F3 New Orleans

Tag: Carpool

  • Carpe Diem Convergence

    The F3 Nation knew about YHC before YHC knew about the F3 Nation.  You see, YHC’s brother-in-law, Lynchpin, lives in Charlotte.  In the early days, before the F3 Nation planted its flag in NOLA, Lynchpin routinely and enthusiastically regaled YHC with stories of legendary beatdowns and CSAUPs, tongue in cheek nicknames, funny exercise names and other F3 lore.  Then, when F3 decided to expand to NOLA, Lynchpin tried to EH YHC, but YHC begged off.  It all sounded, well to be honest, like a cult and how could YHC trust Lynchpin anyway?  After all, he married YHC’s sister.  Ugh.  But resistance was futile.  The NOLA PAX crossed Lake Pontchartrain in its Durham boat, Reluctant Yankee at the helm like George Washington crossing the Delaware. Nacho and Chewy fell in upon the PAX’s arrival and, together, they planted the shovel flag in the Gloom on April 9, 2016.  F3 Northshore was born.  How could YHC resist a free workout in his own backyard?

    A few weeks later, the NOLA PAX boarded their Durham boat and retreated back across the Lake, leaving the Northshore PAX to make the most of their gift of F3.  We stumbled about, we made mistakes, we created a new AO only to abandon it a few weeks later, and we had more than a few beatdowns with one or two PAX.  Somehow, however, we made it and two years later look forward to seeing one another regularly to suffer and have fun together.

    As this morning’s two year anniversary convergence approached and YHC learned that the weather more likely than not would be awful, there was no concern.  Two years of meeting rain or shine, hot or cold, left no doubt in YHC’s mind that the PAX would post.  And post they did.  And you know what?  The weather held off just long enough for us to celebrate our birthday with a 3 hour beatdown, visiting 5 of 6 Northshore AOs by the mechanical device known as the bicycle.

    Mandeville Lakefront:  4 burpees OYO, 19 SSHs IC, 20 IWs IC, and 16 Seal Jacks IC.

    Captain’s Cove:  4 vertical jumps OYO, 19 Copperhead Squats IC, 20 Sumo Squats IC, and 16 Regular Squats IC.

    Milestone Marsh: 4 plyo Merkins OYO, 19 Merkins IC, 20 Shoulder Taps IC, 16 slow seconds Mission Impossible.

    At this point, Chewy politely pointed out that he had figured out what YHC was up to with the count but that our birthday is April 9, 2016, not April 19, 2016.  Point well taken.

    Grandmother’s House:  4 Sister Mary Katherine’s OYO, 9 front to back lunges IC, 20 45 degree lunges IC, and 16 later lunges IC.

    And then, after a 10 mile mosey on the Tammany Trace to Covington:

    The Gipper:  4 Freddy Mercury’s IC, 9 Freddy Flutters IC, 20 Hello Dolly’s IC, and 16 Flutter Kicks IC.

    Then we mounted our bikes for the 10 mile ride back to the shovel flag for the countorama, nameorama, Shooter’s prayer and a coffeeteria, arriving about an hour later than anticipated.  No one will confuse YHC for a Swiss train conductor after this morning’s logistics, that’s for sure.

    Thanks for letting me lead, guys, and thanks for your willingness to try something different and new and for posting despite the threatening weather and actually being disappointed it didn’t pour on us.

    Some parting thoughts:

    We’ve come a long way on the Northshore.  Things have become almost comfortable and, while there’s a lot of positive to that sentiment, there are dangers too.  We could stop growing.

    So here’s a call to action.  Commit to EH’ing more FNGs and supporting them through their virgin post so that they return.  Commit to Q’ing more workouts, putting time into planning your Qs, and posting timely BackBlasts.  Commit to a CSAUP.  Commit to making yourself better and leading by example, always keeping your eyes open for growth and leadership in all three of the Fs.  If we want F3 Northshore to grow, then we are the ones that need to make it happen.

    Carpe Diem.

     

     

     

     

  • AB-solutely Appreciative

    “I believe that every human mind feels pleasure in doing good to another” Thomas Jefferson

    And it was, indeed, a pleasure doing a good job whooping on the the PAX this morning!

    Warm-o-rama:

    Air Squared (people’s chair with seal claps) x20

    21s – SSH in cadence, 1-5 out loud, 6-21 in our heads. Shooter drew a yellow flag  by starting #22, so we dropped for 5 merkins and gave it another shot. An antsy Tanked Up tried throwing some accusations Water Pic(k)’s way, but the PAX wasn’t having a round 3.

    We finished up with a cameo from our ISI AMRAP, courtesy of Turbo Tax. Single-leg lateral hops, 1 minute each leg.

    The Thang:

    After moseying to Marigny and partnering up (thanks Beast for showing up late to even out our number), YHC unveiled the as-yet-unperfected Bushwacker’s Ladder. Using the 6 telephone poles as markers, while P1 did merkins at 1st pole, p2 bear crawled to second pole and proceeded to do merkins while p1 bear crawled to meet him. Proceeding thusly, burpees/ sprint, alt single leg lunge/ high step, plank/squat walk, and finally p1 &p2 together SSHed laterally to the last pole.  To get back to the lakefront p1 carried p2 half way, then switched to complete the journey.

    We mosied towards the little bridge near the “beach”, but, after realizing it was a farther mosey than YHC realized, we broke it up with a quick set of 25 merkins.

    At the bridge we secured our feet under the bottom rail and busted out 20 or so sit ups. Now realizing the agony of my decision to both our feet and tail bones, we shifted over to the grass for 25 LBCs and 25 Heels to Heavens.

    Half-way along our return mosey we stopped for an invigorating game of F3 Pinocle (f3nation.com’s spelling not mine). In a circle each PAX was issued before him 5 cards (though time only allotted the use of 3 each) from my son’s deck of average, non-playboy playing cards . Each at a time flipped and we all performed however many reps as the number on the card (A=20), with the suite determining the exercise: Heart = merkin, Spade = squat, Diamond = burpee, and Club = putin. Mostly putins, very few burpees, and only 1 Ace. YHC would like to think he wasn’t alone in being APPRECIATIVE that we did 3 rounds instead of all 5, as a revealing of the remaining unturned cards produced such terrors as the A of spades, A of hearts, and the dreaded A of diamonds.

    Mary:

    (2) 10x Outlaws aka OOOOH Marys (Someone check for security footage from Don’s!)

    25x Freddy Mercurys

    20x Feddy Flutters

    3 minute plank, while I expounded on my appreciation for the fine gentlemen who surrounded me, those who could not post today, and the F3 organization as a whole. We should never be so far gone as to lose sight of the gifts we’ve been blessed with.

    As a parting gift, the chiseled brother fresh on his journey into his 60th year on this planet, graced us and the Mandeville Lakefront public with a brief, but titillating, strip tease of male dancing as only a landscaper could!

    YHC prayed us out with more urgings of appreciation for all things precious

    Gentlemen, it was an honor and a pleasure

    Thanks for the generosities of Shooter

  • Can there ever really be too much foreplay?

    We could get the M’s to weigh in on this one, but YHC believes we all know the answer: there can never be too much foreplay, so long as it doesn’t interfere with the thang.  The PAX clearly agrees, with Shooter now traveling on foot to AO’s, Carpool continuing his streak of foreplay before each beatdown, and the Pelican – nixing the cigarette and cuddling – and opting instead for a little extra mileage afterplay.  These guys don’t need tips from Cosmo to get things going…

    Started things off with:

    10x – 8 Count Bodybuilders / Windmills, IW’s / 10 bodybuilders / SSH, Seal Jacks / 10 bodybuilders / High knees, butt kicks / 10 bodybuilders

    T-claps to Turtle who has now made 2 consecutive beatdown after his lengthy hiatus of hunting deer, ducks, gators, turtles, coons, otters, nutrias, squirrels, mice… essentially, anything that moves (legal, of course -no outlaw activity here – anything legal that moves).  Of course, with his return comes growing pains, not just for him but for the entire PAX.  YHC’s goal is to put a hurt on and see if anything slows down his mouth, but again, this is a question I believe we all know the answer to. (Nope.)

    So… mosey to the grassy amphitheater for a COP.: Jack Webb’s, 1:4 ratio, up to 10:40

    Then onward to the tunnel on pain for a partner routine using the hill: P1 runs backwards up, forward down, to then flapjack with P2 who is doing jump squats.  Then monkey humpers.  Then burpees.

    Mosey back with just enough time for Mary: crunchy frogs, leg raises, Putin’s, LBC’s, Freddie Mercs, Hello Dolly’s, all 20x IC

    Countdown, nameorama, Choppa prayed us out.  Thanks for letting me lead!

  • Super Bowl Saturday

    A little foreplay, a short disclaimer and then off to the races this morning on Super Bowl Saturday.

    52 reps of Seal Jacks, Mountain Climbers and Imperial Walkers, all in cadence, for a warmup.

    Mosey to the first COP for:

    10 count Al Gore, 10 copperhead squats, and 10 vertical jumps.

    10 count Mission Impossible, 10 slow Merkins, and 10 Northshore (plyo) Merkins.

    10 count balance on right leg, 10 slow pistol squats right leg, and 10 right leg hops.  Rinse and repeat on the left leg.

    10 count isometric lunge with the right foot forward, 10 slow lunges, and 10 half Sister Mary Katherines.  Rinse and repeat with the left leg forward.

    Mosey to the Main Event:

    The PAX set up a field approximately 30 yards x 30 yards and then separated into two teams, one donning wifebeaters left over from the Krazy Ivan.  Two teams, one football and an old fashioned game of keep away that reminded us all of our 12 year old selves.  Liberal sprinkling of Merkins, burpees, vertical jumps and star jumps every incomplete pass.  Not exactly Eagles v Patriots although some previously undisclosed skills were revealed by the wheezing PAX.

    Mosey back to the Shovel Flag for Mary:

    Scuba Steves, plank right leg pulses, plank left leg pulses, flutter kicks, and dynamic side planks both sides all 52x IC.

    Countorama, nameorama, and Chewy prayed us out on our way to the coffeeteria.

    Fun time this morning guys.  Thanks for being such great sports and letting me lead.

    Moleskin

    T claps to the 10 Northshore PAX participating in the Run Ranger Run February challenge.  As of this writing, Team Northshore sits in 21st place on the national leaderboard with 83 running miles logged since Tuesday.  Let’s keep up the momentum men.

  • “We call that Lagniappe”

    Some may boil crawfish and add a little extra salt, other’s may barbecue adding some extra sauce. Then there are some who after a long work week stop at the Barley oak for a refreshing cold brew on tap with some friends to chatter about the upcoming weekend and quickly realize they may have had a few too many and soon make the call to Uber for a safe journey home… Or it could be those who meet at an AO for 0445 on a Friday Gloom for the weekly 10k, but soon become overachievers raising the bar just so slightly higher.. For all of you out there reading this Blast, here in south Luzianna “We Call that Lagniappe!”

    Rolled in about 0440 with no one in sight thinking, hey if know one shows I will get out there and knock this thing out… NOT sorry Captain Sparkles if that would disrespect the Cove but the temp was in the low 50s with Gail force winds ripping somewhere near 15-20 and this 6% was struggling with the possibility of being a Lone Ranger… Wait a second Shooter, do you truly think your fellow F3 brothers are considering not posting to give you that opportunity? 🤔🤣 Not a chance as Steve turns in from Lakeshore Drive shortly followed by Carpool and then a sighting of Bushwacker rolling down Jackson street coming in Hot right on time…

    We count off,  say a quick prayer and off we go.. The Q took the PAX up Jackson to the Trailhead journeying a path he had taken the PAX on some weeks back.. Remembering the last time upon returning we had to journey past the AO down Lakeshore for a little extra to hit the 6.2 miles. However, on this Gloom the QIC threw in the loop from Thursday’s AO to get the extra required before returning and that’s where the confusion sets in. As Carpool and I turn back down Jackson off the Trailhead he brings to my attention that we have hit the 10k mark. So as we complete the run the distance comes in officially at 7.04 miles completed at  an hour and five minutes with a pace around 9 flat.. Great job gentleman, way to get in some lagniappe this morning.. Now Bushwacker head home and get some much needed lagniappe in other matters that I need not elaborate on 😬…

    Appreciate the lead👊!!

  • Challenge Accepted

    Having an entire month with no ISI challenge seemed to be a challenge in and of itself for the Northshore PAX.  These guys don’t want a month off.  So when Hawg finally issued the February ‘Run Ranger Run’ challenge, the PAX was tripping over itself to register and get started.  Chaos ensued.  ‘Who is Anonymous?’  ‘Can we run 1000 miles instead of 565?’ ‘And what the hell is the Pelican’s real name?’  Luckily, Bushwacker took his machete to all the red tape and logistics (sound effect please), clearing a path this morning to simply log some miles.

    So it was not all that surprising that seven PAX came ready to hit the pavement.  What was surprising, though, was to arrive a few minutes early and find Carpool loitering around City Hall with no car in sight and already sweating.   (It’s no wonder the police tailed the gang down to Sunset Point!)    Nah, nothing nefarious here, it was just Carpool – having said aloud that he’d shoot for 70 miles this month – living up to his word.  T-claps to him for logging an extra four miles by saving some gas and running to the AO.

    No warm-up today, just straight to the mosey.  This morning we’d do an extra lap around the loop, adding a few extra tenths so that those of us hitting the Cove tomorrow might log an even (cumulative) 10 miles.  PAX ran somewhere around an 8:55 pace, giving us a decent chunk of time for my new favorite Scramble AMRAP: 5 pull-ups, 10 merkins, 15 squats.  Over and over and over, ad nauseam.  Literally.

    Countdown, nameorama, and Burgundy prayed us out.  Thanks for the nice run gents!

  • Gassy Grandma’s House

    Grandma was feeling a bit gassy this morning.  I fear the PAX welcomed the abundance of Burpees about as they would a belching old woman. But, of course, they handled the Burpee theme like the champs that they are!  Thank you, gentlemen.

    Here’s the rundown:

    5 Burpees
    20 Imperial Walkers IC
    5 Burpees
    20 SSH IC
    5 Burpees
    20 Steel jacks IC
    5 Burpees
    20 Butt kicks IC
    5 Burpees
    20 High knees IC

    Mosey to Steve’s Bus Stop

    5 Burpees
    20 x freak nasties IC
    5 Burpees
    10 x derkins IC
    5 Burpees
    10 x irkins IC
    5 x Burpees

    Mosey to bridge

    5 Burpees
    Captain Dan (down, underneath, and up tunnel)
    5 Burpees
    Neon Deion Sanders (back)
    5 Burpees

    Mosey to stairs

    5 Burpees
    3 Calf lifts each step (rt lt both)
    5 Burpees

    Mary at top of steps
    20 LBCs IC
    20 R Side Crunch IC
    20 L side Crunch IC
    20 Freddie Mercs IC
    20 Flutter kicks IC
    15 push throughs IC

    5 Burpees (of course).

    Down to circle up.  Thanks to Shooter and Steve for reminding us of the upcoming workout schedule, Q list, and TOUGH MUDDER. Thanks to Nacho for a pointed and heartfelt prayer. It’s always a pleasure to work out with you F3 gentlemen, and an honor to lead.

    PS – I hope the workout wasn’t too light. When I got home, the M gave me a hard time. She said, “you don’t look too sweaty. The Q must have been off his game!”

  • Is it a sign?????

    In the gloom this past Saturday morning, we had 6 pax show up for the beat down. Could this be a sign that the Patriots will be winning their SIXTH Superbowl Championship this upcoming weekend. Who knows maybe the Eagles will win their second superbowl. It is about time. The last time they took home the Lombardi was in 19SIXty.

    The last time that they played in one was on February SIXth, 2005 with Macnabe and Owens. No matter who wins, there are beatdowns that are getting served up SIX days a week on the Northshore. Here is the one I was honored to serve up in the absence of Captain Sparkles.

    Warmarama:

    Windmill – 20 IC, Toe Touches – 20 IC, High Knees 20- IC, Butt Kicks – 20 IC, Happy Jacks: ( 5 SSH’s IC, 2 Squat Jumps, rinse and repeat x 4), Seal Jack Burpees: (5 Seal Jacks, 2 Burpees, rinse and repeat x 4)

     

    Mosey…..

     

     

    Elevens:

    1 Derkin at seawall, bear crawl to street, 10 Copper Head Squats, lunge walk back to sea wall, you know the rest!

     

    Mosey…..

     

    Bearmuda Triangle:

    Each pac teams up with a partner. Group 1 does one burpee, run to spot 2 (about 50 yards)-do 2 burpees, run to spot 3 (about 50 yards) – do 3 burpees, run to starting position (about 30 yards) – Rinse and repeat 3 times. The three spots form the shape of a triangle, hence Bearmuda Triangle.

     

    Mosey to the Cabildo…..

    3 Sets:

    Step ups left leg( 5 IC), Step ups right leg (5 IC), Freak Nasties (5 IC), Knee Ins (5 IC)……Doubled the amount of reps for each set.

    Mosey back to park for some Mary…

    3 Sets:

    10 LBCs , 10 Freddie Mercuries, 10 Flutter Kicks, 10 Putins- All IC. Inreased reps by 5 on each set.

    Mosey….

    Pax circle up in a plank position. Starting with THE Manny, do one Merkin and hold plank. Go around circle with each pac doing one merkin until we get to 60.

     

    Indian run back to flag.

     

    Thanks to backdraft for praying us out. Keep an eye out for Backdraft’s virgin Q coming to an AO near you.

     

     

  • A change of scenery at the Scramble!!!-

    As I strolled through the park to the courthouse the QIC noticed (2) F3 Brothers waiting for his arrival. Carpool and Watepic have become a staple at the Thursday AO and are two men this QIC count on for keeping him accountable to Post..  I planted the shovel flag and joined in the conversation, but as I scanned the parking area looking for a fellow named Turtle, I quickly realized he had made his star studded return Tuesday at Grandmas House and this Gloom we would NOT be welcomed again with his presence.. 0515 and gotta respect the time so let’s begin gentleman. 25 SSH IC and upon completion here comes someone rolling in hot, could it be the one who committed the night before to posting? Nah… But it was Choppa who had stated Tuesday he would be returning to the Scramble, so welcome back Choppa glad to have you back.  25 Merkins OYO followed by 25 IW IC. Set out for the run considering wether or not to bring the burst back, but decided to stick with routine on the Mosey. The PAX did however Journey a different path on this chilly Gloom passing up Waterpics dark, warm and comfortable looking home along the way.. I am sure the temptation was there for him to stop and cuddle backup for a quick snooze, but he did of course mention that, had he known we would pass this way he could have snoozed a little longer and jumped in along the way.. As we Moseyed Choppa educated us men on the PT guidelines for The Few, The Proud, The Marines.  Which consists of 23 dead hang pull-ups, obstacle course high and low crawl carrying 30 pound ammo cans across a field, fireman’s carry a fellow Marine with in 10 lbs of ones weight, 120 crunches in under 2 mins and I thought I heard a half mile run at what would be a 5:30 mile pace and I am sure I am missing something… Gentleman, and that of course is why they call them The Few and The Proud.. Completion 3.5 miles total finishing with an avg. 8.57 pace back at the AO. With 10 to spare  the PAX headed to the Monkey bars for descending pull-ups 8,6,4,2. Between each set doing 10 Merkins and 10 Elevated Swing crunches.. For completion hit our six for a little Mary. 25 IC LBCs followed by 25 IC FK and wrapped up with a 1 min low plank…

    Appreciate you men posting on this chilly Gloom and allowing me to lead!!

    Count off, announcements, COT

    Thanks to Carpool for praying us out!!

  • Celebrity Q

    Much like POTUS’ final season of Celebrity Apprentice which starred the likes of Geraldo Rivera and Ian Ziering, this morning’s Celebrity Q brought the biggest names of the Northshore PAX out of retirement.  Along with the return of Turtle came the long-awaited return of founding-father Nacho, as well as Ocho and Choppa.  It was also Tanked Up’s first foray into Grandmother’s House.  Had this beatdown been broadcast, it surely would’ve been a ratings bonanza. Like, totally huge.

    In keeping with Turtle’s dislike of rules and regulations (see Krazy Ivan disqualification for reference), the Q had us skip the warm-up portion of the beatdown and head straight into some shoulder work.  (Spoiler: there would be a lot of shoulder work.  In fact, that was the only thing Turtle had planned for us this morning.)

    The Thang: 40 merkins OYO, followed by shoulder taps 25x IC, arm circles forward 20x IC, reverse 20xIC, and air presses 40x IC.  Not sure at all about those numbers, even though YHC was the one doing the counting.  (Another Turtle thing, he has yet to conquer counting in cadence…)

    Round 2: After YHC deliberately disregarded the Q’s request for only 15x IC Shoulder Taps, the Q wrested back control of the beatdown and finally tried counting in cadence for himself.  Air presses 20x IC, arm circles forward and reverse 15x IC, and finally, 15x merkins OYO.

    Then a mosey through the woods to the tunnel, where the PAX circled up for… merkins, shoulder taps, air presses, and arm circles!  Then Turtle turned the Q over to YHC, who attempted to show the PAX a new 8-count exercise that consisted of a groiner (1-2), down into an elbow plank (3-4), plank jack (5-6), and back up to normal plank (or “F3 Plank,” as the Q today would call it).  This was semi-successful, as Tanked Up seemed to have it down.  So it’d be a partner routine, with P1 doing the 8-count exercise described above, and P2 sprinting have the tunnel, back-pedaling the rest, and doing 10 jump squats before returning in the same manner he came.  YHC had planned a few rounds with various exercises, but again, Turtle did not like the way things were proceeding and decided it was time to head to the bus stop for some leg work.

    Knee Ups, each leg 15x IC, Freak Nasties 15x IC, Bulgarian Splits, each leg 15x IC, Freaks, 15x IC.

    And the grand finale – turning the Q over to Choppa for 5 minutes of Mary: Crunchy Frogs, Flutter Kicks, Hello Dollies, Jane Fondas (L&R), and some merkins to bring it back full circle.  All to some intense music that I’m pretty sure is used for action movie trailers.

    Nameorama, countdown, and Turtle closed it down with a thoughtful prayer.  T-claps to all the men who made it back after such a long hiatus, it really was a lot of fun seeing you guys again.