6/16/2019 Whitewater Center
There is an F3 Gastonia mountain bike text chain that goes out from time to time whenever anyone in the group decides to ride somewhere they can alert others to see if anyone would like to join them on their ride. On a sort of regular basis, someone in the group will announce a Sunday afternoon ride at the Whitewater Center around 2:30ish and a few guys will show. Some will say this is not and official AO so a backblast shouldn’t be allowed. You know who you are. Some will argue (sarcastically maybe, but it is difficult to tell) that F3 is a starfish organization where leaders can go out and start a workout and that doing so is the essence of F3, invigorating male community leadership! This post isn’t designed to settle that debate. It is merely to say if anyone wants to know about mountain biking in F3 Gastonia, here is kind of what happens. We usually meet just past the rest rooms about halfway down the last row before the hill but the lot was full so we parked near the Lake Loop entrance. Swimmer was running a little behind so Floppy and Freight were discussing the planned routes. Floppy and Freight go way back to at least middle school (I have the pics) and this extended relationship has determined certain strengths and weaknesses. One of Freight’s many strengths is planning and logistics. Somehow he knows the names of all the trails, where climbs are, where there are rocks, roots, signs, creeks, connections, etc. It is impressive. One of Floppy’s strengths (could be considered a weakness by his doctors but I would say it is a strength) is he is fearless on a mountain bike. No terrain is too tough, no hill is too high. He can put that bike wherever he wants and it is a sight to behold. Swimmer is another fearless type. They both attack a trail like they are racing for a prize. I digress. The route was announced and I hear East Main (which I vaguely remember as being terrible) and I hear Swimmer groan. Swimmer is not much of a talker so that groan told me a lot. Off we go to East Main and I realized why Swimmer groaned as I am pushing my bike up a curvy hill of a thousand rocks, hoping the others are waiting for the weak link in the group as I catch my breath. After East Main, we connected to Tributary, then out across the road to the newer trails, Panda, Smokey and Bandit which somehow connected back into Carolina Thread Trail. We took a shortcut off of that back to the road around the rapids and back to the parking lot for a little over 9 miles. No injuries despite one of us trying to ride through a mud hole unsuccessfully (wished we had a GoPro) and a black snake sighting!
Category: Backblast (Page 644 of 904)
June 18, 2019 – The Storm
A few weeks ago I agreed to ‘Q’ at The Storm, but after Rock Hill’s F3 Hog and Coyote on Saturday I was soon regretting it. I was sore and wasn’t sure how I was going to lead a group of men for 45 minutes. So here we go…
Disclaimer followed by the Pledge of Allegiance
After the disclaimer we ran a short distance to the parking lot near the football field for the warm up.
Warm Up:
Abe Vigoda x 10 (IC)
Produce Picker x 10 (IC)
SSH x 25 (IC)
MNC x 20 (IC)
Sun Gods x 10 (IC)
Sun Gods Reverse x 10 (IC)
After the warm up we ran to Lakewood Road and found the hill I remember oh so fondly when Sargento ‘Q’.
Routine 1:
Elevens: 1 merkin – bear crawl to the top of the hill and perform 10 monkey humpers – crawl bear down the hill and perform two merkins and so forth.
It was soon after we performed 11’s that a train was heard in the distance. Each pax did 5 burpees.
Routine 2:
After the Elevens we ran to the circle on Lakewood Road and partnered up for Dora 1-2-3 (100 merkins, 200 squats and 300 lbc). While one pax performed the exercise the second pax sprinted toward the school and sprinted back up the hill.
It wasn’t a minute that after we finished we heard another train and did 5 more burpees.
Routine 3:
This routine found us back in front of the school where we did forties (30 reps of dips followed by 10 rocky balboas)… then we subtract 5 reps from the dips and add five reps to rocky balboas. We did this until we had 10 reps of the dips and 30 reps of the rocky balboas.
With time running out we ran back to C.O.T. for announcements and prayers.
Announcements:
Anchorman – Rice and Beans this evening (June 18). Check Slack for more details.
This Saturday (June 22) is F3 Dads at Schiele Museum beginning at 7:00 a.m. Also on Saturday is a 2nd F event for tubing. Meet at the Target shopping center beginning at 10 a.m. $10 each for three miles or $15 for five miles of tubing on the Green River. All are welcome to attend.
Saturday, June 29 is the convergence at the Schiele Museum.
Dr. Seuss led us in prayer.
Thanks for the opportunity to lead.
Radar
Big crowd to start the week at Neverland. This was the last week of school, which at this point seems like an eternity ago. It was also Whoopees anniversary. The only thing missing was rain puddles to celebrate. Congrats on 24 years.
Went something like this
Warm up – SSH’s, LBCs, Merkins
Mosey towards old Harris Teeter, stopping in the parking lot by the pizza shop
First up, run to the loading dock, jump up, bear crawl down the ramp, run to parking lot, 20 squats – rinse and repeat x3
Mosey towards Food Lion, stopping at the wall by the old car wash
Wall sits for 60 seconds, followed by balls to the wall for 60 seconds
Quick 10 count
Rinse and repeat
Mosey towards the school, frog’er across Union Rd
Stop on the church road, on your six for 25 big boy sit ups, feet on the highside of the decline. Think we rinsed and repeated
Mosey up to front of Robinson Elementary. Partner up for some 11’s. Run to alternate ends of the side walks, perform dips, run to the middle for bouyha merkins
Plank it up waiting on the six
Meander to the front lot for some Mary work
Mosey back to Food Lion, stopping by the same wall. Believe we did some derkins and perhaps donkey kicks.
Line up, sprint across the parking lot. Wait on the six and mosey to the HT lot.
Sprint across and mosey towards the start at Snoballs
Time
More running than normal for some. It was a soaker. Great work brothers. Keep pushing.
Thanks for the opportunity to lead.
Turtleman
Another beautiful morning in the gloom to jump start the week. Was great to see T-Bone back after a long stint on the IR. Let’s get to it.
Disclosure
Warm up
Imperial Walkers IC x 20
SSH’s IC x 20
MNC’s IC x 51 (Mumble Chatter about hitting 100, waited till the first Pax dropped their hands)
LBC’s IC x 20
Plank Jacks IC x 20
Mosey down the parkway, stopping at each light for some monkey humpers, which escalated at each light (Mumble Chatter about increasing the reps), YHC kept obliging. 20, 30, 40, 60
Meander across the street to the doctor’s office.
Broad jump up the incline to the first light, mosey back, 20 big boy sit ups
Rinse and Repeat x3
Plank it up waiting on the six
Mosey into the neighborhood – think we stopped for some more monkey humpers
At the bottom of hill stop, lunge walk up the hill to the first light, mosey back to the start
Rinse and repeat x3 (Traffic was heavy in the neighborhood at 5:50am
Meander to the trail, stop for some freddie mercury’s x 20 oyo
Mosey down the trail into park – An observation was made about the sun coming up earlier. We could see running down the trail.
At the first fork in the trial, Watt’s Up had the choice of going left or right with a surprise behind each door
Choose left, stop for 10 burpees
Mosey to the next fork, Watt’s Up choice right. 10 burpees again
Up to the next fork, same option, choice right. 10 burpees
Mosey to the shelter
Grab a spot at a table
Dips x 10 IC, Step ups x 10 oyo each leg, rinse and repeat x3
YHC called on Watts Up to lead us with Body Destroyers – 10 count
Next asked Gastone to lead us with a round of flutter kicks, Easy Rider was strong with the mumble chatter today encouraged to 100. YHC called time at 50
Meander to the parking lot
Bernie Sanders to the top of the parking lot – FEEL THE BURN. This has become a Turtleman special. Shout out to Watts Up, made it much further than he has before. Way to push the rock brother
A few minutes left, next up Derkins x20 IC
Mosey back to Snoballs – TIME
Pledge
COT
Always a honor to Q. Appreciate the push. Good work brothers.
Turtleman
Publishing on behalf of Island, who is yet to graduate from the back blast 101 core curriculum. Perhaps the weasel shaker could offer an early am course. Anyway, the beat down goes something like this.
Quick warm up
SSH’s and Merkins
The Thang
Not much running. Did not have to leave the area
Started with the circuit (editor’s note: sounds like some crazy Short Sale diatribe). Completed 3 circuits and each circuit finished with a run. Rinsed and repeated until the time ran out for that circuit and moved to the next.
First circuit – Burpees, lunges, merkins, big boy sit ups, dips and run
Second circuit – 30 seconds of mtn climbers, squats, shoulder press, freddie mercury’s, plank jacks and run
Third circuit – SSH’s, LBCs, 30 second of plank each side and run
Sounds interesting. Hate that I missed it.
Turtleman
I had the Q for Crossroads and tagged along with Bedpan, Freight and Hushpuppy for a rucking good time. This story cannot be put into words. Ask one of those in attendance. The others ran and are killing it putting in the miles. The competition between them is great to see. We finished and went to get better with some Qsource.
Announcements: F3 Dads workout 6/22/19 at Gashouse (Schiele) at 7:00. Dolph, Island and Timeframe will be the Qs that day. Show up; 2nd F Tubing meets 6/22/19 at 10:30 at the Target parking lot; Convergence 6/29/19 at the Gashouse (Schiele).
Prayers: People battling addiction, Fathers
Praise: Bed Pan didn’t get eaten by the Weimaraner who had a hunger for anus americanus.
The morning started off about the same, some men getting ready to run others were getting there packs ready to ruck. I met up with Freight and Mayor then got a message from Hush Puppy that he was on his way also. time to start so lets get moving.
Exercises 5 dead bodies, 10 squats , 10 curls, 10 triceps. We stopped thru out the ruck and did a few other movements but what really matters if what happened on the journey of Dallas. We covered about 2.5 miles total mumble chatter is always good with a ruck and I feel that some good friendships are made with this style of workout. Friendship is developed by experiences or events stuff you do together.
Well minus a dead body we had our own mini version of stand by me.
What happened:
Started off with HP asking if we were going near any public bathrooms this lead to the story of how we used to be able to get toilet paper from the school we were using to workout in the parking lot. Sadly we were not near any bathrooms if he had to go he will need to use his sleeves from his shirt. next it was all of the sirens that morning. We laugh and are glad that the cops are not after us soon one rides by us and waves. Coming down the street this small car {not a prius} goes by us and a long haired person smoking a bowl of some sweet Dallas Mowi rides by us and the pipe is so long I just call them out and we laugh I said {that girl is brave and is partying early today} we get to the light and its a skinny guy with no shirt. All we can do now is laugh and laugh at me cause I thought is was a girl. I reminded pax it was a girls car with a heart on the back. On we go surprised someone would smoke Pot that early then we decide to go do some hills in one of the neighborhoods. As we are walking along Freight notices a small bunny on the left, out of no where a massive Weimaraner at least 100 to possibly 200 lbs Im not sure because I had one thing on my mind. Save Mayor.. Luckily I was in between the Aggressive Animal and our Beloved Mayor. The dog recognized I was not backing down so he went on after barking and running at us he wanted none of the Bedpan. Some may have thought it was fear in me but I had to show that dog the whites of my eyes to keep him in check. This event had the pax rolling some struggled up the hill from lack of breath from laughing. I thought that dog was really gonna get me. No leash and my first time since being a kid had something like this happen. Couldn’t ask for a better group of men to be with.
The Bed Pan is full.. the part about me saving Mayor yeah he didn’t need any help that day. I still need to go by the store for some new shorts..
What a beautiful morning it was this morning. Cool crisp breeze, slight amber sunrise, and a bunch of HIMs ready to get after it. Here’s how it went down. I did a version of something HIPAA did with a slight twist.
Warmup:
SSH 15 IC
Merkins 10 IC
Freddie Mercury’s 15 IC
Workout:
we all spread out and proceeded with
Burpees 10
Merkins 20
Mountain climbers 30
Curls 40
Squats 50
Side lunge to pole alternating halfway, retuned with lunge walking then… reverse with more fun
MNC 50
Swings 40
Crunchy frogs 30
American Hammers 20
Pistol squats 10
Then side lunge to the end of the driveway and bear crawl back . We ended with some Mary and called it
Prayer requests:
8 year old Asher, a child at Madoff’s church who is dealing with a brain tumor, and I believe a family member of Spider-Man
Announcements: Convergence 6/29
YHC took us out with prayer. Great work men
06/17/2019
I have never had the Q at the Fighting Yank and Tesla mentioned an opening the other week at the Friday evening 2nd F event at The Station so I jumped at the chance knowing I would have to bring a tough one! Let’s go! One FNG (Chip Norman from Bessemer City welcome). Disclaimer was given.
Warmup at the stage area, nope. They were unloading something down there so change the plans to the parking lot behind Sammy’s that Broke told me was called the Pit.
Warmup SSH x 15 IC, Cotton Pickers x 15 IC, Hillbillies x 15 IC, Low Slow Squats x 15 IC and in case of a train… 5 Burpees OYO. Mosey the long way to the parking lot behind Glenway Pub where cones were marking lines about 40 yards apart.
Reducing Time Sprints. Start with 11 seconds to run the distance, 8 seconds of rest, 11 seconds to run, 8 seconds rest, 11 seconds to run, 8 seconds rest. After the 11 second set it reduces to 10 seconds for 3 runs still with 8 seconds rest, then 9 seconds and all the way down to 4 seconds if anyone can make it. Milton was the last man standing with Keeesh and Wet Nuts right behind. Nice work guys! Mosey around the park and up W Myrtle Street to Hill Street to find a nice sunny wall.
Angry 7’s
Hipslappers x 7 IC (called by Broke).
Hipslappers x 7 IC, LBC’s x 7 IC (called by Sparkey).
Hipslappers x 7 IC, LBC’s x 7 IC, Low Slow Squats x 7 IC (called by Queechhe).
Hipslappers x 7 IC, LBC’s x 7 IC, Low Slow Squats x 7 IC, Merkins x 7 IC (called by Breaker).
Hipslappers x 7 IC, LBC’s x 7 IC, Low Slow Squats x 7 IC, Merkins x 7 IC, LBFC’s x 7 IC (called by Doodles).
Hipslappers x 7 IC, LBC’s x 7 IC, Low Slow Squats x 7 IC, Merkins x 7 IC, LBFC’s x 7 IC, Donkey Kicks x 7 IC (called by Buckeye).
Hipslappers x 7 IC, LBC’s x 7 IC, Low Slow Squats x 7 IC, Merkins x 7 IC, LBFC’s x 7 IC, Donkey Kicks x 7 IC, Monkey Humpers x 7 IC (called by Tiger).
After each step I read a verse and a thought about anger. Anger has been a problem for me for many years. I have to work very hard to stay ahead of anger. Here are the references I used:
1) Proverbs 15:18 A hot-tempered man stirs up strife, but he who is slow
to anger quiets contention. Slow to anger.
2) James 1:20 For the anger of man does not achieve the righteousness of God.
Anger keeps us away from where God wants us.
3) Ephesians 4:26-28 Be angry and do not sin; do not let the sun go down on
your anger, and give no opportunity to the devil. Anger hinders all of our
relationships, especially M and family.
4) Proverbs 15:1 A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger.
Our response to anger can often control how the situation resolves.
5) Proverbs 19:11 Good sense makes one slow to anger, and it is his glory to
overlook an offense. Turn from anger toward forgiveness.
6) Colossians 3:8 But now you must put them all away: anger, wrath, malice,
slander, and obscene talk from your mouth. Turning from anger will lead
to turning from other bad things.
7) Proverbs 14:16,17 A wise man feareth, and departeth from evil: but the
fool rageth, and is confident. He that is soon angry dealeth foolishly.
Turning from anger shows wisdom.
I mentioned to the guys that as men we can often set the tone for our families and not to let anger set that tone but let peace and gentleness.
Mosey back around the park to the Pit for a last thang.
Dirty Mac Deuce, 3 exercises x 12 IC using arms, legs and core with each followed by a lap around the pit and up the entrance and back. The Q was having difficulty calling these and was assisted by several of the Pax.
1.Werkins, Low Slow Squats, Flutter Kicks, Lap.
2.Burpees (12 OYO), Monkey Humpers, Freddie Mercuries, Lap.
3.Diamond Merkins, Mountain Climbers, American Hammers, Lap.
4.Carolina Dry Docks, High Knees, Dying Cockroach’s, Lap.
Back to the Fighting Yank statue.
Announcements:
June 22nd Tubing
June 29th Convergence at Gashouse (Schiele)
Prayer Requests:
Lynn Hamm
Guys traveling
All of our F3 guys going through tough situations
Sparky, who had never posted at the Yank until today, took us out! Thanks guys!
10 PAX total for a Saturday at Folsom. YHC advised the PAX we would be working on failure today. Failure is a good thing. We learn from failure, we get stronger when we fail. I knew there would be failure because we were going to be doing a lot of AMRAP and most everyone has to stop during some exercise when doing this.
Warmup:
SSH x 10ic
Ab Vigota? Bigota? Whatever slow Don Q’s x 10ic
Something else I did on the fly
The Thang:
Run from the parking lot entrance to the entrance at the animal control x 5 (all hill)
Back in the parking lot for AMRAP, 1 minute of each exercise with a 30 second break between
Alt shoulder taps, Bobby Hurley, Merkin, Star Jack, Calf Raises
Run the hill again x 5 (every other one switch and NUR up)
AMRAP again-Dolly, Bear Crawl, Back Plank, Monkey Humper, CDD’s
Run the hill again x 5
AMRAP-IN/Out, 8 count body builder, Crab Walk, Broad Jump, Dying Cockroach
We had just a few minutes left so we did a few more AMRAP-Al Gore, Plank
COT:
Pledge
Announcements-Convergence, tubing
Namerama-2 FNG’s-Bondo( long time associate of Gumby), Staypuff(Stogie’s 2.0)
Moleskin:
Good work by all today. I’m fairly certain we all failed to fully complete every minute of every exercise today. However we are all a little stronger for trying!