1 intrepid traveler returned for the first workout of 2024. 5:15 launch. Conditions were 70 and sunny. According to the security guard in the office parking lot, the following might have happened.
Loop, across Peters, Fudd, back to run, north to Broward, reverso, rain showers, past the office, across Peters, and BTTVSF.
Number, name, YHC took himself out.
Mosey. COP. SSH, DQ, Arm Circles, seal claps, markins, WW2. Mosey to thang
The thang
12 days of Christmas. Accumulating
NMS – great to hang out with the boys in Boston. They keep coffee warm in a pot outside while we workout. Thanks for the ride Alka Seltzer!
a PAX named Secret Q’d and got injured and never came back? We’re going to do that today. That was the introduction to today’s beatdown. YHC was promised a “full breakfast” afterwards and wasn’t sure what to expect. Well, there was breakfast casserole, pound cake, a Costco baklava tray, pecan pie, and coffee. Tclaps!
Regions: Carpex/SCary/Peak City
PAX: 62 / FNGs: 4
WARMUP: Following the pledge and identification of the 4 FNG, we did a quick count-off to ensure all were included. Disclaimers were left undone to the frustration of the SCary Nantaan. Banjo led the group for a mosey to the fountain at the newly opened DTC park for the rest of the warm-up. SSH, Imperial Walkers, Hillbillies, Good mornings, calf stretch & runners stretch.
THE THANG: Banjo then split the PAX into two groups. Group One followed Banjo to one side of the park for two sets of exercises, and Group Two followed YHC to the playground for two activities. The park claimed its first injury victim when Captain Hook slipped hard on the wet walkover and was attended to by a group of the PAX led by compount W. After the second set was completed, the two groups swapped locations to complete the additional two sets at the other Q’s location.
MARY: The whole bunch joined back up for a mosey back to the flag and joined the parking lot bruisers for a couple quick sets of Mary consisting of LBCs, heels to Heaven, & Eskimo merkins led by Kwikstop.
ANNOUNCEMENTS: Turkey day, football at Weatherstone Elementary followed by tailgating at Burt Reynolds, Freed to bleed 12/2, Cary Christmas Parade 12/9, Carpex Christmas party 12/14. All have sign-up sheets and details on Slack. COT: prayers for a number of our brothers and their loved ones who are dealing with sickness, illness, and injury to keep them all in our prayers. Thanks were given to F3, the men who make our particular region great, and the suggestion to be intentional towards those you love on this beautiful day.
YHC couldn’t find any news of a Thanksgiving convergence at F3 Alpha (Marietta, Georgia), so posted to The Galaxy at the usual 0530 and found the PAX gathering for a Tweaker beatdown. Blue provided coffee afterwards. PAX wanted to know unique things about F3RVA. YHC told them about monthly challenges, particularly the Merkin challenge. There was some interest.
Solid beatdown. After a COP, grab a coupon, and proceed to an escalator with the following exercises, with a run across the parking lot in between each set.
5 burpees
10 Werkins
15 Peter Parker Merkins
20 Donkey Kicks
25 WWIII’s (Press, Sit Up, Overhead Press)
30 Plank Jacks
35 Curls
40 Overhead Press
(There were two more rounds that YHC didn’t get to; pretty sure no other PAX did, either.) Afterwards, YHC went to Cochran Shoals Park for some miles on the trails along the Chattahoochee.
Happy Thanksgiving, F3RVA!
Last time YHC posted here, got my butt kicked in 7 degree weather with an insufficient headlamp. This time, YHC was ready after running with the big dogs at Spider Run and kettlebells at Circus and proper equipment . Mission accomplished. Tclaps for Animal and Olan Mills who worked a 6 mile trail run into a 50k Saturday. They have a 50miler in Moab in a couple of weeks. Switch went to Radford and knows a bunch of runners in Midlothian, so be on the lookout SOJ. AO Hogwallow, F3 Alpha in Roswell, GA
YHC posted downrange while visiting family. YHC’s first cinderblock purchase was for $2.37 which didn’t seem too bad, but that means they were probably $0.33 last year. The BB tells it all: https://www.f3alpha.com/backblast/2023/10/30/birthday-q-3/
Having missed CSU parents’ weekend last week due to work commitments, YHC travelled north of Denver to spend the weekend with @Spinal Tap. What better way to start a Saturday in a college town than a beatdown in the snow with the gents of F3 FoCo at Twin Silos Park (AO: Abduction). Here’s how it went:
Mosey to Pavilion for Warmarama: 90 SSHs, 45 Imperial Walkers, 25 Mountain Climbers, 17 high knees
The THANG: Repeato the 90, 45, 25, 17 for four rounds of various exercises
90: (copperhead squats, merkins, Bobby Hurley, sumo squats)
45: (lunges, reverse lunges, step ups)
25: (werkins, diamond merkins, Apollo Ohnos, called for time)
17: (booyah merkins, jump tucks, something else, called for time)
Mosey BTTF for numbers, names and COT.
NMMS: Great time in the snow and glad to see that the HIMs of F3 FoCo are keeping my 2.0 coming back to the gloom! It’s pretty remarkable that you can go basically anywhere in the country and find some great folks getting after it at 05:30.
Make it a great one!
20 Buccaneers including 2 FNG’s and 2 Downrangers set sail on the Tampa waterfront of Julian B. Lane Park. The Pig Jig festival workers observed the following :
F3 intro and disclaimers
Warmarama : Father Abraham – weird combo of Copperhead Squats, Jazzercise, and SSH done to the tube of Father Abraham (didn’t make sense to me)
20 SSH IC
THE THANG :
Line up for Indigenous Run with three 50 lb sand bags spread out among the PAX. PAX at the back sprints to the front. Rotate sandbags among PAX. Traveled about half a mile.
Arrive at a bridge going over river canal
AMRAP for 10 minutes of the following : 10 Merkins at bottom, run to top of bridge, 10 Merkins at top, run back down. Repeato and continue sharing sandbags among PAX for the travel
Mosey to high school parking lot
Rotate between 5 workout stations for 45 seconds of an exercise with 15 seconds rest in between. We did 3 rounds of the following stations : Burpees, Star Jacks (squat jump into a SSH with legs flared out to the sides), Apollo Ohno’s, Peter Parkers, Flutter Kicks
Line up for Indigenous Bear Crawl. PAX at the back does 10 burpees then sprints to the front. Repeato until all PAX have done burpees
Mosey BTTF
Circle up and hold Plank. Do 2 rounds of the following : 10 Shoulder Taps IC, 10 Merkins IC, 10 Single Count Merkins OYO
DONE
Numbers, Names, YHC took us out
NMMS : This is the only AO in Tampa and was just planted 3 weeks ago. They have AO’s in St Pete, Clearwater and surrounding cities but this is the first one specifically in Tampa. They’ve averaged 20 or more PAX every week so far. Great group of guys. Tough Q and great fellowship
Got to post downrange in F3 The Capital this week while traveling for work. Great to meet the PAX and learn a few new tricks. Here’s Monk’s Backblast, using their Slackblast app within Slack:
Thank you @Boberry for hitting us on Slack and showing up at #apollo. It was great to meet you.
WARMUP: windmills, imperial walkers, hillbillies, arm circles, Michael Phelps, SSH, cotton pickers, down dog/greatest stretch/cobra, Fellowship lap
THE THANG: Grip, Rip, and Roll (GRRs) to 15 yard line & back Sitting up on your six, set a cinder block by your side. Grip the cinder block. Pick it up and place it on the other side of your body. Now place your hands on top of the cinder block, roll into a plank on top of the block, then roll to the ground. Partner-up, one partner runs to 50 yard & back; 50 reps Blocko Motor City Shuffle (BMCS) – With Cinder Block In Hand, Lunge with OH Press x2, First Part of Blockee, Merkins on block x5, Plank Jacks on block x5, second Part of Blockee (thruster), squat. = 1 Rep! For the record, this exercise ends with a block thruster throw, Frog Hop to Block. It was dark, so the idea of throwing cinderblocks around seemed completely stupid and worse than pointless.
MARY: Pretzels (by Boberry); LBC’s ANNOUNCEMENTS: Dad’s Camp; Grunt; maybe something else I forgot
COT: Life is full of good and bad experiences, experiences that seem bad but good comes after them, and experiences that seem good but turn out badly. And these experiences can come in close proximity to each other, especially if you’re in high school. For example, my daughters’ volleyball team did not play to potential yesterday evening and were lucky to come out with a win. But over the long run they are raising the bar on their school’s athletic program, which historically punches below its weight … b/c to its credit the school emphasizes academics. Student-athletes are sometimes the best students b/c they have no time for activities of no value. Another quick story: One of my daughters is preparing for SAT at the “last minute.” She went through a fit of frustration over it, but maybe lack of time is a benefit. Now she must focus and get it done. And a few nights ago, she freaked out w/ tears over an assignment but after 20 of this was having fun doing it. And on and on and on. So try to keep perspective on the uncomfortable bits.