The Friday prior I attended Gump’s 12 Year Anniversary Q at Cletus. As we worked out Gump asked each of us “How many years with F3?” and “What’s kept us coming back? What does it mean to you?”. With my anniversary a week away, I had already started thinking about what F3 meant to me and Gump challenged me to really dig deep and think back on my almost 9 years.
Well that just took me down a rabbit hole. I started looking at our F3 PAX album, going back to look at backblasts, and recalling all of the people and the things I had experienced. I started to realize how many classes of F3 PAX had come and gone. There are still some guys around from 9 years ago but some of them had left for different reasons – family, work, moving to other locations, injury.
How many of them still looked back on their F3 glory days? Would they come back?
I made a list of names based on the backblasts and photos. Not comprehensive, somewhat random. That Friday, I put up a pre-pre blast with my intention to reach out to this list and asked PAX to come up with their own lists and reach out too. I started to text…
Venkman, Oyster, Lawn Dart, WebEx, R-22, Coal Ash, Tetanus, Yoshi, Soft Serve, Kosher, Straight Cash, Genie, Huggies, Bobby Boucher, Fanny Pack, Sprinkler, Axe (with an E), Martini, Oh Yeah, Cowboy, Aquaman, SlideRule, Warbucks, Lipstick, Skidmark, DawgPound, M4L, Emeril, Redenbacher, Bernie, Wallaby, Stubs, Leftovers, Stickers, Skittles, Particle Board, Pacman, FedEx, Peeping Tom, Wiggly, The Natural, Blue Hen, Flanigan, ShamWow, Dahmer, Master Shake, Snap, Shredder, Fonzi, Lipsync, Patch, Crosby
By Monday, I had about 25 HCs/SCs from the list and another 9 HCs on the post (fitting). I didn’t get to the whole list, I didn’t have all the contact info, but I did what I could. I had Gemini make me a little teaser image without the names and updated the pre-pre-blast post.
By Thursday, I had a few extra names from the list. Some SCs had become HCs, some had to drop. The Pre-blast launched and it was a flurry of comments and emojis. By the end, 22 PAX had HCd on Slack. Some overlapped with my Kotters list, some didn’t. This was going to be big… Like 30 guys!? I planned from the start to pay homage to my first FNG workout Q’d by Emeril and CHIPs. I reviewed it and it checked out as appropriate for this sized group. Emeril and CHIPs had 33 PAX that morning… The table was set, the coffeteria plans were ordered (thanks again Pikachu, Gizmo, BnB, Abe, Rico, and Wild Turkey)
BTW – Hit up Rico if you want to order those pastries he brought. They were amazing and he’s pledged to support my requested 3rd F cause for the day with a portion of any proceeds.
Rico’s Store – https://adoroportugal.com/shop-our-products/ols/products/pastel-de-nata-12-frozen-prebaked
3rd F Cause – https://secure.alsohio.org/site/TR/Endurance/General?pg=team&fr_id=1181&team_id=6540
Oh wait… one last minute addition. Downrange and Full House are calling for EC… As Full House reminded me “Go Big or Go Home” FML ok fine. I set my alarm for 4:20.
EC: Full House, Gillette, and Downrange for 2 miles
We returned to a packed Cletus parking lot with an overwhelming number of faces and the cars kept rolling in. Peeping Tom, one of my original EHs from WoodCreek had traveled from JACOGA to be here as promised. Fanny Pack! SlideRule! Stickers! Wiggly! TomTom (Thanks Bumblebee)!? Dahmer! Shredder! Fonzi too!
There were more but my head was spinning and I felt like I was at a wedding. So many people I wanted to catch up with and only time for a quick hello but we’d have to wait for coffeteria.
We did a count-off… 50 PAX counted!!! WHAT!?!?
FNGs: Welcome 404 (Wed Developer), Yooper (Formerly from norther Michigan but not the U.P.)
In my haste to get moving and get this crowd away from the residential, I forgot all about our FNGs. As the group started their mozy to the back lot. Someone shouted to remind me and I ran back through the crowd to give em the disclaimer. 9 years of F3 hadn’t prepared me to manage this workout but heck most of my smaller workouts I get the checklist a little twisted. And we mozy’d on. TO THE BACK LOT!
Oh hey! It’s CROSBY!!! walking the trail to catch up with us for the workout. 51 PAX is now the count
The Workout: Thang 1, Parking lot – B O M B S
Partner up, similar to Dora 1-2-3 but more exercises. Partner up. Pax 1 does exercise while Pax 2 runs to from the back of the lot to the entrance and back. Swap out and continue the exercise until each amount of reps are complete. The exercises and reps are: 50- Burpees / 100- Overhead Claps / 150- Merkins / 200- LBC’s / 250- Squats.
^^^This text was ripped almost exactly as it was written from my FNG workout backblast which was originally posted to our Facebook group on 7/24/2017. Slight details changed since the original venue was Paradise City.
I did get the chance for some cool exchanges with this crew as we passed each other through the workout. Fives, fist bumps, and mumblechatter. It was pretty awesome.
Warm Up: good morning, windmills, willie mays haze, SSH
Once again, I was all mixed up. We never did a warm-up so I decided to put this in the middle as a palette cleanser.
The Workout: Thang 2, Catch me if you can
Same partners, partner 1 does 2 burpees while partner 2 takes off. Once burpees are done, partner 1 runs after to catch partner 2. Once caught, they switch and continue until back at the flags. The route was from the back lot, around the baseball fields by way of the parking lot entrance, back around to the bridge, right at the shelter passing the playground on the right, around the Soccer fields and back to the main parking lot.
Mary: Despite Lipstick’s prediction based on my first ever Q, the workout filled the whole time and there was nothing left for Mary. COT began immediately on the tennis courts.
Announcements: What a amazingly crazy morning with all the PAX at Cletus. I wanted to post here to put some emphasis on a surprise/not surprise NANTAN announcement this morning. the surprise… Breach ran along side me on the way back to the flags and said something like “seems like a good time to announce you as NANTAN” the not surprise, I asked for the job. I want to thank Breach for his leadership. He took charge post-covid as we were looking to re-energize South Wake and has done an amazing job navigating tough conversations and building on our already awesome community. As long as I’ve known him, he has always lived in all 3 Fs. The Marine in him has given him some special skills in 1st F | For 2nd F, he’s always down for coffee, beer, and a good time. Especially if there are costumes involved. | You wouldn’t have had to be around long to know how big of a 3rd F heart Breach has in his charitable giving, his leadership with Travis Manion, road side clean-up, and the list goes on. Thank you Breach and I look forward to turning to you for your guidance.
T-Claps (Recognition): All of these men for beating the fartsack to join me on this crazy spectacular morning. I had a bunch of fun and loved seeing the band back together. 52 PAX in all for a single workout. So much brotherhood and support felt.
A separate shout out to Crosby for his loving donation of a kidney and his willingness to join us during his recovery.
Prayer: X-Rays mission trip safety and success. Flip Phone’s family as they mourn their loss. All others spoken and unspoken.
From my FNG backblast, CHiPS provided —
Proverbs 17:17 – A friend loves at all times and a brother is born for a time of adversity.
1 Thessalonians 5:11 – Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in face you are doing.
My first attempt to get the whole group
Breach got ’em all
Coffeteria was so cool
My original clown car – Peeping Tom and Lipstick
Out of Time
/in Purple Cobra/by Alex CoppolaFNGs: wilson, Mr. Terrific’s neighbor
Warm Up: ssh, imperial walkers, hill billies, sir fazio, wmh, standard merkins
The Workout: The plan was to mosey to Veteran’s Park on the greenway from Purple Cobra. We stopped halfway for 15 LBCs and 10 merkins. Our next stop was the parking lot near the pavilion where each PAX found a parking spot and held a high plank as each person bear crawled to the last spot.
We moseyed to the pavilion for 10 prisoner squats, 10 split squats and 10 count preacher chair and 10 count balls to the wall. Next round we increased the count to 20
Headed to pier for 10 count of urkens, durkens and dips. Repeated for a 15 count. Found the railing for 15 count of inverted rows.
Before heading back we grabbed a rock for curl to overhead press and rut rows for 15 count. Increased to 20 count for an additional round.
Mosey back to Jones
Mary: ran out of time
Announcements:
T-Claps (Recognition): none
Prayer: upcoming travel for pax
One Big Circle
/in Tequila Sunrise/by Alex CoppolaFNGs:none
Warm Up: Discussed route and pace for runners and ruckers
The Workout:5 mile loop leaving Fleming loop park towards Judd Parkway to Academy St and back to Judd for 5 miles. Added an extra loop before we left the parking lot and on the return back to the park.
Mary: none
Announcements: stay hydrated, go ruck raffle for q’em all challenge
T-Claps (Recognition):none
Prayer: flip phone’s family, popeye new baby boy, finkle’s friend with premature birth
Following the rules
/in Thunder/by Alex CoppolaFNGs: no, but we did have someone interested who was walking his dog. Gave him the F3 website.
Warm Up: GM, WMH, frankenstein, imperial walkers, hill billies, seal claps, overhead claps, sir fazio
The Workout: Before the workout started I heard several comments that I should go easy.
We moseyed over to the rock pile and everyone picked 2 smaller rocks for shoulder and triceps.
10 count of the following for multiple rounds
front raise
side raise
alternating l raise
10 count stein hold
tricep kickbacks and 10 count hold
Preacher chair and balls to walls 10 count
urkens / durkens / dips 10 count
10 mins of core (45 sec on / 15 sec rest)
american hammer, low slow flutter, break dancers, box cutters and lbc
Before COT started we went around the circle and reflected on something we were grateful for. Lots of great comments!
Mary: Extended stretching / broga
Announcements: none
T-Claps (Recognition):none
Prayer: Kubota’s cousin for kidney surgery
Check for Ticks
/in Viscous Cycle/by Alex CoppolaFNGs: none
Warm Up: light stretching, checking bike equipment
The Workout: This was my first time participating in VC. So of course I parked on the wrong side of the parking near the tennis courts at Womble and wondered “Where is everyone?” I rode over toward the pavilion and found everyone wondering where I was. I gave the group two options for a route (1 towards Bass Lake and another towards 12 Oaks). We decided on 12 Oaks. We rode towards the Utley Creek Greenway and under 55. We hit our first section of ungroomed trails before we popped out on Green Oaks Parkway. The group continued riding toward 12 Oaks and the Greenway behind Oakview. Crossed back over New Hill to a new Greenway / path that lead to an overgrown trail prompting me to announce “You should check for ticks”. Followed that trail back to Green Oaks and across 55 and up Library hill back to Womble. 9 miles in total!
Mary: none
Announcements: none
T-Claps (Recognition): none
Prayer:none
Homer to Rock at Purple Cobra
/in AO Post/by Mr. TerrificPURPLE COBRA BACKBLAST — 5 PAX
After a mosey, we warmed up and headed to the wall:
Thang 1 — Rock Work
Three rounds:
Then:
Thang 2 — Next Man Up
PAX worked through the parking-lot squares, Next Man Up style, while the timer ran around the building.
That carried us right to the finish.
5 PAX. Rocks moved. Legs smoked. Work done.
Finished with fellowship and both hot and cold brew.
Prayers for Layoff’s dogs passing away this last weekend and father struggling with dementia.
Hill Loop of Mutiny
/in Mutiny/by Abacus7 lucky crew members showed up to the Mutiny this gloom not knowing what they’d signed up for. YHC kept the plans buried like treasure in the pre-blast, and the PAX found out soon enough: three trips around the Loop, and a wet hill with a grudge.
Warm-Up
Circled up for:
SSH
Good Mornings
Don Quixotes
Imperial Walkers
Hillbillies
Sir Fazio (fwd + rev)
Seal Claps
Overhead Claps
The Thang
Ran the loop around the soccer field 3 times. One exercise at each of the 4 corners, with a different mode of transportation to get you from one corner to the next:
Corner 1 — 10 Merkins. Travel to the next corner: Bear Crawl on lap 1, Crab Walk on lap 2, a BC/CW combo on lap 3.
Corner 2 — 15 WWI Sit-ups Mosey to the next corner.
Corner 3 — 10 Lunges each leg, IC. Then straight into the hill: up backwards to the nearest fence post at the top, back down backwards, 1 burpee on the pavement at the bottom, then up to the third post (skipping one post on the way), down forward. Laps 1 and 2 ran the full sequence with the burpee. Time was short by lap 3, so the crew ran it forward up and down only, no burpee, to get us through the rest of the workout on schedule.
Corner 4 — 5 Burpees Mosey back around to Corner 1 and go again.
Mary
Popcorned exercises across the group: Low Slow Flutters, Pickle Pounders, Homer to Marge, American Hammers, Box Cutters, LBCs, Windshield Wipers.
COT
Announcements: Ruck Sack raffle still ongoing.
T-Claps: UTI named Nantan. Congrats!
Prayer: Prayers for Flip Phone and his family, mourning a recent loss. Prayers for Jolly (and family) as he moves through a season of major transition — retiring from the Navy and starting a new chapter.
Closing Remarks: Proud of this crew. Nobody knew what the Loop had in store and everybody showed up anyway — that’s the whole point. The hill doesn’t care how many times you’ve run it, it’s still going to be there tomorrow. So are we.
YHC out.
F3 U.T.I. turns 9 and other cool stuff…
/in AO Post/by UTIThe Friday prior I attended Gump’s 12 Year Anniversary Q at Cletus. As we worked out Gump asked each of us “How many years with F3?” and “What’s kept us coming back? What does it mean to you?”. With my anniversary a week away, I had already started thinking about what F3 meant to me and Gump challenged me to really dig deep and think back on my almost 9 years.
Well that just took me down a rabbit hole. I started looking at our F3 PAX album, going back to look at backblasts, and recalling all of the people and the things I had experienced. I started to realize how many classes of F3 PAX had come and gone. There are still some guys around from 9 years ago but some of them had left for different reasons – family, work, moving to other locations, injury.
How many of them still looked back on their F3 glory days? Would they come back?
I made a list of names based on the backblasts and photos. Not comprehensive, somewhat random. That Friday, I put up a pre-pre blast with my intention to reach out to this list and asked PAX to come up with their own lists and reach out too. I started to text…
Venkman, Oyster, Lawn Dart, WebEx, R-22, Coal Ash, Tetanus, Yoshi, Soft Serve, Kosher, Straight Cash, Genie, Huggies, Bobby Boucher, Fanny Pack, Sprinkler, Axe (with an E), Martini, Oh Yeah, Cowboy, Aquaman, SlideRule, Warbucks, Lipstick, Skidmark, DawgPound, M4L, Emeril, Redenbacher, Bernie, Wallaby, Stubs, Leftovers, Stickers, Skittles, Particle Board, Pacman, FedEx, Peeping Tom, Wiggly, The Natural, Blue Hen, Flanigan, ShamWow, Dahmer, Master Shake, Snap, Shredder, Fonzi, Lipsync, Patch, Crosby
By Monday, I had about 25 HCs/SCs from the list and another 9 HCs on the post (fitting). I didn’t get to the whole list, I didn’t have all the contact info, but I did what I could. I had Gemini make me a little teaser image without the names and updated the pre-pre-blast post.
By Thursday, I had a few extra names from the list. Some SCs had become HCs, some had to drop. The Pre-blast launched and it was a flurry of comments and emojis. By the end, 22 PAX had HCd on Slack. Some overlapped with my Kotters list, some didn’t. This was going to be big… Like 30 guys!? I planned from the start to pay homage to my first FNG workout Q’d by Emeril and CHIPs. I reviewed it and it checked out as appropriate for this sized group. Emeril and CHIPs had 33 PAX that morning… The table was set, the coffeteria plans were ordered (thanks again Pikachu, Gizmo, BnB, Abe, Rico, and Wild Turkey)
BTW – Hit up Rico if you want to order those pastries he brought. They were amazing and he’s pledged to support my requested 3rd F cause for the day with a portion of any proceeds.
Rico’s Store – https://adoroportugal.com/shop-our-products/ols/products/pastel-de-nata-12-frozen-prebaked
3rd F Cause – https://secure.alsohio.org/site/TR/Endurance/General?pg=team&fr_id=1181&team_id=6540
Oh wait… one last minute addition. Downrange and Full House are calling for EC… As Full House reminded me “Go Big or Go Home” FML ok fine. I set my alarm for 4:20.
EC: Full House, Gillette, and Downrange for 2 miles
We returned to a packed Cletus parking lot with an overwhelming number of faces and the cars kept rolling in. Peeping Tom, one of my original EHs from WoodCreek had traveled from JACOGA to be here as promised. Fanny Pack! SlideRule! Stickers! Wiggly! TomTom (Thanks Bumblebee)!? Dahmer! Shredder! Fonzi too!
There were more but my head was spinning and I felt like I was at a wedding. So many people I wanted to catch up with and only time for a quick hello but we’d have to wait for coffeteria.
We did a count-off… 50 PAX counted!!! WHAT!?!?
FNGs: Welcome 404 (Wed Developer), Yooper (Formerly from norther Michigan but not the U.P.)
In my haste to get moving and get this crowd away from the residential, I forgot all about our FNGs. As the group started their mozy to the back lot. Someone shouted to remind me and I ran back through the crowd to give em the disclaimer. 9 years of F3 hadn’t prepared me to manage this workout but heck most of my smaller workouts I get the checklist a little twisted. And we mozy’d on. TO THE BACK LOT!
Oh hey! It’s CROSBY!!! walking the trail to catch up with us for the workout. 51 PAX is now the count
The Workout: Thang 1, Parking lot – B O M B S
Partner up, similar to Dora 1-2-3 but more exercises. Partner up. Pax 1 does exercise while Pax 2 runs to from the back of the lot to the entrance and back. Swap out and continue the exercise until each amount of reps are complete. The exercises and reps are: 50- Burpees / 100- Overhead Claps / 150- Merkins / 200- LBC’s / 250- Squats.
^^^This text was ripped almost exactly as it was written from my FNG workout backblast which was originally posted to our Facebook group on 7/24/2017. Slight details changed since the original venue was Paradise City.
I did get the chance for some cool exchanges with this crew as we passed each other through the workout. Fives, fist bumps, and mumblechatter. It was pretty awesome.
Warm Up: good morning, windmills, willie mays haze, SSH
Once again, I was all mixed up. We never did a warm-up so I decided to put this in the middle as a palette cleanser.
The Workout: Thang 2, Catch me if you can
Same partners, partner 1 does 2 burpees while partner 2 takes off. Once burpees are done, partner 1 runs after to catch partner 2. Once caught, they switch and continue until back at the flags. The route was from the back lot, around the baseball fields by way of the parking lot entrance, back around to the bridge, right at the shelter passing the playground on the right, around the Soccer fields and back to the main parking lot.
Mary: Despite Lipstick’s prediction based on my first ever Q, the workout filled the whole time and there was nothing left for Mary. COT began immediately on the tennis courts.
Announcements: What a amazingly crazy morning with all the PAX at Cletus. I wanted to post here to put some emphasis on a surprise/not surprise NANTAN announcement this morning. the surprise… Breach ran along side me on the way back to the flags and said something like “seems like a good time to announce you as NANTAN” the not surprise, I asked for the job. I want to thank Breach for his leadership. He took charge post-covid as we were looking to re-energize South Wake and has done an amazing job navigating tough conversations and building on our already awesome community. As long as I’ve known him, he has always lived in all 3 Fs. The Marine in him has given him some special skills in 1st F | For 2nd F, he’s always down for coffee, beer, and a good time. Especially if there are costumes involved. | You wouldn’t have had to be around long to know how big of a 3rd F heart Breach has in his charitable giving, his leadership with Travis Manion, road side clean-up, and the list goes on. Thank you Breach and I look forward to turning to you for your guidance.
T-Claps (Recognition): All of these men for beating the fartsack to join me on this crazy spectacular morning. I had a bunch of fun and loved seeing the band back together. 52 PAX in all for a single workout. So much brotherhood and support felt.
A separate shout out to Crosby for his loving donation of a kidney and his willingness to join us during his recovery.
Prayer: X-Rays mission trip safety and success. Flip Phone’s family as they mourn their loss. All others spoken and unspoken.
From my FNG backblast, CHiPS provided —
Proverbs 17:17 – A friend loves at all times and a brother is born for a time of adversity.
1 Thessalonians 5:11 – Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in face you are doing.
My first attempt to get the whole group
Breach got ’em all
Coffeteria was so cool
Possums, bears and ants
/in Possum Trot/by Alex CoppolaFNGs:none
Warm Up: good morning, merkins, imperial walkers, hill billies, ssh
The Workout: First time at Possum Trot so I arrived a few minutes early to survey the dark parking lot. Its almost as dark as Purple Cobra. I had a few ideas in mind, all of which included rocks. We moseyed to a freshly painted line where we lined up holding a high plank and each PAX bear crawled to the end of the line.
Main event
Each PAX grabbed a flat-ish rock for bear crawl rock push between the No Parking sign and light pole while their partner started 100 ground pounders, 100 curls for the girls and 100 triceps for the guys. There was much groaning over rock size and pavement quality.
10 mins of core (45 on / 15 off)
box cutters, lbcs, pickle pounders, american hammer and homer to marge
Mary: Ended with some light yoga
Announcements:
T-Claps (Recognition):
Prayer: 16bit’s mom battling cancer and pumpkin spice moving to Clayton
Shiver Me Timbers
/in Mutiny/by UTIAhoy, ye scallywags! Five seasoned swashbucklers arrived at Mutiny at the crack o’ dawn, keen on an early morning quest fer shiny loot. We followed the faded parchment map and successfully unearthed the hidden booty!
Workout Overview
AO: Mutiny (Honeycutt Park)
Style: Boot Camp (45 Minutes)
Equipment: Bring your own “coupon” (cinder block or heavy rock from the woodline)
1.The Warm-A-Rama:
Mosey a lap around the park to wake up the legs
Side Straddle Hops (SSH)
Imperial Walkers
Hillbillies
Frankensteins
Mosey over to the courts. This is a stacker-style challenge across the corners:
Corner 1: 10 Stack ’em Merkins
Corner 2: 10 Merkins + 20 Stack ’em Squats
Corner 3: 10 Merkins + 20 Squats + 30 Stack ’em Crab Cakes
Corner 4: 10 Merkins + 20 Squats + 30 Crabby Patties + 40 Stack ’em Jump Squats
Pair up, run to the drainage ditch where the rocks are, and dig through the weeds to get a rock for each person. Head to the dead end that juts out from the traffic circle. While Partner 1 completes reps using the rock, Partner 2 John Cusacks or rifle-carries a smaller rock around the circle and back. Switch off until the team hits the total reps:
100 American Hammers IC
200 Weighted Lunges
300 Overhead press
Murder Bunnies and Backward walks
/in Disney/by Mr. TerrificFNGs: na Warm Up:side straddle hops, hillbillies imperial walkers, Daisy, pickers Willie maize, haze and penalty Burpee‘s for a late arrival
The Workout: eight Pax fished coupons out of the tree and John Cusacked them to the field. After rotating between backward walks, Merkins and squats, the PAX moved via murder bunnies back-and-forth on the field sprinkling in ground pounders, goblet squats, merkins on your bunny rut rows and dead lifts. UTI destroyed his bunny early – he may have aggressively exercised it. The PAX then returned their bunnies to the tree and then moseyed to the outhouse where Preacher‘s chair and balls, the wall were counted off by all PAX. Mary:
L sits with count downs, low slow flutter Homer to marge and pickle pounders
Announcements:F3 dads is this Saturday 9 o’clock at Womble bring your kids!
T-Claps (Recognition):
Prayer: Patience, obedience and discipline