10 glory days seekers disregarded the forecast, crossed their fingers and showed up praying the field conditions would permit a HR Derby….and they did. We had to improvise a bit, but we were able to get it done and the lower numbers allowed for 2 full rounds and 2 lightning rounds for 8 swings each. And, finally, after about 8 years (or however many we have been doing this), YHC finally overcame his performance anxiety (must have been the smaller crowd) and connected for 6 HRs in 8 swings. Glory Days!
Several others connected for HRs, including Rosie, NTB, OC, Dry Rub and Singer I believe. If I missed anyone, apologies – sound off in the comments. And a good time was had by all. Rosie even did some sliding practice that was surely on purpose no matter what the replay shows.
Given the weather and low turnout, YHC is going to host a HR Derby Part Deux on Tuesday, August 5. I have grabbed the NoToll Q for that day. Let’s do it again. But – to be clear – YHC will not relinquish the 2025 crown regardless of what happens on 8/5!
Thanks for coming out. Let’s hope for dryer weather on 8/5.
COT, Numbers, Names and Prayers for Wildcat (clean scans!) and for NTB (contemplating a promotion).
Great morning gents. It may not have increased our muscles much, but it sure as hell brought some joy and fun!
YHC arrived early to set up the field and appreciated the assistance of House Party who was already on site getting some miles in. Moseyed back to the parking lot to collect 11 eager frisbee lovers and returned to the field for warm-up and a slightly late arrival of ringer Snuff. Here’s how we ran into Destiny:
The THANG:
WARMERAMA:
Mosey to the perfectly manicured Field #1 and circle up next to the shovel flag
Team 2 (No Pinnies) – Snip, Tin Man, Belay, Bodos, Singer, Crash, DTH
THE MATCH:
Team 2 scored early and Team 1 answered quickly. Again a point for Team 2, and again a resounding answer from Team 2. Truly neck and neck, never more than a point apart, the teams battled it out. Clearly YHC actually picked decently matched Teams. There were some phenomenal picks and blocks and amazing long throw end zone TD’s. Team 1 was clearly better with short passes, and it began to feel like Team 2 was only barely holding onto the lead. Then a random guy came and sat on the bleachers and was quickly invited to join Team 1 to even up the numbers, 7v7. At that point Team 1 took the lead and Team 2 was really struggling to keep up, but we ended the game with the points beautifully tied up 8-8.
Circle up at the Shovel Flag for COT:
Counterama # 15 (includes HP)
Namerama
Announcerama (see Below)
BOM Prayer highlighting what we’re grateful for
Prayer Requests:
Lifting up Snuff and family for the loss of his Father in Law
NMS: Awesome matchup today with both Teams hammering hard to win. Awesome to have a surprise FNG, a neighbor of Machismo and Belay, happen to be in the park and come over to join us. It was clear DESTINY was with us, hence his fantastic nickname “Destiny’s Child!” Haha, welcome bro! See ya’ll out there again soon. Yours AYE! ~DTH
10 patriotic gloom warriors posted to NoToll to test themselves with the Old Glory.
YHC grabbed the SF at 0530 and it was game time. Mosey around the fields 2x for a mile. Plant the flag and set the clock to 20 minutes for AMRAP 4 corners: 20 merkins, 20 jump squats, 10 burpees and 20 WWIIs, then back to the SF for another mile Native American style.
It was steamy. The sprinklers were on. YHC had a flat tire (old shoe creating a blister) so I opted for no shoes after the 1st four corners. Felt great on the grass!
Beautiful start to the morning! Thanks for coming out men. Record your laps here if you would like:
3 minutes of Mary at the end, including Superman. He Qs – we need to teach all the newbies how to do Superman. Bring it back. I need more people to sing along!
Announcements:
HR Derby at Huguenot Little League 7/15. Don’t go to NoToll that day.
Convergence this Friday July 4th in DaVille (at Atlee High School). 0700. Be there and bring your SF.
Prayers for Doozy’s friend who recently lost his father and for all those out traveling, defending our country or just dealing with shit! Reach out to someone you haven’t spoken to in a while. Say hi. Reconnect.
Machismo took the Q as 16 Hims conquered the fields of No Toll for Merkin inspired workout.
F3 Mission was read: To plant grow and serve small workout groups for the invigoration of male community leadership.
Disclaimer was given, but not as good as the one Dookie read to us.
Wamarama: various exercises were done and intro to 300 given. Counting down from 24 sequentially with an exercise totals 300. The goal for the day was to complete 300 Merkins.
Props given to DK and here to Rosie (330 and 329) cumulative appearances at No Toll. When YHC thought he was streaking with 28 appearances it is humbling to be with you all keep up the good work.
COP 1: touch a sprinkler triple check. Squats and APD. Q audible added the touch a sprinkler variant for the runner. DTH tried hard to remind YHC to keep up the count on the Merkins. 23,22, 21, 20….
Run around to the other side of the field
COP 2 Dora 100 arm circles, 200 SSH, 300 Mountain Climbers 19,18,17
COP 3 various rounds of exercises witling down the 300 merkins.
It was a pleasure to lead this fine group today.
Announcements were given: Flag football at the forge on Thursday, Deliverance at Huguenot Flat Water, Ruckhenge, Harper’s Mill AO moving? find it on slack.
Prayer requests for Machismo hiring a new PM.
Naked Moleskin: This idea of 300 came from Machismo’s son Ben who participated in a 3,000 pushup and memorization of 12 bible versus over 10 days at camp. Guys you have sharpened me and I’m thankful for you all and leaders and leaders around us for the way they sharpen our community. Here are the versus he memorized:
‘ Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing. If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him. But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind. For that person must not suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways. Let the lowly brother boast in his exaltation, and the rich in his humiliation, because like a flower of the grass he will pass away. For the sun rises with its scorching heat and withers the grass; its flower falls, and its beauty perishes. So also will the rich man fade away in the midst of his pursuits. Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love him. Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am being tempted by God,” for God cannot be tempted with evil, and he himself tempts no one. ‘
James 1:2-13 https://www.bible.com/bible/59/JAS.1.2-13
14 strong, including an out of town guest and a new bootcamper ignored the potential rain and joined YHC for some puddle splashin’ fun. Intros all around for Dopamine and Slaughter and roll out at 0530 with a couple PAX pulling in.
Standard fare warmup in the parking lot with a warning that we will get wet today – HRMs and LBCs to get the feel for it.
Field 1 – Quarter Pounder – 25 WWII, 50 Freddie Mercuries, 75 Flutters, 100 LBC. On this field water is held in the middle – the 50 Freddies were done in some Oakmont level standing water and thank you to NTB for jumping around before settling in. Catch me if you Can – partner 1 bear crawls, P2 does 5 burpees then runs to catch up, reduce the burpees by 1 each time through.
Field 2 – Quarter Pounder – 25 lunges, 50 squats, 75 ball dippers, 100 monkey humpers. Lots of water on this field too, running backward was like a suction on the shoes (this is where I realized this would have been a good barefoot workout) Catch Me if you Can – P1 lunge, P2 10 merkins.
Field 3 – Quarter Pounder – 25 merkins, 50 Carolina Dry Docks, 75 OH claps, 100 raise the roof. Much better drainage here and we would have done arm circles if Last Call was there but he’s busy keeping teenagers out of trouble at the beach. Give the young buck Dopamine a minute to hold back the merlot before we head back to the parking lot.
Thanks for putting up with my plan to use the fields today, the overnight rain and wet fields did not deter me but I did not realize how wet the fields would be. No damage done and 70 degrees makes it more tolerable.
Summer Tour stop tomorrow at Ruckhenge – coffee and bagels at Einsteins afterward.
July 4th – Info coming soon
Other events coming up to keep an eye out for – Home Grown Half – 8/16; Night Ruck – September; Freedom Ops (GrowRuck) Raleigh – October
17 HIM’s joined YHC for a little No Toll beat down. The vibe was certainly not Twin Team loungey and per usual, the HIM’s of F3 rose up to the challenge. Workout was…
Warmarama:
Side Straddle Hops
Helicopters
Don Quixote’s
Copperhead Squats
Merkins
LBC’s
APD’s
YHC would like to note that all attempts at count distraction were brushed aside.
Mozey to the pavilion for Thang 1
Dora – 100 Merkins, 200 WWII’s, 300 Air Squats. Those WWII’s were definite time killers.
10 burpees at completion of the Dora for your troubles.
Mozey to the parking lot for Thang 2. 50’s. 25 of one extra / 25 of another. Complete as a group at each corner of the parking lot.
Round 1: 25 Raise the Roof’s (in cadence) / 25 Lunges
Round 2: 25 Merkins / 25 Bobby Hurley’s
Lunges, Merkins, BH’s were completed with YHC’s single count.
10 burpees at completion for your 50’s troubles.
Mozey back to the flag.
Announcements: DK shared a story about a friend from the England who passed away recently in a tragic accident while away in Ireland. His friend’s paperwork wasn’t well organized and/or his wife didn’t know how to access it. This has made it difficult for his wife to retrieve the body and move forward. PSA: Get your paperwork (Will, Insurance, Medical, etc.) together and make sure your M’s know how to access the information.
Welcome to FNG Mogwai. Our new brother was feeling his post-midnight snack during the workout. This coupled with the rain of the day made for a perfect Gremlin themed name. Snuff was offended and wanted the recognition of the Scottish Rock Band. Look for both Mogwai’s at Snuff themed workout soon.
YHC took us out.
What a blessing to be together today. We made the most of it.
23 gloom studs saddled up for a ride on the pain train. After a 3 month hiatus serving abroad YHC was rearing to go. Here’s how we won the day:
The THANG:
WARMERAMA:
Mosey onto the BBall Court and line up
Brief F3 Welcome & Disclaimer
x5 BURPEE SUICIDES (a suicide followed by 5 burpees, for x5 reps) – one for each flight YHC had to take to get home from the mission field
LIFO Snuff arrived just in time to miss the 25 burpees, so we did x5 Body Builders (8-ct burpee) in his honor
Circle up for Variable IC reps
Warm? Let’s go wreck the shoulders…
COP #1:
Mosey back to the Tennis courts
4-CORNER SHOULDERAMA
x10 Diamond Merkins
x20 No Cheat Merkins
x30 Werkins
x40 CDD’s
Bear Crawl between court corners (alt to Crab Walk or Lunge as needed)
COP #2:
Mosey around to the main fields’ chainlink fence
CHAINSMOKERS x50 OYO
COP #3:
Mosey back to the Pickleball Courts
PICKLEBALL 50’s
At each of the individual Pickleball court the PAX is given an exercise to complete – first man to x50 calls out, and PAX moves on to the next court (front runner calls the next exercise)
x6 courts completed with variable exercises called: Monkey Humpers, Alabama Prom Dates, Pickle Pounders, LBC’s, American Hammers, SSH’s
BTTF:
Mosey back through trails, stopping a fee times to lunge walk to wait for the Six
2MoM – scrunchy frogs & WWII’s
COT:
Counterama # 23
Namerama
Announcerama (see Below)
Prayer
Prayer Requests:
NTB Family Loss
Warby & Snuff traveling
DTH settling back in
NMS: Beautiful cool bright morning to be back at it with this crowd of fine brothers. YHC’s slaughter start instructions were a little rusty, but recovered with the IC reps. Somebody has clearly been slipping HIM-enhancing drugs into L Woods water bottle – now it’s hard to keep up with that dude! Fantastic to see a bunch of Summer Tourists beef up the NoToll numbers – thx to Hutton for leading this. Highlight of the morning was Gumbo’s hilarious sexual innuendo on the Pickleball Court – he had us all rolling. Kudos to Heist for keeping the Six with us, and to Machismo for taking a moment to grease the palm of the new Park Supervisor. I’ve been all over the world, but you guys are all on the next level – LET’s GO! Yours AYE! ~DTH
8 Steeds lined up to pay the toll at No Toll but one Clydesdale couldn’t raise his frame above the bar. Machismo had the Q as called by 9pm the day before.
Pax moseyed to the tennis courts and under the memorizing impact of mumble chatter and the sunrise lit water tower, no one could keep in cadence for the classic SSH. There was talk of mutiny. YHC continued through and moseyed to the routines.
1st Quatro de Checko really just 4 guys in a triple check and a partner. Merkins, squats, run across the field.
Thang 2: Dora: 100, 200, 300 Lunges, LBCs, Arm Circles
Cool arama and with a cherry on top. YHC set the tempo on SSHs – pax could end the pain by stoping exactly at 10. Mutiny averted.
Announcements: Timberwolf has some sort of sport theme this summer.
Summer tour includes stops at various A.O.s
Prayer requests for Belay and healing for his herniated disk and safe travels to Iceland for his sisters wedding. Turns out the pastor pulled the rug out from under him, as he was going to administer the I dos.
Naked Moleskin: You guys are awesome. Glad to spend my mornings with you. Lift each other up and continue to shine your light. Keep it real. Machismo has a white truck for sale and here I get a call from Molly today asking to come see it. Could it be DKs wife? Lol she has no clue who David Kearfoot is.
12 Pax posted for a morning of sweat, suffering and surplus hydration. L. Woods showed up with a truckload of coupons/water jugs courtesy of L. Woods Water- because when life gives you hydration, you use it as a coupon and make everyone run with it.
The Thang:
Warmup: Side straddle hops, Don quixotes, Cherry pickers, Merkins, Alabama prom dates, Wilson’s Wife, Fudd’s wife, Roscoe mom
COP 1: Suicide Series at Basketball Court
Round 1: sprint each quarter mark and back- at each quarter mark- 10 lbcs, 10 merkins
Round2: Bernie sanders to each quarter line mark, at each quarter mark- 15 flutter kicks, 15 widearm merkins
Round 3: shuffle step to each quarter line mark, 20 jump squat 20 American hammer,
COP 2:triple check, partner one grabs a jug of water runs to end of bridge and back, partner two Carolina dry docks; partner 3 pole smokers
Monsoon conditions hampered the drive to No Toll but quickly evaporated within 10 minutes, making for a relatively dry post. A hot potato post, to be clear, but at least a dry one.
WARMARAMA: Machismo moseyed us to parking lot for SSHs, Donny Qs, imperial squat walkers, and some merkins. He was kind and get us of our six.
Rolled to futbol field shelter.
COP 1: Machismo’s TABATA
8 rounds, 45 seconds of work then 45 seconds of rest. First 5 rounds were alternating Machismo “I’ve Fallen and I Can’t Get Up”; next 3 rounds were alternating Machismo “Virginia Homecoming Dates.” Belay was really good at those, so he must have been a Homecoming King stud.
COP 2: L Wood’s Eye of the Storm
5 burpees in shelter. Run to corner 1 and hit 30 SSHs. Run back to shelter for 5 more burpees then hit 30 Lieutenant Dans in corner 2. Repeato with 30 squats and 3 merkins in last 2 corners. Twas very kind of L Woods to not ask us to lay in the grass.
Machismo really wanted to do some more TABATA Virginia Homecoming Dates (coming soon to a Q near you), but we just ignored him. Dealer grabbed the hot potato.
COP 3: Dealer’s Plank Dora
Partner up. One partner runs to water tower while other hits 100 Peter Parkers, 200 Plank Jacks, 300 Mountain Climbers. Shoulder burn for the W. It’s really dissatisfying when you can’t finish because time runs out.
PRAYERS: For Double Mint’s momma and care takers. For all of us to try to shine light.
