Author: Jim Huddle

  • Two out of three ain’t bad

    This was supposed to be a pig family affair but Chicharon got Covid earlier this week, so it ended up with just Piglet and me. Piglet started out. The following is more or less correct.

    For the record, shocking display of good grooming by Johnsonville noted; haircut, beard trimmed. Almost didn’t recognize him.

    Disclaimer and Warm up

    • 20 SSHs in cadence
    • 10 Don Quixote in cadence
    • 15 Imperial Walkers in cadence
    • 10 Merkins in cadence
    • 15 Copperhead squats in cadence

    Mosey to the goal line of the Gridiron (there’s no game here today)

    • Bear crawl to the 5-yard line, 5 Carolina Drydocks, crab walk back to the goal line and do 5 Crabcakes
    • Bear crawl to the 10-yard line, 10 Carolina Drydocks, crab walk back to the goal line and do 10 Crabcakes
    • Bear crawl to the 15-yard line, 15 Carolina Drydocks, crab walk back to the goal line and do 15 Crabcakes
    • Bear crawl to the 20-yard line, 20 Carolina Drydocks, crab walk back to the goal line and do 20 Crabcakes

    Mosey to the track.

    At the start, person 1 will start doing merkins. Person 2 runs about 1/3 way down the left side straightaway and starts WWIIs. Person 3 runs to apex of the opposite curve and starts merkins. Person 4 runs to 1/3 way down the right side straightaway and starts jump squats.

    After person 1 finishes their 20 merkins they start running to person 2 and that starts the “chase”. Three times around track.

    Handoff to Pigskin

    Mosey to the benches on the Gidiron for Lindsay: Bench kicks and Dips

    • 30-10
    • 25-15
    • 20-20
    • 15-25
    • 10-30

    Bulgarian Split Squats and Derkins in cadence

    • 10-10-10 Stretch
    • 10-10-10 Stretch
    • 10-10-10 Stretch

    Finish up in on sidewalk beside Parking lot with Mary

    • 15 Hammers
    • 20 APDs
    • 60 count 6-inch leg lift

    Announcements

    None

    Circle of Trust

    God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference. Reinhold Niebuhr (1892–1971)

    “His philosophy combines elements of Christianity with realism, emphasizing the tension between human aspirations for justice and the inherent flaws in human nature. He also developed the concept of “Christian Realism,” which advocates for a pragmatic approach to ethics and politics, acknowledging both the potential for good and the inevitability of sin.” Source: ChatGPT

    The one thing that is truly within our power to change is ourselves. We need to have the desire, determination, persistence and the wisdom to realize how to go about making change.

    Prayers for Fudd’s sister, Mary, who is battling a very serious case of cancer. We ask for the best in medical care and for Mary and her family, the strength to handle the enormous weight they are under.

    Finish up with Bacon snack before the trip to Starbucks.

     

  • First Samuel

    We repeated, almost completely, a workout from a few months ago. You’re welcome!

    Mosey to corner Parking lot and give standard disclaimer

    • 20 SSHs
    • 10 Man-Maker Merkins
    • 15 Crunchy Frogs
    • Stretch

    Mosey to Asphalt playground

    • 20 IWs
    • 10 Diamond Merkins
    • 10 each side Suzanne Sommers
    • Stretch

    Mosey to corner parking lot

    • 20 Squats
    • 10 Stagger Arm Merkins
    • 15 Knee Ups
    • Stretch

    Mosey to asphalt playground

    • 10 Don Quixotes
    • 10 Stagger Arm Merkins
    • 15 Ukrainian Hammers
    • Stretch

    Line up on sidewalk to the asphalt playground for 11s

    • Mike Tyson & V-Ups

    To the grass playground in back; Count off by 3s. Rotate Clockwise.

    • 10 Get-ups at the swings, (lay on your back and then stand up without using your hands)
    • 20 Hanging Knee-ups at pull-up bars,
    • 30 Dips at benches,

    To the wall for

    • 15 People’s chair airpress
    • 10 BTTW hip slaps in cadence
    • 15 Donkey Kix
    • 15 People’s chair Milkers
    • 10 BTTW Australian Mountain Climbers
    • 15 Donkey Kix
    • 15 People’s chair Muhammad Ali
    • 10 BTTW Toe Taps

    Time’s up!

    Announcements:

    Friday: 10-year anniversary convergence: Snuff’s house happy hour. They need some HCs.

    Saturday: 10-year anniversary convergence: Dogpile: 6AM Ruck, 7AM Workout, 1:30 – 6:00 Huguenot Park for dinner and afternoon of fellowship (Shelter #1)

    Circle of Trust: from 1 Samuel Chapter 8:

    10 Samuel told all the words of the Lord to the people who were asking him for a king. 11 He said, “This is what the king who will reign over you will claim as his rights: He will take your sons and make them serve with his chariots and horses, and they will run in front of his chariots. 12 Some he will assign to be commanders of thousands and commanders of fifties, and others to plow his ground and reap his harvest, and still others to make weapons of war and equipment for his chariots. 13 He will take your daughters to be perfumers and cooks and bakers. 14 He will take the best of your fields and vineyards and olive groves and give them to his attendants. 15 He will take a tenth of your grain and of your vintage and give it to his officials and attendants. 16 Your male and female servants and the best of your cattle and donkeys he will take for his own use. 17 He will take a tenth of your flocks, and you yourselves will become his slaves. 18 When that day comes, you will cry out for relief from the king you have chosen, but the Lord will not answer you in that day.”

    In short, the Lord told Samuel to tell the people “I’ll give you a king but you will be disappointed.”

    Keep in mind that whichever party you support or whichever politician you support, they are humans which means they are just like those of us around the Circle of Trust. They are flawed people and may even have a couple additional flaws. If you want salvation, don’t look to a politician, look to the Lord.

  • Thomas Hobbes

    Offshore brought us coffee (Arabica) for after the workout. Thanx! ¡Gracias! Danke! Merci!

    Warmup

    • SSHs, Ukrainian Soldiers, Don Quixote, plank stretch, arms stretch.

    Walk over to the covered walkway for a Burpee countdown

    • 20 Swings/5 Burpees;
    • 20 Curls/5 Burpees,
    • 20 Upright Rows/5 Burpees,
    • 20 Triceps/5 Burpees,
    • 20 Sit & Press/5 Burpees,
    • 20 Press/5 Burpees,
    • 20 Goblet Squats,
    • Run around island:

    11s. We walked back and forth across the covered walkway area between two cones.

    • Renegade Rows, Rifle carry both directions, American Hammers
    • Run around island

    11s. We walked back and forth across the covered walkway area between the school and the curb.

    • Thrusters (goblet Squat followed by an overhead press), Waiter’s carry both directions. Overhead pulls. We didn’t quite finish this.

    Numberama, namearama

    Announcements:

    September 10, Tuesday noon: 2nd F at Firehouse Subs on Tuesday (in 5 days) (However, I will not be there.)

    September 20-21: Ten-year anniversary of F3 in Richmond. Convergence at Dogpile on Saturday. For more details, go the F3RVA website. https://backblasts.f3rva.org/2024/08/20/f3rva-10-year-anniversary/

    COT:

    “In such condition, there is no place for Industry; because the fruit thereof is uncertain: and consequently no Culture of the Earth; no Navigation, nor use of the commodities that may be imported by Sea; no commodious Building; no Instruments of moving, and removing such things as require much force; no Knowledge of the face of the Earth; no account of Time; no Arts; no Letters; no Society; and which is worst of all, continual fear, and danger of violent death; And the life of man, solitary, poor, nasty, brutish, and short.”

    From Thomas Hobbes’s Leviathan, specifically in Chapter 13, titled “Of the Natural Condition of Mankind as Concerning Their Felicity and Misery.” In this chapter, Hobbes discusses what life would be like in a state of nature, a hypothetical condition where there is no government or social contract to enforce order and laws. He argues that in such a state, there would be constant fear and danger of violent death due to the lack of authority to prevent conflict. (Chat GPT)

    The point I want to dwell on is the part you may have heard before;” the life of man, solitary, poor, nasty, brutish, and short.” This was written at the end of the English Civil War (1642-1651), a horrific period in English history; a large loss of life, destruction of property and the execution of King Charles I.

    When we see the murder of hostages in Gaza, we are not far from Hobbes’ “solitary, poor, nasty, brutish, and short” observation.

    And we are a long way from Matthew 5:43-44: “You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy. But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be children of your Father in heaven.”

    We should be grateful that we live in the USA where, even though people don’t like each other over their politics, we’re not killing each other.

  • Bridge of Spies

    The temperature was great! But the dew was heavy.

    Oyster failed to bring his Pickleball Tournament Trophy. We all wanted to see it. A suggestion for improvement at next year’s tournament; medals should be awarded so that the medal can be worn to workouts. It’s not too early to start practicing for next year!

    We had a visitor from Lubbock Texas. Welcome Salt Lick! And come back!

    Mosey around parking lot

    • Run forward
    • Karioke left
    • Run backwards
    • Karioke right

    Disclaimer

    Warm-up

    • 20 SSHs in cadence
    • 10 Don Quixote in cadence
    • 10 Susan Sommers in cadence (each side)
    • 20 Imperial Walkers in cadence
    • Plank: Right hand/right foot stretch & vice-versa

    Mosey to Heartbreak Ridge for 11s

    • Hammers at the top
    • Pole smokers at the bottom

    Mosey to benches for Lindsays: 30/10, 25/15, 20/20, 15/25, 10/30

    • Dips
    • Bench kicks

    Mosey to far side of the Quioccasin Wall for BBTW routine

    • 15 People’s chair airpress in cadence
    • 10 BTTW hip slaps in cadence
    • 15 Donkey Kix OYO
    • 15 People’s chair Milkers in cadence
    • 10 BTTW Australian Mountain Climbers
    • 15 Donkey Kix OYO
    • 15 People’s chair Muhammad Ali in cadence
    • 10 BTTW toe taps in cadence
    • 15 Donkey Kix OYO

    Mosey to gym equip area behind Pemberton: 2X

    • 10 Pullups
    • 20 Merkins
    • 30 Squats

    Mosey back to Quioccasin Wall

    • 15 People’s chair Lalannes in cadence
    • 10 Dirty Hookups in cadence
    • 15 Donkey Kix OYO

    Mosey to benches in front of Quioccasin 2X

    • 10 Bulgarian Split Squats and Dips in cadence

    Mosey to the flag for

    • Stretching

    Announcements:

    Aug 27: Señor Frog’s 50 BD Q at Heartbreak! I’m not sure anyone has worked harder this past year. He comes early and gets in a run beforehand. Very Impressive!

    Sept 7: Labor Day Convergence at Nuckols Farm Elementary; 7:00 AM

    Sept 20-21: 10-year anniversary. Check Slack for all the activities being planned.

    Take-out by YHC:

    The movie Bridge of Spies is about the exchange of a Soviet spy for an American pilot in 1962. Early in the movie, the soviet spy is arrested and then meets with his attorney. The attorney gets exasperated because the spy doesn’t seem to realize the peril he is in. “Don’t you realize that you could be executed? Aren’t you worried?” The spy replies, “If I were worried, would it make any difference?”

    Dear Lord:

    Like the Soviet spy, we know that worry is futile. And unlike the Soviet Spy, we know this because you are always there when we need you.

  • Things I learned today

    NAPA Valley in California is NOT an acronym for National Automotive Parts Association. In fact, it is an area in California where wine is grown.

    A $100 bottle of Bourbon goes a lot farther than a $100 bottle of wine.

    A wedding register doesn’t have to list things like fine China. Headlamps, running shoes, etc. are perfectly acceptable and in fact, are more useful.

    If you do it correctly, you can punch out the car logo on the front of a Lexus with your trailer hitch.

    Congratulations to Gypsy on his engagement!

  • I found this workout somewhere

    Copied it and modified it because I didn’t know what all the exercises were. I probably got it out of the Wall Street Journal sometime ago. Either that or I googled for workouts that did not depend on the Fibonacci sequence. (a series of numbers in which each number is the sum of the two that precede it. Starting at 0 and 1, the first 10 numbers of the sequence look like this: 0, 1, 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 13, 21, 34).

    Moseyed over to the front of the school.

    Warm-up:

    • Side Straddle Hops: 20 in cadence
    • Arm circles: 15 forward and 15 back, in cadence
    • Leg swings: 10 in cadence, each leg (Stand on one leg and swing the other)
    • Imperial Walkers: 20 in cadence

    Main Circuit: 4X OYO, Stopped after each exercise so everyone did them together

    • Jump Squats: 15 reps
    • Merkins: 15 reps
    • Lunges: 15 reps each leg
    • Plank: 45 seconds
    • V-Ups: 15 reps
    • Burpees: 10 reps
    • Deep Mountain Climbers: 15 Reps

    We finished ahead of schedule and so we moseyed to the wall so I could add some time to the workout with the Wall Workout©

    • 15 People’s chair airpress
    • 10 BTTW hip slaps in cadence
    • 15 Donkey kicks
    • 15 People’s chair Milkers
    • 10 BTTW Australian Mountain Climbers
    • 15 Donkey kicks
    • 15 People’s chair Lalannes
    • 10 BTTW Toe Taps
    • 15 Donkey kicks
    • 15 People’s chair Muhammad Ali
    • 10 Dirty Hookups
    • 15 Donkey kicks

    Cool Down:

    • Downward Dog Stretch:
    • Cobra:
    • Cat-Cow Stretch: (Meow, Mow)
    • On your six:
      • Left hand right foot
      • Right hand left foot
    • Plank
      • Left hand right foot
      • Right hand left foot
      • Pigeon
    • Stand up:
      • Right over left
      • Left over right

    Announcements:

    2nd F 2nd Tuesday, Noon, Firehouse Sub in Innsbrook

    Good News for Splinter’s mom in her fight with leukemia! Clean last checkup!

    Closing

    Think about how the following relate to each other.

    “11 The Lord said to Moses, 12 “I have heard the grumbling of the Israelites. Tell them, ‘At twilight you will eat meat, and in the morning you will be filled with bread. Then you will know that I am the Lord your God.’” Exodus Chapter 16

    “It is not from the benevolence of the butcher, the brewer, or the baker, that we expect our dinner, but from their regard to their own interest. We address ourselves, not to their humanity but to their self-love, and never talk to them of our own necessities but of their advantages.”  “The Wealth of Nations” by Adam Smith

    “Give us this day our daily bread”. Lord’s Prayer

  • Purple Flowers

    Discussions today included creeping purple flowers in France, farming equipment, trips to Napa Valley, why housing is expensive, Gypsy’s truck and injuries at 2nd Tuesday, 2nd F at Firehouse Subs. The purple flowers are (I think) Aubrieta/Rock Cress aka Cascade Purple Flowers.

  • Country Music

    I brought music with a range of genres; 60s and 70s rock, contemporary Spanish and some old-school country music. Offshore asked if one of the songs on the play list was “You’re the reason our kids are ugly”. Nope. But maybe I need to find that one.

    Warmup

    • SSHs, Ukrainian Soldiers, Don Quixote, plank stretch, arms stretch.

    Walk over to the covered walkway for a Burpee countdown

    • 20 Swings/5 Burpees;
    • 18 Hammer Curls/5 Burpees,
    • 16 Upright Rows/4 Burpees,
    • 14 Triceps/4 Burpees,
    • 12 Sit & Press/3 Burpees,
    • 10 Press/3 Burpees,
    • 8 Squats/2 Burpees,
    • 6 Swings/2 Burpees,
    • 4 Hammer Curls/1 Burpee,
    • 2 Upright Rows/1 Burpee.
    • Run around island:

    11s. We walked back and forth across the covered walkway area between two cones.

    • Renegade Rows, Rifle carry both directions, Bench Press
    • Run around island

    11s. We walked back and forth across the covered walkway area between the school and the curb.

    • 10 Merkins, Waiter’s carry both directions. Overhead pulls.
    • Run around island

    Back to the flag

    • 60-count 6-inch leg lift

    Numberama, namearama

    Announcements:

    Today: Ruck tonight in memory of D-Day, 80 years ago. Check Slack

    Tuesday noon: 2nd F at Firehouse Subs on Tuesday (in 5 days)

    Matthew 6: Therefore, do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.

  • Rainy and 60

    A wet day but at least it wasn’t really cold. I keep thinking about the saying “there’s no such thing as bad weather, just bad clothes.” I dressed appropriately today. But that didn’t stop me from getting wet.

    We started out under the shelter beside the parking lot.

    Warmup

    • 20 SSHs
    • 20 Merkins
    • 20 IWs
    • 20 Lunges
    • 10 Don Quixotes
    • 20 Squats

    Mosey to the ‘entrance’ to the covered walkway behind the school.

    11s between ‘entrance’ and far end of the sidewalk with V-ups & Hand Release Merkins

    • 10 & 1
    • 9 & 2 etc.
    • Stretching exercises

    Divided up for Triple Check

    • Partner 1: Timer runs down the covered walkway, turns right to run down the sidewalk by the back of the school to the gate, does 5 Burpees and then runs down the other sidewalk back to the covered sidewalk and turns right to run to the ‘entrance’ to the covered walkway.
    • Partner 2: Squats
    • Partner 3: Crunchy Frogs

    Mosey back to the outside wall of the bathroom near the flag (parking lot)

    • People’s Chair 15 Air Press, 10 BTTW Hip Slaps, 10 SSHs OYO
    • People’s Chair 15 Muhammad Ali, 10 BTTW Australian Mountain Climbers, 10 SSHs OYO
    • People’s Chair 15 Milkers, 10 BTTW Toe Taps, 10 SSHs OYO
    • People’s Chair 15 Lalannes, 10 Dirty Hookup, 10 SSHs Kix OYO

    Mosey back to the shelter beside the parking lot.

    • 10 Dips in cadence
    • 10 Bulgarian Split Squats right leg in cadence
    • 10 Bulgarian Split Squats left leg in cadence
    • 10 Dips in cadence
    • 10 Bulgarian Split Squats right leg in cadence
    • 10 Bulgarian Split Squats left leg in cadence
    • 30 Bench kicks OYO
    • 10 Dips in cadence
    • 60 count elbow plank

    Announcements

    Memorial Day (Monday) 7:00 AM, Brown’s Island

    Socrates was considered the wisest because “he knew that he knew nothing at all”. Plato

  • Evangeline

    We jogged over to the Parking Deck at Dave and Buster’s. I took the shortcut. The others took the route down 3 Chopt, John Rolfe, Old Brick.

    Warm-up

    20 SSHs

    20 IWs

    10 Don Quixote

    The gameplan; start at the bottom of one stairwell, run to the top level, run across the top level over to the other stairwell, run to the bottom, turn around and run back to the top level, return across the top level to the first stairwell, run to the bottom and do 20 merkins. I think I did 7 times, not sure. Then we returned. Again, I took the shortcut.

    No announcements

    From the Poem Evangeline by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow. I studied this when I was in the 8th grade. Part of the poem takes place in southern Louisiana, near where I grew up. I remember a little bit of the prologue which we had to recite from memory and which I imperfectly recited this morning.

    “This is the forest primeval. The murmuring pines and the hemlocks,
    Bearded with moss, and in garments green, indistinct in the twilight,
    Stand like Druids of eld, with voices sad and prophetic,
    Stand like harpers hoar, with beards that rest on their bosoms.
    Loud from its rocky caverns, the deep-voiced neighboring ocean
    Speaks, and in accents disconsolate answers the wail of the forest.”

    It’s a very sad story about two lovers who are separated when young and do not meet again until the man is on his deathbed. It starts around 1763 when the Acadians are expelled from Nova Scotia after the end of the French and Indian War.

    My conclusion, our life’s a lot better today! Be grateful!