Tag: City hall Scramble

  • I’d rather be, under the sea…

    With the sharp rise in temperatures and humidity this week, I think we’d all rather be in an octopus’s garden, in the shade.

    I’m sorry…. lame, I know. That’s the best lead line YHC could think of. (There were other, lamer ones – trust me.) Where’s Ei when you need him?

    So every time Ringo returns from the coast, YHC has to come up with another lame Beatles reference. In this case, it’s one of the two songs that Ringo actually wrote for the Beatles, so at least there’s that bit of trivia to carry you through the rest of this backblast.

    Anywho. The scramble. It was as it usually is – with the exception of a visiting Ringo and Cowbell’s first scramble experience.

    Parking Lot Warmorama: Lunges across and back, Frankenstein’s across and back, followed by SSH & IW’s, x20 IC.

    The Thang:

    Despite the humidity, it was a nice run and getting to chat with recent Southshore defector, Cowbell, made it pass even quicker. As one of the few H8! finishers, YHC looks forward to the painful beatdowns to come from him later this year. Also, he attempted to explain what is happening with this months ISI over on the Southshore, but I still left somewhat confused.

    Post-Thang:

    PAX flutter kicked their hearts out while one by one each man rose to do x10 pull-ups. After all men finished, we planked for a bit and performed the following: Merkins x10 IC, Makhtar N’Diayes x10 IC, and Peter Parkers x10 IC.

    COT and Chewy prayed us out. Thanks men for another opportunity to lead, your push and accountability is always appreciated!

  • Uniformed celebrity sightings at the Scramble!!

    5 PAX converged on the Scramble to post before the rain showers arrived.. YHC noticed Water pik already under the lamp post as I emerged from the park.. With no vehicle in sight Q realizing Water Pik had gotten in a little pre thang by running from home.. Garfield emerged from the darkness as Zoolander turned the corner and rolled in. With chatter bouncing around as each PAX joined, the time to begin quickly arrived but headlights rounding the bend revealed the Scramble would add yet another PAX in Chewy as he waited for him to join in…

    Warmup

    10 IC Imperial Squats

    15 IC Toe Touches

    10 IC Scorpion kicks (Garfield fav)

    15 IC Windmills

    Alternating lunge walk 30 yards to Zoolander’s car..

    Thang

    PAX began our Mosey down the standard ole Mandeville Route quickly establishing 2 different paced groups.. With Water Pik, Garfield and Zoolander pacing out front.. YHC and Chewy pulled the 6 with some great chatter along the way.. Returned to the AO for playground work with each PAX cycling through 10 pull-ups while the rest of us completed little Manny crunches OYO. 10 IC Freak nasties as each man completed Flutter kicks. Closed with Plank hold, left/right arm high as our Celebrity uniformed Captain Sparkles rolled in to make a down painment of different sorts..

    Count, announce, COT

    Appreciation to Zoolander closing the PAX with prayers to the sky Q!!

    Always enjoy the Gloom with you men 👍🏻👊🏻✌🏻 Till the next Gloom!!

  • No Rain

    90% chance….whipping gusts….but no rain! No fishing or camping either, I might add (and you call yourselves Ragnarians).

    As expected, the reliant visages of Waterpik and Garfield greeted YHC as he rolled up. With another three amigo post apparently in store in store for the scramblers, it was a pleasant surprise to see Burgundy join us to give his recovering leg a little work.

    WARM UP

    Torso Twists x10

    Toe Touches x10

    Cherry Pickers x20

    Imperial Walkersx10

    High Knees x10

    Fire Hydrants x10 r/l

    Scorpion Kicks x10

    THANG

    The regular route was run, an we ran into the regular runners along the route. The 4 scramblers held together as the PAX all participated in the ramblings of early-morning mumble chatter. A slightly deceptive 8:41 was the pace, and as we returned to the flag, Burgundy exclaimed that there was no rain! “BOOM,” retorted Mother Nature!

    THANG PT2/Mary

    Inspired by both Shooter and Coconuts, Q had a mind to insert a plethora of burpees for the rest of the beatdown. However, 2 rounds of 10 burpees on the minute was all the painment Q decided to dish out. We did follow up with some calming stretches and some iso ab work.

    COT

    Burgundy lead us out with a familiar, yet always apropos theme of appreciation.

    While we saw no rain, we held no illusions as to the rest of the day. Gentlemen, enjoy this wet n wild Thursday!

  • Horrendously Happy

    Today was a prime example of the efficacy of the self-EH strategy of signing up to Q. After a horrendous night sleep, YHC was begrudgingly ready to get some miles in with the always semi-chipper PAX known colloquially as the City Hall Scramblers.

    WARM O RAMA

    Windmills x15

    Imperial Walkers x15

    Torso Twists x15

    High Knees x 17

    Donkey Kicks rx10, lx10

    Down Dog Merkins (credit Chewy for naming rights) x15

    Scorpion Kicks x15

    THANG

    The tradish Old Mandeville route was tackled this gloom. Garfield smartly listened to his body and passed on Sun Set Point. YHC wished he had done the same down the final stretch. Avoiding thoughts of a post-post trail run with Steve as best as possible, Q instead focused on one foot in front of the other in the NOW.

    MARY

    Taking advantage of the pull up bar at the park, the PAX each tested their metal in this month’s ISI of flexed-arm hangs, while the rest of the group did unending LBCs, Freddy Mercurys, and Heel Touches.

    COT

    Garfield took us out with positive vibes and grand hopes for the day. Thanks for posting , guys, and for following the sometimes predictable, yet often unpredictable lead of he who is feared by bushes far and wide!

    POST SCRIPT

    Steve and I did successfully complete a 1 mile trail run without being attacked, or otherwise molested by: alligators, snakes, spiders (though their webs kept things interesting), raccoons, squirrels, or devilish forest gnomes. We are looking forward to adding more miles and more men to the next run!

    POST POST SCRIPT

    I passed an active scene with a very totaled St Tammany Sherrif’s suburban on the way home. Please say some prayers for the officer invoved.

  • Runners of the Scramble

    With recent Scrambles producing mixed groups of eight in a half, some nine min milers and the occasional quarter to ten/ten min milers this Gloom showed out a heap of runners.. 5 PAX assembled at the flag for the start of this day.. Mild mid 40s gave the PAX a spring in their step or is it the fact that day light savings time will soon be gone as we spring forward in time this weekend… The gazelles of this Gloom included the likes of the regular Garfield who always pushes his younger counter parts, along with Chewy and Water Pic as the Q held back another of the gazelles in Zoolander striking conversation early as to not be left behind… Even though the intention was in my favor the PAX pushed YHC from the comforts of his mid 9 min mile to log a respectable mid 8 pace.. Proving one of the many reasons I enjoy posting with this group of brothers to get the King relevant in my own life…

    Warmarama

    Good mornings 10 IC, Toe Touches 10 IC, Annie alternating right/left, Hairy Rockettes 10 IC and SSH 10 IC…

    Thang

    Assumed positions around the newly acquired workout stations with the fresh aroma of Astro turf rubber filling our nostrils as we took to plank. Each PAX required to complete 10% of the ISI challenge of a 30 sec hold while the rest of us completed Nolan Ryan’s right and left, mission impossible, LMCs (LittleMannyCrunches) and Flutter kicks. Closed with the PAX completing scorpion kicks 15 IC, Ws 3sec hold to 15, a little sprinkle of yoga down dawg stretch and mixing in left/right leg forward inner groin and hip stretches…

    Circled up for count off, announcements, COT…

    Much appreciation to Water Pic for closing us out with the daily prayer!!

    Enjoyed the journey gentlemen ✌🏻 till the next Gloom!!

  • Krewe of F3!

    Is Mardi Gras the world’s longest-running, largest, free, annual, outdoor celebration? I’ll let the PAX chew on that for a while. In the meantime, there was no celebrating yet at the Mandeville City Hall Scramble as it was business as usual for the veteran PAX of F3 Northshore. Word has it there will be a Birthday Bash worthy of RESPECT, RESPECT on the Lakefront Saturday morning. For those looking for a good beatdown before heading out to the parades, be sure to post on the Mandeville Lakefront on Saturday to find out what’s in store! But back to the task at hand:

    YHC led the PAX through a brief warmup consisting of SSHs, HKs, BKs, WMs, and GMs, before departing for the weekly 5K jaunt on the traditional route through Old Mandeville and Sunset Point.

    Back at the Ranch, aka, the AO, we finished up with Merkins x 40 OYO, Flutter Kicks X 20 IC, Hello Dollies x 20 IC, and Imperial Walkers Squats x 20 IC.

    Nameorama, Countoff, and COT. Thanks to Coconuts for praying us out into the day!

    Moleskin: Best of luck and Best Wishes to Ringo who departs our company for a short time to the beaches of Florida’s panhandle.

    As always, thanks, men for inspiring me to try to become the best version of myself today and everyday. And, as was mentioned on the most recent episode of F3’s 43 feet podcast, thanks for helping me to increase my mental and physical toughness over the past 14 months. As a group, we are stronger than any one individual by influencing and inspiring one another and constantly pushing one another.

  • Welcoming a Substitute at the Scramble!!

    With fellow F3 brethren arriving equipped and ready to roll. YHC made it known that there would be a substitute teacher today. Ringo would be absent from class today and the Q was called upon to fill in on this mild and foggy Gloom too bring the PAX along this journey of learning.. So since we are always learning, YHC chose warmup exercises not to commonly used from the list provided in the Exicon…

    Warmup

    Toe Touches IC 10, Tabby Taps IC 10, Mantees, Annie IC 20 and Failure to Launch 5..

    Thang

    With 10 min to spare, Q decided to close the PAX out with some Restorative YOGA 🤔!! Oh yeah, the Substitute today was taking a pause from the normal tightening of muscles choosing to loosen instead.. Felt like the PAX welcomed the change of pace..

    Count, announce, COT

    Q prayed us out..

    Appreciate the PAX for following my lead and till the next Gloom 👍🏻👊🏻✌🏻!!

  • NKOTB Valentine Run

    Image result for nkotb

    With no Shooter, Steve or Chewy, it was no “old guard” and all “new guard” (The Pelican being “mid-guard”?) on this chilly Valentine’s morning. With Ringo rolling in hot and a little late (but back to his customary F3 winter uniform), the PAX had warm ups already underway.

    20 IC:

    Toe Touches

    Imperial Walkers

    Torso Twists

    High Knees

    Abe Vigodas

    With RRR in mind, YHC had intended close to 5miles in the gloom, but given an odd assortment of excuses mixed with a dusting of miscommunication, while the route slightly altered, the distance remained the same.

    Coconuts and Garfield lead the pack, with Ringo and The Pelican covering the middle ground, and Waterpik and YHC pulling the caboose.

    With 10 minutes to Mary, we finished with: Downward Dog, Lizard Pose, Planks, Chill Cut Planks, Mission Impossible Planks, Right/Left Side Planks.

    Pelican prayed us out, and off we went to welcome the day! Thanks to Waterpik for hanging back with this stumbling fool, to Coconuts for swinging back for us mosiers, and to the PAX for following instruction, if not lead.

    I’m very impressed and proud of the new wave of consistency and leadership in F3 Northshore that has been built on the leadership and committment that each of us found already here when we were FNGs. I consider this group to be a valuable and integral part of my life, and the lives of its member. Always remember, WE are F3 Northshore. Without US, it does not exist.

  • The Extra Mile Is Never Crowded

    Unless, of course, you’re running in Old Mandeville, where there are always other running crews hitting the pavement before 0500.

    First off, t-claps to Coconuts for showing up with some reflective running schwag, instantly making the pax both safer and giving us that “seasoned runner” look (so that when the group of women doing a 6-minute pace passed us, they knew they were passing some serious men).

    Secondly, t-claps to Waterpik, who has posted to more than a few beatdowns while he rehabs his ankle.  He got YHC thinking this morning: would I show up if I couldn’t run?  Probably not.  Maybe the first week, but then the temptation of an extra hour of sleep (maybe 2 for an outta work hairdresser?) would be too much.  Pik leads by example and character like his is one of the biggest reasons why I’ve made F3 such an integral part of my life.

    The Thang: Once our new reflective bands had been properly secured, YHC warned the pax that we’d be skipping our usual warm-up in lieu of a little more distance: 4 miles rather than our usual 3.2.

    Today’s route:

    Back in time for a few flutters (30x IC) and a few merkins (20), before COT with Chewy praying us out.  Thanks for going the extra distance today guys, appreciate it!

  • Presto Change-o!

    tick…tock…tick…tock…The countdown is on! THE most extreme and hardcore athletic event in the United States, if not the world will be here in less than 48 hours (as of the writing of this back blast). The best of the best of the best will descend upon the Mandeville Lakefront to face the brutal elements brought forth just in the nick of time by the obsequious mother nature. Tank tops – CHECK, freedom hammer – CHECK, blustery cold weather – CHECK…it’s GO TIME!

    WARM-O

    10, 15, or 20 of:

    toe touches

    torso twists

    high knees

    butt kicks

    fire hydrants

    scorpion kicks

    In order to get the running faithful of the city hall scramble a lil taste of the ivan route, QIC changed it up and lead the PAX down monroe, following the the loop, and up w. beach to the last bit o lakeshore dr. before heading back.

    MARY-ISH

    Waiting for the PAX at the AO was the legendary, yet sinister, DICE O DOOM! We each had a roll and , much to the relief of every soul assembled, there was no roll for 50 burpees!

    COUNT-O/NAME-O

    Chewy prayed us out. Thanks guys for following my crippled lead and best of luck to all who won’t be in FLORIDA saturday night!