F3 New Orleans

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  • 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

     

  • Fear Does Not Exist In This Dojo

    Except maybe when it comes to 10k merkins in a month.  And with approximately 6660 merkins bearing down on us ISI challengers for the remainder of the month, it was really no surprise what would be on today’s menu.  YHC would try to alter the flavor slightly, but whether it’s in the form of Bushwacker-sans’ Deck o’ Death (416 straight), or Maverick-sans’ Mucho Chesto Extravaganza (200+ spread over the course of an hour), it all ultimately goes down the same (with a lot of grunting and groaning).  

    Paint The Fence: GWs, Toe Touches, Imperial Squat Walkers, Windmills, SSHs, Seal Jacks.

    Wax on, Wax Off: Time to leave the premises.  PAX would be running 5 blocks to the lakefront, alternating between 2 exercises at each intersection: 25x merkins / 40x IC flutter kicks.  Who knew it’d be the flutter kicks that got us?

    Sweep The Leg:  Once to the lakefront, lunge walk to the sea wall.  Gusty winds and crashing waves gave this beatdown some much-needed gravitas, as we stood  atop the wall to do calf raises (40x IC).  Even though it was a dicey proposition considering the balance issues YHC was having with the calf raises, we elected to stay atop the sea wall for Jump Squats, x20.  No one pulled a Waterboy and jumped in.  “Balance good, everything good.  Balance bad, better pack up and go home.”  Then Knee-Ups (each leg, 15x), Bulgarians (each leg 15x), and finally some Monkey Humpers to finish off the leg portion of this beatdown.

    No Mercy: Next up, a merkin/groiner combo.  Ascending first (up to 5 merks / 5 groaners) and then back down.  

    Going Home In A Body Bag: And finally, that’s right, we returned the way we came – alternating between 25 merkins and 40 flutters at each intersection.  T-claps to Pik, who’s nursing a couple injuries and somehow made it through unscathed. A minute late but finished with the COT, Pik prayed us out.

    As you can probably tell, this was a retroactively-themed beatdown.  Maybe one day I’ll prepare a bit more and pick up where Grundy-san left off with his well-thought out movie themed beatdown.  But for now, this’ll have to do.  Thanks guys, sincerely, for coming out and for the opportunity to lead.  Not just today but for the past year and a half.  It’s gonna be tough not having this group of guys to lean on for support for the next few months.  I won’t get too sappy, but let’s just say that going back to the days of sad clown workouts will indeed be… sad.   You guys will be missed.

    But I’ll see you men in October, hopefully in time for the Northshore Half.  Until then… sayonara, gents.

  • Scales and Burnout

    The Scene:  The Knoll

    Conditions: Sunny. The sun makes you sweat while you stand there with no exercise.

    Welcome

    Scales came today, which was awesome!

    Disclaimer

    Warm-a-Rama:

    Little mosey around the “huge baseball field”, aka to the sun dial and back to the flag via the path.

    [All in place]

    • Jumping Jacks x12
    • Butt Kicks x12
    • High Knees x12
    • 123 Heisman (strike the heisman pose with side-to-side shuffles in between) x12
    • Mummy Kicks x12

    Moseyed to the sun dial as part of the warm up. This round we did it as fast as we could to really fire up the muscles.

    • Jumping Jacks x20
    • Butt Kicks x20
    • High Knees x20
    • 123 Heisman x20
    • Mummy Kicks x20
    • 5 burpees-on your own

    Two sets of recovery countdowns after that warm-up. Worms points out the sun dial doesn’t work correctly.

    The Thang:

    The pyramid!

    • Slow-Jangle Biscuit x15
    • Merkins x20
    • Al Gores x25
    • Freak Nasties x30

    ***recovery countdown*** Did each exercise as a pulse-style on the way down the pyramid. Start halfway positionally and then you are doing small “pulse” reps during the count.

    • Freak Nasties x30
    • Al Gores x25
    • Merkins x20
    • standing lunges on each leg x15

    ***Hard to walk after the way down the pyramid. They do say it’s harder to go down stairs than up.

    —–

    Moseyed to the patio area for the circuit.

    **15 reps each exercise; 3x on our circuit**

    • Dwight Howards (bend to to a squat position next to a wall and then explode up like you are trying to touch the top of the backboard)
    • No-momentum Merkins (go down in your Merkin to where your chest is on the ground, act like you are skydiving, and then go back up)
    • Faux Upper Cuts (sit in the squat position and then upper cut with alternating fists)
    • Take a lap around the building

    —–

    **really starting to sweat now.

    Walked to edge of grass of our proverbial football field.

    Wide football sprints!

    In place, hands out, quick tapping of your feet while on our five pax sprinted to the sundial across the grass and back. Once they got back we did an up-down, and then the next person sprinted out. Props to Shangeaux for really legging it.

    —–

    We walked to the jungle gym (I can’t remember what worms called it!) as our recovery countdown and did a team exercise.

    Gathered around a middle-heigh pull up bar. One person stepped up and did burn-out pull ups from a 45 degree. (arms in pull-up position on the bar, feet “stepped through the bar” so when you are “down” you are at a 45 degree position to the ground. Pull up.)

    The pax gathered around and counted/cheered for each guy as they stepped up and gave every rep they could. Gotta love the burn out! Very fun.

    Props for Scales for killing it with 60! Those biceps…

    Moseyed back to the flag and did six inches for six till Worms finished telling a guy about F3. T-claps to worms!

    Mary:

    • Crunchy Frog x10 (shout out to Snack Pack)
    • American Hammers x15 (Rocket, I thought of you)
    • Ski abs x20 (Worms said he’s a great skier)
    • Leg lifts x25

    We all laid on the ground for a solid 30 seconds.

    Count-o-Rama

    Name-o-Rama

    COT / BOM:

    Duracell’s wife coming home from Thailand!

    Scale’s friend.

    Fastball being gone to Georgia. #respect

    Announcements:

  • Cool with a Southern Dose of Humidity

    “If a path be beautiful, ask not where it leads.”

    -Anatole France

    What can I say? We met, we warmed up, we ran, we exercised. We did quite a few merkins throughout the run. Oh, and it was a cool yet typically humid morning on the northshore of Lake Pontchartrain in southeast Louisiana. All hail F3 Northshore!

    “Well done is better than well said”

    -Benjamin Franklin

  • Pushing through

    YHC hadn’t been to the Uptowner for almost three months–not since he banged up his right arm at the end of the Tough Mudder on St. Patty’s Day.  Walleye said it’d take two months or so to start to feel right again–he was right about the “or so” part.  But YHC decided he’d ease back in in the gloom this morning.  So au revoir to Wolfpack Mountain, and into Metry.  As PAX began to gather, YHC learned that HVAC was the Q: perfect: a tough-ass yoga session, but hopefully light on the triceps.  With great (but wholly incorrect) insight, YHC commented that HVAC always runs a lap or two before posting, so he should be here any second.  Tick, tick, tick, tick: no HVAC.  [Summertime can be busy for A/C guys: customers maybe will tolerate a broken heater for a few hours in January, but more than about 10 minutes without A/C in the summer garners no such similar tolerance. T-claps to HVAC and Duct Tape for keeping summers tolerable.]  So when Mahatma recommended a split Q, YHC figured his arm had had enough rest: time to step up for the first part.

    Warm Up:

    • SSHs 25xIC
    • Low, Very Slow Squats (4-count down, 4-count hold, 4-count to up) 24xIC
    • Abe Vagodas 25xIC
    • Merkins 25xIC

    The PAX then grabbed rocks for a favorite Friday routine for YHC:

    • 20 overhead presses
    • 20 squats
    • 20 curls
    • 20 bench presses

    Then rinse and repeat with a 15-count, then again with a 10-count and finally with a f-count.  But before turning the Q over to Mahatma, time for some sitting around.  On the fence:

    • Sit for 30 seconds
    • Curls 20xIC
    • sit for 30 seconds
    • Overhead Presses 20xIC

    Mahatma then took over for some cardio delight.  The PAX divided their rocks into two rows about 10 yards or so apart and then paired up.  Each pair faced each other then side shuffled across to the other row, did a jump squat, side-shuffled back and then concluded with another jump squat–repeat 6 times for a total of 12 jump squats.  After a 30-count countdown, the PAX rinsed and repeated.

    Lining up along one of the rows again, each PAX carried his rock overhead to the other row to do 5 burpees and then returned the first row carrying his rock straight out front a la Frankenstein’s monster for 5 more burpees, and rinsed and repeated–for a total of 20 burpees.

    Then after returning their rocks, the PAX circled up for a final COP:

    • Plank for a minute
    • Crunches from legs extended overhead to legs extended straight (but off the ground) x12 IC
    • alligator pushups (lift hands on the up-extension) x20 IC
    • Dying cockroach (x10IC), straight into flutter kicks (x10IC); rinse and repeat with x10IC, and then a second time with x5IC for a total of 25xIC cockroaches and 25xIC flutter kicks

    Thanks for letting YHC share the Q.  Jingle Vader

  • Bring Sally Up – again

    Humidity is a reality right now.  The constant feeling of sticky sweat – and living in a dog’s mouth.

    We ran a loop by the golf course.  Then circled up at the bandstand in Audubon.

    SSH x 20, Imp Walker Squats x 20, Mtn Climbers x 20, Dead bugs x 20

    Then we made a plan… 25 rows at the row bars, 25 Russian Twists at the bandstand, 25 dips on the benches and 5-10 pullups at the pull up bars – plank until you get an open spot.   Run one loop to complete and then plank and wait at the bandstand.  I was trying to avoid any push ups after Gabrielle’s push up destruction on Monday.

    Then we circled up for SALLY UP.   Squats to Flower by Moby.

    Then we did Superman to Bow x 1 min    YTWs for back work x 20

    Then we did another loop.  Same deal except we did 25 plank jacks at the bandstand and BLIMPS to wait.

    Then we circled for a FINAL Mary.

    LBC, Peter Parkers, Plank Jacks, Dying Roach, Parker Peters, Flutter, Rosalita, Shoulder Taps, and Bird dogs x 20

    Tried to stay on the core today to give the arms/shoulders some recovery time!

    A pleasure to LEAD.  Thanks for the opportunity.

  • Testing Masculinity at the Gipper

    Arrived to the Gipper with mild 70s and a hint of fog. This Gloom certainly lacked previous post of suffocating humidity, which helps with perspiration even when the beatdown may not start as intense and require a sweat towel of sorts. To keep the beatdown as masculine as one may, minus the chatter of “Zoolander” and ballerina spins performed by Maverick during the Qs exercises. The beatdown would soon dampen the chatter and there would be no more ballerina turning when all was said and done.

    warmup

    20 IC Imperial walkers

    10 IC Good mornings

    20 IC Mountain climbers

    10 IC Wind mills

    20 IC Butt kicks

    thang

    Moseyed to the Taj around the flag pole for the “San Antonio Shuffle” which consists of left/right leg lunge, into a Burpee and wrapped up with a Plank jack. We separated into 2 teams and one team held Al Gores while team two completed the shuffle. This is where we were gifted with the talents of Maverick and the Ballerina swirl. R/R till each PAX reached 10 total. Short Moseyed to the top of the parking garage for the completion of the Qs previous deck of death at another post. With half the deck remaining the suits went this way. ♥  SSH, ♠ Merkins, ♣ Flutter kicks and ♦ Jump squats. With cards representing face value and the lone Joker left equaling 25 with the exercise chosen by the man who flipped it at which Einstein calls Burpees. Huh? Exercises are 🙄 sir and that was not an option, so with reluctance he calls the next best to count toward the ISI of this month the Merkin.. Once we completed the deck Moseyed to the back side of the courthouse for another workout grabbed from the Lexicon “Stairway to Seven” which is 1 Burpee 1 Incline Merkin up the stairs 1 squat and backdown R/R till everyone completes to 7. Moseyed to the front of the courthouse and split back into teams. Team 1 did sleeping Hillibilles while team 2 journeyed up the steps for 10 Merkins. Teams swapped positions till each PAX did left/right side then we changed to E2Ks and ended with Peter Parker’s. Total in all was 51 additional Merkins rounding out the ISI counters at 200 on the morning. Moseyed back to the flag for count off, announcements and COT.. Turbo mentioned the CSAUP of the Narley approaching July 19th and Bubba prayed us out.. Welcome to the Gipper Barely legal, glad to see you post..

    Thank you Brothers for the lead!!

    ✌🏻 Till the next Gloom!!

  • F3 TOUGH 2 TOUGH

    Warmarama

    26 Side straddle hops

    The Thang

    Start off with 50 Merkins
    20 times up and down stairs
    35 Merkins
    20 times up and down stairs
    15 Merkins
    26 times up and down stairs
    Water break
    20 times up and down stairs

    Total 100 Merkins
    86 times up & down stairs
    Equaling 110 floors
    Or 2071 steps
    Complete in approximately 50 min.

    COT

  • Fastball honorarium event exercise

    By: Money Cat

    The Scene:  The Knoll

    Conditions: Sunny (longing for arctic air in June.)

     

    The men of F3 Baton Rouge gathered together in a circle. A voice spoke up, “who’s going to Q?” Immediately the men’s eyes darted skyward and downward. A look so reminiscent from childhood as if their mother’s caught them with their hands in the cookie jar. You could cut the fog of silence with a dull butter knife like Scooby-Doo did in his weekly cartoon. A lone wolf could be howling out on the football field. Suddenly, Fastball spoke up…”I’ll do it!” And thus was born the Ballad of Fastball.

     

    Welcome: 11 men posted.

     

    Disclaimer:

    After the disclaimer Fastball informed the men this was his last week in F3. He explained his job with Home Depot ( cue Home Depot music ) will take him out of town for 2 weeks and after that he’ll be home to help family pack up and make the move to Georgia. This sudden news caught the men by surprise. We knew Fastball would be leaving us soon, but not this soon! The men began loudly weeping and tearing their shirts!!! Runners near us stopped in their tracks, cupped their hands to their ears and headed back in the direction they came. Thankfully someone made a joke about all of us receiving Home Depot gifts (free orange aprons) Fastball would send back to us. Aprons are nice for making lemon zest bundt cakes but I believe many of the men secretly longed for one thing and one thing only…power tools and bandoleer’s filled with beef jerky (GRUNT!) (GRUNT!) (GRUNT!)

    Warm-a-Rama:

    We mosey’d around the track once and cut into the middle for warm ups.

    Jumping Jack’s, arm circles-forward and backward, goof-balls, Bobby Hurley’s were all done in cadence.

    Merkins and burpee’s were done on our own in a count of 10.

    The Money Cat was breathing heavily when Fastball gave the order to mosey to the football field. 

    The Thang: 

     

    Out on the football field Fastball explained the routine.

     

    • Sprint out 25 yards and perform 25 merkin’s. Run backwards to start.

     

    • Sprint out 50 yards and perform 50 Al Gore’s. Run backwards to start.

     

    • Sprint out 75 yards and perform 75 crazy leg stretchy thingy’s. Run backwards to start.

     

    • Sprint out 100 yards and perform 100 jumping jacks. Run backwards to start.

     

    After each man lost 5 pounds of sweat on the field, Fastball told us to mosey to the sundial for more back breaking exercises.

     

    At the sundial many F3 men planked while waiting for Worms and Money Cat who was ripely turning into a Smelly Cat. The next group of exercises started at 25 and decreased at increments of five. There were two sets: merkins and dips. The Money Cat was running on his 7th life and ready to give up his 8th when the tiny twinkling stars appeared in his eyes. He began pawing at them like a real cat would and was meowing loudly. Money Cat realized it would be best to lie down on the concrete bench and perform standard flapping motions with his arms. The amusement was seen by all but just like the Honey Badger…..Money Cat don’t care!

     

    Fastball gave the order to mosey to the pavilion for some warm tepid water. At the pavilion Fastball noticed Money Cat hiding in the slender shadow of a pole. Fastball asked him if he was ok. Money Cat gave him a thumbs up as he figured it would be impolite to give him the middle finger of friendship. Fastball yelled out, “hey gang….lets go have a groovy time across the street on the baseball field” or at least that’s what I think I heard??? The Money Cat realized he needed water. He lumbered to the Catmobile and secured his iced cup of H2O. He and worms made it over to the ball field where the guys partnered up. Half the guys ran around poles out in the outfield and the other guys did grunting exercises. Money Cat couldn’t see what the exercises were because his concentration was on the clear frosty water cascading down his throat providing well needed relief to his thirsty soul. Not excited to pass on a raging case of cooties to the other men…Money Cat drank alone.

     

    The guys made it back to finish up with Mary’s at the Pavillion. Not wanting to have all the “Q” glory to himself, Fastball started the first set but called out F3 names to lead a Mary. The called on dudes did as they were told and there was great splendor in the grass……well, not the 1961 dramatic romance movie staring Natalie Wood type of splendor in the grass. That…would…just…be…wrong…..

     

    Count-o-Rama

    Name-o-Rama

    Circle-o-Rama 

    ***TISSUE ALERT***

    All of us F3 dudes are going to miss Fastball saying, “I’ll go ahead and Q, but you guys are going to hate me!” We are going to miss the pain our F3 brother put us through. I recall being partnered up with Fastball when he used baseball seasons’ opening day as his theme. When we ran the foul poles 5X’s in the outfield…I thought I was gonna die!!! But I didn’t and if I had…the Money Cat has 8 more lives to give. I went back to read all the back blasts that he led on those early Saturday mornings. Reading these memories are good for the soul! It reminds me what I was and where I’m headed. I believe I speak for all of us F3 guys that Josh Black aka FASTBALL lives the F3 Credo: leave no man behind, but leave no man where you find him. Fastball, you have left your mark on F3 Baton Rouge -The Knoll and The Colosseum. We all thank yeaux for molding us into better and thinner men. We know you’ll leave your mark with more guys where ever the Lord leads you.

    Friends – Michael W. Smith

    And friends are friends forever
    If the Lord’s the Lord of them.
    And a friend will not say never
    ‘Cause the welcome will not end.
    Though it’s hard to let you go
    In the Father’s hands we know.
    That a lifetime’s not too long
    To live as friends.

  • 610 Stomping Grounds

    7 PAX gathered around 2 flags, enjoying the bright morning skies.  “I need some shades” commented Da Parish.

    Wisner bridge remains closed off, though the walkways look like they are nearing completion.  Soon we’ll be able to add that route to the regular routes.  But instead, since Rudy wants some mileage (gearing up for Gnarly Gnutria) – we’ll do the usual Bayou St. John out-and-back route.  Be back at 6:10 for Mary.

    The Thang

    Out and back along Bayou St. John.  Typical June sweat-fest.  Enjoyed a great outbound run with Triple Shift, always a pleasure to feed off of his energy.  Home Schoolers are well served by having such a passionate advocate on their behalf.  Keep Pushing!

    The Finish

    6:10 – finish up with some Mary, everyone join in as they return.

    • Flutter Kick x25
    • Dolly x25
    • Rosalita x25
    • Penguin x25

    Circle up for count-off, name-o-rama, announcements and intentions.  FracSac seemed to casually keep moving to the side of the circle opposite YHC (who, having noticed this behavior, kept casually crossing the circle to stand next to FracSac.  Is it my sweat?)

    Finish off with prayers for guidance and wisdom, to use the glorious gift of Today in service of Your wishes.