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March Madness at Possum Trot

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Warm Up:  Twenty-six PAX came out on the first day of spring (low 40’s) fired up to take part in March Madness – Possum Trot style.  Inspired by Blue Hen from an earlier Q at Downtown Train, Dauber asked PAX to show up in their college team gear giving support to their favorite team.  Only four PAX brought their spirit representing UNC, Duke, Penn State and NC State by showing up in their gear.  There must have been a lot of dirty laundry or simple forgetfulness.  Not deterred, Q started the beat down on time with a jog around the tennis courts and then circling up for the following exercises:  32 SSH, 10 Good AM, 10 Vegetation Grabbers, 10 Hill Billies and 10 Imperial Walkers.  Q added some static arm stretches (L/R) across and behind the back for good measure.  PAX then headed to the Snack Shack.

 

The Workout:  PAX lined up against the outfield fence.  Jack Webbs were executed starting with one merkin and three air presses from our knees.  The count escalated until PAX reached 10 merkins and 30 air presses.  Who knew pushing air could be so hard?  Mosey to the Snack shack for 16 sec cadence count of seated chair followed by 16 sec cadence count of BTTW.  Rinse and repeat.  Mosey to the road and lined up in a single file.  PAX performed and kept a plank position or something similar to a plank while the last PAX member in line bear crawled to the front of the line.  PAX members each took a turn bear crawling until every PAX made it to the front.  Q called an audible only making it halfway up the road and had each PAX mosey to the rock pile for a medium-sized rock.  Lots of grumbling and mumble-chatter and in all honestly, Q was struggling during this “extended” exercise.  (If you cant do it, don’t Q it.). PAX circled up with rock in hand for the first set of the following exercises with rock:  16 goblet squats, 16 curls, 16 overhead presses and 16 tricep curls.  PAX side shuffled the distance of the parking lot swapping lead foot at the halfway point until they reached the large hill.  Q called a bear-crawl and then 8 dips OYO on the guradrail.  Reverse bearcrawl and jog back to the rocks.  The second set with the rocks included 16 rut-rows, 16 wonder bras, 16 overhead squats and 16 one hand on rock merkins (8L, 8R). An astute Skidmark corrected Q when he inadvertently called one-handed merkins.  Side shuffle back to the hill with more bearcrawls up the hills, 8 dips on guardrail OYO and jog back.  Q queried PAX about significance of the day (first day of Spring, officially starting at 5:58PM, etc.) and threw in 5 burpees OYO before starting next set.  Called out four PAX who had their collegiate school gear on asking them to call the next set of exercises:  Cupid called crableg grab (apologies for forgetting name); Banana Seat called for Turkish get-ups on each side and Skidmark called for the iconic Bobby Hurleys.  Dauber was too busy looking at his watch trying to grab another set in before Mary to complete the four bracket challenge and sent the PAX shuffling to the hill.  More bear crawl up and down with dips on the guardrail OYO.  Unfortunately, Dauber did not manage the clock properly and asked PAX to form up on the tennis courts for Mary after returning their rocks back to the rock pile.

Mary:  PAX held BTTW until the six.  Mary was brief with the following 10 count core exercises:  Homer to Marge, Box cutters, Freddie Mercury and American Hammers.

Announcements:  Q school Thursday at Womble, Yard clean-up Sunday at Crab Legs, Police/Firefighter hockey game, Check Announcements on FB/Slack

Prayer:  Pastor died at a local congregation (please keep him, his family and the faith formation in your prayers), PAX traveling, PAX inured – Welcome back to the gloom Buford, Moby’s dad (doing better), Silent/Unspoken.  Apologies if I missed anything.  Q took us out.

Highlight on the 6:  Something new for this BB.  I wanted to find out more about a PAX member.  This week’s focus is on Maybelline, Todd Pasnak.  Studied at Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT), big Syracuse fan, Married to a second grade school teacher, blessed with two boys age 15 & 12 and a daughter who is 4.  Works as a project manager at Cody in Sanford.  Got his F3 name because he was responsible for the Covergirl account.

Maybelline

 

Thank for the opportunity to lead you men.  -Dauber

Strap on my strap on

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I can’t even begin to describe how the conversation came to being with regards to the title but I’m pretty sure it has nothing and everyrhing to do with what you’re thinking. 5 pax posted but 6 got stronger cause we’re more prepared to pick them up.

EC: Pikachu, Skidmark

Warm Up: 1 mile run
The Workout: Murph! 100 pullups, 200 meekins, 300 squats and pikachu with the vest.
Mary: 1 mile run
Announcements: See Pikachu’s announcements. Go to Q school.
Prayer: Shredder, Crablegs, internal battles

Leadership doesn’t mean being the best. It means bringing the best out in everyone else.

Peace & Tranquility @ Crazy Ivan

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Warm Up:  PAX of 5 took a detour from the standard kettle bell workout at Crazy Ivan, opting for a Wrightsville Beach friendly yoga/stretch workout.  Fresh off of three yoga classes (taught by one of the PAX M), Dauber got everyone warmed up with 22 SSH (shout out to Breach), 10 Good AM, 10 Vegetation Grabbers all in Cadence.

The Workout:  The workout began in the amphitheater in balmy 42 degree conditions (a heat wave mind you).  Only the Q brought his yoga mat and block.  But no worries, these hardcore PAX were ready to get down to business as they settled in to a peaceful zen-like atmosphere, letting go of all their burdens from their bodies as they prepared for yoga.  The PAX settled into the following poses/stretches:  mountain pose,  standing crescent, intense side stretch pose/extension, Warrior I, Warrior II, Half-standing forward bend, standing forward bend,  wide legged forward bend, half feet out, seated forward bend, child’s pose, bound angle pose, equilibrium bound angle 1, wide angled seated bend, upward facing dog, downward dog, alternating three legged table , cobra pose, plank pose, merkins, one legged extended pose to elbow,  PAX called out additional stretches that included a wall stretch, Achilles stretch and a groin stretch.  The sounds of birds chirping and water ebbing from a nearby fountain helped the PAX reach Nirvana.

Mary:  More stretches combined with LBCs and box cutters.

Announcements: WB, The Mule, AOs still happening this weekend

Prayer:  PAX with injuries; Shredder surgery, Loss of a child; family relationships…discussed legacy

Thank you men for allowing me the privilege to lead you in the gloom.

Yogi in training – Dauber

Possum Trot – The House Always Wins

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Warm Up:

The temp was forecast for 22 but we arrived to a balmy 28, perhaps we were already warm enough? Just in case, we started with some good mornings to loosen up the back, some side-straddle hops to get the heart beating, and a quick tour around the tennis courts with the request to grab a rock on the way back.

The Workout:

Craps! Using a pair of dice, the rules are simple. Each PAX would have turn to roll the dice. Before rolling they called out their exercise of choice and then gave them a toss. If the roll was a 7 or 11, the pax did 7 or 11 burpees, respectively. If the roll was a 2 or 10, the pax ran one lap around the tennis courts. If the roll was anything else, they did that count of whatever exercise was called. If the roll was not burpees or a run, the called exercise remains live and you get to roll again. You keep rolling until you hit 7, 11 or 2, 10.

I don’t think anyone kept count, but we did some curls for the girls, tricep extensions, something where you grab your ankles and squat, merkins, a crab-position-touch-your-hand-to-your-foot thing (which was much more difficult than it sounded), and many burpees. A few laps were run as well.

Mary:

Once everyone had their rolls of the dice, we worked our way into the tennis courts and circled up. A few minutes of yoga-inspired stretches loosened us up and kept us warm. Then we ran through the circle and talked for a minute about what the phrase “Leave good evidence of a life well lived” means to you. Lots of great answers that showed the true depth of the men who show up in the gloom.

Announcements: Wrightsville is this weekend

Prayer:

  • Prayers for Shredder to have a successful surgery and quick recovery.
  • Prayers for everyone running this weekend to stay healthy

Where is everyone staying?

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The pax were few but the conversations were many. A lot of mumble chatter at the pax eased into a workout that focused mainly on stretching and keeping the legs rested.

Warm Up: we stretched
The Workout: I think Dauber and M4L did some pullups and squats.
Mary: some core exercises
Announcements: March 30 Mason Dixon right pikachu. Q school coming up.
Prayer: lots of guys hurt right now

Taper Mode Edition

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Great turnout for U-turn this morning as Pax are gearing up for WB and Tobacco Road. 187, LED, Sliderule, Warbucks, Boy George, Skidmark for some extra miles at the beginning.

Warm Up: some quality dynamic stretching
The Workout: standard 5 mile loop and picking up the 6.
Mary: coffee and stretching
Announcements: WB I think is next weekend. 5k Friday night for Crablegs. Wear red. Banana Seat will post details. 2.0 workout.
Prayer: lots of pax with injuries. Buford, shredder, Double D, Crablegs. Recent losses of family and friends. Lipstick’s mother in law. Too many. Enjoy the time with 2.0 today. We are blessed.

Embrace the Suck @ Crazy Ivan

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Warm Up:  A dozen PAX embraced the suck this morning in the wet parking lot of Womble in 44 degrees.  Luckily the rain had stopped and the forecast had changed from a 40% to only a 10% chance for showers. PAX were not deterred and showed up strong, tw0 PAX coming out in search of a Fritter.  No new FNGs.  Your QIC started promptly at 530 am with a jog around the tennis courts.  In the distance, we saw our FIA counterparts and a PAX suggested we ought to join them.  Dauber led the PAX up the ramp to the shelter to greet them only to scare them away as they immediately had quick feet and began their run.  With a sad heart, Skidmark suggested Dauber must have been a true lady’s man in high school.  I believe UTI quickly stopped the psychological analysis and increased the pace back to the parking lot leaving Dauber to reminisce about the good ol’ days.  Squat hold for the six.  Circled up for the following exercises:  25 SSH (lots of geese noises coming from Q); 10 vegetation grabbers, 10 Sir Fazio Arm circles (F&B); 10 Good am; L&R Static Arm Stretches.

The Workout:  Lined up and then circled up with kettlebell in hand and began multiple exercises with little rest in between sets/exercises.  The following k-bell exercises were executed in cadence or reps:  25 swings; 15 curls; +10 rut-ros; 10 goblet squats; 10 figure 8s; 10 bus drivers; 10 overhead squats; 10 law mowers (L&R); 10 triceps curls.  PAX grabbed k-bells and found a single parking lot stripe for build-a-bears with a man-o-maker addition.  One extra k-bell was added to make exercise work.  PAX set k-bell down near curb stops and walked back to the start of the right white line.  PAX bear crawled to their K-Bell, performed one merkin with k-bell, side-crawled to the left k-bell for an additional Merlin and back bear crawl to the top left side white line; RINSE & REPEAT.  On next bear crawl, PAX added a k-bell side lift after merkin.  RINSE & REPEAT. On the final bear crawl, PAX added a burpee after merkin, k-bell side lift.  Ten more kettle bell side lifts with feet elevated on curb (5R, 5L) we’re executed.  After a 10 count and some extra clothing removed, PAX were warmed up for additional kettlebell exercises.  These included: 10 goblet Squats; 10 bicep curls, 10 bus drivers, 10 tricep curls, 10 rut-rows, 10 figure 8s, all done in succession without k-bell touching the ground.  After a ten count, PAX performed five man-o-makers OYO.  PAX John Cusack back to the cars.

Mary:  PAX embraced the suck with core exercises on their six, side and chest.  Dauber called out 10 count cadences of the following exercises:  Low slow flutters,  followed by Box-cutters, Homer-to Marge, Left side leg lifts, Superman, Right side leg lifts and back on the six for 25 LBCs (more geese noises coming from PAX) and Capital Alphabet with 26 letters (not 28….Rocky Mt. Public education?).  Some yoga stretches (DDawg, Pigeon) thrown in for good measure.  Five merkins with last merkin hovering just above the ground for a fast 10 count.  Time up.

Announcements:  BRR, WB, 2.0 workout at 9 am tomorrow at Womble; U-Turn and Ground Pounder too.  Congratulations to the two newest members of the Fritter Foundation:  187 and UTI.  Special shout out to UTI who embraced the suck with Breathtaker -well done brother.  Stay hydrated this week; nothing new on race day.

Prayer:  Friend of LED – their family lost their 9 year boy due to illness; Warbuck’s wife surgery; Moby’s Dad, injuries/sick F3 brothers and their families; UNSPOKEN; prayers for injury-free week prior to our big events coming up.  Other prayer requests I had forgotten. (apologies)

A true honor leading you men.  Thank you for the opportunity.  -Dauber

(EC:  187, Skidmark, UTI)

A moist “circle merk” with the Japanese Express

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16 men got to business on a fine drizzly morning in the Quay.

7-8 got their EC in and apologize gents but I didn’t catch the role call for that one before we left out or when we got back in

Warm Up: Broke up the mumble chatter, stayed put and circled up the Pax for the following

20 – SSH, 10 Good Mornings…nice and deep-like, “Fonzie”-arm circles 10 front/10 back, 10 Imperial walkers right into (kinda) 10 Hillbillies, and 10 Windmills

The Workout: Now that the gang was all loose and pleasentries exchanged it was time to get down to why we all left our warm bodied ladies back in the fartsack….

“Circle-Merk” – Pax partnered up and ran opposite directions around the tennis courts to meet 1/2 way where each would perform a Merkin exercise (from list below) then continue in opposite directions to meet back at original starting point for another Merkin exercise (from list below)…. rinse and repeat

10 – Broke back merks

10 – Japanese Express (partner 1 in squat hold, holds partner 2’s feet at shoulder height (wheelbarrow hold like) while partner 2 does merks)

10 – Patty cake merks

 

Partners then grabbed a rock and headed to base of hill for a Dora.

Partners completed the following reps (200 curls/tri ext, 200 LBCs/American hammers, 200 overhead press/chest press) at base of hill while other partner climbed Mount QuaRina and completed the following on the guard rail at top (10-irkins, 10-dips, 5/5 one legged squats off rail)

Mary: Pax dropped their rocks off at the pile and mossied to Mary in the courts for the following –

15 – Peter Parkers/15 – Low Slow Flutters/15-WW2/20 – Reverse LBCs/10 each downward dog stretches into right leg then left leg scorpion Merkins

 

Announcements:

Blue Ridge Relay, Wrightsville 1/2 coming up – the Friday night before is a 5k – come support Crablegs!

 

Prayer:

Shredder’s healing, Crablegs continued prayers, Coal Ash calf (and ankle?) injury at start of workout today, Moby’s dad

Help Wanted Crazy Ivan Looking for a New DJ

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EC: Dawgpound, Emeril, Deadbolt, Mookie, Pablo, Particle Board, Sandlot, Skidmark

It was a big day at Ivan.  The new EC route started with only Pablo, Emeril and yours truly moving their feet at 5:00.  I get it the time change from 5:05 threw some folks off.  We made it to the exit of the parking lot and Deadbolt, with Mookie riding shotgun, and Particle board,  maybe sandlot was driving, rolled arrived.  The three amigos looped back to pick up the tardy folks.  We then became the seven amigos in the new Ivan EC route.  We ran down Stinson past the Hunt Center.  We continued until we meet Grigsby.  We took a left at Grigsby.  Pablo and Emeril picked up the six at this time.   We continued till we reach the baseball fields.  More six pick up happens then.  No home runs today, so we where safe from incoming missiles.  We approached the decision point and made a right back to Crazy Ivan parking lot.  Their Particle Board and Sandlot started to prepare for the main event.  The rest continued to the puddle of doom.  The puddle of doom took down Mookie.  He decided he was having none of that.  I think he still got 2 miles in but he knew when he was bested.  Emeril, Deadbolt and Dawgpound powered through the puddle and Pablo ran the reverse route throw the puddle.  There was a Crosby and Gumby sighting at the end of EC.  They must have went to Cletus.  Cletus is now known as Crazy Cletus.  We want all the Friday workouts at Womble to be CRAZY.

After EC wrapped up Chips, Dumbo, Dauber and Skidmark who did some serious mileage joined us, at least that is what he says.  By the way did you know Skidmark’s daughter was a AC/DC fan.  Who knew apparently she loves Thunderstruck.

Warm Up:

All the pax started to run a lap around the parking lot.  Even though 8 out of the 11 did some type of EC, the three who didn’t needed to get their feet moving.  We circled up in the wet parking lot.  I believe at this time folks where starting to mumble at the wetness and they don’t want to lay down in the rain.  Man Emeril can make me SALTY.

We started off by thinking about Nemo.  We did a solid 30 cadence count of Side Straddle Hops.  We then paid homage to Sir Fazio and did his beloved Arm Circles.  Following the arm circles we had to go to my favorite stretch and do some Good Mornings.  They where sublime.  I think the Ivan workout before Wrightsville will be nothing but Good Mornings.  We then decided to pick some daisies and finish up with 16 merkins.  I really don’t know why I ended on number 16.  I just felt like I was ready for the workout.

The Workout:

At this time Deadbolt was requesting Siri to change the music.  This request will be made several times throughout the workout.  Eventually the DJ obliged, but I’m jumping the gun that comes much later in this story.

The workout started out with Emeril’s favorite exercise 5 Man O Makers.   The look of hopelessness when he found out we were not counting down this number.  That look made my day.  We then rolled into 10 Straight arm lateral raises, 10 Bus Drivers followed by 20 pistol rows and 20 chest squeezes.  The first round was wrapped up with 30 kettlebell swings.  All but one did some jumping jacks or jump ropes.  One decided to take a lap cause the music was making him sleepy.  When the lap was finished we started on the second round.  This is when things got interesting the mumble chatter increased and it sounded like we where in Carpex.  5 Man O Makers,  the chatter begins, 10 straight arm lateral raises the complaining about the music gets louder.  Emeril mentions his kick ass play list is on my phone and I solve all the world’s problems by asking Siri to play his playlist.  Calls for Siri and Alexa to play next song were made.  After finishing up the 10 Bus driver the Q, that’s me,  decided to bring “The Man” out earlier.  We side straddle hopped and did burpees to “The Man”.  After the man finished the skies cleared up and the sun shined down as the most wonderful playlist was started.  We then picked up where we left off.  We finished up with the 20 pistol rows, 20 chest squeezes and 30 kettlebell swings.  Then the Q put Mr. Salty in charge of the Jump rope and he and others took off for a lap.  When we came back Mr. Salty was starting some leg exercises.  I recently read a leg exercise I really wanted to try.  We started with one goblet squat, 2 swings, 2 goblet squats, 4 swings, 3 goblet squats, 6 swings, 4 goblet squats, 8 swings, 5 goblet squats, 10 swings, 4 goblet squats, 8 swings, 3 goblet squats, 6 swings, 2 goblet squats, 4 swings, 1 goblet squat 2 swings.  Once these half marathons are in my rearview mirrors I got some more leg workouts I would like to do.  We then worked on the last round 5 Man O Makers.  Then we took a 10 count in memory of Midget.  No one has seen him all week. Sigh.  10 lateral raises, 10 bus drivers, 10 pistol rows, 1o chest squeezes, 10 pistol rows, 10 chest squeezes.  At this time we strolled into Mary.

Mary:

We paid homage to Midget and did his beloved love handles.  Then I forced everyone to lay on the ground and do some mini Turkish getups.  We then repeated these ab exercises.  Then followed into some Imperial Marches and Hillbillies.  Did you know these are core exercises?  Two minutes were left and Chips took over.  With a wet kettlebell over your head we did low slow flutter.  They kettlebell was very wet.  This Q was concern with losing his grip.

Announcements:

Pinehurst Half.
See Facebook/Slack

Prayer:

Crablegs and Family
Buford
Shredder
Moby’s dad
All marriages
Midget we missed you this week

Birthday Bash at Possum Trot

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Warm Up:  13 PAX took Dauber’s double dare showing up in wet conditions from an overnight rain for a birthday bash arm beat down in 36 deg balmy weather.  Before departing for our warm up jog, Pablo asked for the where-about  of breathtaker.  A Dauber hug was enough evidence for Pablo who pulled a Reagan needing to “trust but verify”.  Dauber had the extra gear under his sweatshirt (did I mention it was above freezing?).   Jog commenced around the tennis courts to the parking lot and began the following exercises in cadence:  20 ssh ; 10 Fazio Arm circles F/B; 10 good mornings; 10 Vegetation grabbers; 10 IW; 10 HB; Michael Phelps; Static arm stretches.  Jogged to the Love Shack for the workout.

The Workout:  10 Star jumps, 10 merkins.  Mosey to grass area with small hill behind ball field for 11’s – SSH on bottom and LBCs on top.  Mumble chatter about counts; More reps is a good thing.  Mosey to the shack for a birthday celebration of balls to the wall.  In honor of Doc’s 47th Birthday, PAX completed a 47 cadence count.  Modify gave a much needed 10 count post BTTW.  Lined up at the bottom of the incline and began alternating strides, 10 strides in length, until reaching the top of the incline/parking lot.  Each PAX then grabbed a medium-sized rock from the rock pile and met back up in the parking lot holding plank for the six.  With rock in hand, the following exercises were completed with 10 reps:  arm curls, arm o/h presses, triceps extensions, rut-ros, one hand on rock merkins (L/R), Squats.  25 SSH, Rinse and repeat.  25 SSH, Rinse & Repeat with a slight modification of completing rock exercises from your six; exercises included chest press, skull-crushers and LBCs/WW IIs.  25 more SSH (inspired by Nemo – keeping the heart rate up).  Rocks back to the rock pile John Cusack style.  Ran out of time so no hill work was executed.

Mary:  Dauber made up Yoga names for some much-needed stretching – – – inspired by a yoga class fresh on his mind from last night with Doc and Double D (missed you DD this morning – perhaps too much stretching or just a clear colon?). PAX were overjoyed performing these stretches on the Action Park parking lot asphalt. Knees, forearms and elbows were so comfortable.  Perhaps the puddles on the tennis courts should have been utilized?

Announcements:  BRR, WB half and full, sprint tri registration.  Q-Source post PT at Stick Boy.  Namerama ended with birth name (junior, junior, junior?).  Happy birthday 🎁🎂🎈🎊🎉 sung to Doc; called out Lucky Charms when he emphatically said he was still 49 – evidently his birthday is May 1st.  Let’s plan for a big celebration.

Prayer:  Thank you Fonzi for taking us out in prayer.  Lots of requests today, spoken and unspoken:  injured/ill PAX including Shredder & Crab Legs; illness/cancer with PAX family members; job interview; HS kids taking ACT today; other prayers…

EC today:  great job Pablo for getting it done.

Always a pleasure/honor leading these fine #HIM men in the gloom.  QIC- Dauber