Land mine at Downtown Train

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FNGs:none
Warm Up: DT standard run loop, followed by Good-mornings, Windmills, Fozio Arm Circles, Imperial Walkers and Hillbillies all in 10 count. Finally 20 count of side straddle hops.
The Workout: Headed over to the parking deck where eventually we encountered a feces landmine. Good news, nobody stepped in it.

1st station: PAX all partnered up to do suicides while other was doing 4 exercises. Pax changed out when each completed the evolution of suicides. The  4 different exercises were shoulder taps (each time you hit your left shoulder was 1), low slow flutter ( each time left leg came up was 1), merkins, and WWII’s. All exercises were 100 reps in total.

2nd station: This is were we encountered the turd. PAX all grabbed some wall for Peoples Chair followed by Balls To The wall in an indian run type fashion around large pillar.

3rd station: Partners Wheelbarrowed to a pillar approximately 15-20 feet, PAX then did a 10 count of squats, partners switched out to next pillar (same distance) did 20 squats, partners changed out Wheelbarrowed to next pillar for 30 count squats and then the final Wheelbarrow was followed with 40 squats.

4th station: PAX walked over for some rest to just outside the parking deck and grabbed a retaining wall for 3 sets of 25 dips.

 

Mary: Each PAX did a 20 count of abdominal wall exercises.
Announcements: Watch out for human poop in the parking deck. If you poop in the parking deck please throw it out.
T-Claps (Recognition): Nemo EC for a couple of miles prior
Prayer: Pumpkin Spices son going off to college, mass shooting victims and unspoken.

 

Good work men!

Did you know about the stepper hill in the back?

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Had 9 for Downtown Train. Decided to change things up and went for a little field trip over to the Hunt Center for our workout.  Thanks for the strong effort today and for the opportunity to lead.

FNGs: None

Warm Up: Run to the field behind the Hunt Center and circled up for the following exercises: Daisey pickers, windmills, right/left hamstring stretches, right leg over left and left leg over right stretches.

The Workout: First workout was 11’s. Exercises were lunges and squats. Started with a single lunge at bottom of paved hill, run to top for 10 squats, repeat until we reached 10 lunges and one squat.  For the next exercise we moved around to the steep grass hill towards the back of the field. Partnered up for Dora. Exercises were fazio arm circles forward (100), fazio arm circles backwards (200), and hallelujah’s (300).  YHC had Pax do 50 more hallelujah’s and we jogged back to home base.

Mary:  Dying cockroaches, Freddy Mercury’s, LBCs

Announcements: Pop up AO at Jordan Lake, UvU Challenge

T-Claps (Recognition):

Prayer: Family in Fuqay that lost 3-year old son, injured PAX.

Three’s Company

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FNGs: none
Warm Up: Standard DT loop, SSH (10), Fozzio Arm Circles (10 forward, 10 back), Imperial Walkers (15), Hillbillies(10), Windmills (10)
The Workout: Reps with rocks was the name of the game this morning. YHC requested medium rocks and then circle up in front of the stage. Reps were as follows:

  • Curls for the girls x 10
  • Overhead triceps x 10
  • Schoolbus x 10
  • Groundpounder x 10

Drop the rocks and go for a jog around the library. Get back to circle, rinse and repeat. On the second trip around the library, YHC decided to switch it up. Third set of reps were:

  • Chest press x 10
  • Squats x 15
  • Wonderbras x 15

Fourth set of reps was the same as third. Fifth set was back to the first round. The sixth set the same as the third (are you keeping up?). All in all, 3 rounds of set A and 3 rounds of set B. Time’s running out, so we returned our rocks and Indian ran back around the library and back to start for Mary.
Mary: LBC (10), H2M (10), Pickle Pounders (10), Plank hold (10 count), Merkins (10), Freddie Mercuries (10), 6″ hold (10 count), have a nice day!
Announcements: Sasquatch CSAUP on July 27th, possible ruck CSAUP on the horizon…
T-Claps (Recognition):
Prayer: Crablegs and his trip, Double D and his injury.

Sometimes Randomness Works

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FNGs: None
Warm Up: Downtown Train warm-up lap, 5 burpees oyo, Fazio arm circles (forward/backward), overhead claps, seal claps, Michael Phelps

The Workout: YHC had a plan in mind for the workout, but at some point during Dora decided to scrap the plan and go off the cuff. It was somewhat random, but worked this time.

Pax moseyed to rockpile. Each grabbed rock and proceeded to sidewalk adjacent parking lot. Got in pairs for Dora. Exercises for Dora were overhead press (100), tricep extensions (200), curls for the girls (300). While Pax#1 was doing exercise, Pax #2 ran to bottom of hill (forward), then back-up backwards, rock in hand. After everyone finished, held plank for group 10 count.

Moseyed over to parking garage. Pax stayed in groups which split to opposite ends. Did leap frog burpees to meet partner somewhere in the middle for paddy cake merkins and leap from burpee back to starting location. Pax then grabbed some wall space for various exercises….peoples chair x 3 (group 10 count each round), irkins x 2 (25 reps each), step-ups x 1 (25 each leg), balls to the wall x 1 (group 10 count).

Mary: Pax circled for Mary and each called their favorite Mary exercise which included LBCs, plank (group 10 count), Homer-to-Marge, American hammers, dying cockroach, Freddy Mercury, and…

Announcements: Still need some volunteers for Meg’s Smile Charity Auction event next Saturday and golf tournament on Monday. See Wiggly and Slide Rule for details.

T-Claps (Recognition): Slide Rule and Sub (and coming down from Carpex this morning) for ECEC; Slide Rule wearing breathtaker.

Prayer: Crablegs, 30 seconds of silence for anyone needing prayer.

Thanks for the hardwork this morning men!

 

A 5-Pack and it’s only Monday

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Was great to be back after vacation and after several weeks of late arrivals for EC, YHC rolled in at 0502.  Saw the chatter about Paradise City the night before so was not expecting a crowd – tough to compete with the big name AOs, but sometimes the small groups can deliver on strong accountability.  I set up the flag and headed out for a solo EC of 2.2 miles with a slower but steady run to Womble and back.  It was muggy as heck and by the time I sloshed back to the start I was drenched but pleased to see 4 #HIM at the ready to push themselves and each other to a strong start to the week.

We waited to make sure nobody was coming in hot at 0530 and I offered what turned out to be a partially false pre-blast.  I claimed this would be minimal running, but we ended up getting in a solid 1.5 including 1 climb of Library Hill.

FNGs: None today, but I had not recalled posting with Pigpen so we went around while we started stretching and each announced our real name, F3 name, and how long we have been posting.
Warm Up: Regular lap, followed by a series of regular w/u exercises in the lot
The Workout: On the jog to the traffic circle at top of Library Hill we stopped and did SSH ICx20 then we did 3 sets from a plank, all 10 count or ICx10 – hold regular, shoulder taps, hold reg, nipplers, hold, mt. climbers, hold, recover.  On the jog down Library Hill down to the pool, not for a swim though, we set up in the lot for SSH ICx20 then Jack Webs 1:3 up to 10:30 and we kept a slower cadence.  Was very impressed because on the slower cadence and with a small group there was all accountability and pretty sure each of us did each rep.  On the jog back to top of Library Hill where we stopped for, you guessed it, SSH ICx20.  On the jog to…The Parking Deck!  We set up down below, each man to a space in a shoulder-to-shoulder line.  We did some shoulder burnout work rolling through fazio arms, seal claps and overhead claps, along with holding out to the side.  Man on the end dropped and did a bear crawl to far end as we kept working through the sets.  Each of us took 4 turns on the bear crawl and we covered the length of the deck – great work.
Mary: 2 quick sets of LBC-6 hold-low slow flutters-homer to marge-American Hammers
Announcements: Q sheet sign up, keep the support going for Meg’s Smile
T-Claps (Recognition): Pigpen for Breathtaker on a muggy Monday, Coal Ash for stepping up to Q Downtown Train next week
Prayer: We prayed for the family in Wescott that lost their husband/father, and for H1N1’s pastor and family for dealing with the death of their 3-month old.  YHC took us out

18 car Choo Choo

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FNGs: Not today

18 HIMs showed up to witness what fat, slow and weak Q looks like 

WarmUp:

20 Fozzie Arm Circles, 15 Good Mornings, 20 SSH, 10 Daisy Pickers, 10 Windmills, 10 Emperial Walkers, 10 Hillbillies, 10 mountain climbers.

The Workout

Jog around downtown block and then down to the rockpile.

While selecting a weapon of fitness, YHC learned he needs to be more clear on what the intent will be:

Although most were of respectable size, I had to question a few HIMs on their choice of rock dimensions (must of assumed we would be making caveman jewelry). 

Rotate around rocks between sets (not necessarily in this exact order).

  • 3 sets of 20’s – Curls for the girls
  • 3 sets of 20’s  – Overhead Overhead Tri-press
  • 3 sets of 10’s – Ground Pounders
  • 3 sets of 10’s – Trunk Twists

Leave rocks in the circle and jog a lap around the library and back

  • 2 sets of Rock Press
  • 2 sets of Windshield Wipers
  • 10 Rockies
  • 10 WWIIs
  • 10 Boat Canoes

2nd lap around the library

  • 20 Rock Squats
  • 20 Rock Lunges
  • 10 Star Jumps (187 considered doing these with his rock but then reconsidered)
  • 20 Plank Jacks
  • 20 High Knees
  • 10 Split Jacks

3rd lap around the library

  • 20  Merkins
  • 20 ct Chillcut Planks
  • 20 Freddie Mercuries
  • 20 H2Ms (10 standard, 5 single leg)
  • 20ct 6 inches
  • 20ct Supermans

4th lap around the library

Cusak rocks back to pile and circle up for COT

Announcements:  July 4th 1776 Convergence,  Megan Smiles Charity Event (July 20th & 22nd)- F3 SW made a commitment to support this event.  Wiggly & Slide Rule need a head count this week (Goal is to raise $2,500 which will pay for 1 child to get their smile).

Prayer Requests:  187’s friend Tom passed away leaving 8 kids behind. Prayers for his family and friends. Prayers for Dauber’s interviews. Prayers for healing: CrabLegs and Shredder.

YHC took us out.

Is “Mini EC” the new thing?

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It’s been a few good months since launching Downtown Train. To date, the biggest (and only) disappointment has been watching the construction of the parking deck.  I was really excited about the idea of a true multi-level parking ramp right in our very own downtown, having posted a few times in Hendersonville at a great parking ramp spot.  Sadly enough, it is now clear our deck will have no ramp, no multi-level with slope.  Oh well, at least it will provide some walls and some coverage if we need to seek shelter in the rain and cold.

I don’t think any of us know what to expect when we start a new AO (and there have been plenty in South Wake recently) but for me this has been a great experience.  Each week we have had a strong group always ready to put in the work, and also patient about exploring the opportunities in the downtown area.  Today was no different as we had a strong group of 9.  I have been taking requests lately and recognizing the interest in a workout that is not quite as run-centric as others.  We have had some guys coming back from nagging injuries, become a popular spot for breathtaker, and hosted many a #HIM who has pushed themselves on runs Fri/Sat/Sun.  Although the constant temptation of both Library Hill and Cemetary Hill constantly linger on the near outskirts of the starting lot, I am all about offering up an early week alternative that fits well with the PAX.

I will say, the EC streak is alive and well.  If you recall my tenure as Disney site Q, I was proud of the fact the EC streak extended in perpituity through my transition both on and off of that role.  There is a disclaimer for Downtown Train.  In the early days, Coal Ash and I were holding down the fort with dark, cold runs down to 55 and back.  There were several days I held down the streak on a lonely loop down to Womble and back.  Now, we have Brexit and sometimes Bernie getting the EC on the run from home.  This morning, and last week as well, due to some delays getting out of the joh…I mean, house, YHC was running late.  The good thing is, there were a few other late for EC but way early for the main event, so YHC, Redenbacher, 3rd Cousin, Abe and I headed out for a nice 1 mile jog.  A little EC is better than no EC at all, and full credit to Redenbacher for coining the phrase “mini EC”.

FNGs: Not on this Monday
Warm Up: Jog around the big block but stop short and circle up in the church lot for a basic run through of w/u exercise with some stretches as well.
The Workout: On the jog up to HS Road we found a spot on the wall of the shut down drug store and we dug in for 5 sets that went as followed:  all 10 count or ICx10, no breaks – BTTW, People’s Chair, Plank Hold, Merkins, Plank Hold, Shoulder Taps, Plank Hold, Mt. Climber, Plank Hold, Squats.  4th and 5th sets we dropped the plank holds but upped the count to 15.  Finished with a bonus BTTW 20 count..  On the jog back to start we did 3 full sets of a shoulder burn as follows and all to 10 count or ICx10 – hold arms out, fazio arms front and reverse, hold arms out, seal clap, hold arms out, overhead clap, hold arms out for a final 10 count.  After 2nd set I asked that everyone think of someone who they know is taking on a bigger challenge in their life – clearly more challenging than pushing through a burn out set.  With this focus in mind, everyone stepped up and pushed through the final set.
Mary: Round of plank-o-rama
Announcements: Need a Q for DT next week, 1776 convergence workout
T-Claps (Recognition): Great to see Deadbolt out there this morning as I had not posted with him in a couple weeks, Mookie for breathtaker (doing the workout but also supporting the cause), and I want to say Redenbacher has been killing it, he shows up, puts in the work and brings a great presence every time
Prayer: Friend of 3rd Cousin, I believe her name is Marilyn, diagnosed with and now battling cancer.  Deadbolt took us out.

Yes, We Do Take Requests

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EC for Bernie and Brexit who ran over from home, and for Cowboy, Abe and Nemo – thanks Cowboy for inspiring us to get in a solid run despite the late start.  Bullseye was first on scene as he was so excited tto get his hands on the brand new breathtaker.  A couple guys reached out to ask about running today and there were some request to keep he running to a minimum.  When you are riding your bike to post, with breathtaker, and going on several days in a row, I will listen to your request.  Opened with the news about Warchild, many black shirts to represent and a moment of silence

FNGs: Nope
Warm Up: Regular lap around the big block, circled up for some quick w/u exercises

The Workout: Stayed right in the same spot the whole time.  Picked up rocks and circled up.  The workout was a build as we did everything ICx10 and added an exercise each round until we had 10 different exercises.  Some guys picked up on the patter, others thought it was totally random.  Either way, I like to think it was an even, consistent workout with no real breaks.  The exercise order went like this: curls, SSH, triceps, Goof Balls, Ground Pounders, Mt. Climbers, Wonder Bras, Merkins, Bus Drivers, Burpees.  So that means we did curls ICx100, SSH ICx90…all the way to just the 10 burpees, but we did them slow and in cadence to focus on form.  Time was on our side as we wrapped up, returned the rocks and circled back up.
Mary: 2 sets, all ICx10 and without letting the feet touch the ground: LBC, 6 inch hold, low slow flutter, Homer to Marge
Announcements: Mention of new AOs
T-Claps (Recognition): Great to see Coal Ash back out there today as he continues to recover – strong effort
Prayer: We took a silent 10 count for unspoken and YHC took us out

Honestly…

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FNGs: none
Warm Up: Jog around the block, circle up in the town hall parking lot.

  • 15 x side straddle hops
  • 10 x good mornings
  • 10 x daisy pickers
  • Fazio Arms (10 forwards / 10 backwards)

The Workout I took a page from the Nemo workout book and did a variation of his rock work routine from a few weeks back. Each PAX grabbed a rock and gathered at the semicircle for some rep exercises.

  • Curls for the girls (5 x lower half, 5 x upper half, 5 x full)
  • Jog to other side for 10 Merkins
  • Jog back by way of the lower parking lot, up the stairs and back to start
  • 15 x Louganis (WWIIs w/ rock)
  • Jog to other side, 10 x Merkins
  • Jog back (adding a bunny hop up the stairs)
  • 10 tricep curls
  • Jog to other side, 10 x Merkins
  • Jog back, bear crawling up the stairs
  • 10 sumo squat with rock
  • Jog to other side, 10 x Merkins
  • Jog back, bunny hop up stairs
  • 15 ground pounders
  • Jog to other side, 10 x Merkins
  • Jog back, bear crawl up the stairs
  • 10 wonderbras
  • Jog to other side, 10 x Merkins

At this point, we had some more time, so we started back with Curls for the girls, 10 merkins, then Louganis (increasing to 15), 10 merkins, and then some more tricep curls. We probably could have done another round or two, but YHC is still getting his timing right. Off to Mary.
Mary: Plank for 10, then:

  • 10 x pickle pounder
  • 10 x Australian Snow Angels
  • Outlaws (10 clockwise / 10 counter clockwise)
  • 15 x Homer to Marge
  • Have a good day

Announcements: New AO starting on Wednesday at Womble (0530).
T-Claps (Recognition): Yogurt, for getting me out to F3 in the first place, and Nemo, for giving me the opportunity to Q my first workout.
Prayer: Everyone’s parents, especially those dealing with illnesses currently.

Core on the Run

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Monday early start we had 7 on EC with Pikachu, Skidmark, 187, Slide Rule, Axe, Cowboy and Nemo.  YHC was looking to accomodate several subtle requests so I came up with a little something new for DT and added in a new stop along the way.

FNGs: None today
Warm Up: Regular lap around the big block, circled up in town hall lot for some IC SSH, Good Mornings, Squats, Fazio Arms
The Workout:  On the jog back up Main St we went all the way to the abandoned drug store on the SW corner of Main and Holly Springs.  Why?  Because they have a wall.  We got right to business with BTTW 10 count, drop to plank hold for 10 count, Mt Climbers ICx10, and up to a 10 count squats.  Recover on a 10 count, and repeat for a total of 5 sets with the last set being to 15.  Back on the run we headed over to cemetery hill.   Squat hold for the 6 at the top.  At the top we safely dropped for a round of modified ATMs – 10 count plank hold, ICx10 shoulder taps, 10 count plank hold, 10 count merkins, 10 count plank hold.  Recover on the jog down the hill for 3 burpees OYO and climb back to the top for another round.  We did 4 climbs up the hill and upped he last round to 15 IC/count,  On the jog back to start.  Finished with over 2 miles.
Mary: 2 quick rounds LBC/Homer to Marge/6 inch hold/low slow flutter
Announcements: See Facebook/Slack for lots of unique opportunities.  Tea Time location change, Ivan/Cletus merge for COT for new month for breathtaker
T-Claps (Recognition): It was a great group out there this morning and everyone was giving a huge effort.  T-Claps to Katniss for pushing through that workout with breathtaker.  Also, I just want to say I have been doing quite a few runs with Cowboy recently and this guy is showing up, putting in the work and getting stronger every day.  Always great to be out there with you and congrats on your run this past weekend at the Quay RFTQ.
Prayer: All unspoken so we took a silent 10 count and YHC took us out.