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One is the Loneliest Number

THE SCENE:
Empty parking lot of emptiness.

F3 WELCOME & DISCLAIMER
Warmly welcomed myself and let myself know that I was not a professional.

WARM-O-RAMA:
Did a SSH because it’s the law.

THA-THANG:
May Goruck Challenge – Firefighter Workout:

150 12″ Box Step-ups (w/ ruck)
100M Ruck Drag
50 Overhead Presses
100M Bear Crawl (w/ ruck)
150M Suitcase Carry
Ruck 3 miles

I was about 1.5 miles in at 0615.  But since there were no other PAX present for coffeeteria, I used that time to finish the 3 mile ruck.

MARY:
Never heard of her.

COUNT-OFF & NAME-O-RAMA
1 PAX:  Choker

CIRCLE OF TRUST/BOM:

MOLESKIN:
One F is better than none.  Would have preferred 3, though.

ANNOUNCEMENTS:
I let myself know that there would be a Memorial Day convergence next Monday.

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A Little Mosey Up Turd Mountain

THE SCENE:
Clear skies, full hearts; can’t lose.  Perfect day for a workout!  The parking lot  was even cleanish; there wasn’t a hypodermic needle or a dead body anywhere in sight.  TCLAPS to the Spiritual Patriot!

F3 WELCOME & DISCLAIMER
Given to standard for the 2 FNGs present.  Additional substandard disclaimers were given to Meter Maid and a few others doing Meter Maid impressions.  They do not get fruit cup.

WARM-O-RAMA:
10 Burpees OYO… UNLESS someone can tell the FNGs the F3 mission.  Speedy did, so we did 20 SSH IC.
10 Burpees OYO… UNLESS someone can tell the FNGs the 1st Core Principle.  Captain Obvious did, so we did 15 Windmills IC.
10 Burpees OYO… UNLESS someone can tell the FNGs the 2nd Core Principle.  Slots did, so we did 15 Imperial Walkers IC.
10 Burpees OYO… UNLESS someone can tell the FNGs the 3rd Core Principle.  Bailout did, so we did 15 Daisy Pickers IC.
10 Burpees OYO… UNLESS someone can tell the FNGs the 4th Core Principle.  Soybean did, so we did 15 Hillbillies IC.
10 Burpees OYO… UNLESS someone can tell the FNGs the 5th Core Principle.  Rabbit did, so we did 10 Arm Circles Forward IC.
10 Burpees OYO… UNLESS someone can tell the FNGs the F3 Credo.  Nature Boy did, so we did 10 Arm Circles Reverse IC.

*NOTE:  It’s possible likely that I’m completely wrong about which person answered each question.

THA-THANG:
Slow mosey around the 1-mile path.  10 cones were set out evenlyish with one or more of the exercises listed below taped to them.  PAX were instructed to stop at each cone and hold plank until the Six arrived.  The group would then perform the exercises and mosey to the next cone.  The first cone had the first exercise.  The second had the first two exercises, etc.; the last cone had all 10 exercises.

5 burpees
10 merkins
15 BBS
20 LBC
25 Squats
30 Carolina Dry Docks
35 Alternating Shoulder Taps
40 SSH
45 Overhead Claps
50 Mountain Climbers

We were halfway through with the 9th cone when I realized we only had 4 minutes remaining.  We Omaha’d and moseyed to the last cone, picked it up and returned to the Shovel Flag where PAX were instructed to complete as much of the last cone as possible before time expired.

Totals (if all cones had been completed):  50 burpees, 90 merkins, 120 BBS, 140 LBC, 150 squats, 150 CDD, 140 shoulder taps, 120 SSH, 90 overhead claps, 50 mountain climbers

MARY:
Throughout.

COUNT-OFF & NAME-O-RAMA
20:  Bailout, Captain Obvious, Choker (QIC), Gomer, Greenpeace (FNG), Grimace, Gun Show, Kneepad (FNG), Laettner, Meter Maid, Nature Boy, Passport, Photoshop, Pops, Rabbit, Slots, Snowman, Sonic, Soybean, Speedy

CIRCLE OF TRUST/BOM:
Yesterday’s APFT CoT was about how we are not competing against each other in that event, but against our own previous scores.  I was thinking about that last night, and how it applies a little differently to regular workouts.  We do compete against each other during regular workouts but hopefully in a good way.  Competition pushes us to do more than we would do on our own.  But we have to be careful not to make the mistake of letting it be *all* about the competition.  If you rush to finish a set of burpees faster than your buddy but your form suffers as a result, you’re missing the point.  The point is to Accelerate our fitness; bad form or rushed/lax reps for the sake of a number do not do you any good.

Embrace the positive aspects of friendly competition but guard yourself against letting the negative aspects take over.

MOLESKIN:
Completing all 10 cones will require a shorter Warm-O-Rama.
The Annex Turd is back!  RIP Levee Fridays.

FNG Naming Logic:
Greenpeace:  works for an oil company
Kneepad:  admitted to enjoying playing volleyball

ANNOUNCEMENTS:
There probably should have been some.

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Putting the BLAZING in Blazing Saddle

TL/DR: AFPT results posted here.

THE SCENE:
As this was my first time at the Blazing Saddle, I rolled in about 30 minutes early to scout out the area.  Today’s THANG was the APFT, and I was hoping to find a nice flat 1-mile stretch for a good out-and-back 2-mile run.  There was good sidewalk going westbound, but only for a half mile and it included a major intersection – no bueno.  Eastbound had plenty of distance and no intersections, but no sidewalk.  We’d have to settle for 8 laps around the high school track – which, in my experience, sucks.

F3 WELCOME & DISCLAIMER:
Affirmative

WARM-O-RAMA:
1/4 mile jog to the track (except we did it in between the Situps and the 2-Mile Run)

THA-THANG:
The Army Physical Fitness Test.

Event 1:  Push-Ups, AMRAP 2 minutes.  (See Soybean’s original APFT backblast for the detailed explanation/instructions that were read to the PAX for all 3 events.)

Event 2:  Sit-Ups, AMRAP 2 minutes.

Event 3:  2-Mile Run.

MARY:
1/4 mile jog back to the Shovel Flag

COUNT-OFF & NAME-O-RAMA
11: Billy Blanks, Chastain, Choker, Dawson, Flipper, Halpert, Lochte, Speaker, U-Rock, Webelo, Woody

CIRCLE OF TRUST/BOM:
The point of taking the APFT is not to compare yourself against the next guy.  The point is to compare yourself against yourself; to see the progress you’re making as you Accelerate your King.  Post regularly.  Push yourself.  Let’s get stronger together.

MOLESKIN:
The Blazing Saddle PAX have been doing work!  They killed the APFT – there was not a single run time over 15:30.  TCLAPS!

ANNOUNCEMENTS:
Memorial Day convergence on… Memorial Day.

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We Get Our Kicks on Ruck 66!

THE SCENE: 61 and clear as YHC and 4 others filed back into the parking lot fresh off of a 4 mile buddy carry just in time for WOR.

F3 WELCOME & DISCLAIMER: Given in motion as YHC was closing in in from the mornings pre shenanigans

WARM-O-RAMA:

  • SSH x20IC
  • ISW x10IC
  • Arm Circles x10IC / reverse

THA-THANG:

Ruck 66 using squat thrusts as the movement. Rucks front loaded while in travel.

Flip rucks around and repeat using 8 count Body Builders heading back to STARTEX.

Slooooooooww 1/2 mile ruck with the remaining 10 minutes. (We were SMOKED!)

MARY:
None.

COUNT-OFF & NAME-O-RAMA
9 PAX. 0 FNGs: Wall Builder, Miracle Ear, Woodpecker, Flobee, Choker, Orange Julius, Commie, Sleep Number, Soulja Boy (QIC)

CIRCLE OF TRUST/BOM:
YHC had planned to talk about trust in regard to leadership but was moved by Tomb Raider’s COT from the previous day so called an audible.

“Death is now.  The choice is here.  Lay your life down.  Your heartbeats cannot be hoarded. Your reservoir of breaths is draining away.  You have hands, blister them while you can.  You have bones, make them strain-they can carry nothing in the grave. You have lungs, let them spill with laughter.  With an average life expectancy of 78.2 years in the U.S., I have around 250,000 conscious hours remaining to me in which I could be smiling or scowling, rejoicing in my life, in this race, in this story, or moaning and complaining about my troubles.  I can be giving my fingers, my back, my mind, my words, my breaths, to my wife and my children and my neighbors, or I can grasp after the vapor and the vanity for myself, dragging my feet, afraid to die and therefore afraid to live.  And, like Adam, I will still die in the end.  

Living is the same thing as dying.  Living well is the same thing as dying for others.”

excerpt from ‘Death by Living‘  N.D. Wilson

MOLESKIN:
Flobee is a funny sneezer.

ANNOUNCEMENTS:

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Cockpit 05 13 19

WARM-O-RAMA:

SSH

Daisy Pickers

Overhead Clap

Overhead Ruck Squat

Dead-lift Ruck (Tiger Lilly on Form Q)

Turkish get ups

THA-THANG:
Lap around the trail with rucks overhead, stopping for bodybuilders for rest.

At playground split into 2 groups.  One group did AMRAP pull-ups and leg lifts while the other group farmer carried rucks to the second big tree over by the ditch and back.

Repeat for three rounds.

Ruck to parking lot.  Repeated a cycle of 10 merkins, 15 sit-ups, 20 squats, while PAX took turns throwing a sandbag across the parking lot to that crack and back.  Each PAX got a turn with the 80 lbs and 40 lbs bags.

Stood around for 8 seconds as time expired.

MARY:
pass

COUNT-OFF & NAME-O-RAMA
Woodpecker (Q), Soulja Boy, TIger Lilly, Tree Hugger, Ice Cube, No Fuego, Choker

CIRCLE OF TRUST/BOM:
don’t be complacent when you shouldn’t

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Why a Black Ops Loop around the Lake?…Why not?

THE SCENE: Much better than our original date which was postponed due to lightening.  The lake trail was utilized (instead of the trails) for accessibility of LIFOs and those pre-rucking.

F3 WELCOME & DISCLAIMER:  Done

WARM-O-RAMA:
Put Ruck on your back x 6

Lock Your Car x 6

Start Tracking Devices x 6

THA-THANG:
6 PAX performed a 12 mile timed ruck.  Due to a released dog, Mardis Gras was late which left him 1/2 mile short of the Pathfinder requirement of 12 miles in < 3.5 hours.  The other 5 PAX completed the last 1/2 mile with Mardis Gras.

Mothership Pre-Ruck PAX joined us for a couple of laps in this midst of the longer ruck.

Posted result was 12 miles in 3 hours and 5 minutes.   NOT TOO SHABBY.

MARY:
YHC and Soulja Boy jumped in with Mothership Mary to complete:

  • Side plank 30 seconds then switch
  • American Hammer x 10
  • ABC’s
  • Hold Plank until 8:00 am

Other 12-mile PAX watched and sipped their coffee…discussing very important things.

COUNT-OFF & NAME-O-RAMA
6 PAX – Bailout, Choker, Mardis Gras, Nature Boy, Snowman, Soulja Boy

CIRCLE OF TRUST/BOM:
Porn has a grasp on many, many men.  It grabs our boys, sometimes our girls.  Be alert.  If you have kids, filter what you can.  It comes down to a heart issue.  Work on the heart.  Teach your boys to be men.  HIM.

MOLESKIN:
It was cool to mix up the groups today.  Enjoyed getting to know some guys better…and some guys really for the first time.  Nice day for a ruck!

ANNOUNCEMENTS:
Pathfinder class is still open if you want to join those of us doing it!

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Teeing it Up at the Old Forest

THE SCENE:
Arrived at 0415 for 4 miles of early ruckership with Soulja Boy.  It was dark, and neither of us had a working headlamp or knowledge of exactly how long the park trails were.  I was also keen to maintain my 46-year streak of not getting raped, so we opted to head out of the park and down Sam Cooper.

As we were returning to the park an hour later, another group of guys were returning from an early 2-mile run, getting those MayMilez in.  It pumped me up to see so many getting extra work in – these are the guys you need to lock shields with.

F3 WELCOME & DISCLAIMER:
Did it extra loud so the 30% of the PAX who were still rolling in at 0530 could hear me.

WARM-O-RAMA:
SSH x20 IC
Daisy Pickers x15 IC
Little Arm Circles x10 IC (each direction)

THA-THANG:
F3 Golf:  a series of 5 minute sets, with 1 minute of rest in between.  Each set consisted of 2 exercises. The PAX would perform 12 reps of each exercise OYO, then 11 reps of each OYO, and so on until 5 minutes expired.  At the end of each round, each person’s score would be the lowest number of reps that were successfully completed for both exercises.  For example, if time expired while you were still working on 4 reps of exercise 2, your score for that round would be 5.  Lowest score at the end of the Thang wins.

I have Qd this workout a couple of times in the NE Kingdom, always with 6 or fewer in attendance.  With 19 PAX this morning, there was not enough time to record scores, so I omitted that part.  Cobains.

Set 1:  Merkins/BBSU
Set 2: CMU Curls/Flutter Kicks
Set 3: Burpees/WWI Situps
Set 4: CMU Presses/Freddie Mercuries
Set 5: Derkins/Squats
Set 6: CMU Tricep Extensions/Monkey Humpers
Set 7: Carolina Dry Docks/Imperial Squat Walkers

MARY:
No additional Mary, but she was well taken care of throughout the Thang.

COUNT-OFF & NAME-O-RAMA
19 PAX: Bottomless, Choker (QIC), Costello (Kotters!), Crayfish, Dewey, Doc Hollywood, Easily Amused, Fishbowl, Handsy, Ice Cube, ISS, Jail Bait (IG), Low Note, MIB, Mudslide, One and Done, Sir Mix-a-Lot, Soulja Boy, Teacher’s Pet

CIRCLE OF TRUST/BOM:
From this week’s QSource:

Because of the Flux, all men have have their ups and downs. We spend some of our time on the mountaintop of our Faith-life, when we want to share our Joy with every stranger we meet. But we also have to slog through valleys of spiritual dryness, when all we really want is to be is left alone to lick our wounds.

Ironically, it’s those latter times (when Meeting is the last thing we want to do) that are the instances in which we most need to be there, so that we can share the strength of our Brothers who might just be on their own mountaintop. How much easier it is to reach up from the pit when a Brother is reaching down to meet us.

The article is talking about 3rd F Meeting, but it applies to all 3 Fs.  When I’m in a valley with my King and that alarm goes off at 0500, the last thing I want to do is get out of bed and go face those guys that are all Accelerating.  But when I do it anyway, those guys are always reaching down to meet me – even if they don’t know that’s what they are doing.  Post when you don’t want to – that’s when you need it most.  Just as importantly, post when you’re feeling good and don’t think you need it  – that’s when the other guys need you most.

MOLESKIN:
I don’t visit the Old Forest often enough.  Great group of hard-working PAX!  Thanks for letting me bring my shenanigans to your AO.

ANNOUNCEMENTS:
Memorial Day Convergence at the Barracks

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Finish what you started: Tortoise and the Hare BOMBS part II

THE SCENE: A cool and comfortable 58° at the shiniest AO.

F3 WELCOME & DISCLAIMER: Aye.

WARM-O-RAMA:
Imperial Walkers IC X25
Daisy Pickers IC x20
Arm Circles IC x10 (+ reverse)

Since YHC’s running ability is currently hampered due to injuries, no running. So instead, we bear crawled the length of the field and back (200 yards). Choker wasn’t sure if YHC was serious, and some random grumbling ensued. This pleased YHC.

THA-THANG:
Buddy up with one coupon between each pair.

Partner #1 grabs coupon and starts walking while partner #2 does first exercise on the list and then chases down Partner #1. When he catches his partner, they swap: Partner #2 takes the coupon while Partner #1 does the same exercise. Coupons were either 60# or 80#.

Repeat until all exercises have been done 5 times BY EACH partner.
– 20 BBSU (200 per pair)
– 25 Squats (250 per pair)

MARY:
Choker led some uncountable number of flutter kicks for the minute or so we had before we ran out of time.

COUNT-OFF & NAME-O-RAMA
Choker, Wall Builder, Soulja Boy, Fugitive, Ice Cube, Tree Hugger, Orange Julius, Zima (QIC)

CIRCLE OF TRUST/BOM:
Finish what you started. Tiger Lily started the Tortoise and Hare BOMBS (w/ coupons) workout Friday but only made through the BOM before time ended the workout – today we finished what we started. In life, we often attack new projects with eagerness, but the grind of finishing the job can wear on us and we can let things sit idle, unfinished. We need to be better – finish what we start and do it to the best of our ability.

MOLESKIN:
GREAT work by the HIM that posted this AM. It was quite encouraging working alongside the PAX today.

Tortoise and Hare is a fantastic WOD – probably too long even for a Mothership Q, but it blasts everyone equally. Definitely a good way to modify Dora123s or similar.

ANNOUNCEMENTS:
Nuffin.

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Tha-Thor

THE SCENE: 52 degrees with a sweet layer of fog in the distance.
F3 WELCOME & DISCLAIMER

welcomed and disclaimed.
WARM-O-RAMA:
•30 Seconds of high knees

•15 windmills IC

•20 hillbillies IC

•one minute medium plank.

•100 little man in the woods

•50 sidewinder squats
THA-THANG:
5 cones were set up at 10 meter intervals. The PAX had to alternate between 10 and 5 side burpees at each cone station. Frog hops were the form of movement.

•return back. Crawl bear to each set of cones and do 25 squat bounces at each cone station.

•Mosey lap to the back of the parking lot.

•25 side jacks. I don’t know the actual name of the exercise so that’s what I called them.

•bear crawl 5 meters then crawl bear back.

•25 sit-thru’s

•25 stationary gorillas

•moving sit-thru’s for 5 meters then backwards sit-thru’s back.

•15 Australian burpees with twist

•15 gorilla merkins

•25 sidewinder squats

•5 step up lunges per leg

the goal was five rounds. We made it 1 1/2 rounds.

MARY:
25 side jacks
COUNT-OFF & NAME-O-RAMA
6 PAX

The streak, Orange Julius, Choker, Woodpecker, Flobee and Commie
CIRCLE OF TRUST/BOM:
“Everybody wants to be on the mountaintop, but if you’ll remember, mountaintops are rocky and cold. There is no growth on the top of a mountain. Sure, the view is great, but what are views for? A view just gives us a glimpse of our next destination-our next target. But to hit that target, we must come off the mountain, go through the valley, and begin to climb the next slope. It is in the valley that we slog through lush grass and rich soil, learning and becoming what enables us to summit life’s next peak.”

Andy Andrews, The Noticer: Sometimes, All A Person Needs Is A Little Perspective
MOLESKIN:
Side jacks and sit-thru’s are a difficult exercise to do and teach.
ANNOUNCEMENTS:
*chirp chirp…chirp chirp*

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Morg Merkin Madness

THE SCENE: Clear, 70 degrees at the Morg.
F3 WELCOME & DISCLAIMERDisclaimed

WARM-O-RAMA:
Imperial Walkers IC 15, Hillbillies IC 15, Daisy Pickers IC 15, Big arm circles forward and reverse 10 each.
THA-THANG:
String of Pearls

Mosey to stop sign, Merkins 25 OYO. Mosey to the first parking lot wide-arm-merkins 25 OYO, Mosey to the bridge Diamond Merkins 25 OYO. Indian run to the Pavilion:

Dips IC 15, Derkins 15 OYO, Carolina Dry Docks 15 OYO, Incline Merkins 15 OYO (Burpees till all-in)

Mosey to the second parking lot: Squats IC 25, Indian run to the first parking lot. Mountain Climbers IC 25.

Mosey back to Startex.

MARY:
WWI situps, Plank for 60 seconds, Rachet Shoulder Blaster
COUNT-OFF & NAME-O-RAMA
Choker, Sleep Number, Topanga, Woodpecker, Commie, Carport, Flobee, Beetus, Miracle Ear (FNG), Orange Julius (QIC)
CIRCLE OF TRUST/BOM:
But Daniel purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself with the portion of the king’s meat, nor with the wine which he drank: therefore he requested of the prince of the eunuchs that he might not defile himself. Now God had brought Daniel into favor and tender love with the prince of the eunuchs. Daniel 1:8,9.

“Such a faith that expresses itself so courageously, freely, and humbly always obtains from God the reward of faith. God gave Daniel grace and mercy. God gave Daniel grace and mercy. Daniel had believed the words of Deuteronomy 8:3, “Man doth not live by bread only.” Daniel believed the God of his fathers. -Commentary on Daniel by Harry BultemaMOLESKIN:

ANNOUNCEMENTS:
See Slack.