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What does “BRR Friendly” even mean?

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FNGs: not today
Warm Up: SSH, IW/HB, Windmill, Fazio Arm Circles
The Workout: 3.5 mile loop at a way faster pace than YHC had planned. We went from Ting to Veterans Park and did Irkins, Dirkins, and Dips at the pavilion. Do a lap around the lake and repeat. Head back to Ting and stop at the top of the ramp for the 3rd set of Irkins, Dirkins, and Dips. Finish at the basketball court.
Mary: Good mornings, stretching
Announcements: Finish the mulch will ya already!
T-Claps (Recognition): All those running this weekend.
Prayer: All those running this weekend!

FML takes over Paradise City

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Warm Up: 187 took us through some warmups at the top of the ramp
The Workout: Pikachu started with 4 corner indian runs with 3 burpees and 5 merkins.  YHC then took us to the ramp for 7’s with burpees and merkins. Finished with Suicides on the ramp.
Mary: Skidmark took us out with Yoga

Midget, your ride is waiting for hill work and EC……..???

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Q-Duel Train Rolls on right through the heart of the Happiest Place on Earth! The House of the Mouse welcomed 23 PAX from all over South Wake – and even as far as CARPEX!  It’s truly an international house of pain.  YHC rolled in about 0445 just because I was up, and noticed a truck in the lot. Flag set, Pablo rolled in and coming up the hill is Banjo (Already out on the golf course trails since 0435) “Midget is supposed to be here at 0500….”  I’ll leave that here for now. Fanny Pack checked in. YHC heard the tell-tale Nemo sounds coming in hot at 0504. We’ll wait and see if Midget still shows too. Ha. Off we go for EC.

PAX gathering and overheard Goldilocks saying he was waiting outside of M4L’s house as his ride… no show… Apparently he was doing “hill work” somewhere?? OK – 10 burpees Midget OYO.

Co-Q’d with the one and only Pablo Escobar!  His triumphant return to Disney as Q was as expected.

FNGs: NONE
Warm Up: YHC lead mosey on to the soccer field which was littered with 45lb plates and corner posts for soccer. Navigating and cutting mosey short we circled up (literally around a circle mid-field). 50 SSH IC, Frankenstein x10, Standard Merkin x20, Daisy Picker x10, Sir Fazio 10F/B  Mosey back to the lot (it was dark and hard to see) for count off. 1’s and 2’s form M4L Run Lines and follow your Q’s.

The Workout:

At the high school we broke into two groups. Group 1 stayed to take 4 rides around the corners, Group 2 went to Hot Dog Hills.

Group 1 – Broke into 2 smaller groups for 4 corners.  5 Burpees OYO, IR to Corner 2 – 15 Plank Jacks IC, IR to Corner 3 – 15 Prisoner Squats IC, IR to Corner 4 Mickey Mouse Merkins. Repeato. Group 1 did a prison break at 1/2 way points into Corner 2 and 4 second time through.

Group 2 – 11’s on Hot Dog Hill. Star Jumps at the top of the hill, Mickey Mouse Merkins at the bottom.

Groups did this for about 12 minutes and switched.

Overheard: “They’re dropping like flies”

Back to the Flag for Mary in our IR Groups 1 & 2.

Mary: Pablo-special – Mix of LSF, Box Cutter, Homer to Marge, Freddie Mercury, Pickle Pounders (Getting ready for Labor Day!), Have a nice day.
Announcements: Last day for Holly Springs Q’s ends at Cletus tomorrow, Fuquay starts Monday at Mutiny. Bring donations for Healing Transitions – Next week’s focus is on Toiletries (Noted that Fuquay doesn’t use mouth wash – so HS PAX focus on non-alcohol based mouth wash).
T-Claps (Recognition): Pablo for Co-Q today and the STRONG showing from the 12 Oaks boys. Thanks for your support this AM!!  Flanigan for stopping off to help Fonzie through his back issues AND still doing Star Jumps while attending to him!!
Prayer: Fonzi – Hope you are recovering well today.  All those in recovery and dealing with mental health issues. YHC took us out.

Don’t you guys want to workout at 1pm?

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10 PAX at the start of Captain Caveman which is a bit more than typical.  Threats of rain or potential Nest cancellation might have pushed a few more over to our covered workout.
FNG showed up on time.  Thanks to Chaps for bringing him out.   His second FNG in 2 weeks.  Josh was curious why we worked out so early instead of 1pm.  @Pikachu gave him the details.   As we started warming up our 11th PAX decided to show up as Lipstick rolled into his first steel mace workout.  10 Burpees for everyone for his tardiness.

 

FNGs: Josh Powell AKA Kool Aid.  More on that to come in the announcements

Warm Up:  Foot trace, hip stretches, shoulder stretches, jog to end of parking garage and back

The Workout:

20 pushups on mace ball held in left hand
20 ballistic curls
20 shoulder tosses OR shoulder presses
20 tricep extensions
Run with mace to other end of garage

20 pushups on mace ball held in right hand
20 ballistic curls
20 shoulder tosses OR shoulder presses
20 tricep extensions
Run with mace to other end of garage

10 clap merkins or normal merkins

2 burpees/2 squat thrusters
run to end of garage and back
4 burpees/4 squat thrusters
run to end of garage and back
6 burpees/6 squat thrusters
run to end of garage and back
8 burpees/8 squat thrusters
run to end of garage and back
10 burpess/10 squat thrusters
run to end of garage and back
8 burpees/8 squat thrusters
run to end of garage and back
6 burpees/6 squat thrusters
run to end of garage and back
4 burpees/4 squat thrusters
run to end of garage and back
Last round best round
2 burpees/2 squat thrusters
run to end of garage and back

 


Mary:
20 Russian canoe touches
20 90 degree toe touches left side/right side
15 overhead obliques right side/15 overhead obliques left side
Midget love handles
10 overhead obliques left side/10 overhead obliques right side
10 90 degree toe touches left side/right side
8 Russian canoe touches

8 minutes of stretching exercises


Announcements:

As we made our way around COT and got to our FNG he said his name, age and then said Green Tea.  We asked why he said Green Tea and he said he thought we were all naming our favorite drink.  Must have heard Pumpkin Spices F3 name only because there were no other drink names at the workout.   We asked the usual FNG questions and even though his first concert was Duran Duran we couldn’t come up with an appropriate name.   @Dumbo brought it back to Green Tea, which led to Macha for Macha Tea and continued to evolve from there until Dumbo said Kool Aid.  So welcome Kool Aid to F3.   I think he got his moneys worth as he was looking a bit pale and tired at the end and was sitting while everyone else stood.

Mulch sign up – if you haven’t done it yet give it a shot!

Co-Q Duel weeks begin next week – All AOs closed except for the featured AOs listed. Go post somewhere you don’t go very often! See Slack or Facebook for details


T-Claps (Recognition):

Prayer:

Kevin and Saddiq and for Josh’s family as the welcome a new baby

Just a bit off

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YHC decided to Q this workout with everything just being a little bit off. Seemed fitting given where things sit right now in our country, but more on that later.

EC was popular with YHC, Emeril, Skidmark, 187, Pablo, Cupid, and Dawgpound out for 2+ miles.

FNGs: None today
Warm Up:

0530 hit and we were off. Head towards the ramp and circle up at the first foul ball marker for SSH x10 IC. Continue around the park stopping at various spots we don’t usually stop at for Frankenstein’s x8 IC, Merkins x11, and Good Mornings x7 on Emeril’s count. We stopped at the top of the ramp for the main thing to kick off.
The Workout:

Starting from the top, run to the first foul ball marker, do 4x Merkins, then back to the top. Repeat for each foul ball marker and then all the way to the bottom (6 stops total). Pax picked up the six and then regrouped at the bottom.

YHC talked about some things seeming impossible at first (like running a marathon) and then told the pax our next exercise was to bear crawl the length of the ramp. Pax did a good job of pushing through and made it to the top – really made the legs sore!

We took a recovery mosey around the park stopping at the guard rail for Russian Dips x7 IC.

We moseyed back to the top of the ramp for round two on the foul ball marker hills, this time with 2x Squats.

This time when we regrouped at the bottom of the ramp we crab walked the entirety of the ramp, with the option for pax to switch forwards/backwards as they wished.

At the top we moseyed around clockwise one more time – YHC instructed the pax that we were going to practice our downhill finish now that we had sufficiently tired legs. Pax were told to keep good form and to roll through the entire downhill back to the basketball courts where we circled up for Mary.

Mary:

LBC x10, Low Slow Flutter x10, Freddie Mercury s l o w x20
Announcements:

Mulch sign up – if you haven’t done it yet give it a shot!

Co-Q Duel weeks begin next week – All AOs closed except for the featured AOs listed. Go post somewhere you don’t go very often! See Slack or Facebook for details.
T-Claps (Recognition):

Snap for setting the pace on the ramp repeats. Dude is fast!
Prayer:

YHC talked about this workout being inspired by how things in our society right now just feel a little off. We certainly aren’t back to normal, but we still have to step up and be leaders in our communities, families, and workplaces. On that note YHC took us out.

Let Me Teach You a Lesson…

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It normally doesn’t take this long to squeeze out a backblast, but this one needed to take some time to do it justice. We all joke at the lessons M4L can provide. Sometimes he shows to workouts he commits to, sometimes he doesn’t. Sometimes he does 1/2 of the workout, sometimes he does 1/2 Side Straddle Hops, sometimes he does a full one or just flaps his arms. On that Friday, last week at Kung Pow, he delivered one of the more memorable Q’s I’ve been a part of, and truth be told…when he shows to Q, they always have a lesson.

On an aside, these guys at Wescott are bringing it and I’m not saying it because it is home turf. I have yet to see a duplicated workout and every single one has a signature footprint. Pablo’s manhole merkins, Deadbolt and DoubleD’s Reagan era burpeefest, and who could forget that time where YHC almost killed Fram, DoubleD, Sprinkler, and Fonzie with cardio cul-de-sacs a few weeks ago.

I will say this, anytime I have seen M4L Q, I always come away with something. It could be an exercise routine, it could be something personal he has shared, but more importantly, his Q’s always extend beyond just a workout (hence F3- more than a workout) and have always shown me to appreciate the moment and embrace these great things we have… F3 and each other. Just like we tackle these workouts, we are also going through everything life throws at us together.

On this Friday morning, it was destined that something special was gonna happen. Pre-Blast yielded 8 HC’s, which was a really high number considering none of the regulars were HC’ing the night before. Also, nobody HC’s anymore…anybody else notice that?

Picked up Deadbolt… yes- we drove only being a half 0.4 mi down the road.  Arrived  to a completely full Wescott parking lot, 13 PAX limbering up, representing all areas of SouthWake-some from Fuquay, another from 12 Oaks, even one from Cary and also from Raleigh. 15 total- A new record at Kung Pow.  Full House later shared that he was undecided that morning, but just like Nemo from a few weeks ago, he was drawn by the pre-blast marketing campaign.

What on earth did M4L have planned? Whatever it was, it was about to go down as we were at 5:29 and the mumblechatter was starting to rise above the level that gets us exposed on our neighborhood Facebook page.

Time to mosey. Extended the 15 PAX group across the street to do some warm-ups at the Veterinary clinic across the street.

FNGs: None, but would be alot cooler if there were…
Warm Up: SSH X10, Burpee X10, Uneven Merkins- Right arm extended forward x10\Left Arm extended forward X10. Mumblechatter= more burpee X10, then followed by a mosey back to M4L’s vehicle.

The Workout: Upon arrival, M4L pops the trunk. Strategically stacked where several bricks with the words “No OYO” spray painted on them. Everybody grab a brick- one for each hand. I’ve seen this workout once before, but judging by the other faces they had not and wasn’t sure what they were more surprised by…the possibility that they’d have to carry these bricks the whole workout or what M4L meant by “No OYO.” As suspected, Midget instructed PAX to mosey with bricks in hand down Wescott Ridge. PAX stopped about halfway down among the trees lining what we refer to in Wescott as the ‘fairway.’

As a tribute to New Mexico, PAX performed a series of quick feet with bricks in hands. Recover on the mosey to Bells Walk (oh- if anyone puts the bricks down, 10 burpees with bricks for all PAX). At Bells Walk, M4L calls for a Indian Brick Walk with curls where the trailing PAX double times it to the front curling alongside group of 14 PAX who are also curling in single file. Made it to the end of the cul-de-sac for 31 Monkey Humpers with bricks (31 years since entering the US) . This was also in honor of one of our favorite Wescott residents, bless her heart. She is looking for a gently used Oboe, so if anyone knows a friend of a friend who has one let us know. A real Oboe…not you, Oboe. Really- not kidding.

After those were performed, M4L called for a faster paced Indian Run with bricks, except halfway down the street, Q ended up ‘dropping’ his bricks.. 10 burpees OYO all PAX. Continued to the end of Bells Walk and onto Dumbo’s house. How we were able to fit all 15 PAX in his driveway was beyond me, but we did and its unfortunate he did not have a Ring camera to capture this. There was mumblechatter as to the other cameras he has in his house, but we would need to wait for him to return from vacation to either confirm or deny.

Inside the driveway, all 15 PAX performed 31 tricep extensions , followed by 31 overhead presses. With arms already significantly torched, M4L now reveals the true meaning of the lesson behind the “No OYO” bricks. He instructed PAX to partner up. From here, one member of the unit would give their bricks to the partner, so one carries all 4 on the mosey, while the other stays with him for moral support. Do not leave your partner- He will need you.

Not sure Fram got that memo, even with 4 bricks, he was running a 5K pace and YHC was having trouble keeping up with him as he made his way up Wescott Ridge and down to the Palm City cul-de-sac where M4L used to live. At the cul-de-sac, M4L shared a story of what F3 means to him and specifically how PAX should never do life alone- hence the “No OYO” bricks. We all carry something and should never feel afraid to ask for help and lean on your brothers to help you through difficult times. A message that hit home with everyone that morning.

On the return, PAX mosey’d with their bricks again, making sure that each partner didn’t leave the other behind. At the top of the hill, M4L did a quick check of the lead PAX to ask where their partners were. If they were left behind, he instructed them to apologize for leaving them behind as a reminder that we are all accountable to ensure we are picking up the six.

Mary: Merkins on the “Bring Sally Down”- A tribute to “Gone in 60 Seconds” (67 seconds to be exact-the amount of time remaining in the workout)
Announcements: Q Swap coming in August; New AO- Something Awesome on Monday
T-Claps (Recognition): All PAX getting out there this morning. A great crowd, great workout, great message.
Prayer: Healthcare workers, Bondo’s new grandchild Piper. Continued health for families near and far.

Double D took us out!

There was an Axe but it wasn’t used

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EC: Dawgpound, Cowboy, Katniss, Red, Emeril
FNGs: Nope
Warm Up:

Circled up at the top of the parking deck.

Foot Trace
Tootsie Rolls
Hip Barrels
Spinal Twist
Shoulder Shrug
Neck Stretch

The Workout:

10 Reps Bow Draw to the Side Each Side
10 Reps Uppercut Each side
10 Reps Squats switches
5 Reps Bow Draw to the front. Each Arm
5 Reps Uppercut with Lunge each side
5 Reps Lunges to Squat Switches. Each leg

Did the Onnit game workout. 45 seconds work 15 seconds of rest. If you finish early increase the number of reps by 2. Start at 4 total for each exercise. If you take longer then 45 seconds decrease the number of reps by 2.

Bow Draw Series
Uppercut Series
Squat Series

Mary:

Onnit 6 minute abs – Up to 6 minutes or 30 rounds. No stop keep ongoing
10 Second Plank
10 Second Plank knees to Elbows – Nice and Slow
10 Seconds Mountain Climbers – Nice and Slow
20 Seconds Situps Hug your knees
20 Second Bicycle nice and slow
20 Seconds Russian Twist
20 Seconds Bowl

Announcements:

Mulch Sign Up

T-Claps (Recognition):
Prayer:

Unspoken prayers

6 Year Anniversary Gala at Cletus

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Wow – 6 years.  When I first gave into the 18 month long headlock by Gnard Dogg from Raleigh – I remember telling my M that “maybe this will be good – I can catch a Friday workout a few times a month to change up things for me at the Y (Sad Clown).  Little did I know that 6 years later, I would have accomplished the following:

  • Probably 1,000 posts
  • 7 half marathons completed
  • 2 Blue Ridge Relays
  • Maybe 3,000 miles of running
  • 10+ CSAUPs
  • 100+ Q-ed workouts
  • Hundreds of Clown Car rides
  • Stronger Marriage and relations with my kids
  • Major advances in my career / leadership (I accredit some of this to F3)
  • Countless memories with hundreds of new friends

WOW

Rolling into the parking lot at Cletus, Mookie and I got a little concerned.  On the way over in the clown car, we discussed what we would do if we had more than 25 Pax.  I did not want too many in our group(s) given Covid.  I quickly discussed what I had planned to Mookie as we drove over.  I remember him looking at me like “Are you crazy?”

As it became obvious that the Pax count would be near 40 – we decided to go with the Audible and split the pax.  I am very glad we did.  T-Claps to Mookie for the co-Q

FNGs:  None – Shovel flag planted at 5:29
Warm Up: Got things started with a mosie down to the field near the small pavillion.  The one we always warm up in when the crowds are big

  • Hand Release Burpees x 5 (OYO)
  • Good Morning x 10 (IC)
  • SSH x 20 (IC)
  • Moroccan Night Clubs x 20 (IC)  – note:  no one of Moroccan decent was offended with this reference
  • Mountain Climbers x 20 (IC)
  • Hell – it’s time to go

The Workout:

Pax of 38 was split into roughly half.  Mookie too one to the lower field and YHC kept the other half up top at the Soccer field.  It went down like this

Thing 1:  The Elle McPhereson

The Split pax on the soccer field would split again into two groups.  Groups would perform exercises on duct taped sheets in two (2) of the four corners (diagonal from each other).  Group 1 would sprint 50% around the track while Group 2 did the exercises.  Group 2 does AMRAP until all of Group 1 makes it to the opposite corner.  Group 1 would signal with a “yell” for Group 2 to stop the reps and run the same direction (clockwise around the field to them).  This was repeated for 20 minutes while the other Pax was down on the field.  Basically we were looping the 1/2 miles around the soccer field.

Group 1 (Arms and Chest)

  • Burpees
  • Wide Grip Merkins
  • Carolina Dry Docks
  • Diamond Merkins

Group 2 (Legs and Abs)

  • Jump Squats
  • WW1
  • Star Jumps
  • Mountain Climbers

Thing 2:  “The Michigan”

This workout was from the original scrolls of Southwake.  It was named by a Ohio State fan.  “Because it sux”.  The pax gathered on the end line of the soccer/football field.  All we did was sprints and Jack Webbs.  It went like this

  • Ten – 100-yard dashes +  2 Hand Release Jack Webbs (2 hand release merkins and 8 halleluiahs) 
  • Eight – 80 yard dashes + 4 Hand Release Jack Webbs
  • Six – 60 yard dashes + 6 Hand Release Jack Webbs
  • Four – 40 yard dashes + 8 Hand Release Jack Webbs
  • Two – 20 yard dashes + 10 Hand Release Jack Webbs

That went on for 20 minutes – it was a smoker

The 2 groups converged on the North Tennis Courts for Mary and COT

Mary:

  • Low Slow Flutter
  • LBC Ladder (IC)
    • 5
    • 10
    • 15
    • 20
    • 10
    • 5
  • Have a nice day

Announcements:

  • Mulch
  • Q Swap in August

T-Claps (Recognition):

  • Gump for 5 years of F3!
  • YCH for 6 years
  • Kid Cracker for the Kotters – welcome back brother!

Prayer:

  • Unspoken
  • 1st responders
  • Brony’s friend with Cancer

YHC took us out in prayer

Photos, 2nd F and Busch Latte

I love you all

DB Out!

Angry Teenage Music

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The 5 day Q Tour made its last stop at Crazy Ivan where the deck of cards told us what to do, we couldn’t quite find all the Jokers, and where heavy music was played again as promised. 5 strong men joined YHC in the underworld to move some kettlebells and kick off the holiday weekend! Before we started, Dawgpound made mention that we should field trip it upstairs to the outside of the parking deck where the air circulation was better. YHC denied that request… this is the underworld! Buford took notice of the playlist of heavy tunes very quickly and mentioned it was for angry teenagers. YHC’s response, “yeah, or angry 40 year old men…let’s get going”.

EC: YHC

FNG’s: None
Warm Up: Good mornings, Fazio Arm Circles, Hillbillies, Willy Mays Hayes, Imperial Walkers, SSH.
The Workout: The deck told us what to do.  The timer was a pax going over to the wall to do BTTW for a 20 IC self count. Exercises were AMRAP while the timer pax was gone. YHC split the deck in to 2 rounds based on time, so we spent about 18 minutes in each series.

Round 1: Spades (Swings), Clubs (Clean/Jerk), Hearts (Bell Merkins), Diamonds (Lawnmover rows) Jokers (burpees… joker only got us once this round)

Round 2: Spades (single leg deadlifts), Clubs (Figure 8), Hearts ( Boobity Boobitys), Diamonds (Halos), Jokers (Absolutions).  Once again… Joker only got us once even though YHC threw two extras in the deck. Go figure… When finished we turned over the next card…Joker

Mary: Midget Cookie Pouches x 30, Midget Live Handles x 15 each side, Curls for the Girls x 10 each arm, LSF with kettlebell x 20.
Announcements: Sign up to mulch.  Dawgpound And Emeril will be doing a Steel Mace workout in the parking deck every Tuesday starting next week.  Non official AO, but come get stronger!
T-Claps (Recognition): My ShieldLock brother Tetanus, for hitting his first 5 pack while coming to all my Q’s this week.  That’s what it’s all about brother.
Prayer: Those traveling, our nation, our leaders.  Pax in recovery and freedom for them.  YHC took us out.  Thanks too all pax who came out to support my Q’s this week. Thanks for taking the ride with me!

They’re Coming From All Directions

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YHC did not sleep well last night nor is in perfect operating condition (hammy/knee). Shocker right… Truth be told, seems like most pax are banged up a bit at most times. but we keep pushing… for ourselves and each other to become a better version of ourselves each day. The bar for Paradise City is set high. It’s supposed to be high intensity with a goal of getting 3 miles. We just don’t stop for too long in the City.  YHC challenged himself with putting together this Q and also going on a 5 day Q tour this week with EC each day. Get the ice bags ready! 15 determined pax attended stop 1 at Paradise City.

EC: Dawgpound, Dumbo, Pablo, Skidmark, Pikachu, Cupid, Boy George, Fanny Pack

FNG’s: nope
Warm Up: Loop mosey around the soccer fields and tennis courts and down the ramp stopping for Good Mornings, Frankenstein’s, Imperial Walkers, Hillbillies, and Seal Claps all IC.
The Workout: YHC pre- blasted a rounding the bases theme, so that’s what we did. Home plate was bottom of the ramp… 5 burpees. First base was at the b-ball court… 10 merkins. 2nd base was at the top of the hill… 15 squats. 3rd base was by the ticket booth at the top of the ramp… 20 mountain climbers.  Back to home plate was 25 Freedom Hammers IC.  Pax travelled to each base and back home again, before going to the next base.  Pax stopped to do exercises on the way out AND on the way back in. In all, 25 burpees, 70 merkins, 75 squats, 60 mountain climbers, and 25 Freedom Hammers with just a tad under 3 miles running. Toward the end, there was some confusion among the pax as to where to wait/how to bring in the six.  This guy went this way…that guy went that way. When in doubt, circle up for some Mary exercises.  YHC knew we needed about .3 more miles. I had a plan!
Mary: LSF’s IC, Dying Cockroach IC. With all pax back, we “emptied the tank” as Yogurt calls it and ran hard up the ramp to the top.  Stopped for some H2M, then mosey back to the flag.  Finished up with some trash pickup and some Pickle Pounders.
Announcements: July 4th workout.  Womble Park. 0600. 1776 exercises with 7.4 miles.  Sign up to mulch at Bass Lake.

T-Claps(Recognition): Moped for coming a long way in a short few weeks of AO’s. That guy is coming to get it! All pax determined to finish today’s challenge.
Prayer: All those struggling with addiction.  The Jensen family…a young boy battling cancer.