Author: Flintstone (Page 9 of 23)

We are looking to put 2 teams together to compete against other F3 regions (and each other) in Time Laps, a 24 hour relay run on the trails at the Whitewater Center on Saturday, starting 7 PM Friday May 19th and ending at 7 PM on Saturday May 20th.

Info from the WWC website:

“Camaraderie, camping, competition and a whole lot of trail running. Gather your friends and compete in a 24-hour trail running relay race. Points are awarded based on number of completed laps and level of difficultly. Idle team members will compete in a series of mini-competitions at Race HQ while team members are out running.”

This event is a perfect CSAUP for PAX of all abilities, as it can be customized so they can run 1 mile, 8 miles 15 miles, 25 miles, 40 miles, or anywhere in between.  It’s the camping and stupidity that will make it fun.  Think overnight relay, but no van, add tents and trails, and only a 30 minute drive home.

We compete pushing rocks.  We compete pushing trucks.  We’ve competed in the P200 in a historic duel between Dolph and Freight that is in the F3 Gastonia Pantheon of moments.  We push each other every morning in the Gloom, flipping bats when necessary.  Competition with our brothers makes everything that much more fun.

The goal is to have enough guys HC to have 2 teams, then have 2 PAX draft teams to see who lands where.  This will take about 18 PAX, but could be more or less depending on how many miles PAX are looking to get (for instance, Roundup would essentially count as 2 or more by himself)

Registration includes 3 meals, door prizes, a medal and a t-shirt.  Cost is $150 per PAX, but is completely all inclusive, with no van/hotel/meal fees to sneak up on you.

Please HC to Flintstone.  The first 16 PAX to HC will be guaranteed a spot on a team.

I’ve talked to multiple PAX who have done this event with other regions and they love it.  Looking forward to more completely stupid and utter pointless fun times, right in our own backyard.

Man I love a good relay.  The training.  The group runs.  The excitement leading up to it, and then the race itself, which never disappoints.  My second year at Dam to Dam had all the makings of a good relay, stories, laughter, catching up with other teams, team meals, bad singing, and PAX just crushing their runs and making projected times looks silly.

Here’s who we were, distance traveled, and overall pace for our runs:

1. Flintstone – Legs 1, 6, & 11 – 16.3 miles – 8:57 avg pace
2. Virus – Legs 2, 7, & 12 – 13.25 miles – 8:09 avg pace
3. Gator – Legs 3 & 8 – 11.7 miles – 8:28 avg pace
4. Gavel – Legs 4 & 9 – 9.1 miles – 9:34 avg pace
5. Bubba Sparxxx – Legs 5 & 10 – 12.9 miles – 7:36 avg pace

Lots of action shots were taken.  Lots of heckling of our runner on the course.  A little bit of driving up and down the route searching for something that was already found.  Some cramping.  Some Phish & Hank Williams.  Burgers at the finish line, and some coffee and nodding off on the way home.  All in a day’s work.

Results:

Team This is Stupid representing F3 Gastonia finished 34th of 106 teams, finishing the 100 kilometers in 8:58:05 for an overall average pace of 8:28 min/mile.  We finished 24 minutes ahead of schedule and beat our projected pace by 28 seconds/mile.  Not bad at all for a team with 2 rookies and maybe 10 total relays experience combined.

The 5 man team was a Goldilocks fit for us.  I’m sure we could have done 4, but then we lose the company of another teammate.  At the same time, another addition to the car would have made the ride tight (especially if that PAX was 6’5″).  We all got what we wanted out of it, and ran hard, feeling satisfied at the end of the day.

Special thanks to Virus for always being ready, being flexible, and answering the call when it came.

Special thanks also to the Sparxxx’s for lending their vehicle.  Bubba’s seat covers saved your noses, as we could only spread our stank so far.

Grateful for my teammates, and looking forward to the next time.

Yabba Dabba Doo

We had 10 at the Sammich for core work, rucking, a gas leak, and a new Site Q.  Here’s what I remember:

We waited while the route was given, pledged, then watched as the runners took off.  Not us, we were staying.  Packs off.

The Thang:

• 20 x Dying Cockroaches (IC)
• 15 x Double Crunches w/rucks (IC)
• 15 x American Hammers w/rucks (IC)
• 15 x Hello Dollies w/rucks extended (IC)

Scrat sniffed out the new Site Q, and licked him ferociously during the Cockroaches.  A fitting start to the morning.

Packs on, we can ruck now.  Make the longest loop YHC can tolerate without leaving the property – in front of the McDonalds, down to the entrance, around the back side of the building, then back to the lot in front of Lotus.

This should be familiar:

• 20 x Dying Cockroaches (IC)
• 15 x Double Crunches w/rucks (IC)
• 15 x American Hammers w/rucks (IC)
• 15 x Hello Dollies w/rucks extended (IC)

The Dollies came with a case of the Blarts, and we all laughed enough to make our M’s proud.  Nothing quite like The Gloom.

Next up was something like Suicides.  Or a Triple Nickel.  Not really either of those.  Anyways:

• Ruck to first row of parking spaces
• 7 x OH Presses (OYO)
• 7 x Upright Rows (OYO)
• Ruck back to the start
• 7 x Reverse Lunges w/each leg (OYO)

Repeato, except each ruck got longer going to the next row of parking spaces.

Got through 5 rows of parking spaces, then went back on the long ruck, going the opposite direction of how we came.  Made it back to the flag just in time for 1 more round:

• 20 x Dying Cockroaches (IC)
• 10 x Double Crunches w/rucks (IC)
• 10 x American Hammers w/rucks (IC)
• 10 x Hello Dollies w/rucks extended (IC)

And that was that.

See Pub Backblast for announcements and prayer requests.

Moleskin:

As we wrapped up, it was time to name the new Site Q.

The roots of F3 Gastonia go through Bandit.  He knew what this F3 thing was about long before most of us realized it was more than a workout.  He’s been a great leader in the region as our first Weasel Shaker and a PAX who blazed a lot of trails in those early days so that we can enjoy what we have today.  He hasn’t been a Site Q though.  He will be a good one.

So come Q a ruck beatdown at Diablo.  There’s a lot of options.  It can be all rucking with few exercises.  It can be like a bootcamp, just with no running and an added weight to toss around.  Regardless, it’s the only time all week in our region that you’re guaranteed to get to use your ruck as a weight.  Lots of opportunities to get creative.

I had a blast today.  Hope y’all did too.

Yabba Dabba Doo

We ran Loftin Park.

Along the way we ran into Pockets.

There was a dog wearing a blinking safety light on his collar.

We got a safety lesson.

Prayer Requests:

• Hayes Family
• Tooth Fairy & Family
• Clavin’s M
• Tiger’s Mom

Announcements:

• Extinction Run – 3/4 – Let BOS know you’ll be there
• Viking Dash Saturday – 2/25
• Young Life Golf Tournament – May
• Community Foundation Run S4N – 4/1
• Grow Ruck Valor – Coming in June

Enjoyed it men.

Yabba Dabba Doo

Just a note for anyone who wants to come to Ground Assault.  We start earlier than everyone else.  Don’t be late.

We ran the Loops.  Ruckers rucked their usual route.

Dam to Dam Relay week.  Prayers for good health for all.

Yabba Dabba Doo

It was cold and rainy, but not memorably so, as 11 ignored doctor’s recommendations and played in the rain.  I’ve seen worse.

5 rucked and 6 ran.

We lost 2 and picked up 2 for QSource.  We talked about the Get Right.  Fitness first, then fellowship and faith.  Different times in life require us to accelerate in different directions.  The Gloom gives us an opportunity every day to start the day off right, regardless of what the rest of the day will bring.

Been a while, but glad to have secured my membership card.

Yabba Dabba Doo

No Super Bowl Hangover detected at The Sword, as we had 11 escape the fartsack and start the week off right.

“… we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.” – Romans 5:3-5

The hard things mold and shape us into the strong and prepared HIMs we were called to be.

Thanks for the opportunity to lead.

Yabba Dabba Doo

Runners ran.  Ruckers rucked.

Solid crowd of HIMs put in solid work.

Took 2 full days to pen this gem of a backblast.

Yabba Dabba Doo

Who is the best Q in the region?

There are a lot of PAX who have been in the conversation, but let’s settle it in the Gloom this year.

8 Q’s will enter the tournament, but only 1 will be left standing at the end.  The Q vs. Q Beatdowns will take place over the month of March (and April), starting with The Goat on March 2nd and ending at Folsom on April 1st.  The schedule will be as follows:

1st Round:

• 3/2 – The Goat
• 3/4 – Old School
• 3/9 – Midoriyama
• 3/11 – Gashouse

Semifinals:

• 3/17 – Downtown
• 3/18 – The Fighting Yank

Finals:

• 4/1 – Folsom

Q’s will be PAX nominated using this form, by listing the top 5 Q choices in order.  Nominations will be taken through Saturday, 2/18, so please consider who you want to see in the tournament and nominate them.  Each PAX may only fill out the nomination form one time (obviously).

Qs will be selected and seeded based on the nominations, and the first seed will get his first choice of AO to Q.  Next up will be the second seed, and so on until all Qs are chosen (we will try to work out scheduling conflicts, but if we can’t we may have to make some changes or go to an alternate Q).

The Beatdowns will be simple.  One Q is in charge for the first half (including disclaimer and warm ups), the other Q is in charge for the second half (including Mary).  When time is called (40 total minutes, 20 each, for weekday beatdowns; 60 total minutes, 30 each, for Saturdays), we will vote, by pen and paper on note cards, and the results will be revealed (If there is an even number of PAX, YHC will abstain from voting to ensure there are no ties).  The winner advances.  And as history is told from the winner’s perspective, the winner is also responsible for COT and the backblast.

After round 1, we will reseed based on who had the most votes in their wins and do the semifinals the same way.  Reseed also for the finals.  The top seed will also get to pick whether they start or end the workout.

What makes a great Q?  Sweat lost?  Muscle gained?  Miles run?  Hills climbed?  Coupons used?  Creativity?  Big words?  White Claws?  I guess that’ll be up to the PAX.  We will find out soon enough.

Choose wisely with your nominations.  And as much as I’d like to get in on this, leave me off the nomination list.  I am ineligible, for obvious reasons (I’ve got to run the thing.)

Itching to get started.  Fire away with questions.

Nominations are due by Saturday, 2/18.  May the best Q win.

Yabba Dabba Doo

19 PAX put in work on a morning that wasn’t as cold or wet as we thought.  Here’s what I remember:

EC everywhere ahead of time, with FRC and YHC’s Dam to Dam team getting in miles.  Run season is officially here.

The Thang:

• 10 x SSH (IC)
• 10 x Imperial Walkers (IC)
• 10 x Dying Cockroaches (IC)
• 10 x Hello Dollies (IC)
• 10 x Mike Tysons (IC)
• 10 x Low Slow Squats (IC)

Count off with this group.  Hate to lose anyone.

Mosey out the back entrance and up to the bottom of Elizabeth St.

• 10 x Burpees (OYO)

Here, YHC called 22s, and complicated 22s at that.

Start with:

• 2 x Diamond Merkins (OYO)
• 2 x Dying Cockroaches (OYO)

Mosey up the street, stopping halfway for:

• 10 x Squats (OYO)

Finish the mosey to the top parking lot, and do:

• 20 x CDDs (OYO)
• 20 x Reverse Crunches (OYO)

Mosey back down Elizabeth, stopping halfway for:

• 10 x Reverse Lunges (OYO – Count each leg, so 5 if you’re only counting 1 leg)

(Side note – It’s amazing that as a region we haven’t figured out a way to call those things that is perfectly clear whether you’re counting right only or left and right separately.  Or maybe we have and it’s just me.)

Rinse and repeat, adding 2 to the Diamonds/Cockroaches and subtracting 2 from the CDDs/ReverseCrunches til it flips.

Halfway through, we stopped for:

• 100 x Moroccan Night Clubs (OYO)
• 5 x Burpees (OYO – Train)

To finish it off, we did

• 100 x Flutter Kicks (OYO)

Made it home just in time.

Announcements:

• 2/11 – Folsom Convergence @ 0630
• 3/4 – Extinction Run @ Primal
• Check Defib’s Backblast for info on emergency medical assistance

Prayer Requests:

• Slim Shady’s Dad
• Bubba Sparxxx’s Grandmother
• Boudin’s Son
• Wirenut’s Family
• YHC’s Dad
• Watts Up’s Family

Moleskin:

In my opinion, the Friday workouts show are an indicator of our growth as a region.  It wasn’t too long ago that we had 1 Friday workout, Downtown, and it was an average sized workout of 8-12 on any given day with some good days and some not so good days.  Now, Downtown is booming, with the west side of the region adopting it, bringing all the hammers out and really getting after it.

Tequila Sunrise is booming.  For the first month of the year, Tequila Sunrise AVERAGED 20 PAX a week, making it the most attended AO so far this year.  Kudos to Radar and the Tequila bunch for getting after it consistently every week.

In the first month of 2023, we’ve set a one month record for posts, tackled a 24 hour run, brought the Ghost Flag home, and lost over 250 pounds as a group.  We’re a strong region, and I’d take our guys over anyone else’s any day.  It’s been a good start the year, men, and there’s a lot more work to do and more fun on the horizon.  Looking forward to it.

Grateful for another opportunity to lead.

Yabba Dabba Doo