F3 New Orleans

Author: Tool

  • Stomp #153 – The Tribe Has Spoken

    A few more miles were added to the F3 odometer this Tuesday at The Stomp.  The scheduled Q was unable to make it so YHC became appointed to take the helm.  In an effort to mix things up, YHC suggested a Wisner route with some laps on the overpass but the silence and lack of enthusiasm meant the tribe had spoken so we opted to go the bayou route, as per Kimchi’s suggestion.  We ran for 40 minutes (20 out, 20 back) and enjoyed a little F2 chat early on before the PAX spread out at.  T-claps to Smooth for pushing hard and knocking out a little extra distance at the end.  Also, t-claps to Abacus for becoming a regular at The Stomp and becoming a better runner.  Once back, we utilized the last 5 minutes for: LBC x25, Penguins x15, Burpees x10, Plankorama 1 min, Hip Flexors 1 min.  COT to cap things off.  Solid way to start the day.

    Tool

  • 300 is the # of the day

    Warm, gloomy, and muggy…perfect conditions for a F3 sweat fest.  That’s what YHC encountered as I made my way to the usual Foundry meeting spot.  It was 5:26 and not a soul in sight.  Was everyone getting their beauty rest?  Was I the only one from Team World that was manly (or crazy) enough to post twice in one day???  Fortunately several guys soon rolled up bringing our total to 7 PAX by kick off time.  With the Gnarley Nutria 15 hours later, the plan was to keep our legs fresh and focus on the core and upper body.  YHC had originally planned to bring out some concrete blocks but hit a snag with rain and time so on to plan B, albeit a hastily thrown together one.  Here’s what we did:
    Mosey down RM to the grassy area adjacent to the lagoon for a long no-impact warmup with a theme that would build as we went.  We knocked out 30ea of the following exercises IC:  IPW, AC, WM, Peter Parkers, Low Country Crab, Hill Billies, Shoulder Taps, 2 others??, and closed out with 30 Merkins OYO…..totaling 300 exercises in all.
    Then on to the illuminated NOLA 300 sign near the Big Lake.  In lieu of lighting 300 birthday candles for our great city, we instead would knock out 300 reps of a few different exercises, starting with:
    Partner Plank Slaps, aka Patty Cakes x50 followed by short mosey to lake ledge for Dips x25 OYO (ea PAX)
    Then PSx40, Dipsx20, PSx30, Dipsx15, PSx20, Dipsx10, PSx10, Dipsx5….totaling 150 PS and cumulative 150 Dips….only half-way there.  A PAX suggested we visit the water fountain so the audible led us to tweak the plan.  After a short mosey to hydrate, we knocked out round 2 of above exercises near the museum pond/ledge for a total of 300 PS and 300 Dips….Happy Birthday NOLA!  Wait, there’s more….
    Circle up around the oval pond/ledge for a few rounds of cumulative count exercises in an effort to once again reach 300:
    Round 1 – All PAX hold decline plank position, then in clockwise motion individually knock out a Derkin calling out the count until 100…each PAX did 14-15 in addition to holding a declined plank….lot’s of blood flowing to the head.
    Round 2 – Hold Russian Twist position and go around to 100.  In hindsight, YHC should have called for continuous RT but either way we were sweating.
    Round 3 – Hold inclined plank and go around to 100.
    Mosey back to the flag for COT.  Great way to start the day!
    Tool

  • Stomp #150 – Faster and Stronger Together

    “If everyone is moving forward together, then success takes care of itself.” – Henry Ford

    Before most people rolled out of bed this morning, 15 men got faster and stronger by posting at the The Stomp, a F3 running workout that meets every Tuesday in City Park, with this week being our 150th beatdown.  Some might ask, why would a bunch of guys drive from their homes to another location to simply run and maybe crank out a few body weight exercises?  Surely that can be done by walking out your front door and moseying down your street.  Burpees and core work can be done anywhere, right?   No need to get in a car and drive to do that, right?  Well for many of us, meeting up as a group, when possible, to do these things seems to help in several ways.  If you’re reading this, you probably grasp this already and routinely post at F3 workouts to push yourself, push others, break the boredom, and try exercise routines you may not normally do on your own.  Plus you get to heckle the usual suspects, rib on Hawg for always being late, as well as enjoy the 2nd F and 3rd F in the process.  For YHC, the Tuesday Stomp has been one I rarely miss since I know I’ll probably run further and/or faster that I would solo.  It also makes me put my running shoes on at 5:10 instead of 20-30-40min later and squeezing in a quick, lazy run before work.  For those that enjoy running and haven’t posted on Tuesdays, I suggest you put it on your radar.

    As the PAX trickled in, cool to see some a few more guys than usual.  Hopefully they weren’t expecting YHC to have some elaborate plan in store.  As go time came near, the plan was to run the Bayou route, 20 min out and 20 min back, but with a little twist…to try to start as a group and finish as a group.  Therefore we formed two lines for an Indian Run to the museum, then keep going at your own pace toward the bayou.  Once back at the flag, turn around and run back to sweep the six in an effort to finish as a group.  The IR went well with a 8:40 pace which is probably faster than most of us would have started with…t-claps to the PAX for pushing hard.  T-claps to Hawg for catching up to us despite being tardy, again.  Total distance covered varied from approx 3-5 miles.

    Once back, we had 4 minutes for the finale, or “sealing the deal”.  Since BURPEES were part of the original 610 Stomp, it was only fitting to work some in.  We partnered up for a burpee/plank countdown.  PAX 1 knocked out 10 burpees, while PAX 2 held a low plank.  Flip flop, then a round of 9 burpees, then 8,…with time running out around the 7-8 mark for most.  T-claps to Cowbell for demonstrating his new plank form with knees touching the ground…you get a pass since you helped lead the running pack.

    COT to cap things off.  YHC intended to bring up some cool pep-talk like stuff regarding the 150th Stomp milestone, however the run and burpees brought on a sweaty buzz.  Announcements include lots of races and events coming up so check your email or GroupMe if interested.

    Thanks for the opportunity to lead.

    Tool

  • More Tool in lieu of more Cowbell

    Nineteen men posted to get the usual Saturday fix at The Mothership.  YHC filled in as Q for Cowbell who anticipated a late night at the Taylor Swift concert or something of the sorts.  Typical June conditions meant we were in for another sweat fest but nothing the PAX couldn’t handle.  YHC has been slacking lately on themed workouts and didn’t want to throw together a last minute history tour so then plan was a no-frills workout in an effort to deliver a beatdown to all, and make sure to include plenty Merkins for the ISI challenge.  As the PAX trickled in, it was good to see some 2nd and 3rd timers in the mix which is always a good thing.  After the disclaimer, we were off in a longer than usual mosey around the Great Lawn, made clear by Rain Man, and circled up for the Pre-Thang:

    SSH x25, AC x20, WM x10, IPW x25

    Then we lined up on one side of the lawn for a bear crawl halfway followed by a lunge walk the other half.

     

    Next up, a mosey around Storyland to the back of TG Stadium where we broke up into three groups for:

    Group 1 – Wall Sit against the train shed, which we made base for the circuit

    Group 2 – Run to the Refinery for 10 pullups and 10 inverted rows, or any combo of the two, run back and plank

    Group 3 – Run to the prison bars, aka Tool Wall, for calf raises x40, run back and plank

    After one round, rinse and repeat.

     

    Then a mosey to the Museum water fountain where we lined up along the trees for:

    Merkins x10, Squats x10 (OYO) at each light pole, run to the next…think think were 10 poles.

     

    How bout some Mary:  LBC x20, Box Cutters x20, Penguins x25

    How bout an Indian Run:  PAX split in two groups, one on each side of Lelong Dr., down and back (almost half mile), with a little friendly competition along the way.  T-claps to Rudy for the Nascar-like announcing.

    This brought us back to the light poles so this time we knocked out Merkins x5 and Squats x5 at each one, plank and wait/hydrate by the water fountain.

     

    More Mary:

    LBTs ? x20

    Merkins x10 OYO

    Russin Twist a la Jingle Vader x20?

    Merkins x10 OYO

    Mahatma took the mic for: Dying Cockroach x10, keep feet up, Flutter Kicks x10, repeat

    Time to head back to base.  Total ground covered was 2.68mi.  Merkin count was 170 for those in the ISI challenge.

    COT to seal the deal.  Coffeeteria included some good F2 followed by bible study…t-claps Woz.

    Thanks for the opportunity to lead.

    Tool

     

     

  • Another NOTC 2 Miler in the Books

    Great turnout this year for the NOTC 2 Miler in City Park!  F3 stepped up once again to co-sponsor one of the Summer Series races and we lucked out with good weather and some good F2 to boot.  The F3 tent looked sharp with the signage, flags, flyers, and even a fancy tablecloth…t-claps Gabrielle for the attention to detail!  We managed to get some EH-ing in pre-race and post race, as well as good visibility in general.

    The Race:  Two miles through City Park.  Several PAX put it in high gear while a few others throttled back due to the aftermath of a Murph that morning.  T-claps for those out there with the 2.0’s, including Shorty running with his “shorty” in a stroller.  Lots of F3 regulars running as well as some occasional gloomers.

    The Post-Race festivities:  The F3 tent was hopping with the distribution of Mango Freeze, so graciously donated by the fine folks that make it for Jazz Fest.  Since cute 11&12 yr old girls handing it out seemed way more appetizing than us sweaty dudes, we put a few of our 2.0’s to work.  T-claps to Da Parish for providing the snazzy bottled water to hand out, complements of his insurance business.  The crowds were also treated several other tents serving beer, jambalaya, snacks, and more.  The biceps got plenty loving with lots of 12oz curls.

    The PAX that stuck around till the end were treated to some entertainment from a random, naturally-nawlins character, who is a former Marine and said he might show up in the gloom with us for some PT.

    Thanks to those who contributed to the sponsorship collection.  We have funds left over that will most likely go towards the upcoming F3 Family Picnic on July 21.

    A good time was had by all.  Visit runnotc.org for info on the next three Summer Series races and several other events.

    Tool

     

  • Stomp #144

    A half dozen of NOLA’s most elite, middle-aged athletic phenoms showed up on Tuesday to prove we can still run like, or even better than, a bunch of youngsters.  After exchanging the usual pleasantries and kicking around some ideas on which route we’d run, it was concluded that we would embark on a variation the original route, which is now safe and enjoyable since we have some daylight to work with.  This week’s Stomp entailed the following:

    Mosey OYO down Marconi to Harrison (or Filmore for the non-conformists), down Harrison to Wisner, Wisner to the road in front of Pan Am, then make your way to the practice track which was 3.15 mile, or 4.5ish for the show-offs that went to Filmore.  Once back at the track, use remaining time for some speedwork, running the straightaways and jogging/walking the turns.  We headed back to the flag with a few minutes left for Plankorama and hip flexors to make sure we stay young and agile.  All PAX were able to run between 4-5 miles ea in 40+ minutes….well done men!

    Always a good way to start the day.  Thanks for the opportunity to lead.

    Tool

     

     

  • Curls For The Girls

    Seven men got some loving with rocks on Friday at Pontiff…gotta get those guns and upper body honed for the summer.  No running involved so lot’s of time to hopefully build some muscle.  Here’s what we did:

    • IPW x25
    • Goofballs x20
    • AC x20
    • WM x20
    • Crab Cakes x20
    • LS Squat x20
    • 1 round of Crowd Pleasers (Merkin:Groiner, 1:1, 2:2, 3:3, 4:4, 5:5, 4:4, 3:3, 2:2, 1:1)

    Headed to the rock pile and grab something large for curling then circled up for Curls x12 IC

    Deposited large rock over outfield fence, grabbed a regular/medium rock, lifted overhead, and lined up for an Indian Lunge Walk to the field entrance.  From there we deposited med rock on baseline, then bear crawled to get large rock.

    Next up, everyone’s favorite, 11’s:

    • Side #1 – Curls w/large rock
    • Bear Crawl approx 10yds to…
    • Side #2 – Squat Press w/med rock
    • Backwards Bear Crawl Back

    Then time to break for some Mary:

    • Rosalita x25
    • Penguins x20
    • WWII Sit Ups x20
    • Chest Press w/large rock x20
    • Flutter Kick holding rock above chest x20
    • Russian Twist x20
    • Row ? x20?

    Just enough time left for one last upper body COP, this time rotating clockwise and using next rock in line.  YHC mentioned it never hurts to try some “strange”.  Seven rocks so seven quick rounds, all IC:

    • Curls x5
    • Curls x5
    • Curls x5
    • Shoulder Press x5
    • Shoulder Press x5
    • Curls x5
    • Curls x5

    Walked back to base, keeping rocks moving the whole time with more presses and curls.

    COT to cap things off.  Fine job men!

    Tool

     

     

     

  • Whiskey-free Wednesday

    City Park was graced this am with the presence of 11 F3 gurus ready to get stronger.  Summer is almost here so time to get the guns in shape and the dad-bods ready for the beach/poolside.  What better way to do that than some upper body circuits with a little something for the core as well.  YHC also reminded the PAX that we should strive to push ourselves the entire workout, and modify if you need to and not just because you want to.  This lead to a motivational gem from the F3 Lexicon that we’ve touched on in the past:  WHISKEY-DICKING (verb)-“Half stepping through a Workout or other Event. More generally, execution of anything without sufficient Zeal.”  After the disclaimer, here’s what we did:

    Mosey down RM with a pit stop for a warmup COP:

    • IPW x25
    • WM x20
    • Peter Parker x20
    • Lunge X20
    • Bat Wings x1 round (AC FWDx20, AC BWDx20, Seal Clapsx20, Overhead Claps x20)

    Next stop, The Foundry, where men become manly men.  YHC used the F3 website to get a few new ideas and opted to see what a 1/2 CINDY would be like.  This was a timed circuit (10 min instead of the usual 20), OYO rounds of 5 Pull Ups, 10 Merkins, 15 Squats, rinse and repeat AMRAP.  This was a tad long but some good mumblechatter helped pass the time.  We did approx 8-12 rounds ea.  It was also good practice for the upcoming MURPHs on the radar.

    Time to give the arms and shoulders a break so a little Mary it was:

    • LBT x25
    • Box Cutter x25
    • Non-whiskey-dick Penguins x15

    Partner up for a circuit of Plank Slaps (or some other name???):

    • Plank Slaps x50,  8-ct Body Builders x5
    • Plank Slaps x40,  8-ct Body Builders x4
    • Plank Slaps x30,  8-ct Body Builders x3
    • Plank Slaps x20,  8-ct Body Builders x2
    • Plank Slaps x10,  8-ct Body Builders x1

    From there, we headed back toward the flag with a stop at 6 different benches for Dips OYO x30, x25, x20, x15, x10, x5.  T-claps to Mahatma for pushing hard and knocking out some lagniappe Merkins.

    COT to cap off the morning.

    Good job men!

    Tool

     

     

     

     

  • Bayou Barathon Warm-up

    Six of F3’s finest gathered for an evening workout this Wednesday to sharpen our bodies (and livers) in preparation for the upcoming barathon.  For many of us that typically run in the morning, YHC finds it helpful to occasionally get in some runs later in the day as to be that much more ready for any night races.  Since a plain old 45 min run can often be lackluster and split up the group, YHC thought we’d mix it up a bit.  The goal was to get in at least 3 miles , broken up with some other cardio, a little mary, and maybe even down a beer or two to get ready for next Fri.  YHC informed the PAX that we’d be making some of this up on the fly since this AO has some uncharted territory and we wanted to keep the ice chest within reach.  Here’s what we did:

    Quick COP for warmup: SSH x15, Windmill x15, IW x10

    Then an Indian Run straight down the Lafitte Greenway to Broad St, which was 1/2 mile.  We were all able to stay with the pack and make it there in a 8:20 pace.

    Burpees x10 with lots of curious onlookers driving by.

    Then, a 1/2 mile run back to base at your own pace, once back, turn around and run back to sweep the six and finish up together.

    From there, a mosey down the other side of LG with a pit stop in the grass for:

    • Partner Plank Slaps x50, 5 Burpees
    • Partner Plank Slaps x40, 4 Burpees
    • Partner Plank Slaps x30, 3 Burpees
    • Partner Plank Slaps x20, 2 Burpees
    • Partner Plank Slaps x10, 1 Burpee

    More moseying down LG with some backpedaling thrown in for good measure.  Then back to the ice chest for a 90 second hydration break including Miller High Life and Aquafina.

    From there, we headed over Bayou St. John for two loops on the paved area, totaling approx .75 miles.

    Back to base again for quick hydration and a few LBCs before returning back to the LG for the finale.  YHC was thinking we’d finish up with a partner run and bear crawl circuit but quickly realized after one round that the stickers in the grass along with the hot asphalt were not conducive to an enjoyable bear crawl.  We switched gears to a run OYO down and back on the LG for the last 9 minutes to cap off the first F.  Total distance covered was approx 3.43+/- miles.

    COT to seal the deal and then some good F2 on the neutral ground as we continued to hydrate.  T-claps to Heisenberg for bringing the champagne of beers.  Bayou Beer Garden was calling our name so we made our way to the back deck for some additional F2.  T-claps to Da Parish for inviting his buddy Zack and T-claps to Gabrielle for joining us to help solve all the world’s problems.

    Thanks for the opportunity to lead and thanks for bearing with YHC as we got through an unconventional workout.  Hopefully those that posted will now be able to knock out 6 miles, 6 beers, and 6 bars with no problem.

    Tool

     

  • Trifecta of Anniversaries

    Rewind 3 years ago to a rainy Saturday morning in April when YHC was coaxed into coming to his first F3 workout, standing in the dark amid the mud and a bunch of dudes calling each other by goofy names.  Not exactly the best way to spend a Saturday morning but I went with the flow since my buddy Amensty assured me it would be way more fun than my usual morning jog.  Just a few minutes in, I quickly learned what a burpee was and silently cursed whoever invented it.  The rest of the workout went about the same and an hour later, after almost bailing mid-way, I was still standing, feeling a newfound sense of accomplishment.

    Three years and umpteen burpees later, there I was standing in the same spot preparing to lead 16 other men through a workout that would not only touch on the greatest hits of the past few years, but also pay homage to the NOLA Tricentennial celebration going on throughout the city.  Let’s face it, 300 reps of an exercise is way better than 3.  Weather was 60 degrees with clear skies, the optimal conditions for running around and testing the limits of our almost late model chassis.  The PAX had a good mix of guys from The World and Uptown along with a visitor, F3 Thibodaux, currently living China, previously from N.C., originally from the NO area.  Here’s what went down:

    Warmup on The Great Lawn:

    • SSH x30
    • Burpees x3
    • IW x20
    • Burpees x3  (“I see where this is going” -The Peanut Gallery)
    • Arm Circles x20
    • Burpees x3
    • Windmill x20
    • Burpees x3
    • Low Country Crab x20
    • Burpees x10 (Expect the unexpected…learned that in my first workout)

    Next up, a mosey to The Foundry for some pimping.  Here we knocked out 3 rounds of PIMPS OYO:

    • Pull Ups x5
    • IW x10
    • Merkins x15
    • Plank Jacks x20
    • Squats x25

    Mosey towards the museum and hook a left in the grass not far from the NOLA 300 sign.  This is one of 4 signs erected around town to commemorate the 300th anniversary of New Orleans.  Since the Tricentennial celebration has been in full swing the past few weeks, YHC thought we’d acknowledge that with some Dora 3-3-3.  This involved partnering up, with partner #1 running (approx 30 yds?) to the NOLA 300 sign, cranking out 3 burpees, and running back while partner #2 keeps a cumulative count of:

    • 300 Hello Dollys (single count)
    • 300 Alternating Shoulder Taps (count each tap)
    • 300 LBT

    This proved to be a circuit that kept the PAX busy for a while.  YHC often dreaded the drawn-out circuits of Dora, elevens, etc in the early days but now have a love/hate feeling when doing them….always hate when they start but smile when they’re done cause they push us more than one would typically done solo.  After this, we made our way over to the water fountain for hydration and a little planking.  From there, a mosey back towards the same area but this time we lined up along with neutral ground curb, facing the NOLA 300 sign where we knocked out:  100 Rocky Balboas OYO, bear crawl to opposite curb for 10 merkins, then backwards bear crawl back.  Rinse and repeat twice for a total of 3 rounds and 300 Rocky Balboas.  YHC heard zero mumble chatter on this so apparently/hopefully it had the PAX in a zone.

    Next up we circled up in a nearby field, this time in the shade just for Rudy, for a round of The Suck.  For those unfamiliar, it’s a fairly new circuit we’ve done a few times that always seems to bring excitement and cheers from the PAX.  The Suck consists of SSHx6, Jump Squatsx6, Merkinsx6, as many times as possible in 3 minutes, calling out your count after each circuit.  Typically this is best enjoyed with 2-3 rounds broken up by a minute of rest in between, but time was ticking and the PAX had to settle for just a single round.  T-claps to the crew for pushing hard and to those who approached the 8,9,10? mark.

    As we started to make our way back to the flag, there was just enough time to pay homage to one last anniversary.  It just so happened to be YHC’s 17th wedding anniversary so what better way to celebrate than 17 burpees.  The commemoration of me losing my bachelorhood was followed by a mosey back to base where we called it a morning.

    COT included YHC thanking the PAX for pushing me over the past 3 years to become stronger, faster, healthier, and a better leader.  I’ve reaped many more benefits from this than I did jogging on my own.  Prayed for safe travels for Thibodaux, Mahatma’s two youngest sons, and a few other things YHC was too woozy to recall.

    Moleskin:  I often recall something I read a few years ago in a backblast from a fellow PAX in South Carolina (?) that hit his one year mark of posting with F3.  Among many other things, he said something along the lines of, “…I used to think my glory days were behind me but I now realize they are yet to come.”  I’ll have to try to dig that out of the archives.  It was a cool and inspiring post.

    Thanks for the opportunity to lead, and most of all thanks for all the great beatdowns over the past few years.

    Tool