F3 New Orleans

Tag: Russo

  • We have bugs – from Russo

    Instead of continued talk about what divides the AOs, let’s talk about what unites us: bugs. The Pad might be able to claim a monopoly on bats, but not insects.

    76 degrees for a solo flight at the Pad this morning, but you’re never really alone when you mosey through 3 or 4 large swarms of gnats. Or, at least I think they were gnats, since Steve wasn’t available to confirm species. I did show them who was boss, however, since at least a few of them inadvertently became breakfast.

    No real warmup to speak of, so we jumped right into:

    – pilot house steps (3 calf raises at each step
    – Slalom the columns
    – Pilot house steps (2 up, one down)
    – pilot house steps (3 calf raises at each step
    – Slalom the columns
    – Pilot house steps (2 up, one down)
    – Suicides (5 merkins at each column)
    – some combo of walk / mosey / sprint around the block (2x)
    – Lt. Dan’s through the grassy knoll
    – 20 Freak Nastys
    – SUPER slalom the columns (full revolution of each column)

    Quick prayer wrapped it up. Bird has Q tomorrow!

    SYITG

  • We have a tunnel too – from Russo

    The Splashpad and Granny’s share a common space. It’s unclear where one begins and the other ends. It’s more of an F3 commune for midweek beatdown madness. Neither can claim to be unique, but both can claim individuality.

    Even though you technically can make the Tunnel from the Pad, YHC thinks we may have only been once, but it is a regular part of Granny’s thanks to Steve and Shooter’s sadistic side and YHC’s determination to conquer it and not regret the decision to traverse. Today, Cowbell and YHC did indeed sing “Hi ho, the derry-o, a tunneling we will go!” (maybe that part was only in my head).

    Warmup (all 10x IC)
    – Good mornings
    – Toe touches
    – Self love
    – Arm circles
    – High knees

    Thang
    Traverse to the bus stop and tunnel, where a Tabata of 90 seconds on and 15 seconds off got us there and back. We alternated between:
    1 – mosey
    2 – lunge walk
    3 – side shuffle
    4 – back pedal
    5 – high knees

    At the bus stop
    – 10 IC freak nasties
    – 10 Durkins
    – R&R those two

    At the tunnel

    Mosey down, side shuffle through, back pedal up, with 5 burpees at the top. Then 5 Shoulder tap plank jacks. Followed by 5 hand release merkins. Repeat those three rounds for 6 rounds total.

    Mosey back to bus stop where it was 10 more durkins and freak nastys.

    Mary (10 IC)
    – crunchy frogs
    – Flutter kicks
    – LMCs
    – Gas pumps

    COT, Name-o-Rama, and prayer closed us out. Ya’ll keep Cowbell and his expectant M in your prayers for a healthy pregnancy.

    Good chatter around college baseball and babies, and of course a good sweat this morning.

    SYITG

  • But we have a lake – from Russo

    Each AO has its unique advantages and calling cards. Something you can point to and say “Does your AO have that?”

    Want examples?

    The Marsh: “Where else can you use the swings and the monkey bars? Who else is going to provide cover for beatdowns should a tsunami blow through?” (Pay no attention to the regular Scramble posters who are screaming that they can say the same thing about the monkey bars)

    The Gipper: “Thats a fine sculptural representation of Ronald Reagan.”

    The A1C: “We have a Moby” (said in our best Tony Stark voice)

    That may be true, A1C, BUT: We have a lake.

    “Yea, but we have a multi-level parking garage that allows us to hang from the underside and drop and pretend we’re falling off of Nakotomi Tower during the annual Die Hard beatdown”

    BUT: We have a lake.

    “Maybe so, but do you have a thing called a Darkwing Duck?”

    BUT: We have a lake (all of this said in the same spirit as Spinal Tap’s “These go to 11”)

    And because we have a lake, we ventured over to it this morning.

    Warmup (10x to 20x IC)
    – SSHs
    – Cherry pickers
    – Arm circles
    – High knees
    – Self love

    Thang
    Mosey down to lake and back

    At each block, stop for some add ons:
    – 5 shoulder tap merkins, next block:
    – 5 ST merkins and 10 ballerina squats
    R&R, adding:
    – 15 flutter kicks (2 is 1)
    – 20 monkey humpers
    – 25 mummy kicks

    Mosey was in different forms:
    – Side shuffles
    – Back pedals
    – While also cherry picking

    At the sea wall
    -30 freak Nastys IC
    -20 IC step ups
    -20 IC BBSs

    On the way back, much of the same, but in reverse.

    COT, Name-o-Rama, Announcements, and Prayer. In particular, we prayed for all those traveling this week.

    Another fine day at the Splashpad, because, you know, we have a lake, A1C.

    SYITG

  • The Walking Wounded – from Russo

    Shooter kindly left out from the Scramble backblast that YHC took a dive right at the outset of the run.

    We’re talking “Had a nice trip? See you next fall.” Stop, Drop, and Roll territory. I imagine from a viewer standpoint, one might think I had some experience with movie stunts with the way my body gracefully tucked into a ball and successfully executed a half side / half forward roll, elegantly regained my footing, and stylishly picked my stride back up. These things happen when a Rucker is forced to become a runner.

    Because he’s a standup guy, Shooter asked later in the run if I was ok, and I was. Not even my ego was bruised, because that would require me to take myself seriously. It was more important to give our DR visitor Dingey a memorable post to take back to NC. I didn’t feel any after effects until later in the day, when both my big toe and wrist felt some pain from the morning mishap. Popping a couple Advil, I thought “ooooh, tomorrow is going to be interesting if I can’t use my hands or feet.”

    Undaunted, I arrived at the Pad ready to give it a go. I thought about fartsacking and resting up. The combination of Murph Monday, Steve destroying my soul while smiling on Tuesday, an eventful Scramble, and an impending Lakefront Saturday with Coupons (Zoopons?) made me question whether I should submit my hobbled body through another beatdown. Alas, a confirmation from Bushwhacker that he would post meant YHC had to as well.

    Right under 70 degrees to start. ‘Whacker didn’t want me to feel alone in posting at less than 100%, so he braved a cold / bronchitis / pneumonia / COVID to offer me some company. My plan was to go back to basics at the Pad, highlighting the various areas that make it (and by extension Granny’s) so unique.

    Warmup (10x IC)
    – self love
    – Toe touches
    – Grass grabbers
    – Cherry pickers
    – High knees
    – Sealjacks

    Thang

    Pilot house
    – Calf raises (3 each step)
    – Mexican jumping beans
    – Ladder (2 forward, one back)

    Columns
    – Suicides (5 merkins at each stop)

    Benches
    – 10 IC Freak Nastys
    – 10 IC step ups

    Bus Stop
    – 10 BSSs (2 is 1)
    – 20 jump overs
    – 20 urkins

    Stage
    – Tabata (45 seconds, then 20 rest)
    – Monkey Humpers
    – Squats
    – Mummy kicks
    – Gas pumps

    Grassy Knoll
    – Jack Webbs (up to 7)

    Trailhead grass
    – Lt. Dans

    Mary (all 10x)
    – Penguins
    – Flutter kicks
    – Crunchy frogs
    – LMCs

    COT, Name-o-Rama, Announcements, Prayer, in that order, wrapped up our morning.

    SYITG

  • Downrange PAX brings energy! – from Shooter

    Awoke to another exceptionally mild morning on this 1st of June. YHC can only hope these days continue, however the truth is that one of these mornings will come and the temperature will still be in the 90s from the previous day. When this occurs it will be interesting to see how much more of Russo’s perspiration can be captured in his already soaked attire. It did however allow for conversation with downrange PAX Dinghy about the challenge Jose10k and Zoolander completed awhile back.. Not sure after explanation what was thought, but soon after he returned to his vehicle with a little more urgency as Russo rung out his shirt..

    Warmup
    10IC Grass grabbers, Toe touches, Peter Parkers, Parker Peters, Mountain climbers, SSH, Selflove, and 3 second hold squats.

    Thang
    Off to the same route as last week, yet instead of turning left off of Antibes we turned right and moseyed to east causeway approach returning back to the AO with 10 mins to spare.
    PAX used pull-ups for a 1 min timer as the rest completed core. Different core exercises consisted of LBCs, flutter kicks, alternating right over left knee F/J, 100s, and chill-cut plank.

    Appreciate Dinghy for closing us in prayer and safe travels to him on the return to Durham..

    Until the next gloom 👊🏼👍🏼✌🏼!!

  • Murph at the Marsh on Memorial Day – from Jose10k

    It’s as simple as the title: we had a Murph at the Marsh on Memorial Day. You have to love the alliteration. 26 total showed up for the annual event. Hogsbreathe began with a history of the workout, his own personal experience, which we greatly appreciated. It was fun watching Zoo’s face as each car pulled up. He so graciously offered up his beautiful outdoor kitchen for breakfast afterwards. A huge shout out to his wife for helping prepare breakfast for a bunch of smelly men. Warm-up followed by the murph. COT, 2 FNG’s, (welcome Pole Dancer and Flex Seal), followed by Hammer praying us out. Thank you all for posting and the fellowship as always. Happy Birthday Pick!

  • Efficiency – from Akbar

    YHC has been working with Whacker helping cut yards for the past month. One thing that I’ve learned is the efficiency in which he works. Active, productive, profitable, skillful, decisive, effective, valuable, proficient, organized. It’s not like when we cut our own yard: chilling to tunes, stopping to talk with the neighbors, maybe looking forward to a cold beer afterward. This is an operation to get finished as soon as possible.

    For example, tight and wide. You cut the smaller spaces first toward the street, then the larger ones working back toward the house – this makes clean up more efficient. Don’t cut other people’s grass, even it’s a patch of grass the size of a shoe box. If you do, you’ll get yelled at by a screaming man running toward you with a weed eater. Snake mow only when the grass is shorter, box cut when it’s growing to make clean up more efficient. Mow the edges of the yard first, watch out for protruding or non-protruding items in the yard (stumps, toys, power lines). Don’t wear dark sunglasses.

    Drive fast in between jobs – rolling stops are permissible at stop signs. Blow grass with the wind. Eat something, drink lots of water, and don’t use the bathroom until the jobs are finished.

    In pondering these recent adventures, efficiency was on the mind. What kind of beatdown covers all the bases without being too complicated? 7’s and 11’s

    PAX: Akbar, Wicket, Jose 10k, Hogsbreath, Zoolander, Russo, Minnow, Maverick, Bird, Grover, Hammer, JV, Trucoat, Waterpik, Sogo, Brexit

    Warm up x10-20 IC:
    SSH, Mountain Climbers, Mummy Kicks, Grass Grabbers, Windmills, other stuff

    Thang:
    Mosey up and down the Lakefront, stopping for 7’s, then 11’s, rinse and repeat. All exercises started on the wall, with a 60 foot mosey to the sidewalk to perform exercise #2, then a mosey back.

    7’s Dirkin, Army Crawl, Mountain Climber
    11’s Freak Nasty, flying nun (lunge walk with arm circles), Twinkle Toes (Al Gore calf raise)
    7’s Wall Jumps, Bear Crawl, Hand Release Merkins
    11’s Stone Mountain, High Knees, Renegade Row

    7:19 am, Lightning round
    7’s Bouncy Squats, run, Superman’s
    11’s Al Gore Shoulder Clap, run, Scuba Steve’s

    Indian run back to the flag for Mary

    Mary
    Mountain Climbers x20 IC, LBC’s x20 IC
    30 Merkins OYO courtesy of Wicket

    Name, count, and YHC prayed us out.

    Announcements
    Memorial Day Murph at the Marsh Monday, Jose has Q with Coffeeteria after
    Hogsbreath retirement party at Faubourg Brewing June 10, 5-7

    NMM
    • Great to have Brexit join us again
    • One thing YHC loves about 7’s and 11’s is the Mumblechatter. There was a whole group on the far side that quoted movie lines pretty much the whole workout. Gives you a chance to catch up with everybody, like switching conversations on a speed date, but you aren’t trying to date the other dude.

    Thanks for following my lead. SYITG – Akbar

  • No Q? No problem! – from Shooter

    With a blank on the board PAX will still show, so AO responsibilities include the occasional self EH no matter how many mental excuses come to mind.. Whether it be wanting to rest a little more hitting the snooze or simply making the assumption someone else will take it attitude, which every PAX out on this Gloom would have done most willingly.. Especially the likes of Q Master Russo, who has single handily kept the splash pad a float for the last few months.. PAX agreed that the old Jose10k would have clearly began his annual return of posting every Gloom now that school is out for the summer, then again a name change (Jose10Katie) changes a man. Let’s face it most all of us have been there.. We love you Jose10k, Jose10Katie or whatever your first F3 name happened to be…. 😬😬

    Light warmup
    10IC and 20IC SSH, Imperial walkers, Grass grabbers, arm circles, neck rolls and Toe Touches.

    Runners only out and down East Causeway to Monroe, down Monroe turning on Antibes and a left at the stop sign around the circle and returning. 3.5 total with all PAX.
    Time for Mary WW1 with legs spread 15 OYO, straight led and knee up crossing elbow F/J, 10 Merkins OYO, LBCs 10IC and Superman holds for 5 seconds to 10 and ended with Flutter kicks.

    Appreciate the Hammer praying us out and until the next Gloom 👍🏼👊🏼✌🏼!!

  • And Twins! – from Russo

    About 70 degrees and “not too bad” as Steve concurred this morning. 6 pack this morning for what I thought might be an ambitious beatdown.

    Great conversation throughout revolving around vacations, movies, beaches, gravel in our elbows…and twins! (Remember when beer commercials used to be fun?)

    Warmup – all 10x IC
    Toe touches
    SSHs
    Self love
    Cherry pickers
    Grass grabbers
    High knees

    Thang
    Mosey to the bridge, with 10 Peter Parker’s, Jump squats, and Flutter kicks interspersed.

    At the bridge

    11s – 8 count body builders and Absolution, with alternating side shuffles, backpedals, sprints, cariocas, and recovery walks from one side of the bridge to the other.

    Rounds 8/3, 9/2, and 10/1 were part of the mosey back (with a modification to merkins on the last round in the interest of time).

    COT, Name-o-Rama, Announcements, Prayer, in that order.

    Akbar had Saturday lakefront Q, YHC has Splashpad Friday Q, and check the schedule for the rest of the week.

    Another week at Granny’s in the books. Thanks for joining and reading.

    SYITG

  • Diamonds in the Gloom, No not the bling bling kind!! – from Shooter

    Wanting to give the Q grand master Russo a break from the Q sheet, YHC decided to signup for Grannies.. While I am sure many PAX celebrated their M’s on Mother’s Day with brunches, flowers, dinners, chore lists or some maybe even supplied a Diamond or (2). Not sure on the last, but the only bling served on this Gloom would be the glistening glow of sweat as the street lights at the Treen center reflected off the PAX as we completed the Exicon 7 of Diamonds..

    Another amazing difference into the New year is YHC has experienced an ON time Cowbell at two occasions recently.. Not sure if he is prepping for the arrival of his twin boys? Or the soon to be awakening of feeding time? Maybe it’s simply the fact that he missed the F3 brethren in the Gloom and doesn’t want to especially miss a minute of Wacker chatter?
    Whatever it is, the PAX of course are happy to have him back in our presence regardless..

    Warmup
    All 10IC (with the help of only Russo) in the beginning..Arm circles, Torso twist, Abe Vogadas, Grass grabbers, Mummy kicks, Butt kicks and Cherry pickers..

    Thang
    7 of Diamonds
    Burpees/Sprint
    Jump squats/back pedal
    WW1 or WW2 sit-ups/Carioca
    Alternating Irkins/Derkins/Staggered Merkin/recovery walk
    Sister Mary Catherine’s/skipping
    Flutter kicks 2/1/Mosey
    Carolina dry docks/Mosey

    Returned with the 6 at 6 for the count, announce and COT..

    Appreciate Zoolander for the close in prayer and until the next Gloom 👍🏼👊🏼✌🏼!!!