With a pre-announced smart sack strategy, YHC knew The Marsh would be Steveless. And with a congressional psychology strategy (ask for more than you need then negotiate down to what you want;), Shooter was a lock. The rest of the PAX was going to be a mystery. The rest of the PAX turned out to be The reigning Northshore H8 champion, Waterpik! With a trifecta achieved, we began…
WARMORAMA
15xs IC:
Toe Touches
Cherry Pickers
Torso Twists
Imperial Walkers
High Knees
Butt Kicks
Fire Hydrants
Scorpion Kicks
THANG
We started at the monkey bars with 4 “as long as we can” rounds of this month’s ISI of flexed arm hang/dead hang
Inspired by the consistently frenetic quality of Saturday’s H8 beat down, QIC lead the guys around the block 2 times, with a high rep exercise at each corner:
50 merkins
50squats
100 LBCs
50 lunges
50 100s
50 jump squats
50 freak nasties (a la conveniently placed neighborhood bench)
50 freddy mercurys
10 burpees
MARY
The PAX finished with some well-deserved and much-appreciated yoga stretches
COT
Q took us out with appreciation of his F3 bothers and the day full of possibilities and opportunities. Many thanks, guys, for your diligence an effort. There can be no one to lead if there is no one to follow.
With a high of 59, 20% chance of rain and breezy, the forecast promised an invigorating and intense Saturday beat down. But instead, morning rain, still, humid air and Jose 10K helped deliver and invigorating and intense Saturday beat down!
PRE THANG
The usual pre-thang suspects gathered at the usual pre-thang time to run the usual pre-thang 2 miles. T-claps to to Waterpik for taking the pre-thang red pill, despite a scheduling conflict for the beat down proper.
WARM O RAMA
x20 IC:
SSH
Imperial Walkers
Butt Kicks
Slow Squats
Cherry Pickers
Arm Circles (10>, 10<)
THANG
The newly spoken-for King of the Pre-Thang and this month’s current ISI crusader Jose` 10K joined YHC for his VQ, and the baton was now passed his way. The PAX mosied to the Marsh for 10K’s very own On the Clock. 12 stations were set up in a circle, including merkins, jump squats, LBCs, putins, shoulder taps, lateral jumps over cones, soccer ball taps (rocky balboas), peter parkers, plank jacks, and 3 others. moving from station to station, round 1 was 41 seconds each, round 2 was 30 seconds each.
Pax mosied down Larmarque back to the lakefront where we split into 2 teams for 4 rounds of sloppy tug-of-war. Winners got to pick from 2 options for the losers’ penalty exercise while they planked. There was a “HALF-assed” 100 yard bear crawls, 25 burpees, 50 mountain climbers, and 100 LBCs.
After the last round, we mosied back to the flag all holding on to the battle rope for the last 2 minutes.
MARY
With 2 minutes to spare, Jose lead the PAX in a quick round of righ and left side jane fondas.
COT
Count off and name-o-rama, before Pastor Grundy prayed us out. Congrats to Jose 10K for poppin’ his cherry! It was a great beatdown, and we look forwards to more opportunities to experience his leadership.
POST SCRIPT
Of course, a proper back blast would not be complete without special mentions of Zoolander’s kilt…will it make another appearance tonight?
Today was a prime example of the efficacy of the self-EH strategy of signing up to Q. After a horrendous night sleep, YHC was begrudgingly ready to get some miles in with the always semi-chipper PAX known colloquially as the City Hall Scramblers.
WARM O RAMA
Windmills x15
Imperial Walkers x15
Torso Twists x15
High Knees x 17
Donkey Kicks rx10, lx10
Down Dog Merkins (credit Chewy for naming rights) x15
Scorpion Kicks x15
THANG
The tradish Old Mandeville route was tackled this gloom. Garfield smartly listened to his body and passed on Sun Set Point. YHC wished he had done the same down the final stretch. Avoiding thoughts of a post-post trail run with Steve as best as possible, Q instead focused on one foot in front of the other in the NOW.
MARY
Taking advantage of the pull up bar at the park, the PAX each tested their metal in this month’s ISI of flexed-arm hangs, while the rest of the group did unending LBCs, Freddy Mercurys, and Heel Touches.
COT
Garfield took us out with positive vibes and grand hopes for the day. Thanks for posting , guys, and for following the sometimes predictable, yet often unpredictable lead of he who is feared by bushes far and wide!
POST SCRIPT
Steve and I did successfully complete a 1 mile trail run without being attacked, or otherwise molested by: alligators, snakes, spiders (though their webs kept things interesting), raccoons, squirrels, or devilish forest gnomes. We are looking forward to adding more miles and more men to the next run!
POST POST SCRIPT
I passed an active scene with a very totaled St Tammany Sherrif’s suburban on the way home. Please say some prayers for the officer invoved.
My F3 name was changed for the day. Today Bushwacker was called Robin…because QIC was wingin’ it!
There’s something about the Marsh that quietly brings the pain. If you’ve ever posted there, you kinda get YHC’s meaning. And so, quietly, we began…
WARM UP
15xs IC:
Toe Touches
Air Presses
Torso Twists
Wind Mills
High Knees
Imperial Walkers (I thin)
THANG
The PAX ran to the seawall, stopping at each intersection to do 50xs OYO:
Merkins
SSH
Squats
Freak Nasties
Step Ups
Mosied to Rips for:
Freddy Mercuries/LBCs while each man ran up the stairs, did 10 squats/SSH, then down and back up for 10 more Squats/SSH
We returned down Marigny with 50xs OYO:
High Knees
Planks Jacks
some other exercises
ans 25 Burpees!
COT
With The Pelican’s theory of the blessed good fortune of Judas Iscariot still on my mind (if he ever posts on a saturday you can ask him), he prayed us out to greet the day before us.
Thanks, guys, for being the wind beneath my wings!
RunRangerRun is 50% complete, and according to northshore team 1 captain, Steve, we are in 7th place for runners nation-wide! The maverick machine, Amnesia, has taken sole ownership of team 2, and chugging along! With all of that in mind, YHC pulled in this gloom just in time to jump into the 2 mile pre-thang along with the other pre-thangers, as well as the pre-pre-thangers. With Butt Splice in the mix, there would indeed be a competitive pace man to chase.
The rest of the Saturday warriors were eagerly assembled in the hazy morning around the flag in anticipation of the beatdown in store for them. With the House of Steve under quarantine, Captain Core stepped in to cover Q.
WARM O RAMA
15xs IC:
Cherry Pickers
Arm Circles (forward 10/reverse 10)
Imperial Walkers
Torso Twists
High Knees
Slow Squats
20 Merkins OYO
THANG
Mosied to the Gazebo for:
20 Bay City Scissors – 8 count (horribly bungled in the case), with Flutter Kicks for 1-4 and Hello Dollys for 5-8
25 Irkins on the sea wall
20 more Bay City Scissor (thanks to Zoolander for selflessly pushing the PAX;)
Mosied to the far side of the fountain for:
Big Os – on the sea wall, with legs extended, swing legs in on O. IC 10 counter clockwise, 10 clockwise
25 Dirkins
Partner up for:
While P1 runs to designated tree 25 yards or so away and back to switch out, P2 does cumulative: 1) 200 Chill Cut Peter Parkers 2) 200 Freddy Mercurys and 3) 200 Gas Pumps (legs extended and in for a crunch)
25 Freak Nasties
10 Burpees
5 Burpees
20 Merkins
Mosied back to the gazebo for:
Guantanamo – circle up on your 6, legs straight up. each man take s a turn to go around the circle pushing legs down, as each man brings them back to the sky. Today’s exercise just showed that guys can turn ANYTHING into a competition!
20 Paddy Cake Merkins – Head to head, partners do simultaneous merkins and alternatingly slap hands
Mosey back to the flag for:
25 Ic:
100s
Putins
Little Manny Crunches
Monkey Crunches – in sit-up position, crunch and reach for the outside of your ankles
30 seconds each of: Plank, Chill Cut, Mission Impossible, Chill Cut, Plank, 1 hand- right arm up, 1 hand – left hand up, Back Plank (Heeeey Baby!), Freddy Mercurys
Tanked Up has the anticipation building for his F3 party on March 16th and 2nd-timer, Shrimp Boots prayed us out.
Great job done by a hardCORE PAX , with much appreciation for following QICs lead. May your activities of daily be preformed more steadily with your freshly worked core.
With no Shooter, Steve or Chewy, it was no “old guard” and all “new guard” (The Pelican being “mid-guard”?) on this chilly Valentine’s morning. With Ringo rolling in hot and a little late (but back to his customary F3 winter uniform), the PAX had warm ups already underway.
20 IC:
Toe Touches
Imperial Walkers
Torso Twists
High Knees
Abe Vigodas
With RRR in mind, YHC had intended close to 5miles in the gloom, but given an odd assortment of excuses mixed with a dusting of miscommunication, while the route slightly altered, the distance remained the same.
Coconuts and Garfield lead the pack, with Ringo and The Pelican covering the middle ground, and Waterpik and YHC pulling the caboose.
With 10 minutes to Mary, we finished with: Downward Dog, Lizard Pose, Planks, Chill Cut Planks, Mission Impossible Planks, Right/Left Side Planks.
Pelican prayed us out, and off we went to welcome the day! Thanks to Waterpik for hanging back with this stumbling fool, to Coconuts for swinging back for us mosiers, and to the PAX for following instruction, if not lead.
I’m very impressed and proud of the new wave of consistency and leadership in F3 Northshore that has been built on the leadership and committment that each of us found already here when we were FNGs. I consider this group to be a valuable and integral part of my life, and the lives of its member. Always remember, WE are F3 Northshore. Without US, it does not exist.
“The night was hot, wait no, the night, the night was humid. The night was humid, no wait, hot, hot. The night was hot. The night was hot and wet, wet and hot. The night was wet and hot, hot and wet, wet and hot; that’s humid. The night was humid.”
The gloom of February 6th showed us that, as colossal as the beatdown may have been, Spring ( with an identity crisis of Summer) has reared its humid head a little early for this guy’s taste. And with it came the fluttering of mighty sweat-angel wings! So bring your towels and changes of shirts, grab an extra water or 2, and don’t forget your A-game because it’s time to perspire like a proper PAX preposterously early in the AM!
PRETHANG
10 minutes early, 6 road warriors gathered to run a mighty mile , and wave good morning to Steve’s brother-in-law’s house.
WARMUP
All IC x20:
Alternating Air Presses
Bent Arm Lateral Shoulder Raises
Torso Twists
Imperial Walkers
High Knees
SSHTHANG
PAX mosied to the front of the court house for:
Jump Squat Holds – In a circle, Q counted off as the PAX did 10 jump squats followed by 10 seconds of Al Gores. Each PAX took a turn, lowering the rep/second count by 1
Jonny Drama – Using handrails for stability on the steps, PAX did 25 negative calf raises
Mosied to the parking garage and all the way to the top level and did 20 Jackees – burpees with a SSH at the end
Mosied back to the bottom and did…
San Antonio Shuffle (x10) – left leg lunge, right leg lunge, burpee with a plank jack
Mosied back to the top for 12, 8, and 4…
SSH Jumps – Starting in chair position, SSH with a squat
MARY
Mosied back down and onward to home base where the Wacker of Abs lead this hardcore group of F3 brothers in:
LMCs (Little Manny Crunches) – Like an LBC, but hold the crunch for a three count. 50 reps at varied pace of cadence
James Bonds – On your 6, leaning back slightly, feet off the ground hold your hands together like you’re holding a gun out in front of you. Hold for 10 seconds, turn to the right, middle, left, middle
Reach-Through Mid-sit ups (for lack of a better name) – on your back, knees bent, feet on the ground, hands reach forward between your knees. More than a crunch – less than a sit up
Plank 30 seconds, Chill Cut Plank 30 seconds, Mission Impossible Plank 30 seconds, Plank 30 seconds, 10 IC of a nameless exercise in which from plank position reach right hand to outside of left knee, then left hand to outside of right knee.
COT
Count Off/Name-o-rama
Maverick prayed us out and into a productive and positively influential day.
Thanks for following my lead through the toils of shirt-soaking physical fitness in the gloom! It is my sincere hope that you all found prodigious amounts of value at The Gipper today.
tick…tock…tick…tock…The countdown is on! THE most extreme and hardcore athletic event in the United States, if not the world will be here in less than 48 hours (as of the writing of this back blast). The best of the best of the best will descend upon the Mandeville Lakefront to face the brutal elements brought forth just in the nick of time by the obsequious mother nature. Tank tops – CHECK, freedom hammer – CHECK, blustery cold weather – CHECK…it’s GO TIME!
WARM-O
10, 15, or 20 of:
toe touches
torso twists
high knees
butt kicks
fire hydrants
scorpion kicks
In order to get the running faithful of the city hall scramble a lil taste of the ivan route, QIC changed it up and lead the PAX down monroe, following the the loop, and up w. beach to the last bit o lakeshore dr. before heading back.
MARY-ISH
Waiting for the PAX at the AO was the legendary, yet sinister, DICE O DOOM! We each had a roll and , much to the relief of every soul assembled, there was no roll for 50 burpees!
COUNT-O/NAME-O
Chewy prayed us out. Thanks guys for following my crippled lead and best of luck to all who won’t be in FLORIDA saturday night!
QIC takes some pride in the idea that a Saturday beat down with Bushwacker as Q is going to be fairly intense (even if that idea is only in my head). F3 means different things to different guys. For some, it’s a great workout with some great motivation. To others, it’s having fun hanging out with fun guys who share similar values. And yet to to others, it’s an opportunity to lead and be lead, while setting an example and support for their brothers. To YHC, F3 is all of that and more! It can be said that there is a duty to the men who get out of the sack to meet the gloom for the Q to provide value at any given AO. How much value did you find today……?
Pre-THANG FOREPLAY
Rolling in a few ticks behind schedule, YHC was grateful to run into a healthy pack of pre-thang PAX on the return trip of their 2 mile tour.
WARM-O-RAMA
15XS each IC:
SSH
High Knees
Good Mornings
Butt Kicks
Windmills
THANG
Four Corners: Girod, Claiborne, Marigny, Lakeshore
En route to the Marsh, YHC anticipated some HATE, some 40 degree, t-shirt wearin’, sweat angels, and some inspiring men whose presence would spark the beginning of another fruitful day. All expectations were duly met, with the exception of the presupposition of sweat angels, as we found ourselves, despite confirming the previous night, Shooterless in the gloom! *ahem* FART SACKIN *cough* (pot, meet kettle) Waterpik covered the 40 degree t-shirt, The youthful Grundy posted as indicated Saturday, and the Monday staple Garfield reminded us by his consistency that age is just a number (RESPECT RESPECT).
WARM O RAMA
15-20 IC:
AirPresses
Arm Circles
Imperial Walkers
Toe Touches
Hi Knees
Fire Hydrants
Scorpion Kicks
THANG
It was time to drop YHC’s 2nd McDuece of the morning…the dirty kind! (slightly extended)
Regularly 4 sets (5 today) of 3 exercises (chest,core,legs) at 12 reps each. The PAX ran the long block and back in between each set.
Garfield prayed us out which got QIC’s gears turning as the PAX set out to tackle, or gently coerce into submission, the day!
Amen roughly means “It is so”, and derives from the Hebrew amen (with a dash over the a and e) which means “certainty” or “truth.” Many things in life are certain or true, we know them to be so. Understanding the “hows” or “whys” of such things are not, however, always so certain. Why do we derive strength from others? How do we inspire family, friends, and co-workers to strive to be their best selves? We see, we acknowledge, we know… sometimes it’s simply enough to appreciate and say Thank You! (and good night?)
Thank YOU brave warriors of the gloomy marsh, for submitting yourselves to my implied experience and following my lead, as I gladly pay my F3 dues
