in front of GHES to the bottom of the hill on Dave Gibson Blvd.
5 Burpees

Get it: Run to 160, back to Patricia Ln (almost all the way back to the bottom of the hill), then back up to Ben Casey and thanks to Vuvuzela, circle up in the bank parking lot.
Merkins
Diamonds
Wide-Arm
American Hammer

Now really get it: Run down the straightaway back to COT.

Gears, I appreciate what you’re doing here. Thank You.
If anyone is still reading this, please wear black on Wednesday but something reflective if you’re running.

SYITG,
Maximus

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Scavenger Hunt

Arrive in parking lot (Lake Ridge clubhouse) to find your name in a socially distant parking space. 20 SSH IC to warm up.  Also in the parking space is a tri-folded piece of paper.  Each HIM has the same information, just in a different order. YHC explains to the PAX that in order, they need to complete the scavenger hunt. Side 1 of the trifold is a clue, the answer is a street in the hood. At the end of each said street is a pain station. Complete all 5 in order and end in your parking space.  If you can’t figure it out from page 1, flip to page 2 for additional clue. If you can ‘t get it or don’t know where the street is, flip to page 3 for the name of the street and directions. If you use page 2, that’s a 10 burpee penalty for each time you use it. Flip to page 3 another 10 burpee penalty. Don’t look ahead and be honest. Should get about 3.2 miles in.

1.1-Also known as Wild Celery (1.2-Synonyms include heavenly, divine, holy… she may also hava a halo  1.3-Angelica Lane, clubhouse road all the way at the end of the estates)

2.1-The last color of the rainbow (1.2 Think of ROY G BIV  2.3 Violet Ct, left at the clubhouse, 1st right turn)

3.1-A plant that is pink or magenta (3.2 Starts with F  3.3 Fuchsia Ct, take coralbell to betony [where half shell/router live] then left on fuchsia)

4.1-An herb commonly found in Italian dishes (4.2 Cancer from sunburn is AKA ______ cell carcinoma 4.3 Basil Ct, back from Fuchsia, off of Coralabell, right on Hazel then turn right)

5.1-An herb AKA coriander (5.2 Mexican restaurants often use ________ lime rice 5.3 Cilantro Ct, after Basil, hang a right on Hazel then right on Cilantro)

 

Mile High wins the fastest time back. Olaf cheats by cutting through yards and power line openings, but thought hint 4 was Rosemary, so he ran about an extra mile. #deservedit. Pothole hung in there and knocked out his penalty burpees. Poor Cha Ching… He thought Fresia was Fuchsia… unfortunately, that was literally the opposite side of our hood.  He earned an extra 2 miles of running. Since that was his second stop, he swore it wouldn’t happen again, so he had to make sure he got it right… it’s only burpees right?  50 penalty burpees for Cha Ching.

Total workout time was almost spot on at 45 minutes.  Thanks HIM for coming out for this one. We were OYO but not OYO this morning.  AYE!

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Boss Hogg Issued a Challenge at the Ballroom and the PAX did not Disappoint!!!

Boss Hogg threw out a challenge to see how many PAX would show up at the Ballroom.  As usual, the PAX did not disappoint.  39 was the count.

Boss Hogg arrived in his all white Q outfit.  Disclaimer was given.  A quick message was given about the power of being an influencer.  PAX were reminded to always pick up the 6 and to encourage the guys around them.

The Thang:

Mosey to the center of the football field for a quick warmup:

  • 15 SSHs
  • 10 Windmills
  • 15 Imperial Walkers
  • 15 Cherry Pickers
  • 15 Hillbilly Walkers
  • 15 Gas Pumpers (THE Twisters favorite exercise)

Next was a Guillermo 1-2-3 (Dora’s little brother).  Similar to a Dora but PAX break up into two groups instead of pairing off in partners.  All exercises are done in cadence with a focus on form, not speed.

Exercises were:

  • 100 Overhead Claps
  • 200 LBCs
  • 300 Low Slow Squats

The other group started at the goal line, bear crawled to the 20, ran to the 50, did 1 burpee, and returned to the goal line.  Teams switched back and forth until all exercises were complete.

With the remaining time, the PAX moved to the track for some large dice fun.  One die contained the name of an exercise on each side.  The other 4 were used to determine the count.  Dice were rolled, exercises were done, and the PAX moved 1/4 of the way around the track.  This was repeated until the group had moved all the way around the track.

Time was up and the group headed back to COT.  Announcements were made.  Prayer requests focused on physical healing and marriages.  Due to the overwhelming support from the PAX in attendance, $1,000 was donated to Classroom Ready.

A great reminder to all PAX, don’t just be influenced but go out and be influencers!

 

 

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Just Enough to Hurt

Planned this Q while sitting at Copper Premium Pub in LW enjoying a nice after dinner  Bulleit bourbon.  I always wonder when planning a WO , will this be enough? As I scrawled out the idea on a bar napkin I tossed the first go out to my Sheildlock for input.  Silence then ??? came the reply.  Who knew the CPP was in a hole and pics wouldn’t send. Then I changed it and sent it back out.  Again it didnt send.  SO I finished up all headed to the house. Then came the reply- Looks great!! Only probelm was I didnt know which version of the workout it was.  So I made the call.

Upon arrival Cyclopes requested the brand of bourbon from the night before since the hype tweet was nondescript. He had his ruck in the car and depending on my answer which way he would go BC or Ruck.  As soon as Bulleit came out his decision was made and he rucked up. #DRP

Circled up w/ our Friends the Golden Corral Bootcampers for a Dark Helmet Disclaimer and we were off.

14 min time hack mile to Tega Cay Elementary School.  The pace was brisk and the 2nd F Was flowing as we cruised up the road.

Took us down the hill to the concrete pad and circled up.

The Thang- Just Enough to Hurt

25 Ruck Squats  IC

5 Man Makers OYO

25 Ruck Hammers IC- Heard some mumbling start

5 Man Makers OYO

25 Thrusters IC

5 Merkins OYO

25 Flutters w/ Ruck Press IC

5 Merkins OYO

25 Curls OYO

5 Merkins OYO

25 Ruck Swings OYO

With right at 15 minutes left me rucked back to COT. 2.39 miles covered right at 14ish minutes per. #Cyclopeshaslonglegs

Arrival with 1ish Minute to spare.

Hit the 6 for Ruck LBCs till the B/c returned.

In COT DH talked about the importance of the #SheildLock in out lives.  I have been blessed with a Sheildlock  that has been expanding from 1 to 2 to 3 to 4 guys.  I challenge all Pax to find that guy or group that we can lean on and be vulnerable with.  It is worth your time.

LOCK SHIELDS AND HOLD THE LINE!

Thanks for the opportunity to lead Mainframe.

Duck Out🦆

P.S. Bar Napkins Weinkies don’t do well on wet pavement.

 

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Bright Colors for #F3forFaye

Yesterday Spiderman & YHC had the realization that we were Qing at the same site today…I had the Golden Corral bootcamp which means he had the Fire Ant Ruck beat down. It’s always good to shake things up so we decided to do just that for this mornings edition.

As can be the case with our own lives, we sometimes over-complicate a workout and stray from the simple but effective model. I’ll go ahead and cut to the chase, I think this was certainly effective but it overshot simple pretty quickly. But hey, we were just looking to give the other 17 PAX that joined us an opportunity to chatter at our expense.

Enough rambling, here it is. We combined Ruckers & Boot Campers (wait, you can’t do that…oh yes we can) and split the combined group in half. We had 4 corners established covering most of the parking lot (corner of Harris Teeter to Red Bowl to the insurance office to the dog wash place). It was a large square-ish figure. Half went with Spider Man and half came with me.

Each corner had a sheet with exercises written on it but here’s the kicker, don’t just jog from one corner to another. Get on it. The ground is wet but “well lit” so you do you but GET IT.
For those present, you can remember all the fond times you had of poking the Q’s about how “things look better on paper” or “I bet these seemed easier in your head” or any number of other completely appropriate jabs that were thrown while trying to figure out the Ruck logistics but none of that matters ’cause you loved it and this is peer led (remember…we’re not professionals).

Corner 1 (with Rucks):
(5) 8-count Body Builders
(10) Squats
(15) Bent over rows

When your group is done, sprint

Corner 2 (w/o rucks):
(5) 8-count Body Builders
(10) Box Cutters
(15) Diamond Merkins
(20) Butt Kickers

When your group is done, sprint

Corner 3 (with Rucks):
(5) 8-count Body Builders
(10) Squats
(15) Bent over rows

When your group is done, sprint

Corner 4 (with Rucks):
(5) 8-count Body Builders
(10) Heels to Heavan
(15) Hand-Release Merkins
(20) Butt Kickers

Sprint back to Corner 1.

We did this full evolution about 3 times then brought the group back together for something we unknowingly stole from Tinsel (plagiarism is the finest form  of flattery, right?).
1 Merkin : 4 Shoulder Taps and we made it to 8:32 before having to cut it short for COT.

Important to remember today why we wore the bright colors. Remembering a little girl, Faye, whose life was too short but her impact will be far-reaching; to families and communities her or her family never knew.

Announcements: In the words of the eloquent Mainframe, “Read your da*n NEWSLETTER.” Hey, he’s right.

Prayers: Family members in battles for their lives. Communication in marriages. Cash’s recovery. Kids healing from broken bones.

Until Next Time.
Spiderman & Maximus

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Warm and Wild

A few Ruckers and a few Bootcampers for a nice one

Warm-up included a short run about .3 of a mile

COP

SSH

Diamond Merkins

Seal Jacks

MC

PP

Slow Squats

Mosey around back and partner up

One man BTTW while the other runs and does 1 Burpee, Flapjack. all the way up to 10. on even numbers it was wall sits, odd numbers it was BTTW

Keep your partner and mosey to the cones

at each cone do 10 partner hand slap merkins fo 3 cones and return doing 10 big boy situps partner hand slap

Repeat this time do 5 Diamond Merkins hand slap and 10 Squats on the way back hand slaps

Mosey to a curb and do 15 Dips, 15Derkins, 15 LBC’s 15 Mac Tar Djai (Excuse the spelling error) Repeat 3 times

Mosey to COT area for a little Mary then COT

Great workout and glad to be back! Hopefully everyone got their money’s worth!!

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