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.

Baby Yoga at Disney.

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Several PAX had indicated over a couple of months that we should do more stretching or yoga during a workout.  YHC thought what better time to drop it on my 2 year celebration week.  40 min of  yoga from a non-YOGI master.  Names of moves and fluidity were suspect, but nonetheless we made it through. DRP taken!

FNGs: John P. AKA: Cheesy Tots
Warm Up: SSH, SFAC, Frankenstein’s
The Workout: Various Yoga poses.  Don’t know all the names, but we moved through Vinyasa’s, Triangles, Warriors, Reverse Warriors, Runner pose, Twisting Triangle, Etc…etc…..etc… Groan, grunt, cuss, Groan….breath……hold breath…..breath……groan, cuss, breath again……..CUSS!  “Damn that was fun, different and great! Let’s do it again sometime.” said various PAX’s.  Cue a “That’s what she said line” by Quiver every 30 sec during the ME.
Mary: LBC, Rev LBC, Full LBC, Butterfly’s, Two hand heel tap, Oblique V-ups, Scissors.
Announcements: Too many to list, check Slack.
T-Claps (Recognition):
Prayer: Woody’s son traveling to West Coast, Family in Golf cart accident. Fram daughter in NE.

A little drizzle this am but still sticky!

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Driving down Optimist Farm Road this morning. Several PAX ECing and I blew the horn. Fanny Pack said I scared the crap out of them. M4life rolled in with maybe 1 second to spare barefooted. He said he did not need shoes for this easy workout.

FNG: Nope

Warm Up: We moseyed over to the baseball PVA. We did Good Mornings, Imperial Walkers, Hillbillies, Frankenstein’s, Side straddle hops, merkins, Burpees to 10 all IC.

The Workout: Moseyed behind school and broke off into 2 groups. 1st group BTW while second group did monkey humpers, switched-then we moseyed back down stretch of school for some burpees. Moseyed back to the wall for wall sets with seal claps, group 2 was doing Turkish get up. Moseyed back behind school where we rinsed and repeated. I left a little earlier and got called out. So when we moseyed around the back of the school for another BTW while group 1 did Turkish get ups. Went into the circle where some steps were for step up, Urkins, Derkins and dips. Left there and took the scenic route to the Abyss behind the ball field. While enroute we used steps, ramps wherever they were in sight. Once we arrived at the we split up in our groups for 2 rounds of LBC’s at the top while the other group ran the steps. Moseyed back for Mary.

Mary: Circled Up and squatted down low. The circle shuffled to the right and left. I called on several PAX for their favorite exercises. FRAM’s were the least liked. Peter Parker with a hold on the way up and down. (Sucked)

T-Claps: 2 visitors from NE Wake region-Thing-a-ma-bob and Tube Top Several PAX’s out getting EC this morning. M4life did workout barefooted! (I bet he is hurting)

Announcements: Bed Build Kohls PVA Saturday morning. %K race this weekend. Check slack for details.

Prayers: Lipstick’s M, Hastelhoff Prayers as well. YHC took us out!

It was an Honor to lead fellas!

So much to do, but so little time

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FNGs:N/a today

3 Pax for Monthly Challenge EC and several for an EC run.

Warm Up:Side straddle hops, arm circles forward and reverse, seal clap, overhead claps, daisy pickers

The Workout: I started with a blast from the past, my first visit to this AO was the 1776 workout on July 4th 2018.
Mosey around the parking lot and head towards the shelter for 16 rounds of 31 seconds on, 9 seconds off Tabata work:

  • merkins
  • high knees
  • Scorpion dry docks (not enough pull up bars for everyone so I subbed this one out)
  • Plank jacks
  • Side straddle hops
  • Turkish get ups
  • Overhead claps
  • American hammers
  • Lunges
  • Step ups
  • Squats
  • Moroccan night clubs
  • Mountain climbers
  • LBCs
  • Dips
  • Plank shoulder taps

Bear crawl across the parking lot and 7 burpees to finish it off

Mosey to the legendary Abyss for some Dora style partner work

  • 100 Planche merkins (great for biceps)
  • 100 AG squat front kicks
  • 100 mountain climbers (L/R=1)
  • Pick up the 6 and a 10 count squat hold
  • 100 boat canoes
  • 100 crab cakes in cadence between all PAX

Mary: Mosey back to the parking lot for an Embrace the Suck hold (3 minutes). Finished with 25 low and VERY SLOW flutters.

Announcements: Several Pax doing the Triathlon Saturday and they are looking for volunteers, some 3rd F opportunities coming up, my 4yr F3 Anniversary is this Saturday and I’ve got the Q at GP.
T-Claps (Recognition): Everyone that came out this morning despite the threat of pouring rain, and especially those that did EC.
Prayer: We all took a knee and I took us out.

Early 4 Year at Disney

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My 4 year would be the Memorial Day Murph, but out of town plans led me to ask Dawgpound if I could take the Q from him at Disney for an early celebration. This was just before the challenge and I appreciate he gave up a coveted Q spot late in the month, and was pleased to see he picked up a different AO this morning. It was an honor to lead, was pleased to see such a great turnout, and what better place than Disney for me to celebrate. I am a proud Disney site Q alum. Preblast promised nothing fancy, just moving around and putting in the work, with a guarantee of a good tour.

FNGs: None today, so no bonus point awarded
Warm Up: Quick jog around lot, circled up for Good Mornings, Daisy Pickers, Windmills, Imp Walkers, Hillbillies and had to throw in Goofballs for good measure. 5 burpees OYO too.
The Workout: Jog around back of fields and down the hill to the road, circled up for a couple sets alternating SSH ICx20 and a shoulder burn (arms out, fazio front, arms out, fazio reverse, arms out, seal claps, arms out, overhead claps, arms out, recover). On the jog back to entrance and grabbed a low pole for alternating deep tempo dips ICx10 and tempo merkins ICx10. Did this 4 times. On the jog to the lower lot, each man on a line, dropped to plank hold, shoulder taps, plank hold, nipplers, chill cut, merkins, plank hold, recover. Did this 2 time. On the jog to back corner of building for alternating low slow flutters ICx20, 15 and 10, with the other half holding BTTW, so 3x on the wall for each of us. On the jog to big lot lined up in groups of 4 for a bear crawl Indian Run. PAX hold plank while man in back bear crawls to front. Each man did 4 bear crawls. 10 quick merkins to burn out and then on the jog to The Abyss for 2 rounds with LBC up top and Star Jumps at bottom. On the jog back to flag.
Mary: Not much time so heel taps ICx22 and LBC ICx2
Announcements: Cletus 7 year anny celebration with Deadbolt on Q, wear red Fri, ZERO excuses and support Breach raising money for Travis Manion Foundation – let’s go big tomorrow for this.
T-Claps (Recognition): from me to all of you for the experiences over the past 4 years, and for putting in the effort start to finish today – might not seem like we did all that much but when you think about it we did not stop working the whole time
Prayer: 16-Bit mother-in-law, those impacted by the shooting in San Diego. As leaders in all we do, let’s be mindful of looking out for others especially when it comes to mental well being. YHC took us out

Does this count as 1?

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FNGs: Welcome Woody!
EC: Pikachu, Dahmer, Fonzie, Gamecock, Warbucks

Warm Up:
Warmu p lap around soccer fields.
Quick disclaimer, then SSH, Windmill, Sir Fazio arm circles, Imperial Walkers.

The Workout:
Mosey to the Abyss and partnered up.

PAX completed a Dora 1-2-3.  YHC struggled to explain counts, so PAX mileage may have varied…
Partner 1 ran down stairs and back up, YHC instructed to touch each step
Partner 2 did exercise and swap when runner returned.
100 Single leg Homer to marge (1 each leg = 1)
200 Low slow flutter IC
300 Side crunch (1 each side = 1)

Mosey to soccer fields for an evolution of man.
Inch worm (crawl) a quarter of the soccer field and held chill cut plank.
10 pickle pounders IC
Crab Walk to half field.
10 monkey humpers IC
Sprint the remainder of the field
10 Scorpion dry docks

Repeat above back across field.

Mary:
With 20 seconds remaining YHC called for 20 sec of have a nice day!

Announcements:
Workout and cornhole tourney on Sunday to raise money for Sgt Leach
Social media.

T-Claps (Recognition):
Nice work by FNG Woody and the rest of these dudes.

Prayer:
Unspoken. Bondo took us out.

No Frills, Just Thrills at Disney

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19 PAX for multiples of 56 at Disney. Indian runs and classic F3 exercises took us 3 miles around the park. Solid work by all! Great way to celebrate 56 years. Pleasure to lead.

EC: UTI, Maybelline, Nemo, Fanny Pack, YHC

ME: @Warren Brendle @LipSync @Fanny Pack @Banana Seat @U.T.I. @Bobby Dall @Bobby Boucher @Kosher @Fancy Feast @187 @Nemo @Mookie @Maybelline @Roger Roger @Fanny Pack @Banana Seat @Lipstick @Warbucks YHC

Today’s theme: 56 in recognition of my 56th bday.

Warm up: 14×4 = 56 – 14 good mornings, 14 goofballs, 14 arm circles, 14 somethings

Kickoff: At any site, you gotta use your resources. Here at Disney, I love the artificial turf.

In a format similar to 11s, we lined up for burpees on one side and select exercises on the other side. Reps of burpees times other side reps = 56

  • Round 1: 1 burpee, run to opposite, 56 SSHs (1×56)
  • Round 2: 2 burpees, run, to opposite, 28 squats (2×28)
  • Round 3: 4 burpees, run to opposite, 14 Turkish getups (4×14)
  • Round 4: 8 burpees, run to opposite, 7 mtn climbers (8×7)

Indian run to carpool drop-off circle.

  • Divide into groups of 4/5.
  • Sevens (7s) with WWIIs at bottom, star jumps at top, GO!

Indian run, split into two groups, back to turf center circle.

Mary: Just enough time for a full round of Jack Webbs (30). This is one of my Disney favorites that I learned at one of Nemo’s workouts. Another good one for that soft artificial turf.

I’ve been ending my Q’s with a blast of classic rock. Today it was Chicago’s 25 or 6 to Four. No particular theme tied in. Spotify played this for me when I was searching songs. This classic is among many, many others that were routinely played on the radio in the 1970s, which was the heart of my childhood (age 5-15). Hope you enjoyed!

Announcements: LipSync shared successful F3 South Wake to support Brandon, who he routinely pushes in Brandon’s wheelchair on runs. Brandon has cerebral palsey and lives with his mother. Her cleaning business is way down due to Covid-19. F3 South Wake more than covered their immediate needs. Also Warbucks announced a challenge at Cletus to earn the Q for U-Turn on Saturday.

Prayer: unspoken

TClaps: All for keeping me motivated. Fanny Pack for the May Challenge–great idea, great execution!

Always take the stairs at “The Happiest Place on Earth”

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PAX of 15, with quite a few for EC, decided to swallow that red pill and post at Disney, “The Happiest Place on Earth”.  Q was happy to see a strong showing of men this morning, especially when they could have posted at Tiger Blood for 90 minutes of running in circles around the track, boring…

EC: Cupid, Dahmer, UTI, Quiver, Deadbolt, Pablo, 187, [Lipton and Midget with the Murph, which does include 2 miles]

FNGs: None

Warm Up: All exercises in cadence: SSH x20; Imperial Walkers x10; Hillbillies x10; Windmill x 10, Sir Fazio Arm Circles 10F, 10R, Seal Claps and Overhead claps.

The Workout: PAX lined up in two groups for an Indian run that led them through the small parking lot near the community center entrance and then around the back of the school to the ticket booth and entrance area of the MCHS football stadium to do 2 sets of 10 each: Derkins, Irkins, and Dips.  PAX partnered up to complete a triangle circuit of pain that included running over to a large set of steps (abyss’s step sister) and completing a set of Burpees at the bottom, running up the stairs and down the walkway to complete a set of monkey humpers,  then running over to and down a smaller set of stairs back to the beginning to complete a set of Star Jumps.  Reps for each exercise started at a 10 count and reduced by 1 repetition for each completed loop.  Most PAX were able to complete 5-6 loops before Q called time and headed back toward the flag.  On the way to the flag, Q stopped at the back of the school for some additional exercises.  Partner#1 held “Balls to the Wall” while partner #2 did a 10 count IC of an exercise; partners switched places and repeat.  Exercises were mountain climbers, shoulder taps, Merkins, and American Hammers   PAX regrouped into an Indian Runs back to the flag for Mary.

Mary: All exercised done in cadence: Pickle Pounders x20; Homer to Marge: 10 regular, 10 right leg up, 10 left leg up; HAVE A NICE DAY!

Announcements: None

T-Claps (Recognition): All the PAX posting, bringing out new and old faces

Prayer: Countdown’s father’s death anniversary, India, Laettner’s lab work

Building B.O.M.B.S on the Abyss

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A balmy morning at the Happiest AO on Earth. YHC wasn’t sure to expect with only 1 HC (U.T.I) and 1 other EC’er (Emeril). So to my surprise after getting back from EC…the whole Fritter Foundation and a huge clown car of 12 Oaksers pulled in! 17 Men gathered at Disney to take a ride to the dark corner known as “the Abyss”. I love this place!

FNG’s: none
Warm Up: SSH x40, Good Morning x a lot, 10 Burpees OYO, Windmills x 10, Sir Fazio’s x 12 (F/R)
The Workout: A mosey over to the Abyss, PAX partnered up for some BOMBS. 1 Partner descends into the darkness, completes 10 Star Jumps, while PAX on top do AMRAP exercise and then switch roles. Exercises were: Burpees, Outlaws, Merkins, Big Boy Sit Ups, and Squats. Plank hold for the 6.

We then moseyed over to the high school where a couple of divergent hills lay before us. At the meeting point of said hills, we did Shoulder Taps IC x10, and Hand Release-Release Merkins x 10 IC. We then used the same partner groups to run to the top of each hill, return, and meet in the middle where we did Shoulder Taps x10 IC as a team for round 1, then did the Hand Release-Release Merkins x 10.

3 Indian run lines back to the flag for Mary. Lot’s of picking up the 6…great work men!
Mary: Monkey Humpers IC x 20, Hand Release-Release Merkins x 20, Monkey Humpers x 10 IC, Hand Release Merkins x 10. Pickle Pounders x 10 IC, LSF’s x 20 IC, LBC’s x 20 IC, Homer to Marge x 20 in varied cadence.
Announcements: Sign up end today for the May Main Event.
T-Claps (Recognition): The PAX for showing up. YHC can tell you it gives great confidence to a Q when a crowd shows up!
Prayer: Wallaby and his M. Shamwow! with injuries. YHC took us out. A great day and an honor to lead!