Month: December 2023 (Page 4 of 12)

As 2022 was coming to a close there was some talk in the gloom of starting a new running and rucking AO in Belmont. With all the relays, half-marathons, marathons and other events that the PAX were participating in it seemed like it stood a good chance of making it. The other idea was to see if a 5:00AM launch on Wednesdays would actually work. So on January 4th, 2023 there were 11 crazy PAX there at 5:00AM for the debut of the new AO. Now we find ourselves at the end of 2023 with the aptly named Ground Assault still going strong.

Today we had four ruckers and six runners who braved the misty mess to get just a little bit better. We said the pledge before heading out to ruck and run The Loops.

Here’s to a great first year for Ground Assault and to an even better 2024!

Announcements:

• Beer Mile, Dec 30th – reach out to Sargento
• New Year’s Convergence, Jan 1st – Martha Rivers Park, 7:00AM with EC rucking and running options at 6:00AM leaving from Pelican’s

Prayer Requests

• all those traveling
• Turtleman & family
• Montana
• Jane Fonda
• all those unspoken

COT

4 PAX braved harsh 55 degree misty conditions that persuaded PAX region wide to stay in the Fartsack.  The season of giving continued with equipment sharing and 2 for 1 deals.  And we jumped rope.  A lot.  Here’s what I remember:

0525 – YHC pulls up and drops off 2 blocks and a set of jump ropes

0531 – YHC parks the car and hurries to get things started

What the…?  What just happened?  The Bulldog parking lot Time Warp struck again.  The Site Q informed me of the Time Warp after the workout was over.  We made up for it though.

Disclaimer given, and 4 PAX, but only 3 with bells.  YHC brought 2 blocks for carrying, but that wouldn’t work for some of the exercises on the Weinke.  Nutria had 2 kettlebells.  Next thing we know, Winehouse has a bell, and Nutria is left with the big rock.  No worries.  Dude’s a monster and a pro.  He will figure it out.

The Thang:

• 10 x Don Quixotes (IC)
• 10 x Gravel Pickers (IC)
• Tesla Stretches
• 10 x Mike Tysons (IC)
• 10 x Hillbillies (IC)
• 10 x Arrows (IC)
• 10 x Imperial Walker Squats (IC)

Still scrambling, YHC ditched the carry for a simple meander around the parking lot so he could fumble with his phone and put on music.  Spiderman brought is block though, so we weren’t all just mall walking.

So here’s the routine:

• 10 x High Pulls (OYO)
• 10 x Halos CW (OYO)
• 10 x Halos CCW (OYO)
• 10 x American Hammers w/Bell (OYO)
• 10 x Curls (OYO)
• 10 x Swings (OYO)

Next we partner up.

• Partner 1 – Exercises
• Partner 2 – Jump Rope til Partner 1 finishes
• Switch
• Repeato for all Exercises

So everybody does all of all the exercises, and when their partners are doing exercises, they’re just jumping rope.  Exercises for round 1 were:

• 10 x Burpees (OYO)
• 20 x Merkins (OYO)
• 30 x Squats (OYO)
• 40 x LBCs (OYO)

That was a lot of jumping rope, especially when you don’t do it much.  Don’t worry.  There were 2 more rounds coming.

So next on the Weinke was a sequence where 1 PAX would Rifle Carry the block to the end of the cover and back while the other PAX just plank.  We would just stay there til all 4 PAX went.  YHC decided to go first, and took off running with the block in a Rifle Carry.  Giving chase was Nutria with the second block.  That’s not how it was supposed to go, but whatever.  We got back and Winehouse went.  Then Spiderman.  In just the time it took those two to get back, YHC was struggling to keep the plank.  Guess it’s a good thing Nutria followed and didn’t make it any longer.  Anyways, enough of that.  Back to square 1:

• 12 x High Pulls (OYO)
• 12 x Halos CW (OYO)
• 12 x Halos CCW (OYO)
• 12 x American Hammers w/Bell (OYO)
• 12 x Curls (OYO)
• 12 x Swings (OYO)

Back to Partners Exercise/Jump Rope.  Exercises for round 2:

• 10 x Mike Tysons (OYO)
• 20 x Bulgarian Split Squats (OYO – 10 x L & 10 x R)
• 30 x Flutter Kicks (OYO – Count L side)
• 40 x Moroccan Night Clubs (OYO)

Our intermission this time was a Duck Walk to the “1st” sign and a Lunge Walk back.

The Time Warp not only taketh away, but it also giveth, as we had plenty of time for a 3rd set:

• 15 x High Pulls (OYO)
• 15 x Halos CW (OYO)
• 15 x Halos CCW (OYO)
• 15 x American Hammers w/Bell (OYO)
• 15 x Curls (OYO)
• 15 x Swings (OYO)

Back to Partners Exercise/Jump Rope.  Exercises for round 3:

• 10 x Bobby Hurleys (OYO)
• 20 x Heels to Heaven (OYO)
• 30 x Dips (OYO)
• 40 x Monkey Humpers (OYO)

Then one last Waiter Carry with our bells, back down to the end of the cover with our Right hand and back with our Left hand.

And that was all the time we had.

Never fails.  After a round at Bulldog, I always realize I run too much.  Nutria & I made the trek to Floyd & Blackies to join the PAX from the Storm for some coffee.  Great start to the last week of 2023.

Grateful for the opportunity to lead.

Yabba Dabba Doo

14 for a Bootcamp + Hal doing Hal things as YHC succumbed to a strong EH by the Site Q, knowing that the thickest slabs of livermush were waiting on the other side.  Here’s what I remember:

The Thang:

• 10 x SSH (IC)
• 10 x Don Quixotes (IC)
• 10 x Hillbillies (IC)
• Tesla Stretches
• 10 x Mike Tysons (IC)
• 5 x Burpees (OYO)
• 15 x Dying Cockroaches (Slow Cadence)
• 15 x American Hammers (Slow Cadence)
• 15 x Double Crunches (IC)

Staying put, we partnered up, and did some alternating partner work.  One partner held plank while the other did 10 reps.  Switch roles.  Then switch back for 9 reps, and continue on that way til we get down to 1 rep.

Partner Countdowns:

• Partner 1 – Plank
• Partner 2 – Merkins
• Switch
• 10/9/8/7/6/5/4/3/2/1 Reps

We still hadn’t left the parking lot.  Time to go somewhere.

Mosey to the bottom of the hill.

• 5 x Burpees (OYO)

Mosey some more.  This time to wherever they keep the blocks.  Stopping first for:

• 5 x Burpees (OYO)
• 15 x Dying Cockroaches (Slow Cadence)
• 15 x American Hammers (Slow Cadence)
• 15 x Double Crunches (IC)

Partner Countdowns:

• Partner 1 – Al Gore
• Partner 2 – Squats
• Switch
• 10/9/8/7/6/5/4/3/2/1 Reps

Block work today was “Nasty” 7s, which was a nod to JJ’s Annihilation Q.  Like 11s, there were exercises to do on both sides, but no counting down, just 7 reps every time.  Also, the dirty part was the Blockee in the middle both ways.  To make it Nasty, we just repeat for 7 minutes.  So not quite the same as the Nasty 11s, but same idea.

Nasty 7’s

• 7 x Upright Rows (OYO)
• Carry to the middle
• 1 x Blockee (OYO)
• Carry to the other side
• 7 x Tricep Presses (OYO)
• Carry back to the middle
• 1 x Blockee (OYO)
• Carry back to start
• Repeato for 7 minutes

Highlight here was Seuss grabbing a full block.  Also, we left the blocks messier than we found them.  Anyways, short round of block work, probably could’ve been longer, but there were other and different fun things to do.

Mosey up the hill to the fork in the road

• 5 x Burpees (OYO)

Mosey back to the tennis courts

• 5 x Burpees (OYO)
• 15 x Dying Cockroaches (Slow Cadence)
• 15 x American Hammers (Slow Cadence)
• 15 x Double Crunches (IC)

Partner Countdowns:

• Partner 1 – Hammer Hold (American Hammer position w/feet up, but no twisting)
• Partner 2 – LBCs
• Switch
• 10/9/8/7/6/5/4/3/2/1 Reps

And then

• 15 x Hip Slappers (IC)

Because we could

So the last set of stuff would be reverse suicides, with us starting with the far court, then working our way back.  At each court, we would do

• 10 x Jungle Boy Squats (OYO)

before running back.  When finished, PAX would run a lap all the way around the tennis courts, then finish up with

• 30 x CDDs (OYO)

As we waited for the Six, we cranked out another round of

• 15 x Hip Slappers (IC)

It was so much fun, we did it again, with one quick change.  Instead of the Jungle Boys, we did

• 10 x Mike Tysons (OYO)

at every court, starting at the far end and working our way back.  1 full lap at the end, and then another round of

• 30 x CDDs (OYO)

And that was really all we had time for.  Mosey the short way back to the flag.  Time.

Pledge

COT

Livermush

Thanks for the nudge, Ponyboy.

Yabba Dabba Doo

15 showed up for an early morning bootcamp brought to you by Gastone. We had lots of fun, and I will try to put it on paper below.

The Thang:

25 SSh

20 Merkins OYO

Mosey to McQuitter wall for 2 sets.

20 3 count dips

20 step ups first leading with left foot then 20 on the other side.

30 Squats

30 Monkey Humpers

Between the 2 sets we ran down the hill and came back up backwards for a little Nurr.

Then we moseyed to the parking garage. (at this point Gastone realized a large hotel had been constructed since last I was at Downtown? hmmm.)

Lunge walk backwards up the slope in garage.

Be honest I was all over the place but we stopped at least 4 times to do 4 different versions of calf raises to 20. We did more lunges, wall sits with marching and more Monkey Humpers.

We king of finished in garage with a circle of fun exercises which Slaw seemed to really demonstrate for everyone. 30 Pick Pounders, 30 Hip Thrusters, with 30 Monkey Humpers. (For a second we sang “In the Navy”)

We moseyed to the wall for some balls to the wall and a little more sitting against wall.

Mosey to the start for a little Mary for the next 5 minutes.

Pledge

The Moleskin:

It was fun, I have missed everyone. I plan on being back out quite a bit so we will see you soon.

Prayers  for all and the one’s that need the most that were mentioned.

Gastone Out!

On morning of December 10th it was raining sideways. Three idiots didn’t let the foul weather hold back their determination. A few others decided to brave the elements only from the parking lot to inside of the Harris Teeter where we discussed The Hero Code Chapter Four – Integrity.

Is Festivus a week long holiday?  Must be since there was a lot of bitchn on the run.  Despite near perfect conditions pax were heard grumbling about post-Christmas party hangovers and generalized gluttony.  Those who made it out also stayed for some words of wisdom from chapter 6 on Perseverance from Wisdom of the Bullfrog.

Announcements:

Beer run from Sargento’s on 12/30

New Years convergence – Please bring a block  for the beatdown and gently used winter clothes for homeless

Prayers for Turtleman and all those going through the holidays with heavy hearts