5 runners and Maybelline put in work (I think, though Maybelline’s late arrival after the runners left and first PAX to COT requires Strava verification to prove work was done).  With the Varsity squad on the Peak-to-Peak ruck, the JV team made its way down Union Road before heading separate directions at Hudson.

Short Sale joined us for a QSource discussion on “Hope is Not a Strategy”.  Bottom line is that goals are great, but goals without a plan to achieve them are just empty air.  The strategy comes from the what, how, and who it takes to execute the plan.

Habits, discipline, and a daily drive to be our best are how we prepare for the Gloom, for our jobs, and to be the men our families need us to be. Never quit.

Announcements:

• Come get the belt next week at the Horse.  I’m not planning on letting it go easily.
• Convergence 9/4 at Honey Hunters ballpark.  Park in left field near Community Foundation Run start
• Iron PAX launches this week with Week 0
• Next ruck event is in October

Prayers for Jackson Hall

Grateful for all of you.

Yabba Dabba Doo

6 PAX posted for Round 2 of the Classic PT Test at Ricky Bobby.  Here’s what I remember…

The Thang:

We started with some warmup.  It was fine.

Classic PT Test is:

• 1 lap
• 100 reps (as close to proper form as you’re able) of each exercise before moving to the next)
• Merkins
• Squats
• LBCs
• SSHs
• 1 lap
• 75 reps of same 4 exercises
• 1 lap
• 50 reps of same 4 exercises
• 1 lap
• 25 reps of same 4 exercises
• 4 laps

After putting up a fast time in June, YHC was looking to prove it was no fluke.  With Defib there, the target was in place.  Now to execute.

First lap is quick, on to the Merkins.  Plan was 60/25/10/5.  Couldn’t get the 60.  Uh oh.  Struggled through the Merkins and watched Defib take off at a pace YHC couldn’t keep up with.

Looks like my soccer arms from running season caught up with me this time.  Runs were good though, and we all pushed hard.

Defib finished first, with a blistering pace, and as YHC was coming around for my last lap at the track, Defib shouted “Do you believe Iron Sharpens Iron?  Don’t let me catch you!”  And I didn’t.  Fastest lap of the day, and the earlier ones weren’t slow.  Top speed was faster than anything I’d hit on Lightning a week later.  So to answer your question, Defib, yes.  I believe it.

Times:

• Defib – 25:55
• Flintstone – 29:27 (+1:46 from June)
• Mama’s Boy – 32:17
• Kool Aid – 32:41 (-0:04 from June)
• Buckshot – 32:42
• J2C – 36:56 (+2:19 from June)

I guess that’s why we do these things… to see how things stack up over time.  All the more reason to keep pushing.

Solid work by all.

Thanks for the opportunity to lead.

Yabba Dabba Doo

Lots of HIM showed for the downtown Friday beatdown. Most were on time, one was not. This is what happened…

Pledge of Allegiance

Warmup: Merkins and Goofballs IC

Count off, everybody’s here. Mosey toward Interstate 321 and hang a left to go onto Main Ave for some Route 66. Do CDD’s at whichever street lights, left or right, mind boggling I know, in the usual increasing fashion until you get to 10 reps in the last one.

Circle up and count off again.

Mosey down to the concrete benches for some Dips IC. Stroll down memory lane to where YHC knelt in the grass and got eaten alive by fire ants, then keep moseying back to the benches for more Dips IC.

Head down to McQuiter’s wall for some Step Ups IC.

Mosey from there back across Franklin heading to the parkin deck. Look out, neck’ed guy in the shadows! He may have scared us as much as we scared him. He may have been taking a wet-wipe bath. Luckily it was very dark and no harm was done. Keep moving until we get to the top.

Alarm! – Do the exercises that correspond to A – arms, L – legs, A – abs, R – “r” exercise, M – “m” exercise

Round 1 IC – Shoulder taps, lunges, LBCs, Rockette Hillbillies, Merkins – then run a lap around the top of the deck back to the start. Somewhere in the mumblechatter Whoopee tried to say that our wives will thank him, for what I don’t recall but he was very sure of his statement. Very impactful, thanks doc.

Round 2 IC – Shoulder taps, squat jumps, peter Parkers, Rosalita, Mountain Climbers – run a lap

Round 3 IC – Burpees, squats, dying cockroaches, rocky balboas, merkins – run a lap. One of the former Nantans thought it would be funny to use the one of a kind, old weinke (original to 12/15/2017) as a piece of toilet paper. Not funny because it then it had to be cremated for safety.

Mosey the long way down and around to the overpass at the ditch. Lunge across and then do 5 burpees for the train passing under us. Count Off. Lunge back across and then to the pavilion for some Mary.

Explicit instructions were given to only do ab exercises and 10 reps max. Everybody seemed to understand these very simple rules but, of course, the Canoe had to be the one to break ranks and insist that Kraken Burpees were an ab exercise. YHC let him get away with it for about 2 reps but then had to override the Douchery and get back to the task at hand. We finished up strong and that was that.

Captain Stubing has plenty of options to lead coming up, claim them while you can!

Announcements: Coconut race, convergence, Iron Pax, JJ 5k in September

Prayer requests: Turtleman, Norwood, Hacksaw, Mayor

It was a Small Crowd at Old School on this day in history. Ball Joint showed for a few minutes before running off after the warmup. We did have a Cotter show up welcome back Super Dave.
We hit a quick warmup before moseying off to the playground behind Carr Elementary School. We stopped at each intersection along the way for a little leg and core work that consisted of 10 low slow squats, 20 LBCs, and 30 Flutters. Once at the parking lot near the playground we headed up Route 66 with walking lunges between each parking spot and an ascending ladder Jungle Boy Squats at each line. Next we ran through a quick Triple Nickel that consisted of the Big Boys and Freddie Mercury’s  with a quick sprint across the parking lot in between. While here we went ahead and utilized the playground for a total body circuit that was 5 rounds of 5 Burpee Pull-Ups, 10 HR Merkins, and 20 total (10ea. leg) Bonnie Blair’s. It was really close to time at this point so we moseyed on back to the Flag stopping at each intersection along the way back repeating the same exercises that we did on our way here. Upon arrival at the Flag we had just enough time to get the pledge and call it quits for this one. Those legs gonna feel that one tomorrow.

Announcements/Praise/Prayers /COT

Thanks for the hard work men.

Plenty o’ PAX showed for the Wednesday workout at Martha’s House. With all due respect to leaders past and present, the rightful name of this AO is exactly that, Martha’s House. We discussed this fact throughout the workout. This is what happened…

Pledge of Allegiance

Warmup- Merkins & Goofballs in cadence

Mosey around and through the baseball fields until we ended up in the middle for the beginning part of the Thang.

Leg Wrecker – Split the PAX in two, one side holds the Al Gore while the other side does Lieutenant Dan’s toward the other group. Once there, switch going back the other way. YHC asked those in attendance for the Core Principals of F3, and they got them right, congratulations! They struggled a little with the Mission and we had conversation about that. The second set was the same as the first, then each of the next 3 sets we switched Al Gore’s for Sumo Squats, Bobby Hurleys and finally Monkey Humpers. Legs were wrecked.

Mosey down toward the bottom part of the parking lot near the big turd shack for the next part of the Thang.

Plankorama Mama – a quick hitter going from a plank position exercise to some abs. The order, all in cadence, was: Shoulder Taps, LBCs, Plank, Flutterkicks, Shoulder Taps, Dying Cockroaches, Plank, Freddy Mercury’s. heart rate, engaged! During this section, we covered the Core Principals again, this time expanding into Core Principal #6 – Always Be EHing and #7 – Keep Your Core Tight

Mosey a little way up the lot to a nice section we can run between islands at for the last part of the Thang.

Martha’s House – Use the letters of the word MARTHA for this routine that started with 5 reps of each exercise in order and then a run to the other side and back.

• M – Merkins
• A – American Hammers
• R – Rocky Balboas
• T – Turkish Getups
• H – Hillbillies
• A – Air Claps

We increased to 10 reps and then 15 for the final set.

Mosey back to the start for some Mary, with the instructions that what was called had to be an ab exercise with a max of 10 reps. We made a complete round before time was up. Thanks to Maybelline for the opportunity to lead today. AYE!

Announcements: Coconut race, Convergence Labor Day Monday, Iron Pax starting soon

Prayer Requests: EZ Rider’s family, Maybelline Coworker’s M has baby due, Clutch travelling soon, Turtleman, Norwood, Hacksaw, Huck

Leadership Lessons from the Founding Fathers of America:
Listen to constructive criticism
Be bold in your vision
Have patience along the way
Lead people to imagine a bright and realistic future
Pay it forward, help people when you can.

Announcements:  Coconut Horse Race 5K, Ironpax (one of these two get a belt), Fuse convergence on Labor Day, JJ5K 9/30, Runway 3 mile 9/15, Donut Dash 5K 10/28,

Prayer:  Jackson Hall

Pockets missed his Q, names were all to pieces, pledge and Seuss took us out

I am not sure if Wirenut is one word or two words or if there is a space in RoundUp so if anyone sees Gearwrench, ask him for me.  However, he probably wont see this until October anyway.

Big hike today so a lite crowd at Members Only. Two ran while one rucked, all got better. No one stayed for coffee which was good since Starbucks was closed.

Announcements:
9-3 Coconut Derby for the belt 0630
9-4 convergence at Fuse stadium 0700
Iron Pax challenge

Prayers:
Turtleman
Norwood continue recovery
Jane Fonda’s daughter seeking what to do next

YHC prayed

When Flintstone asked if I would Q this workout I thought to myself – damn – I don’t want to work that hard at a workout.  These challenges were not how I envisioned my Saturdays in the summer.  Can’t I just show up and go through the motions of a half ass workout?  I mean damn I’m getting old – Let the young bucks do this – I’ll stay in the back and muddle through.  After a thorough review of my canned excuses not to participate I acquiesced.

Well if I’m going to do this then best to make most of it.  I started by calling out the pax on Slack this week about not being a FIA wannabe and get their arse to the Schiele.  Much to my surprise it worked we had 18 answer the call to come get their butts kicked. (Including an FNG!- thanks to Seuss)

Warmup – obligatory SSH then Bonnie Blairs, Superman pullups and Freddie Merk.  That should get all the major muscle groups warmed up.

The thang:  Mosey to Parkwood parking lot for more “warm-up”.  YHC knew we would be doing some running so first called exercise was escalating suicides.  Suicides with hand release merkins at each light pole. 2 then 4 then 6. YHC called for 4 sets of suicides but I had to Omaha after 3 rounds to keep us on time.

Time for some friendly competition.  We broke up into 6 groups of three pax each.  We would compete as a team during the rest of the workout.

Event #1 Burpees – EMOM with 1 min rest x5. The most burpees as a team wins – Congrats to Whoopee’s team 257! That is  85+ (257/3) burpees per pax in just 5 min.  Form police may need to go back and check the tape.  That’s a lot of burpees in 5 min.  My apologies to the Midoriyama regulars – that’s is a lot of counting to some pretty big numbers.

Event #2 Long run for time – Two points were to be allotted – One point for the fastest pax and one point to the team that completes the run first.  Race was just under 1 mile. Pizzaman, and Seuss gave Wiki a run for his life but he was able to prevail to win the fastest time overall and team 4 (led by Pizzaman) took the overall team title.

Event #3 Tug of war – Honestly I was not sure about including this but we had time.  Teams 1,3 &5 combined to challenge teams 2,4 &6 in a head to head best two of three rounds.  Note running shoes are not great for tug of war in wet grass.  Teams 1,3,&5 were able to prevail in two consecutive rounds with teams 2,4 &6 unable to move the flag in their direction at any point.  Congrats – 5 points awarded

Event #4 – I first tried this out a few weeks ago – team based sprints.  Each runner sprints the width of the field does two 8 count bodybuilders and sprints back to tag the next teammate.  The team that completes 4 rounds first was crowded champ.  Several weeks ago when I tried this out it was a real crowd pleaser but Shortsale made the comment that it would be better if the teams were 3 man instead of 4 – so thanks to Shortsale for helping push the envelope!  Team 4 led by SA was able to come from behind and win – 10 points allotted giving team 4 the overall title.

Time – Mosey back to flag to name the FNG.  Welcome Andrew Zellers (26).  Andrew was more than capable of keeping up with the veteran pax – congrats on a hell of an introduction to F3.  He hails from Ohio and lives next to Seuss (who EH’ed him)  Apparently he grew up in the same town as Jeffery Dahmer thus the name.

The workout was certainly a challenge – but hey isn’t that the purpose of these fitness challenges?  Do we really need to exercise to 50-60% of what we are capable of?  Are we really learning to be leaders if we don’t challenge ourselves?  Remember Iron sharpens Iron!

Announcements:

Peak to Peak – Kings Mountain to Crowders – meet at Linwood access at 8 am

Coconut Derby Sunday 9/3 – fastest pax to complete 5 miles takes home the belt

Convergence 9/4 (Labor Day) 7am at the fuse – park behind left field

JJ5K Sept 30th

Prayer requests:

Turtleman, Jackson Hall, Norwood, Sledge’s wife, Huckleberry, Anchorman’s in laws, Curley’s wife

Candor and love for your fellow pax

Until next time … Defib out!