Six brave patriots gathered at Valley Forge (a gloomy Audubon Park) and braced themselves for the impending clash with the Redcoats (Beat Down) . First came the Declaration of Independence (Disclaimer) and we were off across the Delaware (through the Bag Drop and over to the Bandstand). The Battle of Bunker Hill (Warm Up) played out as follows:
SSH x 25
IW x twenty-something
Seal Jacks x twenty-something
Bulgarian Ball Busters x 20
Somewhat fatigued, yet eager to prove themselves the Continental Army (PAX) then faced the Battle of Saratoga (Oak Alley):
11’s (from bollards to last lamp post)
Manmakers
LBT’s
In hindsight this should’ve been 13’s, one for each Colony. Nevertheless, on to Lexington and Concord (grass by the picnic table pavilion)!
Lexington (Tammy Wynette to 60)
Concord (Mary)
WWI Sit-Ups x 20
ABC’s
Reverse Crunches x 20
Catalina Wine Mixer x 10
Back to the flag for the Treaty of Paris (COT).
Thanks for the opportunity to George Washington (Q), and no taxation without representation (SYITG)!
The PAX of F3 NOLA showed up in full force Sat AM for a 19 man roster at The Mothership. We were greeted with an 80 degree temp, no wind, and a hint of humidity which meant lots of sweating was in store. YHC had been stewing on a core-focused workout, possibly “46 Minutes of Mary” to one-up Cowbell’s “45 Minutes of Mary” but we instead settled for an array of exercises to bring the perspiration. As we gathered pre-launch, we were greeted with two FNG’s courtesy of Hawg and Babyface/Triple Shift…t-claps for the EH-ing guys! Disclaimer and mosey over to The Great Lawn for the pre-thang where YHC informed the PAX we would strive for all leaving with a six pack:
SSH x20
IPW x20 (thanks Bogey for being the #cadencepolice)
Windmills X20
Imperial Squat Walker x20
Peter Parker x20
Crab Cakes x20
Inchworm (feet stationary) x20
Burpees x10 OYO (190 total for Cadre Daniel)
The PAX regrouped on one side of The Great Lawn and partnered up for Dora 1-2-3 with Mary. Partner one runs across the GL and back while partner two performs the designated exercise, keeping a cumulative count and switching:
100 WWII Sit-Ups
200 Plank Rolls
300 LBTs
This took a while but worth it…not gonna get those washboard abs easily!
Next stop, The Foundry for 2 rounds of circuit training:
Station One: Alternating Partners – One PAX Pull Ups x3 and other PAX Merkins x6, rotate back and forth AMRAP
Station Two: (Timer, approx 1.5-2 min) Run to the water fountain, grab a sip, knock out Squats x40 OYO, and run back as a group
Station Three: Flutter Kicks AMRAP to fatigue, then LBCs to fatigue, then Flutter…
At this point, YHC had two things left on the weinke but barely enough time for one. Given the prevalent sweat and groans from the PAX, we opted for fun over fatigue and moseyed over to the CBS baseball field (aka Falcon Field) for a Base Run Relay. On the heels of the College World Series and Independence Day approaching, YHC figured it was a fitting time to work in some base running and celebrate “Merica” with the game that is “America’s Pastime.” We split up into two teams, with one lining up behind 1st base and the other behind 3rd. T-claps to Shorty for finding two baseballs to make it a sanctioned baton relay. Each team lines up in a plank while a team member sprint the bases and passes the ball/baton to the next guy. It was a close race with each team taking the lead at various points. T-claps to “Team 3rb Base” for the victory. At this point, no time for bear crawls so back to the flag to call it a day.
Total distance in running was approx 2.4 miles.
COT: Welcome FNG Blue Cheese and FNG Two Youts. Announcements and prayer with an extra sweaty BOM.
As YHC headed out the door, the distinct sound of droplets of water hitting the ground could be heard. YHC thought this was surely the sprinklers, but nay, it was not. Who would enter the gloom on a day like this? One Pax sent a message via GroupMe that the Plunge would be where he was heading, after encountering the wet substance falling from the sky. At least he didn’t fartsack, so AO options on days like this are good. YHC had that terrifying thought of being a Pax of one. Who would inspire YHC to work harder, to push the limits? As YHC crossed the levee, parked cars at the AO were in sight, and more followed after parking. A total of six Pax chose to take the plunge at Okwata, proving that F3 men post in the gloom rain or shine!
It was 0530, the Shovel Flag was marking the AO, and Old Glory was waving victoriously in the breeze. Time for the disclaimer…..and then….
The Thang:
Mosey to the mardi gras fountain, and complete the circle around, as is tradition at Okwata. With the normal spot for warm up being saturated from the rain, YHC sought to move to the other side of Lake Shore Drive, but was distracted by the deep puddles of water between the two spots. With that, the Pax lined up in front of the fountain for the warm up:
SSH IC x 31 – That’s just what we do
Hillbilly’s IC x 15
Abe Vigodas IC x 10 (Hamstring getting better, thanks to the foam roller and lacrosse ball)
Enough warmup, time to hit the levee. The shortest route from point A to point B is a straight line, so YHC took that route to the levee. 11’s on the levee
Instructions were to do 10 monkey humpers lake side, and one Burpee on the back side of the levee. There was mumble chatter about wanting to start with one monkey humper and work up, while starting at 10 burpees and working down the ladder. YHC refused to give in to such nonsense! With that said….
One Monkey Humper lake side (not sure what happened here)…10 burpees back side. Keep going until 10 monkey humpers lake side and 1 burpee back side. Run back to lake side and plank and wait for the six. That was 330 Burpees banked for Cadre Danny!
Move to the IHOP (Innovative House of Pain).
Three stations:
Run to top of levee, 5 plank jacks, and return (timer)
Dips AMRAP
Step ups AMRAP
YHC was disappointed with the large puddles of H2O directly under the pull up bars, so a repeat wasn’t warranted. Time to move on to the next thang….
Mosey to the corner of Canal and Lake Shore Drive for Four Corners, which all were done together and IC:
Corner one: Catalina Wine Mixers x 10
Over the levee to Corner two: Monkey Humpers x 20
Across Canal to corner three: Merkins x 30
Over the levee to corner four: Squats x 40
That was so much fun, a rinse and repeat was in order!
Upon finishing the repeat, YHC saw three minutes remained. Mosey to the flag for a couple minutes of Mary!
Flutter kicks IC x 20
Hello Dolly IC x 20
Tin Snips IC x 10
Count off, name-o-rama, announcements, intentions and closed with a prayer.
Moleskin:
YHC was thrilled to see the rain did not inhibit the regulars from posting to Okwata. The rain did not last long, and the cool weather that followed it was welcomed. Thanks for posting with me today!
YHC arrived at the AO to find four eager Pax with only a minute to spare, but with a shovel flag in hand. With the AO properly marked, it was time to give the disclaimer…..and then instructions…
Run the regular route and be back at the track for 0600. Seeing this was a running AO, the passing of Cheech came up. YHC saw the Pax be more cautious of traffic, alerting each other of vehicles approaching. We made it to Orleans Avenue, crossed the bayou, and started the return trip. While preparing to cross Wisner Blvd, where Beauregard previously guarded the entry to City Park, a car ran a red light where the Pax had the right away to cross. Would the car have stopped if we crossed? Distracted drivers can be a real threat to a runner, and we must stay aware and look out for one another.
Upon arrival at the track, we executed some LBC’s while waiting for the six, then went right into the Rudy special….Sprints! Three laps, sprint the straightaways and mosey the corners. Hey look, we have time to bank some burpees for Cadre Danny! 10 Burpees OYO! Times up, let’s mosey to the flag.
Count off, name-o-rama – where Tool and I discovered the other three Pax were Respect. So, with the Pax posting today being more than 50 percent Respect, YHC calls that Full of Respect!
Announcements and a prayer to the Sky Q, thankful for the day, and asking for guidance to make the most of it.
Thanks for posting!
Moleskin
YHC intends to invest in some high visibility gear to mitigate the risk of incident caused by distracted drivers while running in the gloom. Hawg also posted some good information on the GroupMe app for identification purposes in the event that worse case scenario becomes a reality.
The key to a good structure (IMHO) is a sturdy brick foundation. This morning, we laid bricks at the Coastie
The Thang
Pax 1 runs up lakefront trail and back around. ~.5 mile (timer)
Pax 2 rides Bike Trainer
Pax 3 & 4 perform Mary OYO
If running or trainer is not an option, ride Lakefront trail to Causeway & back
Everyone got in around 3 sets prior to the clock running out. Announcements, Intentions, Ball of Man. TClaps to Moped & Triple Shift for riding more after.
Moleskin – Triple Shift and I are looking for a Triathlon CSAUP. More than likely, something w/ a sprint option (shortest distance). Please let us know if you’re interested.
Another morning to be the QIC! After multiple Q’s at the Uptowner, I’m getting over the nervousness and getting down to business. I wanted to incorporate my sand and water buckets but noticed that the last time I came to the Uptowner, I had four (4) sand buckets (50 lbs) and three (3) water buckets (30 lbs). Needless to say, “That ain’t right!” because someone took one of my water buckets. Oh well, I secured five more buckets and made two (2) sand buckets and three (3) water buckets to give me a total of six (6) each just in case the Uptowner starts getting Bizzy!
On a side note, I invited a friend (father of one of the players on Yo Yo’s baseball team) but wasn’t sure he would show up but kept an eye out for him. Uh Oh, it was 5:31 am and I had to go…. we did a short mosey of 10 yards from the rock pile to a patch of grass to warm up. Hearing about Cadre Danny’s One Million Burpee Challenge, I naturally incorporated that into my workout.
WARM UP
10 Burpees – 30 x Side Straddle Hops IC
10 Burpees – 15 x Hacky Sacks IC
10 Burpees – 15 x Curtsy Lunges IC
MAIN SET
Enough of the Burpees, I came to build some muscles. We gathered all the buckets and rocks and circled up for the DownPainment!
Whoa!!! Two men mosey up and one is an FNG (StubHub) and Cut me Mick from N. Carolina. They went the long way around the park back to the train tracks. Glad to have them!
15 reps IC – Squat/Curl/Press, Push Ups feet elevated, Lateral Lunge w/Curl, Bent Over Row, Deadlift, Chopper Raise, Close Grip Triceps Push-Up, Reverse Lunge Torso Rotation, Back Extension, Upright Row, and Single Leg Deadlift.
NOTE: The Main Set doesn’t look very hard but my Adductors, Glutes, and Hamstrings were sore for 2 days.
CORE
20 IC x LBC, Supermans and Pretzel Crunches – Each Side
After reading Rudy’s BB a few days ago, I purposely chose to the Plank-o-rama at the end because he enjoyed it so much- 20 x Plank jacks, Peter Parkers, Floyd
20 IC x Plank jacks, Peter Parkers, Floyd Mayweathers, and Mountain Climbers
CIRCLE OF TRUST
Countoff, Namerama and prayers for Fracsac’s dad, Tool and Brady and the sudden loss of John ‘Cheech’ Flanagan who was killed by a teenager while running. Gave thanks to God for the gift of life and the preciousness of it all even in our fallen world and asked for an outpouring of His spirit for everyone involved in this tragedy.
Psalm 90:12 – Teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom.
Front blew through last night, bringing with it a bit of a break from the summer humidity. Perhaps even a hint of briskness in the air. At the stop light on the drive to Rock City this am, I checked the Q sheet. “Oh great, I better think of something.” Shorty’s name was on the list, and we all know what that means….
5:30am comes, 9 PAX gathered around the flag. Tool decides to give us a moment to gather our thoughts on what to do next – so he bellows “10 Burpees On Your Own. Exercise.” Great, YHC thinks. Because I can always think better while burpee-ing. But with 10 Burpees under our belt, YHC leads the PAX on a mosey to the rockpile.
COP 1: Get the blood flowing:
Windmills x15
Arm Circles x15 each way
Imperial Squat Walkers x20
Plank-o-rama with Plank Walks, Plank Jacks, Peter Parkers and Mountain Climbers
Over to the rock pile to find your friend. Then Mosey to the playground.
COP 2: Audible! On the way to the playground, YHC sees the gate to the tennis courts. I’d often wondered where the gate was, but never actually looked for it. But lo’ and behold, there it was – calling us. So – head to the tennis courts! Everyone plank-up while YHC tries to figure out what we’ll actually do here…
Aha – Four Corners! Pax split into 4 groups and take their rocks to a corner. The rocks will stay put, while the pax mosey. 20x of exercise at each corner.
Corner 1: Bench Press. Then Bear Crawl to….
Corner 2: Shoulder Press. Then Crab Walk to…..
Corner 3: Curls. Then Lunge Walk to….
Corner 4: Rows. Then Duck Walk back to corner 1.
Fortunately for PAX, KimChi and TripleShift decided to bring their mammoth boulders to Corner 1. I don’t think they would have worked nearly as well at, say, Corner 2.
We got through 2 cycles. Then PAX were calling out for more, so 1 more time round the circle!
Gather up rocks and leave the tennis courts.
COP 3: Time enough for some pull up work. Pax split into 3 groups:
Group 1: Pull-ups AMRAP
Group 2: Dips AMRAP
Group 3: The timer: a lap around the track.
Side note: its pretty impressive to watch Babyface knock those pull-ups out. Wow. Nice work!
One cycle through. Just enough time to get rocks back to their beds, and mosey back to the flag.
Count-off, Name-o-rama. Circle up for our prayers: thankfulness for our blessings, remembering those facing sickness – especially FracSac. Prayers for the Cheech’s family, and all of those impacted by that tragedy. Close with St. Ignatius Loyola’s Prayer for Generosity.
Thanks for letting me lead, and thanks for patience while I tried to figure out something new for us to try. Now that I know where the gate to the tennis court is, I think that may start taking a larger role in the RockCity workout.
Today’s Plunge was dedicated to F3 Lexington member John Flanagan, 38, Cheech. Cheech was running in the gloom and was struck by a vehicle. He was taken to Palmetto Health Richland Hospital. Cheech was wearing a reflective vest and headlamp. The vehicle was traveling through a green light when it struck Cheech. Sometimes we can do everything right and the unfortunate still happens. His will, will be done; trust in the Lord.
YHC was hoping for a particularly gloomy morning at Okwata this morning: more rain, more wind, more muck. But alas, just a usual amount of Humidity, Winds and Mud. 5 PAX braved the hyperbole of the regional and national weather forecasters to start the day right.
COP 1: Through the mud puddles to the top of the levee. Line up looking out over the lake.
SSH x25
IW x25
Low Slow Squats x25
Monkey Humpers x25
Smurf Jacks x25
Yes, it’s gonna be leg day.
COP 2: Ladder Blimps.
5 Burpees, run up the levee and back down
5B, 10 Lunges, up the levee and down
5B, 10L, 15 Imperial Walkers, up and down
5B, 10L, 15I, 20 Mericans, up and down
5B, 10L, 15I, 20M, 25 Plank Jacks, up and down
5B, 10L, 15I, 20M, 25P, 30 Low Slow Squats
up and down and up and down waiting for the 6
COP 3: Top of the levee for a Hawg Favorite: Quadrophillia. 4 Minutes of down and up the levee – always facing the lake. Down forwards, Up backwards. Quads feeling it…
COP 4: House of Pain. 5 of us, so 5 stations:
Backwards up the levee, 5 burpees, back down the levee to the house (Timer)
Alternating Step Ups AMRAP
Dips AMRAP
Monkey Humpers AMRAP
Pull Ups AMRAP
Got through 2 cycles before time called us back to the VSF.
COP 5: Wouldn’t be a Rudy workout without Plank-o-rama. Note to self: its a lot harder doing this at the end of the workout than at the beginning.
Peter Parker x25
Plank Jacks x25
Parker Peter x25
Mountain Climber x10 (Q was gassed)
Close with 10 Burpees OYO to bring our PAX total to 250 for the day.
Finish with prayers, in particular remembering Cheech from Lexington – RIP. Reminder to all of us to both be careful and alert during our exercises – especially when crossing streets; and also to always live our lives in preparation for our return to the Sky Q, as we do not know the day he will call upon us.
