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What’s a Coupon?

FNGs: None  PAX of 7 enjoyed incredible temps (60s) in the darkness.  Shorts weather in early March!

Warm Up:  Pre-blast mentioned circuit training and the use of coupons.  Some PAX inquired what a coupon was on Slack.  They come in many sizes, shapes, etc.  I chose to bring various dumbbells weighing in from 8lbs to 40lbs.  Planted the flag at 4:45 am and got busy setting up the numerous dumbbell stations.  Needed to adjust gross weight and found a tree line by an old fairway.  Broke out the hand sanitizer and greeted the PAX.  I think one of the PAX had the same idea as he disappeared for a few mins.  He mentioned FedEx’s home or front lawn if the door was locked.  Hmm.  I think the early start time of Prison Yard had interrupted our normal morning routines.  As I looked around, 5 PAX present EXCEPT for the only PAX who HC’d.  I was told he would be racing in on 2 wheels in no time.  A utility truck was spotted and an F3 brother came out but went running off in another direction.  Some said it was Pipe fitter; I cannot confirm.  Clock struck 0500 and we were off for a nice jog around the clubhouse/parking lot.  Circled up for 20 SSH, 10 Don Quixotes, 10 Fazio Arm Circles (F/R), 10 Hillbillies, 10 Imperial Walkers an 10 Daisy pickers.  It was about this time New Mexico graced us with his presence.  Sprinkler was pissed because he knew what was coming:  5 burpees OYO for tardiness.

The Workout:  I got an idea from Shredder at a recent 2ndF to incorporate running while PAX conducted circuit training, moving from one station to another.  He emphasized the importance of rotating among three/four muscle groups:  Arms, Abs and Legs.  (I added Back too).  I wrote down three exercises using (Coupons) dumbbells on index cards and set the cards next to the dumbbells spread out under the covered clubhouse area.  Turned on the iPad Pro to Pandora’s Classic Rock station.  (Fonzie was very happy with the tunes.  Lots of singing and great mumble chatter.). Each PAX started at a station, executed 8-12 reps of each exercise on the card.  One PAX ran around the clubhouse twice before PAX rotated positions.  Circuit training consisted of the following exercises:

8lbs:  seal claps, overhead claps, straight front arm curls – palms down

10lbs:  American hammers, WWIIs, Straight arm Tricep extensions

15lbs:  Bus drivers, Tricep curls, Ground pounders

20lbs: Lunges, step-ups, 2 arm overhead squats

25lbs:  Curls for the girls, single arm lawn mowers, Upright rows

30lbs:  Goblet squats, Farmer’s Cary, while on your six, hold dumbbell over your chest while holding 6”

40lbs:  PAX Choice – 1 Arm, 1 ABs and 1 Leg exercise

PAX with no dumbbells – TIME Keeper – Run around the clubhouse twice

RINSE AND REPEAT; modify the run; CHANGED to Farmer’s Carry with two 40lbs dumbbells around the building 1X

RINSE AND REPEAT but back to RUNNING TWICE around the clubhouse

Mary:  PAX helped me put the dumbbells back in my vehicle.  Circled up for Mary.  Lots of arm stretches, static, pot-stirring, Michael Phelps.

Announcements:  MULE – Lots of positive affirmations from NM supporting this Raleigh CSAUP; LED and his great effort securing a road clean-up opportunity with NCDOT – please sign up on Slack/support this endeavor 4X/year.

T-Claps (Recognition):  PAX trying something new at the Prison Yard

Prayer:  Forceps/family

Fonzie and his family making a tough decision having his M stay home with the kids – financially, mentally, physically

LED considering mentoring a child of a single mom; friend of his family that had a stillborn

New Mexico mentioned an F3 brother, Package, recovering from addiction; asking for strength keeping him strong

Dauber’s mom having eye surgery this week.

UNSPOKEN.

Dauber took us out.

 

An honor an privilege leading you all. – Dauber

Ultimate Frisbee

13 PAX  for some fun!

EC: Buttermilk, Norm, Martini, R-22, Beater and Breach

FNG– None

Warm Up:

SSH, Imperial Walkers, Hillbillies and 5 burpees OYO due to a tardiness

The Workout:

We broke off into teams, light color vs dark color shirts. It was very hard to see the frisbee this morning. I think the dark team won…just saying. Once the frisbee hit the ground…many times these exercises followed: merkins, lunges, diamond merkins, SSH and mountain climbers.

After talking with Yosimite I had the frisbee. Made contact with a few PAX and I had one that had cones…Great, everything was covered. Not exactly, HIM showed but forgot the cones! Not calling any names.

Mary: No time left.

Announcements: Buttermilk’s Church, Hope Community (Mina Project) is having a fundraiser. Selling boxes of cookies home-made. Support this worthy cause by sending Buttermilk message for order. Discussions of the safety of PAX playing ultimate since it’s so dark. Several are exploring some other options. More information to follow.

Prayers: Forceps Family, Armpits brother-in- law has MS/not doing well, Norm travel mercies rest of the week and Unspoken

Pre-Leap Day Leaps!

14 PAX for Sheepdog on Friday 2-28-20

EC: Lipstick, 187, Pikachu, Shredder, YHC

FNGs: None
Warm Up: SSH, Goofballs, Frankensteins, Hillbillies, Imperial Walkers, Daisy Pickers, Good mornings
The Workout: PAX formed up and ran Black Snake style to front parking lot. After 10 plank jacks, the PAX paired up, and leap frogged from to one end of the parking lot. 10 Hurpees OYO and then leap frog back to starting point, with 10 plank jack break in the middle. Leaping frog style takes longer than you would think, so leaping was briefly put on hold as PAX Black Snaked to playground for the main event: Dora with one partner lapping the mini-track – 100 Dive Bombers, 200 Frog Crunches, 300 Jump Squats
Mary: Embrace the suck! Circle of PAX held horse riding pose for 3 minutes.
Announcements: Blue Ridge Relay teams are forming, looking at a 9 and 12 team to get filled, watch for slack updates. Memorial Service Saturday 12-2pm, 2F at Harvest Moon to follow workout.
T-Claps (Recognition): @Fanny Pack @Tetanus @Dovetail @Breach @Gump @Sprinkler @Beater @UTI @Farva @Pikachu @Lipstick @187 @Shredder
Prayer: Family for Forceps, Beater, Wiggly, Pikachu

UTI Talks a Big Game

EC:  Banana Seat, YHC, Deadbolt, Mr. Terrific, Alpine – I’m sure there were others….  I didn’t get a great tally  Notable mentions are Pikachu, Lipstick, Katniss, Mr. Terrific, and Aquaman that were charting their own course this morning and did not COT with us today.

FNGs:  Brought into the gloom by Emeril.  Gilligan was once a rower which naturally means he must sail.  He didn’t say it but by the looks of him I’d say he likely has an eclectic group of friends that enjoy getting lost in remote and exotic locations.  Welcome Gilligan!

Warm Up:  As part of warm-up, YHC took a moment to get the runners sorted.  Immediately kicking the runners planning to go slower than a 10-min pace out onto the route.  Other runners (technically non-Uturners) were launching at the same time and they left pretty abruptly.  Having them filter through the crowd just added to the confusion.  The remainder hung with me for a little warm-up.  Daisy Pickers, Frankensteins, light jog, butt kickers, high knees, carioca, and Backwards jogging were all on the menu.

The Workout:  Standard Uturn route was the plan with mandatory Pick-up the 6 spots at the 12 Oaks Circle and at Irving.  Ultimate plan, have all waves finish the run at the same time.

Wave 1: Fun-paced

  • left at 0600, go your pace but stay together

Wave 2: Fast-paced

  • Warm-up at 0600 and left after a bit

Wave 2.5: The Sick Kids

  • left a little after Wave 2, we weren’t sure what we’d do.  We managed 2 miles.
  • Title explanation here:  I woke up this morning for 5 miles EC and 5 miles ME.  Apparently my health isnt quite with me (yet again).  I wound up back at Panera with 20 mins to spare about 6 miles EC+ME, grabbed a coffee and met everyone outside for COT with said coffee in hand.  The coffee was great, esp with my cough, etc.  A little fun to be very well rested and warm for COT while the rest of you just kicked ass but were probably cold.  I’ll be back to 100% soon and not look a like such a…  (what’s the F3 lexicon for A-hole?)

Wave 3: 3 milers

  • 0625 Start

Mary:  Gilligan kept talking about some named Mary-Ann…  Dude has it bad…

Announcements:

  • Showing support for Forceps today at Jon’s memorial – Hope Community Church 11:30 to 2PM
  • BRR, Looks like we have a new 12-man (16-bit) and 9-man (Yogurt) teams in formation.  A few slots left so reach out to YHC or a captain of your choosing to get locked in.  I’m averaging about 2 headlocks for every 2nd F this week so act fast.
  • Wilmingon race is a few weeks away – check out the slack-o-sphere for details on the walk with CrabLegs

T-Claps (Recognition):  It was a cold one this morning.  Great work starting your Saturday off right

Prayer:

  • Forceps
  • Wiggly
  • Wallaby

Stone Cold Quartet @ KG

Great work getting out into the gloom this morning guys. Thanks for the opportunity to sub in as Q today for an injured Yosemite. (Heal up quickly bro.) — In case you’re wondering, it was cold(er) this morning (40 degrees), and the 4 of us worked out with rocks = “Stone Cold Quartet”. Get it? Never mind. Here’s what went down…

FNGs: None

Warm-Up:

Mosey around the parking lot – up and down rows
Row 1: High Knees
Row 2: Karioka left
Row 3: Karioka right
Row 4: Butt kickers
Run backward back to SP
SSH x 20 IC
Hillbillies x 20 IC
IW x 20 IC
Good Mornings x 15 IC
Sir Fazio Arm Circles x 10 IC forward – R&R in reverse
Windmills x 15 IC
Frankensteins x 15 IC
Daisy Pickers x 15 IC

The Workout:

Mosey to the rock pile – grab a rock and partner up. – Super easy with only 4 people.
Partner 1 runs around the Rec Center while partner 2 does rock exercise then runs with the rock in the opposite direction of your partner until you meet up – hand off the rock – partner does rock exercise while other partner runs. Once each partner completes the exercise the round is complete. Runners and those doing exercises stay together throughout. (We wound up getting about 2 miles of running with the laps around the Rec Center.)
Round 1: Curls for the Girls x 20 IC
Round 2: Tricep Extensions x 20 IC
Round 3: Goblet Squats x 25
Round 4: LBC’s x 20 IC
Round 5: Overhead Press x 20 IC
Round 5: Bus Drivers x 20 IC
Round 7: Ruh Roh’s x 20 IC
Return your rock and mosey to the bleachers…
Irkins x 20
Dips x 20
Derkins x 20
Single leg step-ups for 45(ish) seconds each leg.
Too bad we ran out of time because everyone really loved those single-leg step-ups (thanks Boy George).
Mosey back to SP…

Mary:

American Hammers x 20 IC
Homer to Marge x 20 IC
Freddie Mercuries x 20 IC
Heel Taps x 20 IC
Low Slow Flutters x 20 IC
Windshield Wipers x 10 IC
Have a Nice Day

Announcements:

3rd F Survey on FB/Slack
Memorial Service on Sat. at Hope – dress is casual

T-Claps (Recognition):

Boy George, Gamecock and Sprinkler for getting out there and pushing hard this morning.

Prayer:

Forceps and family
Boy George – family vehicle died and have to look for a replacement
Sickness and injuries (hence the low turnout)

A Pirate’s Life at Mutiny; Zamboni Goalie #90; Welcome Armpit!

FNGs: Welcome FNG Dave Mack, aka Armpit, also known as Doug in some parts.  A career USAF veteran, a fan of Ohio State too.  Gave him disclaimers.  Thanks R-22 for bringing him out!

Warm Up:  Had all 16 PAX run around the gym and circle up in the half circle for the following warmup exercises on this 47 degree clear day:  25 SSH, 10 Don Quixotes, 10 Daisy Pickers, 10 Sir Fazio (F/R), 10 Seal Claps, 10 O/H claps.

The Workout:  PAX split up into two workouts, kettle bell or boot camp.  YHC was inspired by a recent beat down by our very own Pirate, POTS.  Rather than sandbags, we opted for Rocks.  Minnesota was MIA although LipSync tried finding it with his 40,000 lumen headlamp!  Karaoke / jog to the rock pile.  Grab a medium sized rock.  Line up in a straight line on the soccer pitch.  Dauber called out 10 or so rock exercises (20 count or 10 cadence count).  After completing one exercise, PAX dropped their rock and jogged backwards about halfway (some think it was more like 3/4).  5 merkins.  Jog back to their rock.  The exercises included:  Curls for the girls, rut-rows, O/H press, triceps curl, toe taps, bus drivers, SIMBAS, goblet squats, plank hold slap rocks, ground pounders.  Move to the cement sidewalk.  On your six.  Chest presses (multiple).  With rock above chest, hold 6 inches (20 cc), still holding rock, 10 chest presses, still holding rock, 45 degrees on legs (20 cc), 10 chest presses, still holding rock, legs 90 deg (20 cc), 10 chest presses, still holding rock, 6 inches legs off ground.  Arms burning.  Recover.  20 LBCs.  Good ams.  Return rocks to the pile.  Saw some sparks!  Toe taps on the curb.  Bear crawl to an island.  Frankensteins. Open doors for our hips.  Mosey to the wall.  Great mumble chatter re: emergency goalie, #90, Canes hockey game.  Look it up – amazing story!  At the wall, 15 cc BTTW, 15 cc People’s Chair; Runner’s Stretches against the wall.

 

Mary:  Joined LED and Red October PAX on the tennis courts.  Lots of ab work including pickle pounders, home to marge, LBCs, hello freakin’ dollies, etc.

Announcements:  Saturday service for Jon (Forceps’s kid) – Hope (Apex), 12-2; New updated Q sheet (sign up for every AO in SW)

T-Claps (Recognition):  EC guys; All PAX contributing to a great cause!

Prayer:  First responders, Military, Injured PAX, Relationships at home, Forceps and his family; LED took us out.

2nd F – Panera Bread to follow.

An honor leading you men in the gloom!  Love you guys!  -Dauber

 

Yosemite Kringle

YHC got in from the airport a little after 0100 and, according to Garmin, got 3 hours and 55 minutes of sleep before getting up and heading to Holly Springs to lead this below-freezing ramble.  Knowing that there were three planning 5-mile EC I was curious how many would actually show up.

Much like the DPG that ran last week we were having staggered starts with 5-milers leaving around 0600 and the 3-milers heading out around 0625.  Let’s see how it went.

EC: Yosemite, Warbucks, Martini

FNGs: This is a joke today, right? I didn’t even want to go out in this, let alone someone new.

Warm Up:

The same warm up was done for both groups.

SSH x10 IC

Frankenstein x10 IC

Hip openers x10 IC

The Workout:

At 0600 and after being told to watch the ice, each PAX began Forward Foot Flops (FFF’s) OYO.  Some started by putting their left foot first, followed by the right, and then back to the left.  Others went right, then left, and then back to the right.  Rinse and repeat x6000+ times (individual results varied based on milage).

Once the first group was gone YHC climbed back in to his warm vehicle to pass the time.  The devil on my shoulder started suggesting that, if no one else show up, maybe I should just say in there until closer to 0700 and then just run in a circle until the runners get back.  Luckily Sprinker showed up to run 3 iles with me and after we warmed up we also started with FFFs.

Also, apparently when you have a long beard and you run in temps like this you end up looking like something out of a Christmas special.

Mary:

Some stretching and yoga were done once everyone was in.  We successfully had all PAX in (including ECers) around 0700.  I think this staggered start thing might actually work.

Announcements:

ShamWow!’s baptism at Hope tomorrow morning, following the 0930 service

T-Claps (Recognition):

To all SW PAX.  You know why.  You are real HIM.

Prayer:

Forceps and his family.  Today is going to be a difficult day.  Take a little extra time today to talk to God and offer to lend some of your strength to help Tim and his family.

 

Always an honor, even with no sleep and frozen hands.

 

010000

What’s the Deal with Cusack and Rocks? 9 PAX Fly Some Kites at Possum Trot

Q Tour continues, and YHC saw a place on the Q sheet Sunday after Banana Seat called out the need to fill in all those pink spaces for this week. Yeah, I’d be fresh off a business trip the day before, but I’ve got many more to go before completing the SouthWake cycle. May as well cross another off the list if its available. YHC has a love hate relationship with Possum Trot. It’s dark as $hIt out there in the winter and in the summer, its riddled with fire ants and other nasty things Dauber makes us run through when he Q’s. That hill to the guard rail is always sketchy too, but it does have several amenities that can provide a perfect formula for beatdowns, especially long running lanes by the baseball fields and a wide open set of tennis courts.

One of YHC’s personal favorites of all time was when DoubleD brought a whole firehouse kit, complete with hoses, water jugs, and barbells. He had us running up and down the lane to put out a fictitious fire. This was on a muggy morning and remember thinking, WTF. No way I could have duplicated that this morning with limited supplies and imagination, but knew I had to do something with overhead work to simulate kite flying, keeping in line with the spirit of this Q and AO.

Pre-Blast showed YHC flying a kite. The picture was taken about 3.5 years ago on a beach, where YHC was flying a kite, not because I like flying kites, but because that was the activity I chose rather than wanting to jump in 30 degree waves with my son in Maine. Also, partly because YHC was 225lbs and didn’t have the energy or the want to run around. At the time, YHC thought he was operating at 100%. Great job, great kids, supportive wife, but no energy or desire to do anything extra. Was definitely missing something, but health and connections outside of work took a backseat, gradually leading to sad clown syndrome and deep denial. YHC was comfortable and have learned that when you are comfortable, you don’t grow so to battle that, YHC is trying new things like trying to Q all the SouthWake AO’s and beyond that Q 1-2 times a week (all with the aim of each workout being unique).

Arrived to the parking lot and got concerned as the only person YHC had seen was H1N1. It was early though and while H1N1 was out getting his early EC, I took the time to get the lay of the land and place some cones out by the baseball fields. Got back to the car and it was 5:23, still early, but no cars. Guess these guys in Fuquay do it differently, maybe more fartsacks than I thought. Then the headlights started to flow in. Banana Seat, Noah’s Ark, Sprinkler, Breach, 8-Bit, Midget, FedEx. H1N1 arrived back somewhere in between Banana Seat and Breach.

5:30 hit and asked PAX if they brought their lawn chairs and kites. If they didn’t, M4L had a lawn chair in his trunk. All those who wanted to be comfortable could sit in the lawn chair and fly a kite, all others could follow me for some quality work in the gloom.

Warm Up: Skinny loop around the tennis courts and into the courts for some alternating side shuffles are around the baseline, weaving in and out of each court. Led PAX back out of the courts to circle up for Imperial Walkers X10, Hillbillies X10, Morocan Night Clubs X20, Fazios 10F/10 Back, Seal Claps X20. SSH X20. Fellowship run back around the tennis courts to retrieve a rock.

The Workout:

PAX retrieved rocks (some extremely larger than others- Breach) and cusacked them down with tricep extensions in cadence to the concession stand. Circled up for some squats on YHC’s down and up. Placed rocks down and did some modified clock work merkins, where PAX placed both feet on the rock and did 10 merkins on YHC’s down, held plank and walked it over 4 spaces, performed 10 more merkins, held plank and walked it over 4 spaces, performed 10 more merkins, held plank and walked it over 4 spaces, performed 10 more merkins.

Mosey’d over to the concession wall and did some B2W’s in cadence to 20 and then back upright for People’s Chair in cadence to 20.

Rinse\Repeat one more time (2 Rounds Total)

Cusacked the rocks outside the fence and gathered around the first cone that was layed out for some Rut Rows X20 on YHC’s up, Cusacked to the next cone 15 yard further down and performed rock curls starting position at the bottom to the middle X 20. Cusacked the rocks to the next cone 15yards futher and performed rock curls from the top to the middle X20, and then cusacked 15 more yards further and performed rock curls from the bottom all the way to the top X20. Cusacked back to the start

Partner Up: Partner 1- Squat Hold with the Rock; Partner 2- Suicides to each of the cones and switch

Rinse\Repeat (2 Rounds Total)

Cusacked the rocks all the way back to inside the tennis courts and had PAX line up along the baseline for some deconstructed Jack Webbs. On the baseline PAX performed uneven merkins on the rock with left hand on rock\right hand on baseline. Performed 5 on each side for a total of 10. Moved the rock out of the way and performed lunge walks to the other side of the same court. Knelt down for some Jack Webbs X20 in cadence. Mosey’d back to the start.

Rinse\Repeat but this time up’d the uneven Merkin count to 20 total and 40 Jack Webbs in Cadence. Cusacked the rocks back to the pile. Instructed PAX to get into an Indian run from the tennis courts and encircle the entire lot in front of the tennis courts. Mosey’d back inside the tennis courts

Mary: Plank hold for the six. Shoulder Taps X15 in cadence, Right Arm up\Right foot up, Left Arm Up\Left Foot Up. It was damp and rainy, so had to flip em all over on their six for American Hammers X20 and a quick transition to Pickle Pounders X20. Downward Dog and a gradual roll up into a Shawshank. (Have a Nice Day upright).

Announcements: 3rd F opportunities on Slack. Forceps’ son, Jon’s service is next Saturday, Feb 29th from 12-2 at Hope Community Church.
T-Claps (Recognition): Those getting out and after it in the rain
Prayer: Prayers for Forceps and his family. Lipstick’s family and his sister. Wallaby and those battling substance abuse issues. All those unspoken. YHC took us out.

President’s Day Murph

Awesome weather tonight for a Murph.  Good conversation as we knocked out the miles and sets on the playground.  Always feel good after the workout.

FNGs: None

Warm Up: Run one mile

The Workout:  100 pull ups, 200 merkins, 300 squats

Mary:  Run one mile

Announcements:  none

Prayer:  Silent

The Prison Yard 2/18

Pax of 9 got stronger in the Prison Yard on a mild February morning.

Double D, Fonzie, LED, FedEx, 8-Bit, Sprinkler, New Mexico, Dirty Pipes and Breach on the Q

Warm Up: Mosey around the parking lot and then circle up for some 22 rep counts of SSH, Frankensteins, and Imperial Walkers/Hillbillies

The Workout: 9 Stations (90 Seconds of work, followed by 15 seconds of rest to rotate)

Stations:

Tires

Flips

Sledge Hammer chops

Squats

Ropes

Double arm Slams

Waves

Weight Plates

Squat press

Squat Curl

Med Balls

Overhead Slams

Squat Toss

Kettle Bell

Swings

Sandbag

Reverse Curls

Tricep Extensions

Ab Roller

Jump Rope

Mary: 15 Burpees OYO for 3 pax members that were running behind today.

Announcements: Long Ass ATT Run on Sat 2/22

Prayer: Prayers for Forceps and his family and for a friend of New Mexico who is dealing with recovery from substance abuse.

The message for today was about slowing down and looking around. Live speeds by and if you don’t stop once and a while to enjoy it, it can blow right by you. Take the time to be in the moment and don’t let them all pass you by