Tag Archive for: Gillette

F3 U.T.I. turns 9 and other cool stuff…

The Friday prior I attended Gump’s 12 Year Anniversary Q at Cletus.  As we worked out Gump asked each of us “How many years with F3?” and “What’s kept us coming back?  What does it mean to you?”.  With my anniversary a week away, I had already started thinking about what F3 meant to me and Gump challenged me to really dig deep and think back on my almost 9 years.

Well that just took me down a rabbit hole.  I started looking at our F3 PAX album, going back to look at backblasts, and recalling all of the people and the things I had experienced.  I started to realize how many classes of F3 PAX had come and gone.  There are still some guys around from 9 years ago but some of them had left for different reasons – family, work, moving to other locations, injury.

How many of them still looked back on their F3 glory days?  Would they come back?

I made a list of names based on the backblasts and photos.  Not comprehensive, somewhat random.  That Friday, I put up a pre-pre blast with my intention to reach out to this list and asked PAX to come up with their own lists and reach out too.  I started to text…

Venkman, Oyster, Lawn Dart, WebEx, R-22, Coal Ash, Tetanus, Yoshi, Soft Serve, Kosher, Straight Cash, Genie, Huggies, Bobby Boucher, Fanny Pack, Sprinkler, Axe (with an E), Martini, Oh Yeah, Cowboy, Aquaman, SlideRule, Warbucks, Lipstick, Skidmark, DawgPound, M4L, Emeril, Redenbacher, Bernie, Wallaby, Stubs, Leftovers, Stickers, Skittles, Particle Board, Pacman, FedEx, Peeping Tom, Wiggly, The Natural, Blue Hen, Flanigan, ShamWow, Dahmer, Master Shake, Snap, Shredder, Fonzi, Lipsync, Patch, Crosby

By Monday, I had about 25 HCs/SCs from the list and another 9 HCs on the post (fitting).  I didn’t get to the whole list, I didn’t have all the contact info, but I did what I could.  I had Gemini make me a little teaser image without the names and updated the pre-pre-blast post.

By Thursday, I had a few extra names from the list.  Some SCs had become HCs, some had to drop.  The Pre-blast launched and it was a flurry of comments and emojis.  By the end, 22 PAX had HCd on Slack.  Some overlapped with my Kotters list, some didn’t.  This was going to be big… Like 30 guys!?  I planned from the start to pay homage to my first FNG workout Q’d by Emeril and CHIPs.  I reviewed it and it checked out as appropriate for this sized group.  Emeril and CHIPs had 33 PAX that morning…  The table was set, the coffeteria plans were ordered (thanks again Pikachu, Gizmo, BnB, Abe, Rico, and Wild Turkey)

BTW – Hit up Rico if you want to order those pastries he brought.  They were amazing and he’s pledged to support my requested 3rd F cause for the day with a portion of any proceeds.

Rico’s Storehttps://adoroportugal.com/shop-our-products/ols/products/pastel-de-nata-12-frozen-prebaked

3rd F Causehttps://secure.alsohio.org/site/TR/Endurance/General?pg=team&fr_id=1181&team_id=6540

Oh wait… one last minute addition.  Downrange and Full House are calling for EC…  As Full House reminded me “Go Big or Go Home”  FML ok fine.  I set my alarm for 4:20.

EC: Full House, Gillette, and Downrange for 2 miles

We returned to a packed Cletus parking lot with an overwhelming number of faces and the cars kept rolling in.  Peeping Tom, one of my original EHs from WoodCreek had traveled from JACOGA to be here as promised.  Fanny Pack!  SlideRule! Stickers!  Wiggly!  TomTom (Thanks Bumblebee)!?  Dahmer!  Shredder!  Fonzi too!

There were more but my head was spinning and I felt like I was at a wedding.  So many people I wanted to catch up with and only time for a quick hello but we’d have to wait for coffeteria.

We did a count-off…  50 PAX counted!!!  WHAT!?!?

FNGs: Welcome 404 (Wed Developer), Yooper (Formerly from norther Michigan but not the U.P.)

In my haste to get moving and get this crowd away from the residential, I forgot all about our FNGs.  As the group started their mozy to the back lot.  Someone shouted to remind me and I ran back through the crowd to give em the disclaimer.  9 years of F3 hadn’t prepared me to manage this workout but heck most of my smaller workouts I get the checklist a little twisted.  And we mozy’d on.  TO THE BACK LOT!

Oh hey!  It’s CROSBY!!!  walking the trail to catch up with us for the workout.  51 PAX is now the count

The Workout: Thang 1, Parking lot – B O M B S
Partner up, similar to Dora 1-2-3 but more exercises. Partner up. Pax 1 does exercise while Pax 2 runs to from the back of the lot to the entrance and back. Swap out and continue the exercise until each amount of reps are complete. The exercises and reps are: 50- Burpees / 100- Overhead Claps / 150- Merkins / 200- LBC’s / 250- Squats.

^^^This text was ripped almost exactly as it was written from my FNG workout backblast which was originally posted to our Facebook group on 7/24/2017.  Slight details changed since the original venue was Paradise City.

I did get the chance for some cool exchanges with this crew as we passed each other through the workout.  Fives, fist bumps, and mumblechatter.  It was pretty awesome.

Warm Up: good morning, windmills, willie mays haze, SSH

Once again, I was all mixed up.  We never did a warm-up so I decided to put this in the middle as a palette cleanser.

The Workout: Thang 2, Catch me if you can

Same partners, partner 1 does 2 burpees while partner 2 takes off.  Once burpees are done, partner 1 runs after to catch partner 2.  Once caught, they switch and continue until back at the flags.  The route was from the back lot, around the baseball fields by way of the parking lot entrance, back around to the bridge, right at the shelter passing the playground on the right, around the Soccer fields and back to the main parking lot.

Mary: Despite Lipstick’s prediction based on my first ever Q, the workout filled the whole time and there was nothing left for Mary.  COT began immediately on the tennis courts.

Announcements:  What a amazingly crazy morning with all the PAX at Cletus.  I wanted to post here to put some emphasis on a surprise/not surprise NANTAN announcement this morning.  the surprise… Breach ran along side me on the way back to the flags and said something like “seems like a good time to announce you as NANTAN”  the not surprise, I asked for the job.  I want to thank Breach for his leadership.  He took charge post-covid as we were looking to re-energize South Wake and has done an amazing job navigating tough conversations and building on our already awesome community.  As long as I’ve known him, he has always lived in all 3 Fs.  The Marine in him has given him some special skills in 1st F | For 2nd F, he’s always down for coffee, beer, and a good time.  Especially if there are costumes involved. |  You wouldn’t have had to be around long to know how big of a 3rd F heart Breach has in his charitable giving, his leadership with Travis Manion, road side clean-up, and the list goes on.  Thank you Breach and I look forward to turning to you for your guidance.

T-Claps (Recognition):  All of these men for beating the fartsack to join me on this crazy spectacular morning.  I had a bunch of fun and loved seeing the band back together.  52 PAX in all for a single workout.  So much brotherhood and support felt.

A separate shout out to Crosby for his loving donation of a kidney and his willingness to join us during his recovery.

Prayer: X-Rays mission trip safety and success.  Flip Phone’s family as they mourn their loss.  All others spoken and unspoken.

From my FNG backblast, CHiPS provided —

Proverbs 17:17 – A friend loves at all times and a brother is born for a time of adversity.

1 Thessalonians 5:11 – Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in face you are doing.

 

My first attempt to get the whole group

Breach got ’em all

 

Coffeteria was so cool

 

My original clown car – Peeping Tom and Lipstick

Designer

If It Burns For 7 Years… Should You See a Doctor?

FNGs: Friendly, not new

Warm Up: SSH, Daisy Pickers, Imperial Walkers, Hillbillies, Willy Mays Haze 

The Workout: 

  • Running lap around the outside of the field – talk about how Pikachu are electric Pokemon but for some reason are OK swimming and surfing.  Not fire Pokemon though, swimming is a no go.
  • Grab Blocks and head to the soccer field.  1st, take a walking lap around the field with your block.
  • Head into the gate between both fields, drop your block for 5 burpees.  Talk about Pikachu’s Pickle.
  • Pick up blocks and follow the outside line of the field until you reach a corner.  Uneven burpees on the block, 3 each side.
  • Farmer carry the block to the next corner, switching hands half-way.  Talk about Pikachu’s Eggplant.
  • Partner up and set both blocks shoulder-width apart.  Partner 1 completes negative Merkins AMRAP while Partner 2 runs the length of both field end-zones and back.  Switch and complete 2x.
  • Carry blocks to next corner.  Talk about how Gizmo was named after Pikachu’s little soldier.  Also reflect on how much Downrange and Cancun love sausage.
  • 15x Skull Crushers
  • Carry blocks overhead to half-field, recover, carry blocks to the next corner.  Not sure what we talked about here….
  • Run a victory lap around the field.
  • Get back to last corner and partner up for Explosive Merkins.  Setup blocks accordingly.  Partner 1 does Merkins AMRAP, Partner 2 runs one of the two soccer end-zones.  Each completes 1x
  • Go to soccer field endzone and sprint to opposite endzone 1x.  Return mozy.
  • Return Blocks to their home and head to Mary

Mary:  Homer to Marge, Low Slow Flutters, Poop Eaters, Pickle Pounders, Squats

Announcements:  F3 Dads Camp Seagull – https://www.ymcatriangleregister.org/personifyebusiness/default.aspx?TabID=1502&ProductID=80481896&Subsystem=MTG

T-Claps (Recognition): Support from the PAX on my 7 years.  Thanks Fellas.  Can’t say enough this group means to me.  It’s always awesome to know that I have you all.

Prayer: For those still trapped at the airport, Cancun’s wife see MealTrain https://www.mealtrain.com/trains/dn5z0l

6 years is a long time but not that long

So great to have 29 in the gloom this morning to help me celebrate 6 years with F3.  This group has changed my life and I hope to continue paying that forward.  It’s a whole lot more than a workout!!!

FNGs: none

Warm Up: SSH, Windmill, Imperial Walkers, Mosey, Good Morning, Sir Fazio Arm Circles, Mosey

The Workout:  Cones were set up about 10 yards apart.  PAX performed the following exercises: 5 burpees, 10 lunges, 15 imperial walkers, 20 merkins, 25 plank jacks and 30 squats.  We went through the circuit 4 times traveling by bear crawl, lunge walk, broad jump and bunny hop.  Between sets mosey to the disc golf tee box and perform ab exercises to wait on the 6.

Mary: Low slow flutter, LBC, Homer to Marge, big boy sit ups, box cutters

Announcements:

T-Claps (Recognition): The PAX of F3!!!

Prayer: Emeril knee surgery, Gillette colleague that was killed

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Painting the Fence at Sugg

FNGs: No

Warm Up: It was plenty warm

The Workout:

Fence Painting, Lifting paint buckets,

Mary: Light clean-up

Announcements: Next Town Support effort will be scheduled soon, check with Gump

 Great 2nd F following a fun morning of work

T-Claps (Recognition):  These dudes.  Doin’ good in the hood

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Engage! (your core)

FNGs: none

Warm Up: SSH, Good Mornings, Imperial Walkers, Hillbillies, Sir Fazio Arm Circles, Seal Claps, Overhead Claps, Willie Mayes Hayes, High Knees

The Workout: The Abyss was promised in the preblast, and the Abyss is where we went. On today’s menu was a simple EMOM. 1 exercise each minute, 5 exercises and 5 rounds. The exercises were: Merkins, WWIIs, Squats, Shoulder Taps and then finish things off with a trip down and back up the Abyss. A helpful PAX reminded us to “engage our cores” even on exercises that aren’t core-centric. ABETC (always be engaging that core)

Mary: 10 count plank all the way around followed by popcorn Mary. Ended before we got to Gizmo. Sorry Gizmo.

Announcements: A few 3rd F opportunities coming up, check Slack.

Prayer: Gizmo’s friend’s pregnancy, UTI’s coworker and her husband, Cupid’s sister

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Water Park at R4TJ

FNGs: none (don’t blame them)

Warm Up: SSH, high knees

The Workout: 6 runners and 3 ruckers. The runners had a nice and simple out and back on Crossway. 5 miles, give or take, and a few hills. The temperature was just right for the rain to not be too much of a bother. Everyone did a good job picking up the 6 (YHC).

Mary: Nah, we’re good.

Announcements: see Slack

T-Claps (Recognition): all of the PAX who got out in the driving rain this morning to get it done

Prayer: injured PAX, miss seeing them in the gloom, reach out!

Moleskin: F3’s third core principle is “Be held outdoors, rain or shine, heat or cold.” Obviously, safety takes priority. Don’t go play on a field when their’s lightning (we were skirting the edge of that today), don’t go for a hard long run if it’s 120° F. But part of getting up at 5:30 in the morning and knocking out a workout is doing the hard thing. Those hard things make us stronger, not just in a physical sense but also mentally. So if it’s raining, if it’s cold, if it’s dark, make the commitment to get out there (safely) and put in the work. You’ll be better for it and so will your brothers in the gloom.

 

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In Cadence On my Down

The weather is finally starting to warm up but it was still a bit chilly this morning. We had a good turn out for the EC about 4 if I recall. I haven’t been out in a while for an F3 workout let alone Q the damn thing. So we warm up everything is fine. Mossyed over to the football field to do some erkins derkins and dips. As I start calling out the exercises and instructing how to follow me I ended up saying both ways “In cadence on my down”. It gave Woody a good laugh. Then I did it about two more times after that. Lol good times!

Warm Up:

  • Good mornings
  • Imperial Walker’s
  • Hill Billy’s
  • Sir Fazio Arm Circles
  • Mtn Climbers
  • Side Straddle Hop

The Workout:

  • erkins derkins and dips
  • Wall sits
  • 11’s – WW I’s & Air Squats

Mary:

  • Homer to Marge & pickle pounders

LORDY LORDY

LORDY LORDY

FNGs: Not a one

Warm Up: Side Straddle Hops (Thanks Skid), Windmills, Daisy Pickers, Franks, Imperial Walkers and Hillbillies

The Workout:

  • Grab the blocks
  • Go to the disc golf practice hole
  • Partner Up
  • Partner 1 does an exercise AMRAP while Partner 2 travels from one side of the circle to the other.  Then Switch.  Repeat 3x
    • P1 Explosive Merkins P2 Army Crawl
    • P1 Skull Crushers P2 Bear Crawl
    • P1 Abyss Merkins aka Negative Merkins P2 Lunge Walk
    • P1 Curls for the Girlz P2 Crab Walks
  • Return Blocks

Mary: Homer to Marge, Boat Canoes, Low Slow Flutter, Pickle Pounders, Big Boy Sit-ups

Announcements:

  • Lipstick Anny Q / Convergence at Disney on Thursday
  • Christmas Party
  • Suggly Sweater
  • Davis Run
  • Q-Sheet

T-Claps (Recognition): 

  • Happy Birthday UTI – Thanks dudes for showing up!
  • DownRange – He made it!

Prayer:

  • Holiday Travel and Safety
  • Lipstick gets whatever died up there removed… 
  • Survivor – new meds, let that settle and get him back out with us
  • SoftServe’s brother
  • Stubs – new treatment

AGS 12-4-22 F3 Magic

Sometimes everything just comes together—this was one of those times. Knowing I was bringing and FNG, I grabbed the empty AGS Q spot. Really wasn’t sure who was gonna show except Pikachu, who was a quick HC upon seeing the route. Today’s route: Headed toward my favorite hilly neighborhood, Sunset Bluffs, which is past Bass Lake. It was not until I got on the run mapper did I realize a critical connection from Sunset Bluffs to Bass Lake Road. Now to execute.

FNG and I left the neighborhood at 0550. I was pleased to see @Gillette, @Jellybeans, and @Sunshine ready to go. @Woody had already grabbed a now-routine EC! Pikachu rolled in on two wheels.

I prepared a 4-mile and 6-mile loop, expecting the group to split up. But, at the split point, Woody had already “encouraged” Jellybeans to “go the distance.” And next thing you know, we’re all climbing the hills in the Bluffs. Jellybeans had just started F3 only a few weeks ago, with zero running. I’m not even sure how many ECs he had completed. Woody hung with him the whole time, encouraging and talking up running. At the end of the 6-mile run, Jellybeans was stoked and exclaimed, “That’s the most fun I’ve ever had running!” How about that?!

Pikachu, my FNG Dylan, and I bonded with running events and speed. These two carried a 7:30 pace most of the time. Appreciate Pikachu embracing him on behalf of the F3 community.

We made the connection at Goosehaven, over to Bass Lake Road. This makes a nice alternative loop around Bass Lake. Can’t believe I had not run or ridden this considering multiple trips to Sunset Bluffs both on foot and on wheels.

When I wasn’t running with the speedsters, I had the chance to catch up with Gillette and Sunshine. Great stuff. Gillette and I learned that Sunshine is a powerhouse on the hills! I said something about climbing up the Bass Lake Road hill and next thing I knew, Sunshine took off, climbing! He did not stop til we got to the top! BAM! He pulled me up the whole way.

Welcome FNG @Tigger! After he said, “Roll Tide,” it was clear he needed an opposite-mascot name (Alabama vs. LSU). Plus, he runs like Tigger!

Notable achievements: Jellybeans distance PR! Woody 1,000 miles in 2022!

Finally, at COT, Woody shared that he observed certain behavior from one of his sisters over Thanksgiving. He requested prayers and guidance in approaching her and the issue.