Tag: Smuggler

Party of 13 at Alcatraz (way past due…)

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P200 training dictates pre-runs whenever you can get them.  Well that was a mistake.  Jedi and myself met Fish Sticks & Bolt for a “fellowship” pace behind Alcatraz which consisted of 3 miles of hills at 8 min pace.  We got back right at 7am, just in time to greet the other 9 pax.  Wonderful.

Bolt took us around the outside of the field for a half mile warm up sprint prior to the stretching / / official warm-up.  I took it from there for a some fun w/ cones:

Cones set up 20 yds apart, 5 sets in total, for a 100 yds down the field.  I give one exercise w/ rep count, and the pax runs to each cone and does it at each cone, all the way down the field x5 no break:

  1.  3 burpees (15 in total)
  2. 10 jump lunges (each leg) (50 jump lunges each leg)
  3. 5 burpees (25 burpees)
  4. 10 jump squats (50 jump squats)
  5. 3 burpees (15 burpees)
  6. 10 big boy sit-ups (50 sit-ups)

55 burpees, 100 lunges, 50 jump squats and 50 sit-ups in 12 minutes isn’t too shabby to get things started.

Next up – the hill outside of Alcatraz:

  1.  Run down hill, back pedal up the hill and do 20 merkins.  Repeat run down, back pedal up, 16 merkins.  Hill, 12, Hill, 8, Hill, 4, done.  60 merkins and plenty of hills.  Shibby.

Some fun w/ basketball.  Each pax gets a shot from the free throw line.  If he makes, I have an exercise.  If he misses, I have a different exercise (I wonder which one is worse…).  Well, needless to say the pax missed every shot.  In order of exercises after each missed shot:

  1.  Up and down every parking lot line (side shuffle, sprint, side shuffle, sprint…until you get to the end).
  2. 60 flutters (120 single)
  3. 5 kraken burpees
  4. 40 fast / slow freddie mercuries (80 single)
  5. 20 diamond merkins
  6. 20 American Hammers

Hand off to Bolt for the grand finale – partner obstacle course.  Partner 1 goes through the gauntlet while Partner 2 rips through merkins, squats and LBC’s (50 was the # I believe).  Bolt set up about 12 cones w/ rope weaving between and across each of them making the army crawl almost impossible to keep your butt that low to the ground (at least for a guy w/ a big ass like myself).  Obstacle course goes as follows:

  1.  Broad jump to cones
  2. Army crawl 10 yards under rope
  3. bear crawl to sand bags
  4. Curl sand bags
  5. Weave in and out of 6 more cones touching each as you pass
  6. Sprint back to finish

We closed it out w/ some good discussion around the recent events in Florida and engaging God on the little battles throughout a man’s day.  Thanks for the chance to lead Smuggler.  Always a pleasure w/ this group.

ChaChing

 

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So you did the Yeti, but we conquered Alcatraz!!!

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So you did the Yeti and you missed an awesome Alcatraz 60 degree morning! I am very proud of the men! We had an FNG! My youngest brother from Ballantyne joined us for the beatdown. Goes by the name Tapper now. We’ll see if that sticks in S.O.B.

Theme: WORRY:

1 Peter 5:7 – Cast all your anxiety on Him because He cares for you.

Isaiah 41:10 – Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.

Warm-up:

Dynamic Stretching:

Jog – 1 min

High Knees – 70

Butt Kickers – 70

SSH – 14

Toy Soldiers – 35

Lateral Shuffles – 10

Squats – 12

Alternating Forward Lunges – 10 (5 each side)

Single Leg Diamond Merkins – 8-9 each side, single count merkins

Single Leg Toe touches with other leg going back – 5 each side

Piper Peters – 10

Rolling Crucifix – 5 each side

Table Twists – 5 each side

Worrying will not stop the bad stuff from happening. It just stops you from enjoying the good.

Worrying is like a rocking chair. It gives you something to do but it does not get you anywhere.

Breathe Today’s Challenge: Drive yourself to get better today.

Field Work: Cross Circuit Super Super Set: 50 seconds on, 10 seconds rest and transition to next exercise. Two rotations:

Jump rope

Single leg burpees- aim for 10 minimum

Frog Long jump

Jax merkins-aim for 20 minimum

Fingertip dips-aim for 20 minimum

Bear crawl

Dips to failure

Max Pullups with sprint back to starting place on field

Sprint b/w cones

Starfish crunch

We were tired at this point, but . . .

Decibel takes over!

3 sets of 20 pull-ups 

3 sets of 30 abs (Rosalina, X and O’s, Big Boy sit ups)

3 sets of 40 squats

3 Times running down an ugly hill and back

COT: Naming the FNG: Tapper. Having fun with that one. Announcements, praises, prayers, reminders that we don’t need to worry (see quotes above).

Thanks for the opportunity, Smuggler!

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Creative Misery at the Rock

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When Smuggler organized this Q combo, he must’ve known a lot of PAX were looking for that Saturday morning push. After some banter back and forth between the WEP Q’s and us Alcatraz Q’s, we were pleasantly surprised to see car after car after car roll into Runde Park this Saturday morning. The weather was warm and the PAX were primed with the early mumble chatter. With the typical “don’t hurt yourself and don’t sue if you do hurt yourself” disclaimer, we took a very abbreviated (10yd) mosey to the right side of the parking lot (a slight teaser for what was coming).

Jog to the other end of the lot and back then repeat.

Walking lunges 1/2 way down then high knees to the end. Same thing on the way back to the start.

Windmills & deadlifts to warm up the legs a little more then mosey to the top of “THE HILL”

PAX squat for 20sec then jog to the base of the hill followed by an all-out sprint back to the top of the hill and squat for the six.

Repeat for a 40sec squat hold then the jog down/sprint up and squat for the six.

Repeat for a 60sec squat hold then the jog down/sprint up and squat for the six.

Find some curb and 50 calf raises each leg.

Mosey to the field for a circle up.

This was when I think they really lost my mind…Lt. Dan’s (1 squat and 4 jumping lunges (2ea side counts as 4)) and we went to 8:32 before handing it off Tesh!!

With Tesh on Q, you just had a feeling this was going to get bad.

With the PAX in a very long plank:

5 Merkins

10 Mountain Climbers

5 Merkins

10 Peter Parkers

5 Merkins

Various Tesh-approved CORE exercises

Mosey to the fence line:

Merkin-Turtle crawl (can’t explain…you had to be there)

10 Merkins

Bear Crawl 50yds

More Tesh-approved CORE exercises

10 Bombjacks x 3 rounds

Mosey to the playground and split into 4 groups

Rotate through 5 pull-ups & 10 dips. For those waiting, hold the Al Gore pose.

Yet more Tesh-approved CORE exercises

Repeat the above 2 lines

Closed it out with 6min of Mary which couldn’t end fast enough.

Announcements: Yeti (Newsletter), Reading in Paradise

Prayer Requests: Praise for Palmer family, Cornerstone’s family, continued prayers for the Family & Friends affected by the recent tragedy’s our community has experienced, our officers, job transitions, marriages.

I’m sure Smuggler will get a little verbal backlash on this but hey, it made us better and everyone crushed it.

Maximus & Tesh

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All The Jacks

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Alcatraz has so many options for doling out the pain. With the recent snow there was still areas of ice so decided to stay on campus and use those resources.

Warm ups: SSW (Jumping Jacks), Hillbilly Walkers, Imperial Walkers, Seal Jacks, Merkins, Squats, Plank Jacks, Mountain Climbers, Squat Jacks, LBC, Flutter Kicks

Four Corners on Field:
Wind Up
1st Corner 20 – SSH
2nd Corner 20 – SSH, 15 – Squats
3rd Corner 20 – SSH, 15 – Squats, 10 – Merkins
4th Corner 20 – SSH, 15 – Squats, 10 – Merkins, 5 – Burpees
Unwind
1st Corner 20 – SSH, 15 – Squats, 10 – Merkins, 5 – Burpees
2nd Corner 15 – Squats, 10 – Merkins, 5 – Burpees
3rd Corner 10 – Merkins, 5 – Burpees
4th Corner 5 – Burpees

Partner Up
Wall: P1 – Wall sit, P2-Bear Crawl, Flap jack – Crab Walk, Run to Fence
Playground: P1-20 Dips, P2-step ups, Flap Jack 3x
Benches: P1-Derkins, P2-Run to end of parking lot Flap Jack

COP2: SSH, Loungers, Big Boy Sit-ups, Box Cutters, Peter Parkers, Saved the best Jack for last – Jack Webs

COT

Always honored and appreciate the support.

Cornhole
Out

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Pre-Joe Davis and 6 PAX words

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Dynamic warm up of lunge twists, toy soldiers, back extension/inch crawl, arm circles and shoulder pulls.  Mosey to  field 1, take a lap and circle up.
.
 COP, all in cadence:
.
  • SSH x 40, Merkin x 10, IW x 20, CDD x 20, Slow Squat x 20, Crunchy frog x 10, Makhtar Jai x 20, Windmill x 10, Diamond merkins x 15, LBC x 25
  • Mosey to playground and split into 2 groups:
  • Group 1 does 10 pull ups while group 2 does 20 dips (flapjack).  Repeat two more times.
  • Mosey to the concession stand wall:
     Peoples chair with overhead hand clamps, recover and shake ’em out
     Lunge walk to the end of the infield, and then jog back
     Peoples chair part 2 with overhead hand claps
     Crabwalk to the end of the infield
 .
Hand off to Bolt
 .
  • Figuring in the cold, this was the running part of the workout. 5 cones were evenly distributed across the entire parking lot. With many going to Joe Davis, we targeted 20 “movement” minutes.
  • The layout was to run to each cone and do a designated exercise x5 with a full length parking lot sprint back. The catch was each PAX took turns picking the exercise for each run. During each ‘rest’ after every sprint, PAX took turns giving their word of the year with a brief explanation and goals that applied to that word.
  • While I do not remember which 6 exercises were chosen, burpees were definitely in there. And I assure you, we did not get cold for those 20 minutes.
  • The words of the 6 PAX were as follows (thank you to CrabCakes for helping remember the words at our kids’ basketball game):
 .
  1. Open – Sugar Daddy
  2. Joy – Crab Cakes
  3. Enjoy – Tesh
  4. Shady – (Positive)
  5. Smuggler – Consistent 

.

Seek – Bolt – I expanded on my word and let the PAX know I want to seek to improve in all 3 F’s, but especially on the 3rd F. I need to seek to take advantage of the resources available through F3. I need to be more willing to reach out to seek assistance to improve physically, mentally and spiritually. Especially though on the 3rd F, as a ‘seeker’, I need to reach out and ask the PAX for assistance. If you have read this far and wish to extend your experience to me, please reach out and do so.
 .
Announcements, prayers and praises were fairly quick with a dash to Joe Davis!
 .
Noting here I got to spend time with Sparkplug at Joe Davis who I normally only see every so often at Alacatraz! Good talks, Sparkplug.
 .
Thanks for the opportunity to lead. Apologies to Senator Tressel who quickly turned around his end of the BB and the delay was all my own!
 .
 Bolt
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F3 The Fort Thanksgiving Convergence 2017

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70 Men came today to burn calories so they can eat whatever they want the rest of the day. Ok, maybe that was my reasoning, but most came because the know in order to get better, even in being Gratful, it is best when being challenged by your brothers. We all came to get better and realize this great thing we have called F3 and give thanks!
Santini Opening with warm up both physically and mentally with some leadership principles
Split off into the various groups!
4 went for for a Run
F3-Wapner on the Moderate Q:
  • Drile (F3-Wapner)
    Mozy to the front of SFES, high knees, toy soldiers, Butt kickers, and Knees to chest.
    Mozy to front of SFMS, circled up…Side straddle hop, Merkins, Cherry Pickers, and Moroccan Nightclub
    Mozy to SFMS bus loop …high knees, toy soldiers, Butt kickers, and Knees to chest.
    Circled up.. Flutter Kicks and Low Slow Squats, America Hammer and Low Slow Squats, Merkins and Windmills, mountain climbers and windmills
    Mozy to back of SFES, circled up…Peter Parker’s and Side Straddle Hop, Plank and windmill, shoulder taps and Low Slow Squats, LBCs and Moroccan Nightclub
    Then rinse and repeated the above sequence…before joining the other groups at COT
    Lil E—Bootcamp Q
    Mosey to the parking lot in the rear of school and circle up. SSHs, Imperial Walkers, Windmills, Squats
  • The thang
    • 10 cones set up in a line spaced about 10 paces apart. Each cone had an exercise and rep count on them. Do exercises on the first cone and run a lap of the parking lot. Once you complete the lap do the first cone and the second cone and then run a lap. Repeat this adding the next cone until all 10 are complete. Here were the exercises in order from first to last:
    • Burpees x 10
    • Bombjacks x 10
    • LBCs x 25
    • Merkins x 20
    • Jump Squats x 10
    • Flutter kicks x 40
    • CDDs x 20
    • Lunges x 20
    • Mtn Climbers x 20
    • Monkey Humpers x 20

Majority of the pax finished in the Lunges lap with a few speedsters out in front on the mtn climbers. Mosey back to the front of the school for some Freddy Mercury’s and Rosalitas.

After that met up with the Moderate and Black diamond groups for COT.

Everyone put out great effort today and really pushed themselves.

 

Witch Hunt—Black Diamond Q

Not even a trip to the hospital the night before with a pregnant wife could keep me away from this Thanksgiving workout. Shout out to Royale and Cha Ching for stepping up to help me out. Luckily I made it and we put in work.
We stared by counting off by 4 creating 4 teams.
Each team will compete to complete as many burpees as possible in 2-minutes with a catch. You can only do 10 at a time before you most complete 20 reps of ab exercise. 2 rounds:
1.) Burpees with LBCs (Somehow Bounce House was able to do 50 burpees. That dude is not human.)
2.) Burpees with Knee Tuck with crunchy frogs
Winners plank while losers perform 10 Kraken Burpees.
Blood was flowing so we moseyed to the hill by the middle school for some broken down burpees. Catch was that we had 20 minutes for everyone to complete. If everyone doesnt finish within the time then group does 25 Burpees.
Here was the setup:
Run Hill 10 times. (1 Hill Run = Up & Down)

5 Squat Jumps
5  Plank w\ Shoulder Taps
5 Merkins
5 Froggers
5 Squat Jumps

Run Hill 8 times.

10 Squat Jumps
10 Plank w\ Shoulder Taps
10 Merkins
10 Froggers
10 Squat jumps

Run Hill 6 times.

15 Squat Jumps
15 Plank w\ Shoulder Taps
15 Merkins
15 Froggers
15 Squat jumps

Run Hill 4 time.

20 Squat Jumps
20 Plank w\ Shoulder Taps
20 Merkins
20 Froggers
20 Squat jumps

Run Hill 2 time

25 Squat Jumps
25 Plank w\ Shoulder Taps
25 Merkins
25 Froggers
25 Squat jumps

With some great teamwork by the Pax everyone completed within the 20 minutes so no penalty was given.

I attempted to have Backdraft give us a 10-count however  he responded “There are no 10 counts during the Black Diamond.” So no 10 count and a quick mosey back to the parking lot for the 10 Minute 100 Burpee Challenge:

Complete 10 1-minute rounds of burpees in the following set scheme. Any time left over in the round is yours for rest. (typically PAX finish the set between 25 and 40 seconds)

Rd1- 8

Rd2- 9

Rd3- 10

Rd4- 11

Rd5-12

Rd6-12

Rd7-11

Rd8-10

Rd9- 9

Rd10- 8

Total – 100

Amazing work by all the Pax. I didn’t pull any punches with this setup for the Black Diamond and the Pax took it on without hesitation. We all survived and are better for it.

Thanks to Ginsu and Cake Boss for the opportunity to lead.

Pusher with closing remarks and finding #Victory 

Prayers & Praises

Thank you F3 The Fort

Cake Boss

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Alcatraz: Special Thx Uncle Sam VQ and Boss of Cake

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I can’t even tell you really how many PAX came to Alcatraz for their DRP, because I thought I was a greeter at Walmart with all the men coming and then leaving it was a constant revolving door. Regardless, a majority of men got after it and with Uncle Sam making his VQ, we were all in for a treat. So after an attempt at introductions, disclaimers and usual office work, YHC handed it off to Uncle Sam.

The Thang:

 

  • Uncle Sam on Q:
We started off jogging to circle up on center field and warmed up the hipsters by shaking some Finkle Swings (5 reps/leg). 14 Moroccan Night Clubs followed up in a weird sequence since the VQ was stumbling into the rhythm.  The 18 Side Straddle Hops helped the inmates @ Alcatraz get the sensation that it was going to be easy but then they had to scrub the floors with some Annies (10 per arm).  24 Imperial Walkers and 24 Hillbillies thrusted them into Q’s arms.
  • Cake Boss on Q:
5 Burpees OYO
Mosey to the Playground for Mini Murph
Each PAX…no partner
1Lap around Park
50 Pullups
100 Merkins
150 Squats
1Lap around Park
Mosey to the Bball Courts count off 1’s and 2’s
1’s suicides
2’s Freddy Murcurys
flap jack
1’s suicides
2’s flutters
flap jack
Mosey to Hill behind Baseball field
Roll the dice of Pain, do the exercise, run the hill
10 Burpees, 10 Lunges, 10 LBCs, 10 Mountain Climbers
Hand off to Uncle Sam 
  • Uncle Sam on Q:
20 Groiners inspired a lot of grumbling  and some started crying “Parking lot!”, but we still had to do 24 LBCs and 8 Starfish Crunches to get our backs wet with the morning dew.  Partnered up we sprinted from base to base in the Baseball field as if we had hit a home run but stopped;ing for some Mountain Climbers at each base.  Inning was over and prisoners got to go back to their POD cell for some announcements, a lot of Turkey talk and a sweaty thanksgiving for all things good that come from SkyQ.
  • YHC spoke to the men about the “Real” things we are thankful about. Yes we all can be thankful for the obvious, but what are the things that when you realize how grateful you are you get emotional and it makes you want to be a better man. We need to focus on those things when life gets tough. When things and expectations are not going our way….and realize….that thing that makes us realize Sky Q loves me and my brothers are standing with me and everything will be fine!
  • Thanksgiving convergence
  • Christmas Party
  • Joe Davis Run
  • The Rooster CSAUP in Rock Hill

 

Thank you Senator for the opportunity!

Cake Boss & Uncle Sam

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VQ Nailed it

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YHC got the call from the bullpen due to assigned Q bailing. So went to look for a partner and found a VQ who never stepped foot onto Alcatraz island! Even though Ginsu never stepped foot here, he didn’t disappoint the PAX and kept the tradition of being THE hardest Saturday AO.

YHC started with an easy COP, then moseyed  along the trail, stumbling upon a pull up bar behind the homerun fence (hahaha). PAX completed a series of 7’s. each rotated 3xs doing 7 reps individually of: PULL-UPS!, LBCs, dips, squats, merkins.

Then took to the hill! PAX did 7’s on the hill. 1 merkin at top of hill and 6 squats at bottom…till, well you know.

Finished with an exercise I learned by my 8yr old’s agility training class. shoulders on ground, hips up in air with feet on the ground; lift right leg up 7 times, then switch.

Now time for the VQ….

mosey to baseball field and lined up.

– 5 burpees OYO

– 10 4-count mountain climbers

– 10 4 count Mac Tar Jais

– 10 4-count Mac Tar Jais (opposite direction)

– 10 4 count LBCs

– bear crawl 50 yards, sprint back to start

 

– 6 burpees OYO

– 10 4-count mountain climbers

– 10 4 count Mac Tar Jais

– 10 4-count Mac Tar Jais (opposite direction)

– 10 4 count flutter

– bear crawl 50 yards, sprint back to start

 

– 7 burpees OYO

– 10 4-count mountain climbers

– 10 4 count Mac Tar Jais

– 10 4-count Mac Tar Jais (opposite direction)

– 10 4 count heels to heaven

– bear crawl 50 yards, sprint back to start

 

– 8 burpees OYO

– 10 4-count mountain climbers

– 10 4 count Mac Tar Jais

– 10 4-count Mac Tar Jais (opposite direction)

– 10 4 count LBCs

– bear crawl 50 yards, sprint back to start

 

– backward crouched run

– sprint back to start

– rinse & repeat x3

 

– 9 burpees OYO

Great work PAX, great way to start off the day.

Trucker

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0

Cones and brick

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Great morning to pick up a co Q with 1st F stud.  Perfect #gloom conditions with fog/haze, dew, chilly but mild tempts.  Shorts and long sleeves  was the uniform.  YHC brought FNG now known as Delta- Great obscure reference to the hospital name of an actress that played an interior decorator on tv- Designing women.    Welcome Delta!

I covered the mission of F3 and proudly disclaimed.  off we went for a little yog and some pain for a warm o rama

The Thang: go to my trunk and grab two bricks

Cones set at 20, 40, 60, 80 , 100

Warm up laps

 

100 yard sprints:  Sprint in between each set.

10 brick merkins & 10 brick presses

20 brick merkins & 20 brick presses after sprint.

30 brick merkins & 30 brick presses

8- 80 yard sprints:  Sprint in between each set

10 brick goblet squats IC & 10 peter parkers IC.

20 brick goblet squats IC & 20 peter parkers IC-

30 brick goblet squats IC & 30 peter parkers

6- 60 yard sprints:  sprint in between each set

10 Carolina dry docks IC & 10 Overhead brick claps IC

20 Carolina dry docks IC & 20 Overhead brick claps IC

30 Carolina dry docks IC & 30 Overhead brick claps IC

Hand off to Cha Ching

Speed ladder pre mini BOP (all sprints):

  • 10 yds all out, 10 sec rest (10 yds back)
  • 20 yds, 20 sec rest (20 yds back)
  • 30 yds, 30 sec rest (30 yds back)
  • 50 yds, 30 sec rest (50 back)
  • Then down the ladder again (30/30, 20/20, 10/10) and ending on back pedal 30 yds and sprint forward 30 yds
  • Post mini BOP – 3 min of Quadzilla (run downhill back pedal uphill as many times as you can).

Naked Man Moleskin:

Great effort and group this morning.  Lots of hard work and laughs.  Straight Up is a beast and lead the way in 1st F.  Cha Ching, and Deflate Gate werent far behind.  Delta did a great job and was welcomed right away.

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2

Control

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19 High Impact Men posted for a moderate workout in the misty gloom today. Smuggler made a strong come back, kotter style. Stang lead the second stretch-o-rama which made the Pax grunt like they were in a birthing center. Asphalt came to  COT and blessed us with his powerful testimony.

The Thang:

Strech-o-rama for warm-up

COP: SSH (10x), IW (10x), HBW (20x), Sumo Squats (15x), MC (20x), Jumping Lunges (10x), Swimmers (10x) Freddie Mercuries (15x),

Toy Soldiers, Shuffle Left, Shuffle Right, Back Pedals, Karaoke Left, Karaoke Right, Power Skips

Dips (15x), Extreme CCDs (10x) and LBCs (20x)

Decline Merkins (15x), Extreme CCDs (10x), and Flutters(20x)

Incline Merkins (15x), Extreme CCDs (10x), Heels to Heaven (20x)

Wall Merkins, People’s Chair (3x)

Partner Drills: One partner runs to the light post and back while the other does the following until the team does a total of 100 Merkins, 200 Monkey Humpers, 300 Flutters.

Strech-o-rama for cool down

Moleskin:

God is in control. Type A people, like myself, struggle to understand that reality. Reality became very clear when the Colombia Mission Team and I were stranded in Miami right before Irma hit.

I brainstormed solutions to “control” the situation like:

– Get another flight to escape the hurricane (reality check: the airport was closing).

– Take a train (reality check: the train station was closed).

– Find a hotel for shelter (reality check: all local hotels were closed).

We prayed and then escaped the storm by driving in what the media claimed would be 15 mile/hour traffic.

God was in control and His plan was far greater than ours. Instead of 12 men going to Colombia, he sent 17 of us to Florida to help hurricane survivors. Instead of serving 1 organization in Columbia, we served 5 organizations in Florida. Instead of engaging a few donors to raise money for the mission trip, He engaged over 1K people in our church/community to collect supplies for the hurricane survivors in Florida. Instead bringing a few supplies to Colombia (less than the 50 lbs limit), He had us bring over 10K lbs of supplies to  people who needed it in Florida.

I’m glad that God is in control. His plans are far greater than what we can imagine.

Peace,

Deacon

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