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Oyster Shell Injuries, Indian Run Education, and Hills.

Pre-Blast featured a reference to Hills this morning. The reality is that BRR is just around the corner and more and more PAX are finding their way to AGS on Sunday’s. For this morning’s edition of AGS, YHC figured it fitting to pick up where we left off from last week and provide another bootcamp style running workout with Hills as the main feature.  Last evening received an ‘HC’ from Deadbolt indicating a return to the gloom. A 5:45am pickup time was established.

As normally is the case on Sunday morning, YHC picked up his gear and in a half-awake manner, picked up the phone to check the status of Wescott clowns looking to clown car. Quick glance and was disappointed to see that Deadbolt was out. Apparently, oyster shell cuts to the foot are a real thing for those who spend time at sea, and can impact one’s ability to perform roadwork on Sunday’s. Not sure if these were suffered on the boat or at a restaurant, but in any event, he’d be missed out there for sure this morning.

Arrived to a very occupied Womble parking lot. That silver sedan has become a fixture, signifying Redenbacher was out getting his EC fix beforehand. And what is this?….A Double D sighting?  YHC thought he had seen a ghost. Glad to see him back in the gloom and especially on a Sunday. I’ve mentioned this before in previous BB’s, but when you put a Double D in the mix of any workout, it amplifies the experience to another level. Pull into my spot and give a nod to the right as DawgPound and Cowboy make their appearance. Plant the flag, greet Pablo, who will be rucking with DawgPound this morning. Good to see him back as well fresh off of vacation. Full House and Cruise arrive from their EC run just as UTI and H1N1 roll in.

Circled up and as 6 o’clock hits, we were off.

Warm Up:

Light jog to the back end Ivan parking lot for the following warm-up exercises. All in 13 reps (homage to Alex Morgan and today’s World Cup final and to redeem my cadence count blunders from yesterday)- Imperial Walkers, Good Mornings, Hack Sacks, Hillbillies, Mountain Climbers. Just as we finished up Mountain Climbers, we hear some very loud Mumblechatter in the distance…Better late then never, Yogi comes trotting in to cash in his HC from the night before. When you arrive late, you do burpees, so with that, 5 burpees OYO. Light jog to the far end of the parking lot to perform Fazio Arms 13 F\13B. From there, lined PAX up in single file for an Indian Run back to the flag. Squat hold at the flag while YHC explained the route.

The Workout: While Pablo and DawgPound took their ruck toward Sugg and to the lake, YHC would provide some hills and accountability to the PAX looking to run this morning. We would start on Stinson in front of the Womble parking lot and begin a scout run past the Hunt Community center to the top of the hill and continue it until we got to the 1st side path in front of the baseball fields. When we got to the path, we held for the six and and began an Indian Run back to the starting point. At times during this Indian run, we had a few gaps in the line causing some inconsistency with pace and some PAX leaving the back of the line before the prior PAX had a chance to make it back in front of the line. As we got back to the starting point, PAX squat holded for the six. As we squat held, Yogi provided a history lesson on the origin of the Indian Run. He shared that it was designed for longer distances to keep the PAX together, so that the line would move to accommodate the pace of the slower PAX to keep the group together and avoid instances where that PAX would not fall behind and get eaten by a bear or other wild animal. As I write this, I’m hoping that there is a PAX out there that decides one day to dress up in a bear suit and jump of the bushes the next time we do an Indian run at Womble to illustrate this point…. I digress, my apologies.

At the conclusion of this history lesson, YHC explained the route again to ensure everyone was on the same page. This would be a hill accountability run where we would be picking up the six periodically throughout the run and tackle the hills together. The route would take us down and up Stinson. When we reach the top of the hill at Stinson, we would circle back and pick up the six. We would then take a right onto Bass Lake and head to the parking lot at Bass Lake. When we reach the parking lot, we would pick up the six and ensure that we arrive at the same time and\or squat hold for the six. At the parking lot, we recovered on a series of 3 exercises- 5 burpees, 10 star jumps, 20 squats before making the final push back up Bass Lake Road and back onto Stinson. Great pushes by all PAX up the hill. We made 2 stops on the way up the hill were PAX either circled back for the six or did a plank hold with Merkins mixed in (thanks to DoubleD for setting this standard). On the last stop at Stinson, PAX performed one last plank hold for the six and performed 13 merkins, before making a strong push back down and up Stinson. As PAX finished up, they were treated to a Yogi and Abe jail break up the hill to finish up at precisely 6:58… 2 minutes shy of the 7am end time and just under 5mi of ground covered as promised.

Mary: Series of stretches as we waited for Pablo and DawgPound to finish up their ruck.

Announcements: JoCo needs some support. Head out there if you haven’t had an opportunity to experience a workout at these AO’s- Grow the Mustard Seed as UTI shared his experiences from recent travel to Michigan. F3 Dads Camp coming up. Check Slack and FB for details. Sasquatch July 27th CSAUP.

2nd F- Dunkin Donuts.

Prayer: Prayers for a pastor H1N1 knows, who recently suffered the loss of a child. Additional prayers for a Wescott neighbor Tom, who recently passed unexpectedly. Prayers for his family, wife, and 8 children. YHC took us out.

PAX of 7 Raise Their Standard at AGS

Pre-AGS blast set the stage with a simple concept, “Turn your ‘should do’s’ into ‘must-do’s’ and raise the standard.” Does anyone remember when our AO’s were just the workout, and not EC + Main Event or EC+EC+Main Event?  It is ritual now that EC has become the standard in the South Wake AO’s with usual 5+ guys who “just show up.” Over time, we collectively raised the standard, and in turn, have built one heck of a community with all 3F’s clicking on all cyclinders.

After a hiatus last week for the morning edition of AGS last week, YHC was looking forward to a nice lake run with 56 degree temps, making this a recipe for some great running weather. A quick check of ‘Alexa’ reaffirmed the reports I was seeing from the weather reports, but she was somewhat off in her questioning about rain as was later found this morning.

With the Bruins game beginning, took one last look at Slack and FB for any HC’s for Sunday morning. Saw a quick Yogi ‘HC’ on FB and an ‘SC’ from Lipstick on Slack with a DM from Deadbolt that read, “I’m gonna try and run tomorrow.”  To this reply, I added…”All about Standards. Time to raise them,” with the instruction that YHC would be in his driveway at 5:43, but to let me know if that changes. Turned off the phone and proceeded to watch what would be Double OT kick in the nutts by the Blue Jackets on my B’s. Luckily, I didn’t stay up for the finale as YHC had a ‘must do’ on the Sunday list.

Pan to 5:17am scan of Slack, and sure enough Deadbolt was up and rose from the fartsack. He was in!

Arrived to Womble and pulled up to Maybelline, who was parked next to Yogi, and further down the lot, H1N1 and Messi arrived to the gloom. One last vehicle emerged and in it was Nemo. That made 7. Originally had plans to go around the lake, but after additional consideration and a look of half disbelief\half ‘not a good idea’ by Maybelline, we decided to keep it dry and to take it to the streets.

Warm Up: 1/2 mile warm up-light mosey around the soccer fields with exercises at each corner. Corner 1- SSH X10, Corner 2 (Ivan Parking Lot)- Carioca L over R\R over L. Corner 3- Hacky Sacks, Corner 4- Imperial Walkers X10

The Workout: Route took us down Stinson, Right on Bass Lake Road, Left on Salem Ridge, Left on Linksland, Left on Holly Springs Road, with an option for gazelles to get an extra mile up and back through Rhamkatte before joining the 6 at Lowe’s before making the push down and up Stinson to the lot. Good mumblechatter throughout the run with all PAX pushing up and down the hills. A big shout out to H1N1 and Messi, who took the road less traveled this morning and navigated Rhamkatte. An additional shout out to Maybelline who continuously picked up the six this morning onto a 7 mile stroll.

Mary: Stretches OYO

Announcements: New JoCo AO- Jelly Stone Park- Clayton Community Park 5:30am

YHC shared the backdrop for the pre-blast and today’s message which was centered around raising the standard. In order to be successful, one must realize what needs to be sacrificed in order to achieve that success. Here we are on a Sunday morning at 7am, 6 miles in and pushing each other to be better. The difference between who you are and who you want to be is what you do.  YHC was not just talking about fitness, this translates at home, in the office, and through fellowship. The ‘should do’s’ need to become ‘must do’s,’ becoming daily rituals which fosters the positives that lead to success and raising the ‘standard.’

T-Claps (Recognition): Maybelline for picking up the six. H1N1\Messi tackling Rhamkhatte, Deadbolt avoiding the fartsack, Nemo holding Deadbolt accountable throughout the run with a solid pace. Yogi for wind sprinting on the decline and pushing up the rolling hills of Bass Lake and Salem Ridge.

Prayer: Prayers for Azul from Carpex and Yogi’s friend Tony, who are both battling cancer. Prayers for health of all PAX and those traveling this week. YHC took us out!

Foggy Gloom, No Foghorn, but found a Yogi…

Pre-blast announced during 2.0 Squirts workout and sent via Slack and FB to PAX the night before that AGS will now operate under a 6am start time. With the new start time in play, YHC set the alarm for 5am, but had a near ‘Midget moment’ this morning realizing that the alarm stop was pressed and not snooze. 5:38am gave just enough time to quickly get the gear together, shovel flag in car, and was off and out of Wescott by 5:47am.

Arrived to an empty parking lot filled with a backdrop of dense fog and 51 degrees.  If ever there was a picture definition of ‘the gloom,’ there it was at Womble this morning. Planted shovel flag, did some Sir DawgPound Good Mornings while I waited for a possible Foghorn or Skidmark sighting. Though there was no formal HC the night before, there was an slight possibility that there would be a post from each.

Warm Up:

6:00am start time came and went and then thought that it could be possible that PAX believed their to be a 6:30 start. With that thought, I decided to stay close and do a loop with alternate stretch exercises at the corners around the soccer fields. If there were PAX in the lot, we’d run, but if not I’d pack it in and head to the Fern. Corner 1- 20 Merkins, Corner 2- 25 Prison Squats, Corner 3- 25 Mountain Climbers, Corner 4- Lunge Walks back to the Womble lot from the picnic shelter. At the lot, did a light jog to the other end and then another pass back to the original starting point.

The Workout:

6:25am and the first sign of life all morning appears in the form of a grey Mustang convertible. Passenger sporting bright orange apparel, enough to cut the fog consuming the lot. As I approached, there it was, an ‘F3 Yogi!’ license plate. Ready to go as always, it only took but a few minutes before the distinct decibels of excitement in his voice broke the air with a simple, “Let’s do this Mook!’

Solid lap around the soccer fields with some slightly louder than usual mumblechatter along the way. Squat hold in the lot, while YHC explained this morning’s route as usual to PAX and first-time guests. The night before, I had planned a route to the famed Lowe’s bathroom. I have to be honest, though the Beer Garden in this Lowe’s is a solid commodity, the real crown jewel of the place, is the bathroom. I’m sure Dauber and Lipstick would concur.

As Yogi was a first time guest to AGS, I decided it only felt right to give him the full lake loop experience this morning, complete with Soul Crusher at the end and save today’s route for next week. Off we went, around the baseball fields and onto Sugg with a some quality mumblechatter throughout. As we hit the greenway, darkness started to turn into early morning light, but with the fog we weren’t going to get any glimpses of a sunrise. I had made a comment that it was kind of disappointing that we weren’t going to see one this morning, but then was quickly corrected by Yogi, who mentioned that there was nothing disappointing at all. “Mook- how many guys do you know wake up on a Sunday morning, knowing that there is someone that morning waiting for him to make sure he’s holding the other accountable…Would you have run these miles if I didn’t show this morning?” (probably not, I was headed to the Fern where there wouldn’t be any inspiration to get me on a treadmill for 6 miles)…”Forget the sunrise, this..what we are doing right here, is living. This is F3.” There it was, as plain as day and with enough truth to cut the fog that lay ahead of us in half.

PAX rolled for another mile until we maneuvered counterclockwise around the lake. Strong push uphill at the top of the half moon, and kept mosey’ing until it came time to escape the lake via greenway or Soul Crusher. “I’m following you Mook.” Alrighty then… YHC took Yogi right and then the quick left to Soul Crusher. My attempt to invoke continued mummblechatter on this segment was quickly paused by Yogi, who wanted all the air he could get to make it up the hill in an efficient manner. Soul Crusher conquered and PAX made it out of Sugg with smiles and a few laughs with several Yogi chants of “Nice work…Come get you some” to other runners heading in the opposite direction.

Arrived back to Womble with an even 6.1 on the Garmin and equipped with another example of Iron Sharpens Iron.

Mary: Stretches OYO

Announcements: Next 2.0 workout- 5/4

T-Claps (Recognition): Yogi- first post at AGS and longest run of the year.

Prayer: Prayers for Shredder recovery, DoubleD and his family. Crablegs. Health and safe travels for all PAX and their families this week.

How hard can it be? This is a limited run AO

Q: Peeping Tom & Lipstick went down range to Tortoise in Carpex.  Thanks to Banana Seat, Straight Cash, UTI, LED and Pikachu for making the trip.

Warm Up: Circle the lot and circle up for SSH x40, Good Mornings x15, Fazio Arm Circles Fwd/Rev x15, Imperial Walkers/Hillbillies x15, Mountain Climbers x15, Merkins x20
The Workout: Count off and partner up: 1st exercise partner wheelbarrows across lot with nipplers x10 at mid point.  YHC looked out in the distance and called out Red Ryder’s FJ Cruiser as the end point (150ft); Repeat with partner swap on the way back.  2nd exercise partner 1 air squared at starting line while partner 2 alligator merkins to Red’s FJ Cruiser and run back to start (Both partners do each once)  3rd exercise Bear Crawl Burpees.  Each time YHC called out Grizzley, Pax came up from bear crawl and did a burpee.  Grizzley was called out to many times to count 🙂 Once we were at Red’s Cruiser, we did Jack Webbs.  Thanks to Yogi, we did 1/4 x7 and then Bear Crawl Burpeed back to start.  Mosey over to church and grab some wall.  YHC had planned for 3 sets of BTTW with Shoulder Taps x10 and People’s Chair x10 but thanks to mumblechatter, we did 5 sets.
Mary: Diamond Merkins x20, LBC’s x20, Pikachu reminded us we didn’t finish the Jack Webs to 10, so we did 8-10 with diamond merkins on set 10, boat cannoes x20, and my favorite diamond merkins x20
Announcements: South Wake ATT Long Ass Run Feb 9, Carpex has a Krispy Kreme Team

2 FNG’s- Welcome Etch-a-Sketch & Baiter
Prayer: Ausfart, Carpex Pax M battling Breast Cancer, Crablegs

 

4 year F3 Anniversary at Cletus

YHC hit the fartsack last night with an irritated eye.  I hoped that a good 5 hour nights sleep would cure this.  YHC woke a little early for Extra credit (4am) and right eye pain was killing me.  A quick trip to Harris Teeter to waste some money on eye drops that did nothing.  Well… I figured I was going to be in eye pain anyway – so why not take my mind off it with some total body pain.  I said screw it – lets post.

This morning, I was celebrating 4 years of F3.  It took about 18 months of emotional headlocking for Chase (Gnard Dogg) to convince me to try my first workout at Womble Park.  I will never forget this workout – Key West was my Q and I think Peak Week, Blue Hen, Moby, New Mexico and Howard were all there to name me.  I did not think I would make it through without quitting.  I remember doing a jacobs ladder with burpees in the baseball outfield.  This morning, I wanted to celebrate with one of my best memories of a hard ass workout.  The Bearway to heaven.

About 7-8 gathered for EC to hear me bitch about my eye.  None of that matters as 5:15a hit and we were off.  We did about 2 miles with many doing a little more as they circled back to get the 6 (YHC).  We had 187 and Skid Mark even join us AFTER their Murph (BEAST)

PAX:

Emeril, Deadbolt, Patch, Kid Cracker, Peak Week, Brony, R22, Peeping Tom, The Dawgpound, Mookie, 187, Butterfinger, M4L, Flannigan, Slide Rule, Foghorn, Skidmark, Pablo, Luck Charms, New Mexico, Yogi, Yogurt, Doc, Hasselhoff, Nemo, Cowboy, Beach, 8Bit, Lip Stick, Banana Seat, Da Business, Forceps, The Natural, Roger Roger, Noah’s Ark, Gump, Double D, LED, Fed Ex, POTS, PSI, Vespa, Red Pill

Warm Up:

Grab the official Southwake Shovel Flag (T Claps to Howard for making it and entrusting me with it) and head to the large field to circle up for warm ups.  We had WAAAAY more pax than I anticipated.  Someone ran by me an said – “were you planning on 40” – I remember thinking – I am barely hear and can barely see out of my right eye 🙂

Anyway – we circled up

  • SSH x 20
  • Good Mornings x 15
  • Standard Merkins x 20
  • Imperial + Hill Billy (10 each = 20)
  • 5 Burpee OYO
  • Fazio Arm Circles 10F 10R
  • Recover on the jog to the shelter by the soccer fields and bathrooms

The Workout:

THANG 1:  Pass the Pill

  • Count of by 2s to divide the pax into two groups
  • Indian Runs (clockwise and counter clockwise) around soccer field with back pax carrying a 25 pound weight as he runs to the front
  • Pax then carefully passes the weight to the back – man by man – repeat while indian running
  • We had 20+ in each group so it took nearly 1.75 laps to get it done.
  • Head to Hunt center field for next

THANG 2:  Bearway to Heaven

  • 40 pax in a line along the side line of soccer field
  • 7 cones set up about 20 feet apart
  • Bear crawl to 1st cone – 7 burpees – run back
  • Bear crawl to 2nd cone – 6 burpees – run back
  • Bear crawl to 3rd cone – 5 burpees – run back
  • Bear crawl to 4th cone – 4 burpees – run back
  • Bear crawl to 5th cone – 3 burpees – run back
  • Bear crawl to 6th cone – 2 burpees – run back
  • Bear crawl to 7th cone – 1 burpee – run back
  • Thanks to the pax for picking the 6 (me) up

Recover on the jog back to the flag for mary / COT

Mary:

  • LBC Ladder (in cadence)
    • 5, 10, 15, 20 – 20, 15, 10, 5)
  • Hand release Merkins x 10
  • we’re done!

Announcements:

Yogi mentioned pax member running 26 hours in honor of bing sober for 26 years

F3 Greenville is having a CSAUP “Sasquach” next weekend – real all about it here – http://www.f3enc.com/backblasts/csaup/2018-sasquatch-pre-blast/ – clown cars forming

Prayers:

Prayers for many pax including

  • Boy George M
  • Doube D Father – ailing health
  • Pablo’s 2.0 – out patient surgery
  • Crablegs
  • Rams (foot)
  • H1N1 (MCL/ACL)

Naked Moleskin:

Thanks to everyone for 4 of the best years of my life.  I never thought that I would get THIS much out of F3.

  • I feel I am in the best shape of my adult life
  • I’ve ran 4 half marathons
  • Made 100s of new true friends
  • Made great strides in my spiritual walk
  • Became a much better husband and father
  • Became a better leader at work
  • this list could go on…

Here’s to 4 more!

 

Ultimate Beatdown at Thunder

15 Pax gathered in mostly reasonable temperatures for another of the ever popular Ultimate frisbee workouts. Two FNGs were present so disclaimers were read and we mosey’d to the turf fields where YHC had already setup a playing field.

Warm up:

10x SSH IC

10x Daisy Picker IC

20x Diamond Merkin – YHC said these would be the last of the merkins for the day, but he was wrong.

 

The thing:

We divided into teams – red/black shirts vs the skittles (all other colors). The dropped disc penalty was established as 1 Turkish Getup, with the scoring team calling a workout to be done x10 (either reps or IC). Scoring exercises were all over the place but there were multiple rounds of burpees, merkins, jump squats and star jumps.

 

40 minutes of play blew by and we wrapped up with some quick left over right/right over left hamstring stretches. Deadbolt even joined us as a surprise guest at CoT.

 

Announcements:

4th of July Convergence

No Thunder on 4th of July

Prayer requests:

Skidmark on the job hunt

 

Tons of fun men, as always appreciate the honor of letting me lead.

Aye,

Pikachu