Fitness, Fellowship, Faith

Day: January 9, 2022

Going for distance, going for speed

We kept it simple.  We rucked.  Back through the neighborhood and up Gaston’s hill.

We focused on distance and focused on speed.
We didn’t stop for push-ups or anything (except traffic.)

The idea was to keep our cardio rate up and keep our muscles engaged the whole time.  Distance and speed.

Oompa Loompa has requested guest Q next week

Announcements: F3 Lunch is coming up.  The details are on Slack.
Prayer requests: For everyone fighting COVID.  For kids (young and college-age) returning to classes this week.

Lots of Circles (and PAX) at Tequila Sunrise

Mixed it up with a low-run workout…

Glad to see 17 PAX post at Tequila Sunrise.  (That’s nearly double the typical TeqSun turnout according to YHC’s memory.)

btw:  As usual, it was not too dark at the Tequila Sunrise AO for a good beatdown.


WARMUP:  Side Straddle Hops, Alarm Clocks, Air Presses, Mosey


THE THANG (in no particular order, compared to what actually happened)

  • Ring of Fire  – Circle Up – Chopping Wood, One by one, each PAX calls “Down” for 1 burpee, 
  • 11’s  –  CDDs, Amer Hammers  w/NUR back
  • Ring of Fire 2 – Circle Up, holdPlank.   One by one, each PAX knocks out 10 Merkins around circle, then returns to holding plank
  • Ring of Fire 3 –  Circle Up “Global Warming” – .  PAX hold Al Gore.  PAX take turns calling 10 reps, exercise of their choice
  • “Febreze”  – 2 BigBoys;  Stay Up for 10 Air Presses, w/ legs 6” in the air;   2BB:20AP, 4BB:40AP,  6BB, 60 40 Air Presses  (Note to self:  Next time, either skip the leg raise part, or lower the air-press reps.  This was fatiguing and required an Omaha at the last of 40 AirPresses by YHC, since “If you can’t do it, you can’t Q it.”)
  • Merkin JAX Mountain –  1Merkin:4PlankJax,   2Merkin:8PlankJax, up to 5Merkins:20PlankJax, back down to 1Merkin:4PlankJax
  • Four Corners 10 each corner, run to next corner, 10 reps  Six Shooters
  • 6MOMary

Note:  Circle Exercises where all PAX hold a position (plank, Al Gore, etc) while only one PAX does an exercise result in a lot of mumblechatter around the circle.

Note2:  Giving the PAX an opportunity to do any exercise (not just the Mary ones) is a good way to surface some new exercise ideas, obscure exercises, and some oldies-but-goodies. (Thanks, BOS for showing us “Homer and Marge”)


Announcements
Growruck Mar 25,26,27  YHC looking for some PAX to step up and travel with him to Greenville NC
Happy hour at Primal
Feb 18-20 retreat at Flat Rock
Q school Jan 22nd at Gashouse, after beatdown 8:20
R U smarter than 5th grader. Stuart Cramer. 6pm. Thu Feb 10
2ndF lunch – Buffalo Wild Wings Jan 19. Noon


Prayer Requests
PAX – IR
GUMBY’s back issues
Kids teachers back to school


—Bubba Sparxxx

Nipple Prints & a Disgruntled Old Man

I arrived at Crossroads a few minutes early this morning thinking I might grab an extra mile.  Only one other F3 sticker in the parking lot and it was attached to a really high dollar truck that few can afford but apparently working from a recliner will buy you!  A couple of minutes pass and two more PAX show.  6:30 arrives so off we go.  About a half mile in, we encounter the owner of said high dollar truck and I shout out to ask if he cares to join us around the college but he ignores me so I have to assume it was just some disgruntled old man and not who I thought it was!  The Mayor and I continued around the college and even did a little exploring on the law enforcement high speed track.  We headed back to Ingles with a big push at the end to get a negative split.  We joined two other PAX but no sign of the truck nor the grumpy old man… well at least I thought… Mayor muffles something about Def Leppard but I didn’t catch exactly what as I was grabbing my phone for COT.  Inside we go for Q-Source where I introduced the book The Way of the Shepherd.  As I’m leaving for home, that’s when I notice that yes it was in fact Leppard that I saw as he left one of his signature nipple covers (aka: bandaid) prominently attached to my driver side mirror!  Later, as I perused Slack I discovered photographic evidence that Mayor was the recipient of the matching nipple cover.  The funniest part to me though was when my 2.0 saw it and asked “what’s that” and how after I explained it she gave me the eeewww face and advised me NOT to tell the M!!! 😂

Announcements:  Q school @ Gashouse 1/22/22

Prayers:  Gumby’s back / Wirenut’s M’s uncle fell & has been taken off life support also her aunt

P.S. See me if you want to borrow a copy of the book

1st ANNUAL FOLSOM WINTER NATIONALS

I will never forget the first Tuesday of 2021 , It was a little rainy, and high 30’s, Sparky had blocks in the tennis court at Folsom.  That was the start on my F3 journey, and what a year it has been.  I have done some things , meet some good people, and basically I am not the same man I was a year ago.  So I have been thinking about how to incorporate one of my other passions in life, Drag Racing, into a Q.   I figured out a rough game plan and with the help of some OG Folsom guys this is how it went.

Warmup:

We ain’t got time for that… count off…20 pax ok cool, count off again …split pax up into 7 teams of 3 (one team had 2).  Yall get your team together and let’s mosey!  Across the soccer field to 2 parking lots right below the triangle.

The Thang:

Welcome to the Folsom Raceway!  In the lower parking our racing crew was waiting.  Montross was the Race Master (he had the clip board), Alen Tate was the official starter, and Huck was the finish line judge and protest dept.  On to the Racing!  I acquired 2 identically prepared 2001 Ford Rangers (one had more gas in it though), they were set up on the far end of the parking lot at the starting line.  The teams were put on a ladder (bracket) and the racing started!  your team of 3 had 1 driver and 2 pushers.  Flashlight start! Chase is a race! Let go!  Push as fast as you can to the other end of the parking lot to the finish line and if your team wins you move on to the next round.  Losers went in the losers’ bracket.  So, every team was cycled in and while not racing we had busy work to do.  Super Dora…one man ran the length of the upper parking lot, one man held a static position (plank/squat/crunch), one man did the work.  Burpees, Merkins, LBC, Squats, all in various amounts this kept everyone busy and warm while waiting on their turn to race.  With time running low and the racing coming down to the semifinal rounds, we switched up and grabbed my favorite coupon the brake rotor! 20 curls, rows, triceps, and chest press then run a lap.  repeato at 19, then 18 etc…   The Final round of racing was Team Sargento, GearWrench, Bedpan  VS Team Sparky, Sarlacc, Volt.   The Nantan cracked the whip and with the power of Florda Man and GW ‘s super calf muscles they pushed across the line victorious!  I’m pretty sure they even thew the hazard lights on as they crossed the finish line! Congratulations!  I’ll get ya’ll a medal or a trophy or something.

We had a FNG!  Good job Mayor!   My man said he his lips were cold and someone shouted out ELSA…and well there you go! Welcome to F3!  Dude had perfect Merkin Form BTW (Mayor maybe he can help you).

Announcements:

Jan 22– Q school after workout @ Gashouse 8:20  Breakfast after

Feb. 18-20 –F3 retreat in Flatrock-watch for preblast from Sargento

June 4–savage race–see Stogie

Prayer Request:

Big Pappy/family,  Gumby, RoundUP (6 kids!), Montross Uncle, Alen Tate’s Friend

I took us out in Prayer.

Thank you to Montross, Alen Tate and Huck..with out those guys the Folsom Winter nationals would not have been possible!  If you missed out we may have another opprouity for the summer nationals.  stay tuned!

Moleskin:

2021 was crazy!  I did things i never knew i could do…  like wake up at 4:30 almost everyday of the week, lost 25 + lbs,  ran a 5k, ran 5 miles, ran 10k, ran a 1/2 marathon!?  do 100 burpees in 10 mins, and 450 merkins before 6:15 on a Tuesday, worked out in the snow/sleet/rain/sub freezing , lead a workout, be in charge of a AO , pay $160 for running shoes,  and the list goes on!  F3 is one of those things you don’t know you need it till you do it. Thank you to everyone that pushed me, encouraged me and just showed up to a workout.  you all inspire me to keep going and accelerating! I can’t wait to see what happens in 2022!

SYITG

Ball Joint

1st, 2nd & 3rd F Retreat in Flat Rock, NC

Check your calendars and get clearance from the M for the most epic F3 Gastonia experience to date! This weekend will be transformational for our region!!!

February 18th-20th we will head to the mountains for a weekend of 1st F gut checks, plenty of 2nd F comradery, and solid 3rd F to boot. YHC has reserved the 1st ARP church house for F3 Gastonia to use all weekend.

We’ll do this stuff and more:

  • Saturday morning beatdown
  • Cookouts
  • Beer ruck into Hendersonville with numerous brewery stops
  • 3rd F study, devotions & discussions
  • A long run for the runners (soccer arms welcome)
  • Hikes on nearby trails
  • Breakfast by the chef (maybe even some livermush)

The cost is only about $15 per person, per night depending on how many HIM go. Basically, the more HIM that go, the lower the cost.

First come, first served because we only have room for 32 HIM.

RSVP to YHC ASAP to save your place! AYE!!!

9 Years and Counting

It all started one frosty cold day in January.  The first Saturday of 2013 to be exact.  Thats the day YHC jumped into this thing we share called F3.  Nine years of Fitness, Fellowship and Faith.  Nine years of ups and downs physically, mentally and spiritually.  Nine years of checking off boxes not originally on my bucket list with the support, the badgering and bad ideas from my brothers.    Looking forward to whatever comes next.

How would you celebrate an F3 anniversary?  How about reps of nine for your 9th anniversary.   Sounds easy enough.  The reps may have been easy.  The counting was not for some reason.

The Thang –

It was a chilly 25 degree morning in Belmont and only a few cars had found their usual spots on the curb near the park.  Two guys were making their way back from their EC ruck when the vehicles started pulling in, right on time.  14 HIM present and ready to get moving.  No FNG present so we moseyed to the Bunker for our warm up.

9th Anniversary Warm up
SSH, Grass Pickers, Imp Walkers, each x 9 In cadence
Stretch Arms L/R
Stretch Legs L/R & Frt
Windmill, Plank jack, Burpee, each x 9 In cadence.  (Not all were nine.  Reprograming from the more regularly called numbers was harder than expected.)

Mosey up Main Street to the flower boxes in front of Twisted Sugar.  9 men followed YHC leaving 4 men in the Bunker for a HIPAA kettlebell swingfest.

9 Derkins IC
9 Box Jumps OYO
9 Dips IC
9 Step Ups OYO
9 Incline Merkins IC

Mosey further up Main Streety to the alley for Peoples chair
Add in some Marching
Now add in some Air presses.  That combo seemed to be a challenge for a few so we cut it short and got moving again to keep from cooling off.

Mosey to parking lot behind the Mercantile barber shop for a Four Corner Escalator x 9.
Five exercises were listed on a paper and taped to the pavement in each of the four corners.  In the first corner complete the first exercise 9 times and move to the second, the third, and the fourth.  When returning to the first corner complete the first exercise and the second before moving on to do the same at three and four.  Each lap adds to your escalator ride up.

Corner 1
Squat x9
Monkey Humper x9
SSH x9
Lunge x9
Calf Raises x9

Corner 2
LBCs x9
Flutters x9
American Hammers x9
Freddie Mercury x9
Crunchy Frog x9

Corner 3
Merkins x9
Moroccan Night Club x9
Plank Jacks x9
CDD x9
Air Press x9

Corner 4
Apollo Ono x9
Imp Walkers x9
Squat Jump x9
Mtn Climber x9
Burpees x9

The original plan was to keep everyone moving to complete 9 exercises in each corner.  With timing concerns the weinke was assembled with 5.  However, in typical F3 fashion the PAX blew through the escalator with time to spare.

Circle up!
Jack Webb 9×2  (1 merkin + 2 air presses, 2 merkins + 4 air presses, up to 9 & 18.)  Sounds easy but after the escalator above there were some shaky merkins towards the end.

Time for a few more laps on the escalator.  When asked which corner we wanted to start in Gator called out #3.  Merkins…really.  Lets go!  Everyone hit it hard.  As time began to catch us a few were just about finished up with their second escalator.  The others weren’t far behind, and neither was the train.  A short mosey back to the Yank and it was time.

 

Announcements-

2ndF Lunch Buffalo Wild Wings Jan. 19th, Mountain Retreat Feb. 18-20, Are you smarter than a 5th grader Feb. 10, GrowRuck Feb. 26

Prayer Requests-

Tesla and his Family, Students and Teacher returning to school, HIPAA’s Mom Lumpectomy, Our Country

Tesla closed us out in Prayer.

It’s been a good ride!  Can’t wait for the next bad idea. – BOS

 

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