Tag: Splinter

Caveman skills

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Five pax at Varsity on Black Friday 2021.
Started with Broga led by Sasquatch, then hand off to YHC for the bootcamp.
Thang #1
Theme was caveman skills, so started with a run (ancient man likely had to run after their prey for a long distance). Then ended up at the pull up bars:
5 pull ups followed by 10 merkins (I/C); repeat. Then a bar hang with knees-to-chest.
Thang #2
A caveman needs to drag his kill back to the family cave. Thus: sled pull from bars to stop sign and back again. Sled has four cinder blocks in it. While the one pax pulls the kill, the other pax toss a 15lb slam ball to each other. Each pax got a chance at the sled pull.
Thang #3
Run as a group down to the elementary school lot.
Spear throw. Homemade ‘spartan’ spear and capybara target. Pax started at about 40 feet from target, and we all missed. Got a little closer, and all missed. Got a little closer and Skate connected for the kill!
Celebrate being able to eat with 10 burpees.

Run up to shovel flag and do 4 mins of Mary.
Fini/COT

Materials/instructions:
Sled: plastic concrete mixing tub (large) from Lowes. A rope is wrapped around the tub’s lip.
Capybara target: foam, cardboard, googlie eye, glue; marthastewart.com for instructions.
Spear: shovel handle, lumber nail/spike, 2-part epoxy. Also marthastewart.com for instructions (jail-house lessons section).
Some workouts are best done when there is no-school…don’t need someone calling the cops on a “…bunch of guys running around with a spear…”

Skate takes the kill!

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5

Do not be anxious

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I think we all can feel it. The holidays are upon us. The calendar is beginning to fill up. The “to-do” list is getting a little bit longer. And all the while, we’re supposed to enjoy this time of year.

Just typing that makes me feel anxious.

Personally, I will be hosting my first Thanksgiving this year. So the anxiety has been building over the last week. Over the same time period, I have felt a need to spend more time studying and praying. So when Kaiser asked me to Q, and to prepare a message if possible, I felt I should share the message I was experiencing, because often times, others are going through similar circumstances.

5 PAX plus YHC took the DRP and showed up on this frosty morning (25degrees in SC?!?). No new faces in the crowd, but disclaimed nonetheless, and added the disclaimer that I would try to delve into the topic of Prayer (Q1.10). Though I am a Christian, I reminded the PAX that F3 is open to ALL men, of ALL faiths.

We moseyed down to the Elementary school parking lot and circled up for a few warm ups:
• 10 Windmills IC
• 25 SSH IC
• 20 LSS IC

Philippians 4:6-7 “do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”

Then we moseyed back up the driveway to behind the stadium scoreboard and continued to warm up with:
• 10 Cherry Pickers IC
• 10 MNC IC
• Followed by some mild stretching

PAX partnered up for Chase the Bear back to the pull ups bars. Partner 1 began Bear Crawling while Partner 2 completed 10 merkins, then caught the bear and flip flopped.

The Thang
PAX all grabbed Cindy’s, and completed the following:
• Carry Cindy to stop sign at bottom of hill
• Murder Bunny with Cindy back up the hill
• Sumo Squats w/ CIndy
• Shoulder Press w/ Cindy
• Curls w/ Cindy
• Tricep Extension w/ Cindy
• Pull ups
First circuit included 10 reps, second circuit 20 reps and attempted third circuit had 30 reps. We lost a few Cindy’s along the way (but I blame the bitter cold for that).

Moseyed back to COT for Mary, but ran out of time in the first set of flutters.

Completed my sermon (aimed directly at myself) that an often neglected aspect of the Get Right is our faith. I encouraged the PAX to spend time daily studying and praying, for we never know when the anxiety will arise.

Name-O-Rama, announcements and prayers for safe travels, good times with our families, those that are experiencing the holidays without a loved ones, and for injuries.

Thanks to Kaiser for the opportunity to lead, and I hope everyone got as much out of it as I did!

Happy Thanksgiving, brothers.

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10

Convergence – Shop Vac

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65 PAX gathered to remember Shop Vac. Probably had closer to 70 at different points during the hour. Fishsticks took the Milkshakers

Lutefish warmup:
Sean Kelley, 56, Shop Vac

There are a couple of young men I was hoping would hear this this morning. While I’m talking to them, I’m also talking to myself and all of you.

We all know that or God, SkyQ, has written our books. He went before us, He knows us by name, and He alone knows when our earthly lives begin and end. God knew our brother Sean was to come home. And it doesn’t make sense to us.

But let me ask you this. What would it be like to know that when it is our time that we would also know that we accomplished the tasks that the Lord created us to do? God knows the great plans He has for each of you. You are here for a reason.

Wouldn’t it feel comforting to know that you full executed your purpose here on earth? Today we celebrate Sean, who I believe did just that. Sean loved his sons. It’s all he talked about when we worked out together. That, and his dream to have a home in Beaufort. He lived out and executed his purpose. We now have 2 of his sons as our brothers, and how great it is that the world is better because of him. Recover on your feet.

I read a quote recently:

“When you were born, you cried and the world rejoiced; live your life so that when you die, the world cries and you rejoice.”

Sean is rejoicing and would want us to do the same. And he would want us to do 56 side straddle hops in cadence.

Split out to:

  • Kettlebells
    • Uhaul
  • Bootcamp: split PAX into two groups for 20min sessions
    • Ruby Slippers
    • Band Camp

Uhaul’s KB workout:
56 Squats
56 Curls
56 Skull Crushers
56 Calf Raises
56 Uhauls
56 Flutters w/ press (4 count)
56 Dead lifts
56 Lawn Mower Pulls R
56 Lawn Mower Pulls L
56 American Hammers
56 LBCs (4 count)

Band Camp’s portion:
EMOM
minute 1 – 20 burpees
minute 2 – 30 jumping lunges
minute 3 – 40 Freddie Mercuries
minute 4 – 50 Carolina Dry Docks
minute 5 – 60 SSH

7s w/ Mike Tysons and Squats
Mode of transportation: bear crawl/crawl bear

Some in cadence jump squats, core work,

I found a backblast from Shop Vac…It reads with a lot more significance to me now. https://f3thefort.com/2021/04/14/403656/
I may have said something asinine while holding a squat and quoting his backblast.
Something like:
Have understanding when I say 5 more squat jumps
Show tolerance when I say 6 more squat jumps
Practice patience when I call 7 more squat jumps
Take direction as we’re now hitting 8 more squat jumps

Did a little sprinting as well with the second group. (Shop Vac would not have approved, and neither did most of the PAX)

NMM: Shop Vac’s love for and pride in his sons was palpable. He made me want to be a better dad. I’m glad to be around men that make me want to be better. Shop Vac was one of those dudes.

Ruby Slippers’s portion:
I had the pleasure of working out a lot with Shop Vac. His attitude, smile, and laughter infected you immediately every time you met him.

YHC remembers a time during COT after a workout where frustrations from my work life came bubbling to the surface. After I vented to the PAX about the situation ( usual selfish rant where everyone else has a problem but me ) and the Q finished prayer, Shop Vac pulled me to the side and gently explained that it was my attitude that needed to be adjusted, not everyone else’s. He did it in a manner where I gladly and thankfully accepted his advice.

The Thang:
At every Shop Vac Q you could count on stations, simple exercises and/or routines, and minimal running. The six was never left behind at a Shop Vac workout so we are using the buddy system to make sure that does not happen at this workout.

Set-up 4 stations in the shape of a square in the middle parking lot at The Armory. 4 stations represented each member of the Kelly family, there were 4 exercises at each station, partner work to complete a cumulative total of 56 reps of each exercise:

Sean’s station:
– Merkins, Diamond Merkins, Wide Arm Merkins, CDD’s
Stacey’s station:
– Crunches in cadence, Flutters in cadence, Big Boy Sit-ups, Straight Lower Leg Lifts
Jack’s station:
– Squats, Jump Squats, Lunges, Jumping Lunges
Brian’s station
– Side Straddle Hops in cadence, Seal Jacks in cadence, Mountain Climbers in cadence, Plank Jacks in cadence.

PAX partner up – complete all 4 exercises at a station and then mosey to the center. YHC stood in the center of the square to represent Francis, Shop Vac’s faithful four-legged companion, where PAX would come to complete 56 monkey humpers.

Continued around the stations until time was called.

Video Evidence: https://twitter.com/jisenhour/status/1456967297453727750

Welcome FNGs: Bow Wow Wow, Bam!, Triple H, Dictator, Wax Off, and Pool Boy

Prayers for Sean’s family.

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8

VQ with The “Maupin” at the Honey Badger

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It was a chilly Monday morning and halfway through “The Murph” with Maximus.  My body was hurting,  muscles wanting to shut down, my mind asking “why?, really ? On a Monday morning “?
I hear Wegmans ask “ Hey DeLorean, you want to Q next Monday ?”   Again my mind saying “ no because we aren’t going to survive  this workout, you aren’t ready,  I don’t feel comfortable doing that”     My response “SURE!”
It’s at these moments the real work and change is done…..so I’m learning.
Anyway…..let’s get on with it.

No Disclaimer 🤦🏼‍♂️

Warm up with some SSH’s, Mtn Climbers, Wind Mill’s. In something that resembles a cadence and I’m not sure what the counts were for each exercise because they were all different.  PAX were halting when I didnt want them to and it was because my tone during the cadence was very very pitchy.   I was planning on more warm up exercises but wanted this failure to end and move onto the main event.

Mosey over to the track and the whiteboard with the “Maupin” written out in detail.  Short explanation of who Army Staff Sgt Keith Mathew Maupin  was and why we are honoring this hero.   PAX held a plank position during this explanation but not because I told them to but wishing it was because I told them to.

Background: Dedicated to U.S. Army Staff Sgt. Keith “Matt” Maupin, 24, of Batavia, Ohio, who disappeared on April 9, 2004, when insurgents south of Baghdad attacked his convoy with small-arms fire and rocket-propelled grenades. His remains were found on March 20, 2008. Prior to his disappearance, Maupin served as part of the 724th Transportation Company in Bartonville, Illinois.

He is survived by his mother, Carolyn; father, Keith; a brother and sister; and many other friends and family members.

4 Rounds of the following :

  • 800 meter Run
  • 49 Push-Ups
  • 49 Sit-Ups
  • 49 Air Squats

Mosey back to parking lot for COT

5 penalty burpees for Tootie being 1 minute late, which we all did together and burned up a couple minutes of time I had left because I was about to finish early.

Announcements:  Operation Love, Saturday convergence to honor Sean Kelly  “Shop Vac”

Prayers and Praises:  Wegmans- Prayers for his wife who is carrying their 2nd child.
Splinter- Prayers for him during this time of dealing with the loss of 2 of his friends and prayers for their families.

Thanks Wegmans for the invite and for good lessons learned.

#SYITG

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2

Trifecta of Q’s

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So, I got asked to Q last minute for Wednesday at Ring of Fire (8/18) and was already scheduled to Q at Footloose for Thursday (8/19) and then NASA had to try and find a sub for Varsity on Friday (8/20), so I just said I’d do it all. I mean @HarryCarey just did it, so why couldn’t I? I’ve been chasing him for years and still have a long way to go to try and keep up/catch that HIM.

So, I planned it out. Arms Day at Ring of Fire, Legs Day at Footloose, and IronPax prep at Varsity. Here we go!

Arms day was an AMRAP with the pull-up bars, Cindy, and some core to break it up. 1 minute on 30 seconds off.
Pull-Ups
Squats with Block
Curls
Overhead Press
LBC’s
Merkins
Flutters
Burpees
Low plank
Side Straddle Hops
Repeat.

Music kept us going with mostly hard rock from the ’90s and 2000s. @Sheild thinks I’m the next Tony Robbins as I was trying to motivate and keep everyone going on our rest periods.

Thursday at Footloose we did 7’s. Launching from the AO, we went over to Minnow Pond to see if we can pick a fight, to which they just ignored us. So, we ran the hill. Monkey Humpers at the bottom near the main road, because you know, Monkey Humpers ;). Up the hill and then squats.

We then ran over to Fort Mill Chruch of God for a round of 7’s using the stairs and the parking lot. I didn’t exactly think this one all the way through before giving instructions. Run up and down the stairs, then do 6 calf raises, run back over the stairs and run a lap around the parking lot and back up over the stairs to do 1 Bobby Hurley. Complete the circuit until 7’s is completed. That ended up being 14 laps around the parking lot. We ended up with 3 miles on this day. Lots of good mumble chatter and fellowship on those laps.

Finally, @ Varsity, we did IronPax prep with the Week 0 2018 workout. 50 squats, 40 big boys, 30 merkins, 20 lunges (modified down from Bonnie Blairs as we’re old and our knees can’t take it), 10 burpees run a lap. Do this 4x for time.

@Slapshot killed it and completed the circuit in 24:39, while @HarryCarey finished in 28:10 and YHC in 30:30. The rest modified and got their own solid workout/ruck in.

Q-ing the trifecta was a great test as it made me get creative and stay engaged with the group. We’re called to be leaders and this was a good test of my abilities over a longer period, not just every once in a while. Thanks to all for the opportunity to lead. I enjoyed it!

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4

Sexy Derkins

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Six pax for a birthday workout.  This was workout #2 of my Trifecta Q’s.
Warm Up
Mosey run (Toy soldiers, high knees)
SSH (IC 10x)
Windmill (IC 10x)
Imperial Walker (IC 10x)
Low Slow Squats (IC10x)
Mountain Climbers (IC 12X)
Plank stretches, up dog, down dog
Headed towards the benches area under the awning in front of the school.

Thang 1: HIIT Routine (the 1990’s playlist begins here)
Set A: Do the below 32 seconds on, 10 sec standing rest in between
Merkins
monkey humpers
Squats
Dips
Bobby Hurley’s

Set B: Do the below 40 seconds on, 20 sec rest in between (rest is a Low Plank)
Mountain Climbers
LBC
CDD
Amer Hammers
plank jacks

Set C: Do the below 45 seconds on, 15 sec standing rest in between
burpees
Imp Walkers
Squat Jumps
step ups
SSH
In between sets we did some bear crawls. Rinse/Repeat sets as time permitted.

Thang 2: Sexy Derkin challenge: Done to the song “I’m too Sexy”. Pax do a derkin at each “sexy”. Total of 22 derkins in 2 minutes 50 seconds.
Run to shovel flag. Some light Mary (LBC, Hello Dolly)

Fini, COT

NMM: Awesome way to start the day, my 47th birthday. Truly an honor to spend it with these pax.
Blessed with a bright shooting star before the workout began (thanks sky Q).
Lots of chatter…I think collectively we named every rock band from the 1990’s.
Treats were handed post workout: Stracciatella mini cupcakes (thanks to my M).
Playlist:

Title artist Year released length
beautiful people maryln manson 1996 3:43
everlong foo fighters 1997 4:11
I am one smashing pumpkins 1991 4:06
song 2 blur 1997 2:01
been caught stealing janes addiction 1990 3:35
flag pole sitta harvey danger 1997 3:37
more human than human white zombie 1995 4:28
seether veruca salt 1994 3:17
suicide blonde inxs 1990 3:52
Vow garbage 1995 4:30
Derkin Challenge Song:
I’m too sexy Right Said Fred 1992 2:50
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3

Manmaker Ranch

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Started with six pax on a warm humid morning.; the seventh came in a tad late and caught up with us.

Disclaimer given.
Mosey run to flag pole of middle school.
Started with Motivators (from 6)
Windmills (10x IC)
Imperial Walkers (10x IC)
Moroccan N/C (10x IC)
Los Slow Squats (10x IC)
Arm circles (10x IC)
Peter Parkers (10x IC)
Plank stretches: Down dog, honeymooners

Run (to Elementary school)
Thang 1: Manmaker Relays
Two cinderblocks, pax split into two groups a form a line behind each block
Pax do 2 manmakers run 150’ down the lot, there is another set of cindys there,
Pax do another 2 manmakers, then run back to the end of their line.
Rinse/repeat. We progressed to 4 manmakers on the next iteration, then to 6, then to 8.
Plank/mary for the six.

Run to benches
Thang 2: bench work
Butt touch squats
Derkins
Calf raises
Incline merkins
Step ups (10 each leg, OYO)

Run towards shovel flag, grab one cindy along the way
Minor ab work to catch breath: Flutters, LBC

Grab cindy and run to curb
Thang 3: Pass the Ammunition
Pax on curb, one man’s arm length apart
Pax do curb merkins in cadence
Then cindy is passed down the pax line and returned (pax stay in plank on curb)
Did 10x IC curb merkins, passed block, then 6x IC, passed, then 3x IC (I think).

Run to COT.
Mary: Monkey humpers, gas pumpers, protractors.
Then Airbornes
Then short mosey run to feel the airbornes effect.

The finish the same way we started: Motivators, from 6.
Fini.

I was part of the support crew for GrowRuck 24 last Saturday Aug 7. Watching those fellas go through what they did reminded me of this passage, so I read it for the pax at the Ranch:

Romans 5:3-5 NIV
3 Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; 4 perseverance, character; and character, hope. 5 And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us.

This was Q number 1 of 3; doing a Trifecta for turning 47.  Varsity on 8/13 and Alcatraz on 8/14.  Oh boy.

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3

Carolina Day

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Disclaimer
Simple stretches

SSH 38X in cadence

Run to pull up bars, high knees and butt kickers along the way
Six pull up
Six chin ups
Six switch grip pull ups

Grab a cindy and bring it to the curb (we’ll use it later); hold plank out there

Run as a group down to base of hill
Do alt shoulder taps 28X IC
Flag Indian run: flag stays at front, last pax drops and does two merkins

Stopped at bottom of the hill and went through Battle of Sullivan’s Island / Carolina Day story

PRECISION: Six count Burpees, in a moderate-paced cadence, 6x

Run back up the hill

Cinder block routine:
Timer is sled pull: down to stop sign and back (four blocks in sled)
Pax did: Thrusters, Curls, Bent over rows, Squats, Flutters/chest press, KB swings, Uneven merkin/plyo, Overhead carries/walk
Each pax got to pull the sled twice.
Pass the Ammunition
All pax line up at the curb, about an arms-length apart, plank with hands on the curb. We do six curb merkins in cadence; after which the pax at the end pulls through the cinder block down to the pax next to him. Block gets passed all the way to the end of the line and then gets passed back to the first pax. Upon block’s return at the start, pax did another six curb merkins in cadence. Repeat.

Run suicides:
Run to post #1: do two bobby hurleys, run back to start, run to post #2 and do two bobby hurleys, run back to start. Repast, but do three bobbies this round.
Mary:
Big Boy Sit ups (17X IC)
LBC (17X IC)
Protractors
Amer hammer (17X IC)
Flutters (17X IC)

Fini, COT

Carolina Day (formerly known as Palmetto Day): Established to remember/honor the Patriot victory at the Battle of Sullivan’s Island.
This was a battle that the Patriots should have lost as the odds were greatly against them:
The British were well trained
British had twice as many cannons as the Patriots
Patriots had limited amounts of gun powder and ammunition
The fort at Sullivan’s Island was only half-way finished (Two of its four sides were barely constructed).
This is where Divine Providence comes in:
* Early in the battle, a British cannonball/bomb hits the fort’s magazine, but it does not detonate.
* One of large British ships was just a little too far away from the fort and thus put extra  gunpowder in their cannons, and when fired, the cannons broke their mounts.
*British Marines landed on Isle of Palms to attack the fort from the rear, based on the info that they could cross the river to Sullivan’s island with ease. However, the intel was wrong and the gap was too wide and deep. The patriots were able to easily keep the Marines away.
*The British sent in three lighter ships further up the channel to lay heavy cross-fire in the fort. Even though their guides/pilots said the ships could make it, each British ship ran aground and could not lay fire on the fort.

Col. Moultrie for the Patriots used his limited gunpowder and cannons wisely. Making calculated, precision firing resulting in considerable damage to the British ships.
Battle lasted about 10 hours.  Small amount of losses on the Patriot side, heavy on the British side.

About the South Carolina flag:
Indigo color because the surrounding low country grew lots of indigo, and was the color/dye used for the patriots uniforms.
In the battle, a British shell knocked the fort’s flag down. Those watching from Charleston were shocked and expecting the worst to happen next. But Sgt Jasper bravely ran out to the fallen flag, affixed it to a staff used for stuffing cannons, and hoisted it up again. Jasper later would be decorated for his actions.

Impact of the victory:
It took 17 days for the victory news to reach George Washington, and he used it to encourage and boost the morale of his troops. The victory showed the Patriots could stand up to the strongest military in the world and be successful.

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6

The Seven WOD at the Badger Den

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Today at Honey Badger we honored the seven.

“The Seven” is in memory of seven US Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) officers and one Jordanian officer who were killed by a suicide bomber at a remote base in southeastern Afghanistan on December 30, 2009.

The bomber was posing as a potential informant reporting on Al Qaeda.

Killed in the attack were CIA officers Jennifer Lynne Matthews, 45; Scott Michael Roberson, 39; Harold E. Brown Jr., 37; Darren LaBonte, 35; Elizabeth Hanson, 30; and security contractors Jeremy Jason Wise, 35, and Dane Clark Paresi, 46.

7 Rounds

  • 7 pull ups
  • 7 man makers
  • 7 Knees-to-Elbows
  • 7 bicep curls
  • 7 merkins
  • 7 overhead press
  • 7 triceps extension
  • Run down the hill, NUR back up
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0

Must meet the standard to make Varsity

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Now that the Journey 3rdF meetings have finished my Friday has opened up for hitting some AO’s that I haven’t hit in a while to meet some of the fresh guys who share the Gloom. Little did they know what to expect. Being that the Q point for this week is Accountability which is Q point 2.5 if you happen to be following along with the idiotic numbering system it was time for some accountability at Varsity. My original Q plan got tossed as soon as the number of PAX hit more than 8 so I modified from an accountability rotation where we would all hold a plank and watch each man perform the exercise using their best form while the remaining PAX observe and critique to something more familiar while still tying back into standards and enforcement. The old school APFT was introduced to the unsuspecting PAX after we performed some SSH and some Merkins, and a few peter parkers. Same as always, 2 mins as many correct reps as possible. 2 mins of merkins where must go at least down far enough where your upper arms are parallel with the ground, extending all the way up to lock out arms to complete the rep. No resting on the ground, no removing hands or feet from the ground or the count is terminated. Partner up to make sure the standard is upheld and enforced. Next exercise is the big boy situp. Hands must be interlocked behind the head. No resting on the ground. Feet and hips must remain on the ground during the event. Chin must come up further than your tailbone in order for rep to count. Scoring was based on as many correct reps as possible in the 2 minute allowed time. Final portion was the 2 mile timed run. Thanks to splinter for maintaining a great relationship with the local AO authorities who allowed us to use the track. Clock was started and everyone was off. 8 laps around the track and remember your time when you cross the finish line. Everyone did a great job pushing and encouraging each other to finish strong. Great job fellas. Head back over to COT for CountARama, NameARama, announcements, prayers and praises. Encourgment to find another man or three and lock shields to allow yourself to become fully unlocked. Thanks for the opportunity to lead Splinter on a great morning and was wonderful to see all of the new faces. June FNG Jamboree is in full swing. Find someone and bring them out to F3. Stay Frosty my friends, Olaf
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