F3 New Orleans

Category: Northshore

  • A Deck of Cards Will Never Look the Same

    In blackjack there is the common phrase to ask for another card. That phrase is “hit me”. Well today we also had a deck of cards, but the cards were the ones bringing the punishment. Whether you asked for it or not.

    Warmup:

    • Windmills 20 IC
    • SSH 20 IC (At least I wasn’t Chewy and make you guys do 40 IC. My revenge is coming Chewy. As sure as the sun will rise, so will my revenge be sure to be exacted upon thee.)
    • Mountain Climbers 20 IC
    • 10 merkins
    • 10 copperhead squats
    • Shoulder Series (4 directions 15 IC)

     

    The Thang:

    Moseyed to an open spot for a Chattanooga Choo Choo. All PAX got in a low plank side by side and the one farthest to the left got up and leap frogged through the line and rejoined the group in a plank. The entire group continued this until we reached our mark (about 35-40 yards). The Pax was certainly out of gas at that point (or would the proper expression be that they were out of coal?).

    Moseyed to right before the park for some good old fashioned up downs. The PAX would do quick feet with their hands up until I said down and then they would hit their chest to the ground and return to the quick feet. We went for about 1 minute and then for the last 30 seconds we turned the quick feet into a high knees sprint. One thing we learned for sure was that Tanked Up could still be playing some football. And to answer your question Turbo, I was invited to the group by Triple Shift on the south shore. Aren’t you glad I’m here?!

    We then moseyed to the park for the real beatdown. Everything up to that point was just a warmup. Turbo was aware of what would be coming when I pulled out that deck of cards. Thus began our battle with the deck of death.

    No amount of card counting could have helped you with this one (although shooter seemed to have some expertise in this area). The beatdown has a simple premise. Every suit is an exercise (hearts were merkins, diamonds were squats, clubs were situps, and spades were 15-20 feet sprints), and the reps were the card number. Face Cards were 10 reps and Aces were 15 reps. And you can’t forget about those jokers. When a joker popped up the PAX did 5 burpees and a lap around the park through the playgrounds. Of course the last card was the Ace of Spades (okay, so you got me, it wasn’t a completely random deck).

    Shooter took over for the last sequence where we did 4 corners (moseyed to a corner of a street and did 10 burpees, moseyed to the next street for 20 hand claps, moseyed to next corner for 30 lunges, and moseyed the last block and finished with 40 SSH (Tanked Up made me do a bit more there)). And of course it took us right up to the flag. Good planning there Shooter!

    We finished with some core exercises

    We circled up for the Counterama and Namerama and Chewy closed us out in prayer.

    Great job today guys! Let me know when you guys want to play some cards! As long as Shooter isn’t allowed to come (Do you have a checkered past we don’t know about there?).

    Thanks for letting me lead guys! As always, sorry if I missed anyone

     

     

  • Northshore GrowRuck Training #9

    Three Northshore PAX moved out from the Justice Center Parking Garage promptly at 1900 for an hour and a half ruck around old Covington.  Halftime stop at St. Paul’s school for some tire flips and pole carries.  It has been especially considerate of St. Paul’s Athletic Dept to leave their equipment available for our surreptitious use.  Great F2.

     

  • Collard Greens vs Powerful Burritos

    The Northshore PAX has gotten into quite a rhythm lately with Round Robin Qs, mainly by choice but sometimes because the designated Q has lost an early morning battle with the fartsack or some other pernicious force.  This morning it was the later.  Collard Greens was busy losing a battle against some powerful burritos at starting time and so the PAX pitched in with another Round Robin Q.  Of course, the thing about Round Robin Qs is that they engender competition as each Q plays his best card and when all is said and done the PAX has been dealt a serious downpainment on the day.

    Gundy kicked things off with our warmup, leading us through IW, windmills, copperhead squats, and a series of small and large arm circles, all IC 20x or so.  We then moseyed to the Taj Mahal for

    THE THANG

    360 degree Merkins were the first order of business.  Using a curb, the PAX started with Irkins, then turned 90 degrees with one hand and one foot on the curb for uneven Merkins, rotate another 90 degrees for Derkins, and then finally another 90 degrees for uneven Merkins on the other side to balance things out.  All IC 5x.

    Next, using the Taj Mahal parking bollards and the opposite curb, we ran four sets of:  sprints, Rocky Balboas, sprints back, and toe taps on the bollards.  Grundy then handed off the baton to YHC and we hustled to the flagpole at the front of the Taj Mahal.

    Ring of fire around the flagpole:  starting in a plank position, we crawled left and crawled right quite a bit, mixing in Merkins, one foot high alternating feet, T stands, shoulder taps, plank jacks, with a plank hold finale before recovering.  Then Steve took the Q and we made our way via mosey to the roof of Justice Center Parking Garage.

    Steve ordered up some loooooong suicides for the PAX.  3 sets total across the entire length of the roof with Nolan Ryans and Peter Parkers as “rest” between sets.

    Shooter then doubled down with a Bataan Death March around the roof.  Einstein tried to throw Shooter off his game with a serpentine running style, but he couldn’t shake Shooter or the PAX so we succeeded in getting in three sets of burpees each before heading downstairs to the benches.

    Once he got us to the benches, Shooter led us through some Mary: a couple sets of crunchy frogs, flutter kicks, and Hello Dollys. Then we we were off on a mosey back to the Trailhead for some closing SSHs and Seal Jacks, both 20x IC.

    Countorama, nameorama, announcements and Grundy prayed us out.

    Einstein’s got the solo Q next Wednesday.  Collard Greens is going to make his Q comeback Wednesday after next.

     

  • Northshore Grow Ruck Training #8

    YHC called an audible this afternoon, moving ruck training to the Justice Center Parking Garage because of the terrible weather.  Of course, the clouds parted almost immediately thereafter, and the change unfortunately left Chewy high and dry to ruck on his own from the original meeting spot.  As for the three of us who made it to the Parking Garage, we spent a good hour of F2, walking up and down stairs and ramps as well as hitting the benches for straight on and lateral step ups.

  • City Hall Scramble

    5 Pax met up for the usual jaunt from City Hall followed by 10 minutes of Vinyasa Flow per Choppa’s request.

    The Following quote was inspired by a discussion about the book ‘Into the Wild’ by John Krakauer on this morning’s run.

    “So many people live within unhappy circumstances and yet will not take the initiative to change their situation because they are conditioned to a life of security, conformity, and conservatism, all of which may appear to give one peace of mind, but in reality nothing is more damaging to the adventurous spirit within a man than a secure future. The very basic core of a man’s living spirit is his passion for adventure. The joy of life comes from our encounters with new experiences and hence there is no greater joy than to have an endlessly changing horizon, for each day to have a new and different sun.”
    ― Christopher McCandless

  • Muggy bottom breakdown

    “I would not miss it for the world. But if something else came up I would definitely not go.” ~ Michael Scott

    10 pax met on the lakefront saturday morning welcomed by the humidity and wind.

    The thang:
    Warm-up:
    Mosey west
    SSH x 40 IC
    IW x 30 IC
    Mt climbers x 20 IC
    Merkins x 10 IC

    Mosey
    Slow squats x 20 IC
    Lunge walk x 30yds
    decline plank on seawall % 2 groups:
    group 1 sprint/group 2 hold plank repeat x 3

    Bearcrawl, wheel barrows, stop motion lunges

    11’s broad jumps/ merkins from seawall

    mosey to oak grove:
    alt jump lunges x5
    burpees x 5
    merkins x5

    rinse and repeat x 3

    Surfer burpees (goofy) x 5
    Speed skaters x 10
    Surfer burpees (regular) x 5
    Rinse and repeat x 2

    Mosey back to fountain for COM:
    Flutter x 20 IC
    J Fonda L x 20 IC
    hip hikes L x 10 IC
    Flutter x 20 IC
    Hello Dolly x 20 IC
    J Fonda R x 20 IC
    hip hikes x 10 IC

    Mosey to Flag: COT, prayer

    Happy Birthday to Butt Splice the big 3-0 no more Hate!

    Announcements:
    Ruck training tomorrow (sunday) 4/30 at Mandeville Trailhead 1400 – 1600; should be wet and wild!
    Tuesday (5/2) Q is EiEi
    Wednesday (5/3) Q is Collard Greens
    Thursday(5/4) Q is TBD
    Next Saturday (5/6) Q is Shooter and Grundy

  • School of Ruck

    The School of Ruck was in session this morning at the Covington Trailhead AO under the watchful gaze of the Gipper.  Five mumble chattering PAX turned into eight as the guys rolled in hot right in time for the bell.  Those who forgot their rucks were sent to the supply cabinet for cinderblocks, and class was promptly called to order.

    Warmup;

    OH hand claps 20x IC, Torso twists 10x IC, Squats 10x IC, Good Mornings 10x IC, Lateral Lunges 10x IC, and Heel to Toe Up Calf Raises 10x IC.

    Mosey to the Justice Center for

    The Thang:

    The PAX first hit their 6s for three sets of ruck presses and flutter kicks holding the ruck high.  10x IC each set on the presses and 15x IC each set on the flutter kicks.

    Next up were the JC Parking Garage stairs.  The PAX climbed to the top 6 times, twice one foot every stair, twice one foot every two stairs, and twice with a crossover walk.  Two feet every stair laterally always facing the JC on each descent.

    Short mosey across the street to the JC Oak Alley.  Lunge walk to the first tree, run to the second, rinse and repeat for the entire length of Oak Alley which YHC roughly estimates at 120 yards.  Alternate at every tree between OH ruck/cinderblock carries and tip toe walks on the way back to our starting point.  Then it was time to partner up for a bear hunt:  partner one bear crawls down Oak Alley while his partner runs about 50 years in the opposite direction returning to tag the crawling partner to relieve him.  Both partners mosey to the starting point, switch roles, and get after it for another set.

    Another short mosey, this time to the benches.  Three sets of lateral step ups each leg 10x IC and Merkins 10x IC.  Back to the Trailhead just in time for the closing bell.  YHC pretty much botched the closing sequence of events but eventually got it right or at least done with the help of his brothers…countorama, nameorama and prayer.

    Moleskin:

    Everything is harder with a ruck.  Everything.  Don’t you want to challenge yourself?  I thought so.  Commit to Grow Ruck 03 today!

    Grow Ruck Training Thursday 1900-2030 meet at top level of Justice Center Parking Garage for an on time roll out.  Ruck not required, but everyone has a backpack and you can pick up some bricks while we are underway so really there is no excuse.

    Chewy is on tap to Q Saturday at the Mandeville Lakefront 0630-0730 with coffeeteria afterwards.  Don’t miss it.

     

  • The Morning Call

    New faces, new workouts at Saturday’s lakefront beatdown.  Warm welcome to FNG’s Ace Ventura, Dollar Bill, and Manny, hope to see you guys at the next one.  It started as it usually does, with the pre-warm-up run continuing its current trend of picking up the pace each week.  Trying to keep up with Turbo and Tanked Up left YHC particularly destroyed.

    But no time to rest, it was onto the warm up.  With no Chewy to captain the ship, the PAX settled on a round robin, starting with YHC.  Pretty standard stuff: Seal Jacks, IW’s, Mountain Climbers, SSH’s, and Windmills all 20x IC.  A few more PAX trickled in and then a quick mosey to the sea wall to begin the thang:

    Set of 11’s: Freak Nasties, jog to curb, frog jumps back and forth.

    YHC had planned to forego the usual leg routine which seems to be wearing on everyone, but Grundy insisted, so I caved: Steps Ups each leg 10x IC, Bulgarian split squats each leg 15x IC.

    Grundy then took over, starting with an Indian Run to the playground for a new one: the Morning Call.  All PAX hold plank while one does three pull ups, in cadence with these pull-ups the entire PAX does three merkins.  Completed once every PAX has done the pull ups.

    Next up was Grundy’s boat rockers, made it to around 7x, IC.  Then Turbo took over for some more core exercises: Freddy Mercuries, Scuba Steves, Side Jacks, and some other killer routines that have slipped my memory.

    Over to the splash pad for a Dirty McDeuce: Split into groups of two for 3 exercises 12x IC, followed by each group doing a lap around the playground (up and over the two jungle gym structures) in opposite directions.  T-Claps to Butt Splice who added the challenge of reversing the direction and going up the pole, which became especially tricky after it was dripping with sweat.  Four rounds and a little splashed merlot and we were done.  (A few examples of the 3 exercises done: Merkins, lateral jumps, slow squats, shoulder taps, peter parkers, parker peters, hand-release merks, and the list goes on far beyond what I can remember.)

    On the mosey back, Butt Splice took the Q and had us drop for 10 Burpees.  Then we circled up to hold plank while each PAX took a 25 yard sprint.  There may have been merkins or something else in there…

    And what would a lakefront beatdown be without a trip to Rips?  We finished there with an AMRAP of 5 merkins and a trip up and over their famous stairs.  YHC had no watch that day, so I can’t be certain how long we went, but I am fairly certain at some point we’ll need to all pitch in to help them repair that staircase.

    Quick sprint back to the flag where, as usual, Grundy beats Tanked Up for the gold.  One day Tank, one day!

    Forgive YHC if I’ve mis-remembered something or someone (did we do a Mary?)….

    And be sure to check out one or all of the following this week: Mystery Q at the Mandeville trailhead Tuesday morning (5:15), a Turbo beatdown at the Covington Trailhead Wednesday morning (6:00), early morning run at Mandeville City Hall (5:15), Grow Ruck special Thursday evening at the top of the Justice Center parking garage (7pm), and Chewy’s return to Q Saturday at the lakefront.  See you gents out there…

  • Northshore Grow Ruck Training #7

    3 PAX and one K-9 tumbled out of the clown car onto the Bogue Chitto State Park Gorge Trail this afternoon for a double lap, 9 mile ruck.  Plenty of F2, one hawk sighting, and some mud and sand.  Join us for #8 Thursday 1900-2030 from the top of the Justice Center Parking Garage.

  • Northshore Grow Ruck Training #7 Pre-Thang

    Join us for Northshore Grow Ruck Training Sunday April 23rd.  Meet at the Covington Trailhead for 1330 clown car rollout to Bogue Chitto State Park.  30 minute trip so we should be on the trail by 1400.  Two 4.5 laps are in the cards; it’ll take us about 3 hrs.  ETA for return to Covington Trailhead 1730-1800.  Bring $3 for park entry fee, plenty of H2O, and old shoes because they will get wet and muddy..