I’m Going to Disney World!

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AO: Disney
Workout Date: 09/23/21
I was initially scheduled to Q Disney when Epoxy died, and I asked for someone to step in for me so I could attend the Memorial Ruck at Green Flash instead. The boys helped me out, and I was happy to finally get back down there today. Site Q UTI had mentioned that there were cinder blocks stashed at the AO, so I planned to use them.

Warm Up:
State the mission, check for FNGs(0), and give the disclaimer.
Warm Up exercises

Main Event:
1) Sevens (merkins/star jumps) up the hill
2) Get the cinder blocks and partner up for Catch Me If You Can (Partner chase) with cinder blocks (chaser does 10 merkins before chasing). Two laps total.
3) Block work on the soccer field. One partner runs while other performs As Many Reps As Possible/AMRAP of various block exercises. Curls, Overhead Press, Block taps, Shoulder Taps, Grounder Pounder/Squat Thrusts, Elevated Homer to Marge, Irkins, Derkins, etc.
4) Return blocks and mosey to the baseball field fence for Balls To The Wall (10 count each PAX), People’s Char (same), Australian Mountain Climbers (YHC leads a single 10 count In Cadence)

https://www.strava.com/activities/6005627618

Mary:
PAX-led Mary. Various abdominal exercises.

COT:
11 PAX
Announcements and Prayers

Naked Moleskin:
I think the partner chase was a hit, once I explained it a couple of times. My bad.
We had a beautiful view of the moon and stars when we were out on the soccer field. Great time of year for F3!
The South Wake guys are always so gracious, and site Q UTI helped me keep the partner AMRAP work on track when the gazelles started to separate from the pack. I really appreciate the fellowship and support.
Disney needs Qs starting in October. Feel free to steal workouts, etc. UTI talking about past Backblasts being helpful encouraged me to address my Backblast Backlog. I still can’t let these silly things go. And this BB has caught me up. For now.
This was my one hundred first #F3Q21 #2021Challenge Q (one hundred fifth overall). Next Q is next Friday, 10/1 at Brick City.
-Pigpen

QIC: Pigpen
PAX: Kosher, Woody, Cancun, Bobby Dall, Florence/FloJoe, Cyclops, Beer Pressure, Bondo, Hardy, UTI, Pigpen
Workout Date: 09/23/21

Hills and Halfpipes

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16 PAX posted under the promise of exploring some of the topographical and landscaping features at Disney. YHC brought a simple sequence of exercises that took advantage of these features and a little more.

FNG’s: none
Warm Up: Good Mornings, Sir Fazio’s, Hillbillies, Imperial Walkers, Frankensteins.
The Workout: A mosey through the darkness to the large hill on the far side of the soccer fields. DORA was called. We partnered up and one PAX would take off up the hill, do 5 burpees, and return via crawl-bear. Exercises on the ground were: 100 Big Boy Sit Ups, 200 Merkins, 300 Squats.

Next was a 2-line Indian run over to the half pipe somewhat near the flag. We kept our partners here. Partners would run up the opposite hills of eachother a do either 15 Mountain Climbers or 15 Star Jumps. When meeting back in the middle, 10 Patty Cake Merkins. We got through 5 rounds of this.

Next, a mosey over to the playground for 42 dips and BTTW…just as long as YHC decided to do so.

YHC then called for a mosey return to the parking lot entrance hill and we got after 3 hill sprints up to the flag.
Mary: Pigeon Pose, 30 wonderful seconds of silence and quiet.
Announcements: 3rd F at HollyFest. U.T.I will put together a time slot spreadsheet. Brute CSAUP Oct. 16th.
T-Claps (Recognition):
Prayer: A family Bondo knows is losing their 28 year old to a battle with liver failure. FRAM has upcoming vacation planned with mom/daughter. Peace in that situation. TomTom son has been diagnosed with auto-immune issues and praying for healing along the way. YHC took us out!

Honoring all responders in the 9/11 attacks!

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16 PAX got out this am and Honored those of 9/11 at Disney. We reflected on 9/11 and the rich history and heritage of FDNY. Truly sad that so many lost their lives that day. We honored them with our workout.

FNG: Welcome (David) TomTom

Warn Up: Had several pieces of fire hose that the PAX picked up. Moseyed to the end of PVA. SSH IC to 20. Good morning and cotton pickers all while I was giving facts of 9/11.

 

Workout: Moseyed over to PVA near football field. More 9/11 facts while we did squats, Frankenstein’s and we paired up for a patty cake merkins around PVA.

Next up we headed over to the side of the school. Here we learned that FDNY Ladder-3 lost the most firefighters assigned to this Fire Station. 27 was the number for wall sits and BTW. Moseyed over to the steps in the parking lot where I nominated Fanny Pack to pick 5 people. Once this was done we went up the stairs and moseyed over to the tennis courts. Here I had hidden 5 Scott Air Packs with the bottles. Those lucky 5 were the winners of wearing these packs the rest of the workout. This was to make everyone aware of what it takes to wear this for long periods of time…and we did not even have on any gear. Once everyone donned their air packs we moseyed down the stairs over to the High School Parking Lot. I had 6 sections of hoses. We broke off in 2 groups at opposite ends of the PVA. Exercises were done while the group pulled the hose to the end of the lot…there we switched up. Keep in mind that we were still caring the hose on our shoulders. We did 2 rounds of this and pulled all 6 sections 50’ long over to the Abyss. Here YHC had lights set up on the steps where we traveled them top to bottom and did exercises at the top.

 

Mary: We did several exercises all while learning facts of 9/11.

 

My message was it never gets old helping others. The feeling and reward are great. Those first responders responded selfishly to help others not knowing so many would lose their lives on 9/11.

In this job you have a sense of fulfillment & purpose. You have a higher purpose and you have stuck up for the people around you. You have served the richest and poorest. Seen people at their worst. Firefighting is really one of those egalitarian careers that looks out for all.

 

Bottom line I get paid to ride a Big Red Firetruck!!

Announcements: See Slack or FB

Prayers: Pots has a cousin needing prayers.

 

Thanks for allowing me to lead this morning.

“Was that a deer just ran in front of us?”

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PAX:  Woody, Deadbolt, Hazmat, Pots, Sprinkler, Bobby Boucher

Warm Up:  SSH, good mornings, frankensteins, handful of merkins

Wouldn’t you know it, the damn dog woke me up around 2:30, started to drift back to sleep around 3:30 but I never quite got there.  Any other day I would’ve fartsacked, but such is life.  It had been a while since I visited the abyss so that was on the agenda, along with some Team 1 vs. Team 2 points-based competition.  That didn’t quite go as planned, audibles were called because of numbers, so whatever.

Damn, it’s dark out here!  Moseying to the abyss we couldn’t see a darn thing, no lights, overcast sky and I questioned if we could/should attempt those stairs.  Halfway there, what I think was a deer ran right out in front of us, crossed our path about 15 yards away and disappeared into the woods.  I said to Bobby Boucher – “Was that a deer just ran in front of us??”, to which he replied “I dunno man, I can’t see s**t”.

And down we go…

The Workout:  Partnered up for a little Dora.  One ran the stairs while the other performed the exercises, to total 100 merkins, 200 LBC, 300 Toe Taps.  Crushed it, moseyed to the picnic tables for dips, 30, I think.  On to the turf fields where the 6 PAX split into two teams of 3.  YHC named each team in hopes of building competitive enthusiasm but it never really took off.

First match – Bear crawl tunnel, 3 reps each, followed immediately by train track hops, 3 reps each.  Team 2 was made up entirely of the “Respect” crowd yet managed to whip Team 1.  Like, not even close.

Mosey back to tables for more dips and repeat the Bear Crawl/Train Track match. Team 1 was again victorious.

Back to the tables for last set of dips then to the turf for a group Indian Run to the far side of the field, where we dropped for a set of Carolina Dry Docks.  Reverse Indian Run (back pedal) back to the start, more Carolina Dry Docks.

Grand Finale:  A 10-ish yard Worm relay race!  That’s right, an old school 80’s style breakdance move as our closing event!  Well, that was the plan, but what actually took place didn’t quite live up to the image in my head.  We were just comically terrible.

Who won?  No idea, I was laughing too hard.

Announcements:  Various 9/11 events this weekend, BRR.  Impromptu mention of what’s been on my mind, something I’d been reminded of a few times the last couple weeks – envy/comparison is the thief of joy.  It’s something I continue to fall back into – this guy’s new car, that guy’s cool job/big house/hot wife, the list is endless if you let your mind go that way, but we’ll never really be happy if we do.  Just like during an F3 workout, you’re the only one out here…but you’re never alone.
Prayer:  Safety for our BRR brothers, peace and healing for those mourning on this 20th anniversary of 9/11.

When We Get Up that Hill

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YHC found that he had the Q at the “happiest AO in SouthWake” today. My favorite place to Q…so much to do here. Lot’s of EC today, glad I rolled in at the last minute to join lots of other PAX for a couple miles.

FNG’s:no
Warm Up: Good Mornings x12 IC, Everything else x 10 IC including: Sir Fazios (F/R), Frankenteins, Windmills, Mountain Climbers x 25 IC.
The Workout: Moseyed around the soccer field to the big dark disc golf hill. We went up that hill 8 times. At the top we did an exercise and we crawl-beared back down. At the top we did: 20 Prisoner Squats, 20 Shoulder Taps IC, 15 Star Jumps, 15 Merkins, 10 Burpees, 10 Squat Jumps, 5 diamond Merkins, 5 SSH IC.

We did a 2 line Indian Run back to the main lot for a teamwork circle of pain. The objective… work in a team of 4 to bang out 500 of each of the following exercises: Merkins, Squats, Mountain Climbers, LBC’s, SSH.

Lots of help and picking up the 6 to get all groups done.
Mary: 20 Counts of: LSF’s IC, Dying Cockroach IC, Homer to Marge IC, Big Boy Sit-ups, Pickle Pounders IC, and Superman’s various cadence.
Announcements: Breach has the Breach22 discount for the 9/11 5k… do it! Brute CSAUP coming up Oct. 16th…do it.
T-Claps (Recognition): POTS, for showing YHC that hill way back when so I could make use of it.
Prayer: FRAM and his father in law with double pneumonia. Unspoken. YHC took us out!

Cinder Blocks Seem Good On Paper

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FNGs: none
Warm Up: Mosey around the soccer field, SSH x25, Good Mornings x10, Windmill x10, Fazio Arm Circles forward/backward x10, Seal Claps x10, Overhead Claps x10
The Workout: UTI reminded me that there was a stack of cinder blocks, stamped with the F3 logo, ready to go. I appreciate a good coupon workout, so I was down. Here’s how it went:

PAX were instructed to grab two cinder blocks each and meet at the triangle (entrance to parking lot loop). We started out with a simple set of exercises using one block: Curls for the Girls x10, Ruh Rohs x10, Squats x10. Then we farmer carried both cinder blocks from the top parking lot down to the stop sign. Recover. Back to the top. That sucked.

Back at the start, we did another set: Curls for the Girls x10, Ruh Rohs x10, Squats x10. This time, we jogged down to the stop sign. Recover. 10 Durkins off of the curb. Jog back to the top. That was a little too easy.

Again, did another set: Curls for the Girls x10, Ruh Rohs x10, Squats x10. This time, we mosied around the parking lot circle to the far side and lined up at the crosswalk. Bear crawl back to start. Just right.

PAX were instructed to farmer carry again, but this time returning their cinder blocks to their home. Then we mosied around the loop, stopping at the crosswalk. Bear crawl up to the picnic area. We did one round of urkins/durkins/dips (10 each), People’s Chair 10 count x3 and Balls to the Wall 10 count x3.
Mary: Popcorn Mary consisted of Low Slow Flutter x10, Homer to Marge x10 and LBCs x15. Finished up with some quick yoga.
Announcements: Travis Manion 9/11 Heroes Run
T-Claps (Recognition): Woody for getting back out in the gloom after a spell of crud. It’s not easy to get back in the groove, way to be!
Prayer: Bondo’s granddaughter for health and wife for travels.
Moleskin: We face different challenges in life that come in all different shapes and sizes. Today, it was those damn cinder block farmer carries. That was hard. When I first started with F3, it was just keeping up with the group, sucking wind and barely making it through. I realized early on that if I wanted to not suck at running I was going to have to embrace the suck and focus on that area for improvement. Challenges can help uncover areas in need of improvement. That might come in the form of running more to improve aerobic performance. It also might come in the form of relationships. Identify those areas that challenge you (that suck), meet them and develop solutions to overcome them.

The Blocks are No Longer Hidden

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I love to Q at this place…just so much to do on the grounds of Disney! Apparently, we’ve recently had the addition of 20 cinder blocks as permanent fixtures to this AO that were cleverly hidden in a grove of trees. Well…today YHC pulled up to see that those trees had been cut back significantly, exposing our hiding place for the blocks. But, the blocks remained. YHC was unsure if he was going to use them, but was glad they were still there. At the end of the workout, all PAX jumped in to re-locate them to a more secure…hopefully undisturbed location for future use. 8 PAX travelled quite a bit throughout Disney covering nearly 2 miles today on their fast pass to fitness.

FNG’s: no
Warm Up: Good mornings IC x 22, followed by a mosey to the community center where we circled up for Frankensteins x 10 IC, Seal Claps, Sir Fazio’s (F/R), Overhead Claps all x12 IC.
The Workout: We moseyed to the back wall of the school for a quick 22 count of People’s Chair and Balls to the Wall IC.

We then moseyed over to the bowl for Dirkins, Step-Ups, Irkins, and Dips…in that order, x 10 for round 1, x 15 for round 2.

We then quickly moseyed over to the “L” and partnered up. To run the “L”, one partner went up the hill toward the library stop sign to do 11 Star Jumps, while the other ran toward the hill at the elementary school to do 7 WW1’s. When partners returned to meet in the middle, they did Patty Cake Merkins, starting with 3 and getting the count up to 8 before stopping. Each time partners met and did the exercise they would travel opposite directions.

We then did an Indian Run all the way back to the flag for some Mary.
Mary: Mary was kind of Mary, and kind of not. Everyone grabbed a cinder block for Mary. It consisted of: LBC x 22IC, 22 Chest Press w/block, 7 Blockees (block burpees), LSF x 17 IC, 17 Chest Press w/block, 6 Blockees, Dying Cockroach x13, 13 Chest Press w/Block, 5 blockees, 10 American Hammers x10 IC, 10 Chest Presses, 4 blockees, 7 Pickle Pounders IC, 7 Block Presses, 3 blockees, 5 Superman’s on the Up and Down, 5 Block Presses, 2 blockees, 3 Absolutions, 3 Block Presses, 1 blockee to finish. Have a nice day!
Announcements: Q Swap next week! Disney is a site!
T-Claps (Recognition): Dahmer and POTS for getting all in that bush finding a new hiding place for our blocks!
Prayer: Unspoken. YHC took us out!

Easy Street (On Repeat)

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Before you read this BackBlast – please scroll to the bottom and hit play and enjoy the music to accompany this recount of the workout.

YHC had been meaning to bestow a gift to the Disney AO based on his recent move to site Q.  It worked out that Lipstick had a stack of cinder blocks in the corner of his garage and I had some spray paint.  Now there is even more to do at The Happiest Place on Earth!

 

FNGs: None

 

Warm Up: Good Mornings, Squat Thrusts, Hillbillies, Imperial Walkers, SSH and a mozy around the soccer field and back through the field, back to the flag.

The Workout:  Our Q knew that the site gift was in play and decided to take full advantage.  YHC opened the hatch on his family’s light blue minivan to show off the freshly logo’d cinder blocks.  PAX were divided into teams of 4 and instructed to grab 2 blocks per team.  A triangle course was marked by 3 cones from the corner of the soccer field.  Thing-a-ma-bob called out exercises for each cone for each round.  One cone had a resident block that would be used for the stations workout.  A PAX was stationed at each cone until his 4th team member showed up carrying the other block.  He would then take the block and move to the next cone.  Each round continued through some pre-determined timeframe in which “Easy Stree” played on repeat.  A buzzer marked the end of the round.   The music would pause momentarily – each PAX would hope against hope that there was another song on the playlist only to be disappointed over and over again.

Round 1 – Merkins, Goblet Squats, WWII

Round 2 – Squat Thrust, Shoulder Taps, CBLs

Round 3 – Jump Squats, Curls, LBCs

Round 4 – Dry Docks, Flutter Kicks, Lunges

Round 5 – Skipped for time

Round 6 – Jump Squat, Burpees, Squat Thrusts

Mary:  In teams, 1 PAX completed Murder Bunnies, while 3 Squat Hold / Plank Hold – repeat until all PAX complete a round of Murder Bunnies

Announcements:  NE Wake CSAUP

The Deacon – F3 NE Wake’s CSAUP to take place on Saturday September 18, 2021 – Mark you Calendars: ~10 miles of fun that include 6 AOs including the Falls Lake Dam and Mt. Thrashmore

Sign up sheet: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1ISdSIGG8reanF0AbN4S_Vg-lO6WpEfvwEdTMyNEM12g/edit?fbclid=IwAR27_dqvppQGNNZiQMSqiKn9n9yor0M83jCiJ0zVB6Eqf4C_kULxbtm1Vsg#gid=0

T-Claps (Recognition): Thing-a-ma-bob and Tubetop for making the journey.  Extra claps to T-bob for his leadership.  Claps to all in attendance for helping me stash the new attraction.

Prayer:

  • For all PAX that attended today, that they may get this song out of their heads.
  • Bondo – wife’s checkup
  • Kosher – getting back out in the world for work.  Upcoming travel.
  • FRAM – friend recovering from multiple back-to-back medical issues

Now… Please enjoy the melody of Easy Street for the next 10 hours or MORE

A CHARMED LIFE IS ONLY IN FAIRY TALES

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A solid crowd of supportive, encouraging HIM showed up to my VQ just in time to beat the downpour of Tropical Storm Elsa.

PAX:  Bobby Boucher, MadDog2020, Fanny Pack, Kosher, Fonzie, LED, Pablo, 8Bit, Breach, BossHogg, Hardy, U.T.I, Ricoh_Suave, Sputnik, Florence/FloJoe, Quiver, Yogurt, Fram, M4Life, Bondo, Swisher Sweets, Sprinkler, Redenbacher, Bobby Dall, Dahmer, and Poopeater

FNGs: None
Warm Up:  A quick intro to the group:  First by presenting the outstretched waist band of my comically large size 40 shorts and telling all that two years ago today, these shorts fit me quite well  (my “fat pants”, as Fram called them).  I then explained that today, July 8 is my two-year sobriety anniversary, which was met with a generous round of applause, and that today also coincided with a Disney AO which was the site of my F3 debut – so it seemed a fitting opportunity to take my first Q.

Now the real warmup:  Mosey down to the community center parking lot (because I got a little excited and took off running before warmups) where we counted off by 2s, followed by good mornings, SSH, frankensteins, sir…did we do sir fazios?  Maybe I forgot that.  But finished with merkins – 10 standard, 5 slow-count up/down.

The Workout:  PAX lined up for some Jail breaks.  Grumbles of disapproval were heard and I almost felt bad…almost.  7 sprints total, of varying lengths along the parking lot.  Bits of Woody’s life story were told during the intermissions between runs.  Apparently YHC talked too much because I ran out of time well short of what I had planned.

Next we moseyed to the school building where 1s and 2s split – BTTW & LBC, 20 count IC, then switched.  More stories were heard.  Moseyed again to the stadium entrance where we did some dips and derkins, with more yammering on by YHC between sets.  Moving on, we stopped near the main entrance of the school where 1s/2s did People’s chair (sorry for calling them wall squats, I think that’s a P90X term?) and Plank Jacks.

Should be noted that PAX did an excellent job of jumping in to call cadence when YHC was noticeably winded – thanks!

About this time I realized I was way over my time limit, had to deviate from the plan and call some audibles to wrap it all up by 0615.  Moseyed for a bit then split 1s/2s into single file lines for an Indian Run back to the starting point. Threw in a surprise stop for 5 burpees OYO, just because.  Very cool to see, just before reaching destination, entire PAX crowd circled back to pick up the 6 to finish up unified and strong!

YHC gave a quick summation of the stories and anecdotes that were heard along the way before Mary…or was it after?  Whatever.   That is:  This amazing body and everything it’s capable of is a gift, not to be left idle.  We do this to celebrate what we have, to use it, to build it and make it stronger.  We do this because we can.

Mary:  In no particular order because I had none planned and don’t quite remember – box cutters, homer to marge, a quick downward dog stretch, toe taps, and some side hip raises (another move I didn’t know the F3 name for – sorry)
Announcements:  No time – YHC saw 0617 on his watch and told all to just check Slack and bring it in for prayer.
Prayer:  Because I’m selfish and made this AO all about me, the prayer followed suit.  It was one of thanks, for pulling me out of darkness and for bringing me to this group at just the right time in my life.  But also that this group would take inspiration from my stories, share them with those around them, and be the light to as many as possible so that no one feels that they are alone in their struggles.

We did a lot

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FNGs: Welcome FNG Paycheck (Gavin)

Warm Up:
Mosey by soccer fields to half pipe for SSH, merkins, sir fazio arm circles, seal claps, OH claps.

The Workout:
1. 7’s on the half pipe
Squats on 1 side, lunges on the other, 1 merkin on sidewalk each time.

Mosey to parking lot by playground

2. Partner merkins
Partners ran opposite directions. 1st meeting 5x brokeback derkins, 2nd meeting 5x pattycake merkins. 4 rounds were completed.

3. Step-ups/knee tucks
Partner 1 did 10 step ups while Partner 2 did knee tucks (hanging or on swings). 3 rounds were completed.

Mosey to soccer fields

4. Indian bear crawl across soccer field
PAX lined up head to feet and held plank position in 1 line. PAX in back bear crawled to front until we made it across the field.

5. Evolution of man (crawl, walk, run)
Inch worm to 1st blue line, crab walk to center field. 21x LSF, 21x pickle pounders. Sprint the remaining half field.

Mary:
Alphabet Abs and popcorn exercise: homer 2 marge, heels to heaven, LBCs,

Announcements: See social media, Bondo’s retirement Q next week

T-Claps (Recognition):
Fram for rocking the 30lb vest all week, including EC.
PAX for their donations to UNC last week.

Prayer:
Fram’s co-worker Tim, Swisher Sweet’s family member
YHC took us out.