With a majority of the PAX still reeling from Week 3 of the IPC, YHC knew the turnout would be relatively light for today’s Scramble. With a light breeze making for some “relatively cool temperatures”, the minor break from the heat and humidity gave the PAX a September reprieve.
The Rules of the Gloom were each PAX had to do 100 merkins and 100 squats along the traditional Scramble route. The only other wrinkle was that each man was to pick up the pace along the long straight road to Sunset Point, both coming and going.
Five minutes of Mary and thanks to Bushwacker for praying us out.
Over the past 6 months since since the quarantine, there have been many different routes / variations / themes (speedy’s sprints come to mind) taken for the weekly F3 5K. Today, YHC decided to take the 5k Scramble back to it’s roots, which is around the loop, then all the way to the end of the pier at Sunset Point. Back at the flag, we hit the workout equipment for 10 minutes of circuit training (bear crawls, freak nasties, hanging leg tucks).
YHC has always joked that he does F3 to he can be in shape for duck season, among MANY other reasons. Duck hunting on public land in the Mississippi Delta is a very physically demanding hobby and for some strange reason I absolutely love it. Waking up at 2am to wade through waste deep water in 20 degrees just sounds fun, right??
Well, YHC wanted the Gipper pax to learn a thing or two about the prep that goes into a morning of duck hunting, sans water and 20 degrees.
Disclaimer was given and PAX was instructed to grab some gear from the camp (cinder block). Each block was to account for all of the gear needed on a hunt.
COP #1- Warm Up:
10 Burpees OYO
20 X SSH
10 X Good Mornings
10 F/B X Arm Circles
20 X J Lo’s
10 L/R X Nolan Ryan’s (on crushed gravel!)
Now we need to load up the truck: 10 L/R X Elf on a Shelf with block
Mosey to the courthouse walkway (boat launch) at a brisk pace as we need to beat all other hunting parties to the duck hole!
Load the boat: split into 2 lines with blocks at the end of each line. Pass block down to the end of the line, and back down. R&R X3.
The boat is launched, now we need to drive as far as we can in the timber…quick mosey to the parking garage entrance and ramp. Leave your gear while we go search for a good spot to set up: Run up the ramp and complete 10 burpees on one side and 10 merks on the other side all the way to the top. Repeat.
We found a prime duck hole at the top of the garage!! grab your gear and meet there.
Now its time to throw out the decoys, we brought 3 dozen this trip..
Block swings X 12, R&R X3.
Now its time to actually hunt, so we need to practice raising the gun to our shoulder: Chest press X 10, R&R X3.
We shot a few ducks but ran out of time to pick them up!
Carry your gear back to the camp.
Count, Name, and Grundy took us out with a prayer.
Thank you all for hunting with me and appeasing me!
Yes, maybe it was a bit cruel to spring a Murph on the Marsh crew on a Monday morning. I figured I’d get a, “Oh hell no,” from Cowbell. And a, “Yeah, that’s great, thanks Steve. After I’ve done 120 frickin’ ISI squats,” from Jose. And a lot of eye rolling from the Wacker. But c’mon, taken at slightly less intense pace (apologies Tank), the Murph is really not as bad as it sounds.
So we started with some warmorama just to give Cowbell some time to navigate around the deep and dangerous ditches surrounding the Marsh. Then ran the first mile down to the lake and back at a leisurely “warm up” pace, loosening us up for 20 sets of 5 pull-ups / 10 merkins / 15 squats. We did it together, waiting after each set before starting the next, and I think the pax would agree, it really wasn’t so bad. T-claps to Pixie Stick, who did great in his first (near-complete) Murph.
Another leisurely mile run to the lake and back, some flutters, and we were done. Countdown, nameorama, and Jose offered up a powerful prayer to close it out, with intentions for Goose’s soon-to-be born baby, Akbar’s travel to the Smokey Mountains, and some healing for our divided nation.
Thank you for the opportunity to get stronger and better alongside such good men. I truly appreciate it.
It’s been threatening rain all week. And the forecast for Thursday evening’s F2 beatdown was no different, with a 60-70% chance as of that morning. YHC seriously envisioned 10k and I sitting under the gazebo drinking alone (he his bud light tallboys, me my overpriced hipster beer), while 10k grumbled about the sunset and my beer. And while that vision partially came true – with the added bonus of a “only-in-Hollywood” rainbow overhead – we were spared the actual rain and a decent size group posted.
YHC had planned for no warmorama, since time was short, but as BBQ was dealing with securing his bike (he rode from Covington! 👏👏👏), we knocked out some SSH’s before jumping into 20x burpees OYO.
Next up, a Lazy Dora. Same as the usual Dora (100 merks, 200 squats, 200 LBC’s), but instead of running between sets, the alternating partner would hold a static pose until it was his turn. So plank for 10x merkins, Al Gore for 20x squats, and 6” hold for 30x LBC’s. Cumulative goals were reached pretty quickly, and we moved over to the seawall for some leg work.
20x jump squats, lunge walk to sidewalk, 20x monkey humpers IC
20x Bulgarians IC (10 ea.), lunge walk, 20x Apollo Ohno’s
20x calf raises IC (balancing on the edge of the seawall, which was more difficult than you might think), lunge walk, 20x Sister Mary’s.
Finally, back to the wall for shoulders: 15x freak nasties IC, 5x derkins IC. Rinse and repeat with 10x freaks IC / 10x derks IC. Then 5x freaks IC / 15x derkins IC.
Around this time we had an In Time flyby, with his cross country team in tow, and we then circled up for an abbreviated Mary of heels to heaven and leg raises, both x15 IC.
Upon completion, the guys noticed a rather large and somewhat magical rainbow stretched across the lakefront sky. Turbo joked that all we needed now was a unicorn and, lo and behold, the hero we both deserved and needed materialized: Amnesia, donning, that’s right, a unitard. (At least, according to Jose that is the official name of said bodysuit. The differences between a unitard and a leotard and a bodysuit is a mystery to me, and one I’m not willing to google.)
COT, prayed out by Akbar, and we all headed to the Gazebo joined by Cowbell, Tank, and Tank’s son (a soon-to-be named F3 brother). Good beer, good company, and a good sunset – what more could you ask for? Great time out there with you guys, thanks for posting and thanks for the opportunity to lead!
*rainbow and unitard not captured on film due to Cowbell’s usual tardiness
YHC signed up to Q long before knowing Tuesdays would become interval running days. The solution was simple, no running and do some quality exercises, Tabata style.
Disclaimer was given and we did a short mosey to the commuter bus stop.
COP #1) Warm Up
20 X SSH, 20 Jlo’s, 10 X PP, 10 X PP, 20, Mtn Climbers, Arm Circles, 10 X LSS
Mosey back to the stage area for little activity: Everyone take off your shirt and put it on the ground in front of you. Now get in balls to the wall stance and try to put your shirt on. I think we got close to 100% completion!
Alright, aside from some bunny hops up the stairs, this was a fairly laid back beatdown at Granny’s House. Almost enjoyable one might say. In retrospect, it was as if YHC knew that Bean would bring the pain the next morning and that Cowbell’s 1 mile time trial would bring back memories of last year’s Nutria. So we pushed, but also had enough running breaks that we could chat between sets.
Warmup: windmills, toe touches, IW’s, SSH’s, arm circles, etc. All IC, at or around 20x.
First up, a set of 11’s on the Stairs:
Merks at bottom, the aforementioned bunny hops up to the top of the stairs, then squats up top.
Next up, the Dirty McDeuce over at the Stage: Three exercises at x12 reps each, 4 rounds total.
Round 1:
Diamonds
Jump Squats
LBC’s
Round 2:
Wide armed
Lunges
Leg Raises
Round 3:
T-merks
Groiners
Crunchy Frogs
Round 4:
Burpees
Monkey Humpers
Hammers
And the finale, a few races down the corridor where the winner chooses both the next exercise as well as the method of racing back.
A sprint first, which Goose won easily and chose LBC’s x12 IC. Then he picked broad jumps for the race back.
YHC was close, but Cowbell pulled off the win on this one. We did some (?) crunchy frogs and then he chose a backwards shuffle as the next race.
Obviously his strength because he won that one as well (even though Goose put up a good fight) and called of penguins x12 IC as the final exercise. Time up, COT with Akbar praying us out.
Thank you men for the push and for the chance to lead!
We’re gonna keep this short and sweet, as YHC is behind the eight ball on these backblasts. The usual crew posted this morning (minus Shooter, who may still be hauling trees Commando-style out at his camp, and minus Bushwacker, who is attempting to heal a wide assortment of ailments). Cowbell doesn’t really count, because he is usually “stuck” at the beach anyway on Mondays. Jose 10k rolled in mid-warm up after a disoriented drive around Old Mandeville finally reminded him of the Marsh location.
Warmorama – Good mornings, toe touches, SSH, arm circles, air presses, seal jacks, IW’s, all IC somewhere between 10-20x.
YHC missed Cowbell’s reopening of the Marsh last week (it’s been barricaded for months), and though it was nice to be able to warmup under on the court again (which could’ve used a Captain Sparkles sweep, btw), we decided to take it on the road this morning.
Mosey towards the lake, with a stop at each intersection for 15 merkins, 20 squats, and 25 IC flutter kicks. 5 blocks later, we headed over to Rips for a backwards bear crawl up the stairs, followed by calf raises (5x each step) going back down. Calf raises for the guys either waiting in queue or finished and waiting.
Already time to head back the way we came, with the same 15 merkins, 20 squats, and 25 flutters at each intersection until we returned to the court just in time. (Well, ok, maybe a minute late.)
Pik prayed us out, wishing his brother a happy 40th on this day, and we went on our way. Thanks gents, posting with you guys is the best way to start the week!
Writing this in a hurry, so i’ll keep it short and sweet.
9 pax gathered this beautiful gloom for the first 1 mile time trail. YHC has had this on his mind for a long time to set a baseline for himself as well as the rest of the pax.
We started with some running stretches, including Jose’s favorite high jump skips. The PAX then did an easy 1ish mile run to the starting line on Carondelet and Jefferson. Bushwacker immediately took off on his mile like a bat out of hell, he sorta looked like Eliud Kipchoge, right Akbar!?! While the rest of the pax took a breather and listened to the Q for the countdown..
We took off and ran 1 mile down Jefferson St and finished at the corner of Lamarque.
Finishing times were as follows:
Steve 5:53
Cowbell 5:53
Waterpik 6:00
Bushwacker 6:36
Goose 6:55
Speedy 7:30
Akbar 7:50
PixieStix 9:00
Jose 10k 9:30
We finished with an easy 2ish mile run back to the AO.
Jose prayed us out.
Looking forward to seeing the progress the pax makes at the next time trial.
