F3 New Orleans

Author: Rudy

  • There is Only 1 First Time – from Goose

    There is only 1, first time

    We arrived at the stage to an eager group of Pax, ending up with 8 in total. I had the que adrenaline flowing as each man who joined will be a part of my F3 journey as my first que. Humbled by the excitement and wishing for mumble chatter to test my “one liners of fear” that I have been practicing we began. I tried to view this que thru the eyes of the gunny drill Sargent from full metal jacket. I digress but full disclosure if you would of told me I would be in the gloom doing this a yr ago I would of called u a liar but this has been an amazing group thank each of u.

    Warm up: the usual with the add on of “Moroccan self love” and Enron wishing upon a shooting star.

    Thang 1: a true Dora 1,2,3 with partner taking a lap while other worked on getting 100 merkin 200 LBC and 300 flutter kicks

    Thang 2: Burpee Big Boy Ladder 11s with “Murder Maker” transports
    10 burpee then murder maker (murder bunny man maker combos) across the field 1 big boy and walk the coupon home. We repeated till assistant que Yankee Faux called for me at 6:09

    Mary til 6:15 the usuals with a goose add on so he can get a taste of the YHC power to finish off his work week.

    Enron prayed us out and it was an amazing and humbling moment getting to do this with u guys.

    YHC Wilford Montana

    #goose #paradox #yankeeFAUX #enron #fencepost #fireinthehole #cardinal #wilfordMontana
    #thestage

  • Pax on a rope – from Mahatma

    A cool crisp Autumn morning along the lake front of NOLA where 10 pax (none in yoga pants) showed up for a beatdown. Disclaimer given

    Head towards the field in front fountain
    Warm up
    X 10
    Mnt Man Poopers
    X 20
    SSH
    X5
    AbVagoda
    Grassgrabbers
    X5
    Fwd
    Back
    Arm Circle
    X10
    Good mornings

    YHC brought just enough rope for 10 pax – holding with 2 hands overhead we started at a walking pace then with a level of confidence picked it up to a slow mosey as we ascended the levee transitioning to an Indian run towards our destination that only YHC knew.

    Once arrived we dropped the rope and descended the levee lining up along the bottom.
    1771 – 1+7 up and over 7+1 up and over repeat with numbers ascending and descending now 2+6 up and over 6+2 continuing until there is a reverse order 7117 yet always added the total number of reps = 8
    V-Ups and Jump Squats
    So 1 VU + 7 JS then up and over 7 VP + 1 JS (or you could do 1JS + 7VU same thing). The reps change as outlined above always = 8
    When pax finished we did Mary until the 6 joined and finished through the reps YHC had on his mind.

    Then line up with the rope Indian run to the starting spot of the “H8”. 2 teams of 5 – race – as a group pax complete 5 hand release merkins run to the top of the levee cross over to center bear crawl across run down the other side to opposite side corner 5 more hand release merkins (these will be done at all corners) back up cross over bear crawl across the middle back down finishing HS merkins at the corners.

    YHC had planned for a looser punishment yet it was skipped (some may say b/c YHC was on the loosing team yet there was a plan).

    Align at the base of the levee – “7”
    6 merkins 1 double under then 5 merkins 2 double under so on.

    Now grab the rope for overhead mosey to the “house of pain” (this was our recovery)

    Partner up – YHC did a bad job of assigning a rotation yet we seemed to figure it out.
    Pull Ups
    Dips
    Incline Merkins
    Timer – run to top of levee 2 burpees run down

    Looking at the time YHC put in an old school “Okwata rite” – Quadrophilia! We only went 2 rounds which brought about some sad protest that YHC didn’t plan well enough for the full 4 minute effect…..this will be adjusted as arm circles won’t ever make a future beatdown of this YHC!

    COT – be aware as to “lost sheep”. Are we in the 99 who should be encouraging and praying for the 1 or are we at times the 1?

  • #F3Counts – from Hawgcycle

    Conditions: Perfect – Clear and 65 degrees. 83% humidity. Wind from the ENE at 4 m/h

    Pax: Belloq, Fastest of Taxes, Glitter Balls, HG, Heisenberg, Hokie, Mahatma, Pool Boy (FNG), Tiny Dancer, Triple Shift, Vagabond, War Eagle, YHC

    Warm-Up
    • SSH x 30; Imperial Walkers x 20; Don Quixote x 10; Low Slow Squats x 15; Merkins x 10; Peter Parker x 15; Parker Peter x 15
    • Bat Wings: Forward Arm Circles x 20; Reverse Arm Circles x -2; Seal Claps x 20; Overhead Claps x 20, Moroccan Night Clubs x 20

    The Thang

    Animals on Parade (20 Yards Each) – Bear Crawl, Crab Walk, Leap Frog with Partner, Inchworm, Kong

    Mosey to the Rock Pile and select a rock.

    Counting Exercises
    • 2 count Rock Merkins x 15
    • 4 count Squats x 10
    • 6 count Catalina Wine Mixers with feet on rock x 10
    • 8 count rock builders x 10
    • 10 count Squat-Curl-Press-Curl-Squat x 10
    • 12 count Around the World Lunges x 10

    Mosey back toward the flag for Rock Toss – Partner up and chunk the biggest rock you have back and forth over the fence to one another. About 5 minutes.

    Return rocks to the Rock Pile and do 20 reps of Crunchy Frog

    Horses to stable back to the flag

    NMM
    • Welcome to our FNG Pool Boy Eh’d by Glitter Balls.
    • It was great to see Vagabond back out there. True to his name he kind of wandered around the playground.
    • I left the SSHs one short this morning. Off my game.
    • I knew Bat Wings was a #CrowdPleaser, but I didn’t realize how much. Mahatma made his disdain known just in case anyone was wondering. I had planned to go even further, but I was satisfied once Triple and War Eagle started jawing at each other about perseverance and form.
    • Fracsac and Bolt weren’t in attendance, so I felt fine calling Moroccan Night Clubs. Dancing was highly discouraged, although Tiny Dancer flashed a little preview of what he is capable of. Frac is not in the same league, but who is?
    • There was discussion as to whether crabs and inchworms are animals. The answer is yes. An animal is any living organism that feeds on organic matter, typically having specialized sense organs and nervous system and able to respond rapidly to stimuli. Basically, if you can pronounce it and it ain’t a plant or toe fungus, it’s an animal.
    • My 12 year old daughter has been mopping the floor with me at Equations – a math game she plays at school that involves a bunch of dice, numbers, operations, solutions, etc. I need to practice my counting skills. Hence the different cadences. IN
    • The Rock Toss was an oldie but a goodie. I’m pretty sure I am going to be feeling it over the next couple of days. No one ended up with dog feces on their face today. That’s always a win.
    • At one time I had the password to the F3 NOLA Twitter Account. Unfortunately I am now locked out, because there are some movie trailers I would like to post. Back when I had access it was common for different regions to tweet out the number of pax that posted that day and hashtag it with #F3Counts. It was a pun. I probably don’t need to explain it. A lot of people didn’t realize it was used to post actual counts. So you would often see it used when someone would post something meaningful about F3. They may have missed the pun, but they understood the important part. F3 has value. It is significant. It counts. That fact was on full display today. We had a new guy post. He was invited by a man that has been posting for two months and already realizes that everyone needs this. We had a few guys too injured to do the full bootcamp. They showed up and did what they could because they realize how important it is. We had a recent kotter that realizes he needs it again and is committed to returning. He held up his commitment this morning by starting the second week of his return. I had friends there today that I have been sharing the morning with for 5, 6, even 7 years. Where else do we get that? The physical fitness is significant. More significant are the friendships. And even more significant is the spiritual growth and the opportunity to be a part of something. Sometimes we have trouble keeping up, sometimes we have to modify, and sometimes we get off cadence. But it’s good to know we can rely on F3 to be there when we need it. Let’s do our part to make sure F3 always Counts.

  • The Saints, All of ‘Em – from Goose

    Four PAX gathered for what seems like it might become a weekly deal–Tuesday mornings at The Stage. There would have been a fifth, but Yankee Joe’s kids were stomach bugging all over him. T-claps to Fence Post for “posting” his first three beatdowns in four days! And, to Lil’ Cuz for coming two days in a row in only his second month of F3! Enron, the ever steady and the official counter (Fence Post and Cuz are still learning how to count while also breathing) made us an even four on this celebration of ALL the Saints.

    After a warmup of the usuals, YHC explained that in honor of All Saints Day, we’d be making our way through the lives of a few key players.

    The most obvious place to begin is Mary, the model for all saints–she was so open to what God was doing in her that she became the Mother of His Son. So, we started with some Mary, beginning with LBC’s x30 to commemorate lil’ baby Jesus and the 30 years he spent growing up with her. Then, 100’s x100 for the well over 100 gallons of water He turned into wine at her request. Then, 33 leg raises since she took her station at the foot of the Cross when he was 33, followed by 15 Heels to Heaven since her heels (and the rest of her) were assumed into Heaven to be with her Son forever.

    Next was the first martyr, St. Stephen. His courage and dependence on God was intense, arguing the whole Sanhedrin into silence and then deadly rage without ever losing his awe and wonder at God and what He’d accomplished. They picked up stones and stoned him to death, so we grabbed coupons and did three sets of: 20 curls (picking up stones) and 15 skull crushers (almost crushed a couple of actual skulls toward the end there).

    The next key player would be St. Paul, who actually led the previously mentioned stoning project before a dramatic conversion, which led him to become the greatest missionary who ever lived. In honor of his traveling to the four corners of the Empire and accumulating more and more disciples with every stop, the routine would be four corners, each adding an additional exercise.
    1. 7 burpees
    2. 7 burpees, 14 merkins
    3. 7 burpees, 14 merkins, 21 squats
    4. 7 burpees, 14 merkins, 21 squats, 28 line jumps (two feet, jumping back and forth over a line in the concrete, 2:1)

    St. Iranaeus was a disciple of St. John the Apostle, and he wrote letters while on the way to the Coliseum to be killed by wild animals in the arena. These letters are still extremely valuable sources of information about the structure of the early Church and the Mass, and in them he expressed his gratitude for the opportunity to be “ground like wheat” by the animals teeth as an offering. Intense. So, not knowing any lion exercises, we did bear crawls to the center of the field, nur back, and again all the way to the sidewalk and nur back.
    This is where Lil’ Cuz revealed his super power–there could be more, but bear crawls has definitely been confirmed.

    Skip about a 1400 years–St. Ignatius of Loyola founded the Jesuits and put together the Spiritual Exercises, one of the central principles being the role of consolation and desolations, spiritual ups and downs that are necessary to the maturation process. So, ups and downs it would be: 15 irkins, 15 L-leg step ups, 15 derkins, 15 R-leg step ups, 15 dips (all IC).

    Skip back about 100 years (because YHC wanted to put this one close to the end) and across some water to England, where the would-be St. Patrick was kidnapped as a youth and brought to Ireland as a slave. He escaped back to England, became a priest and a bishop, and then returned to Ireland to grow and lead the Christian community there. But, with such a strong pagan presence, it wasn’t easy. Irish Jack Ass Webbs seemed appropriate. 1 burpee to 2 donkey kicks against the column up to 5 burpees and 10 donkey kicks.

    Now that the donkey legs were toast, we jumped to the 20th century to finish up with St. Pio (Padre Pio) who was given more spiritual gifts than you can count. One of them was the ability to read souls, to know people’s sins before they confessed them, which was extremely helpful for many going to Confession or on their deathbed. Thankfully, there’s an exercise called “Absolutions”, so we moved to the grass to cushion the elbows. Absolutions is a 7 count exercise = high plank, groiner, down to elbows, plank jack, back to high plank.

    15 Absolutions later, and we had 30 seconds left for 10 Halleluiah Squats in gratitude for the variety of all the awesome saints He’s given us.

    COT and Enron prayed us out. Thanks for making Tuesdays awesome, fellas!

    SYITG,
    Goose

  • Fitdeck – from Heisenberg

    On Saturday YHC learned the site Q, FracSack, would be down range on Sunday taking the M and 2.O to a concert by a band named BlackPink in Houston. Evidently, BlackPink is a South Korean girl group.
    I was pleased to be greeted by Hokie and Belloc. Belloc still under doctors’ orders, left to get in his steps. So Hokie and I faced the bacon and started the warm-up.
    Warm Up – Imperial Walkers, As we were completing the Imperial Walkers in the distance, we saw Surge carrying what appeared to be two thermoses. Hokie thought maybe Surge had coffee and water. But, evidently, the dark thermos was a kettlebell. Grass Grabbers, Side Straddle Hops.
    The Thang – FitDeck
    What is a Fit Deck? – Featured on Season 5 of SharkTank – FitDeck is a 56-card deck featuring bodyweight exercises designed for a whole-body workout routine. It was created by Phil Black, a Navy Seal, and Columbia Business School graduate. Per my Amazon order history, I purchased it in 2008. Evidently, Phil was unsuccessful in getting a shark to invest, and FitDeck is no more. This was probably the 2nd time using the FitDeck.
    These were the exercises we completed. All were done in cadence or for a set time or distance determined by YHC.
    Kick Backs, Crunches, Wide Squats, Belly Angels, Bear Crawl, Lizards, Oblige Bridge, Diamond Merkins, Crab Crawl, Side Leg Lifts, Side Crunches, Star Jumps, Wall Sits, Half Sit Ups, Fire Hydrants, 8 Count Body Builders, Flutter Kicks, Lunge Walk, Squats, Arm Rotations, Reverse Crunches, Superman, Chasing Rabbits aka Mountain Climbers, Reach Ups – two-handed Dying Cockroach,
    With a few minutes to go, we headed to the back of the museum for the mandatory Sunday Mornings.
    Sunday Mornings x 5

    COT
    We had special intentions for those that are healing and hurting and Surge’s Mother-in-Law and her cancer treatment.

    Coffeteria at PJ’s, where we were joined by Triple Shift.

  • BALL BUSTER – from Fast Tax

    Nine PAX braved the spooky gloom on All Hallows Eve and joined YHC at Rock City.

    Warmups were a sprinkle of typical moves with a few Fast Tax favorites: Grass Grabbers, SSHs, Manatee, Swan Dives, and everyone’s favorite – Crab Merkins.

    Sufficiently warmed, we picked out our medium to heavy rocks (except War Eagle) and lined up along the sidewalk for the morning’s first exercise – Hair Burners. Hair Burners is essentially the pushing of a rock ahead of you while bear crawling.

    Next up in the morning’s festivities was Welsh Dragons.
    Remain in plank position the whole time. Bear crawl forward 4 steps, do 1 merkin, 1 plank jack, and tap the BACK of each shoulder 1 time. Repeat adding 1 rep to each exercise each time – bear crawl forward 4 steps, do 2 merkins, 2 plank jacks, 2 sets of back of shoulder taps… etc., repeated until we passed the sidewalk.

    Picking up our rocks, we circled up for Captain Thor – An ab exercise done in a 1:4 ratio OYO, 1 big boy sit up to 4 American Hammers.

    Without further ado, the time that PAX had eagerly awaited had come to pass – the introduction* of BALL BUSTER.

    Ball Buster (credit to Mahatma for the naming idea) is a combination of Capture the Flag and Dodge Ball, except there are no boundaries. PAX form two teams. Each side has a blue ball (referred to as the Flag), which must be positioned at a pre-identified location on each team’s base and each PAX on the team is given one non-blue ball. The object is to steal the opposing sides blue ball (i.e. their flag) and bring it back to your base. The team scored against has to do three burpees.

    Similar to dodge ball, PAX can use the ball to hit or “tag” an opposing player or block an incoming ball. If you are hit, or the person you are throwing at catches the ball, you have to immediately drop your ball and do two burpees or five merkins.
    PAX can only hold one ball at a time. In order to pick up the flag, you must drop the ball if you are carrying one. You can pick up a tagged PAX’s ball and throw it away, but only after dropping your own.

    However, when carrying the opposing team’s flag, it can be strategically used as a regular ball to hit or tag an opposing player. If the opposing team retrieves their flag (b/c the carrier was hit and had to drop the ball), it must be brought or thrown back to base and placed in the same pre-identified spot. A player cannot just run around with the Flag in their possession (Bogey).

    Halfway through the game, the teams should switch sides.
    Optional Rule: A team cannot score unless their own Flag is at their base. For example, if YHC captured the opposing team’s Flag, I cannot bring it back to my base unless my Flag is already at my base, i.e. the opposing team does not have it.

    Having dispensed with the game rules, play commenced.
    Team 1: Bogey, Hawg Cycle, Mahatma, Hokie, Cyber Cajun
    Team 2: Hand Grenada, Fast Tax, War Eagle, Tiny Dancer

    Even with Team 1’s penalty for hiding the ball in Bogey’s shirt, Team 1 still carried the day winning 3 to 2.

    With time running out, we headed to COT for Name-o-rama, announcements, intentions, and prayer.

    Thanks for the fellowship!
    SYITG

    * Technically a re-introduction since YHC debuted it a month prior to a small group of 6 PAX.

  • Deca Die Trick or Treating – from Bolt

    Warmorama, Halloween edition (with bat wings of course, which ended with 100% MNC dancing—Frac was pleased). Kick off the Thang with Monster Mash (Zombie walk in place nonstop with burpees on the Mash=34) followed by a mosey to JPAS with two deca-die in tow for some trick or treating: roll both die and perform them back to back. Interestingly the die only gave us tricks (tuck jumps, mountain climbers, merkins, tricep dips, side planks, Bonnie Blair’s). After everyone rolled and led their exercises, except when KennaBrah hijacked Charmin’s second exercise which required payback from Frac upon KennaBrah’s roll, we the moseyed up the ramp where we partnered up. Everyone plank while first pair does 10 LBCs in cadence then dry dock down the steps and plank at the bottom until all pax complete. Back up the stairs and one final roll of the die, YHC hits craps: double tricep dips. Mosey back to the start for 5 MOM. COT including prayers for those suffering loss and those seeking changes.

    Halloween is my second favorite holiday next to Mardi Gras and despite the tricks played by the deca-die, it’s a treat to be part of this brotherhood; gratitude for each of you!

  • Board meetings can be complicated!! – from Shooter

    YHC arrived at Grandmas with 4 PAX chatting about the previous night’s trick or treating.. Weather was comfortable and mild for the days planned activities with a ruck plate, block coupon and a jump rope… Pax evened out to 6 as Cowbell came in hot, this was ideal for the pairing of 3 groups with 3 stations planned..

    Warmup was 10IC Grass grabbers, Toe Touches, Selflove, Cherry pickers, arm circles and SSH.. Moseyed the trace for about a quarter mile out and back…

    YHC began to explain his thoughts on what was to take place, but apparently my elementary explanation was not difficult enough for the fellow executives at this mornings AO.. After explaining in further detail we eventually just started and modified along the way.. 3 pairs 3 stations controlled by the jump rope.. P1 (Each pair) stayed at the end of the breezeway completing core exercises while P2 Moseyed down to complete stated exercises of jump rope, curls for the girls and kettle swings.. Jump rope was a 50 count and each PAX kept count on reps. Goal was for each PAX to complete 100 total curls, 75 to 100 kettle bell swings.. Roughly took 3-4 rounds for completion.. Core exercises consisted of Mountain climbers, Peter Parker’s, Parker Peters, Hello Dollies, Hands to heels, LBCs, Donkey kickoffs, Donkey holds and alternating elbow to knees…

    Finished up at 0600, announced Merediths birthday event at Bushwackers this Saturday as well as the camping trip in Kokomo MS on the 18th..

    PAX was closed out in prayer by Steve..

    Thanks for following the lead although the explanation was initially confusing..

    Until the next Gloom 👍🏼👊🏼✌🏼!!

  • Not going to follow the rules – from Mambi

    Met at the normal meeting place.
    Gave the disclaimer and instructed PAX to head to the middle of the football field at Pontiff.

    Hokie and Belloq separated from the group for a recovery workout.

    A line from Fracsac’s BB, “Warmup with the regular stuff.”

    Mosey to the nearest bench area. For Left step-ups, dips, and right leg step-ups. 16,12,8,4 reps.
    Mosey to the front of the Gym (or back side) calf raises 3 different ways, merkins, 3 different ways. 16,12,8,4 reps.
    Mosey to the next bench area. Deconstructed Burpee 3 different parts, Mary, 3 different exercises. 16,12,8,4 reps.
    Mosey back to football field. Finished with suicides and a long sprint the length of the football field.
    COT

    Thank you everyone for posting and for your thoughts and prayers.

    One night I dreamed a dream.
    As I was walking along the beach with my Lord.
    Across the dark sky flashed scenes from my life.
    For each scene, I noticed two sets of footprints in the sand,
    One belonging to me and one to my Lord.
    After the last scene of my life flashed before me,
    I looked back at the footprints in the sand.
    I noticed that at many times along the path of my life,
    especially at the very lowest and saddest times,
    there was only one set of footprints.
    This really troubled me, so I asked the Lord about it.
    “Lord, you said once I decided to follow you,
    You’d walk with me all the way.
    But I noticed that during the saddest and most troublesome times of my life,
    there was only one set of footprints.
    I don’t understand why, when I needed You the most, You would leave me.”
    He whispered, “My precious child, I love you and will never leave you
    Never, ever, during your trials and testings.
    When you saw only one set of footprints,
    It was then that I carried you.”

    God Bless.

  • 2 Year Manniversary of F3 Thibodaux! A Brief History of F3 Down the Bayou – from Goose

    The highly anticipated day had arrived. Costumes were donned, and the gloom was dark. So dark, in fact, that Paradox, fully decked out in unlicensed Jack Sparrow gear, did a full Helen Keller on an FNG, hands all over his face saying, “Goose, Goose is that you?” just because the guy showed up in a grayish Tundra. The FNG was accomodating, and YHC did show up a little later, overjoyed at the PAX’s costumes and their total disregard for how they’d fare in the rain, the dirt, and through at least 100 burpees. From giant furry vikings to skin tight Moana characters to full size pickles, these dudes were all in. Thankfully, God delayed the rain for a few hours, so the weather was perfect and the morale was super high (made even higher by Head Cheese’s dramatic entrance). We had record numbers at The Peltch, coffeeteria planned for the first time, and 2 years of an unprecedented journey to tromp through–it was an awesome morning!
    Warmup of the usual with last minute costumers trickling in (Picadilly’s pickle balls were amazing, even if they fell off during the first set of mountain climbers). PAX grabbed coupons out the truck, and we were off toward the lower field for the First Era of F3 Thibodaux: Goose-olation

    Era 1: The Genesis of the Beginning, The Dawn of the Origins, Part I
    Goose arrives in Thibodaux from Mandeville with nothing but a list of backblasts from NOLA, Northshore and BR. He couldn’t stop the progress, though, and had high hopes for what might develop. So, the backyard would have to do. For months, what drove him on was knowing that F3 brethren somewhere had already sweat through whatever beatdown he had pulled from the backblast list, so he wasn’t completely “alone”.
    The routine for this era would be The Big Bang:
    All PAX start in a bunch huddled around the coupons. First round, grab a coupon, do 5 OH presses, then mosey 10 steps out from the pack and do 10 burpees (facing outward for max isolation) before returning and plank up for the six.
    2nd round: 5 OH presses, mosey 15 steps out, 15 merkins
    3: 5 OH presses, 20 steps, 20 burpees
    4: 5 OH presses, 25 steps, 25 Hammers
    It’s a reality that pushing alone is way harder than pushing together, and the contrast was felt. Glad to move onto Era 2.

    Era 2: Random pop-ups
    The first to follow the dancing idiot into the madness was technically Cardinal, though he wasn’t seen again for many months (quoted as saying something like “that’s for the birds”). So, Wet Tap gets T-claps for coming out unaccompanied to throw himself into whatever Goose and his Goslings were doing out at Peltier. Then came Gordon, G.I. Joe, and Percolator, though because of work schedules and getting over the initial hump, attendance was random.
    This seemed a great opportunity for the randomness of the Deck of Death, so Wet Tap started us out under the Thunderdome with a random pull followed by three more (Irkins, Bulgarian split squats, and whatever those other two were…). Then, for the sake of time, we moseyed to the baseball field.

    Era 3: Enron
    Goose’s isolation, especially on weekdays, changed unexpectedly with the arrival of Enron. With the dogged determination and willingness to endure pain that only a younger brother could posses, Enron showed up to every beatdown he could and pushed himself hard to keep up with Goose. This quickly led to intense progress and his VQ (alone at The Peltch–for character building). His determination has never slowed, and his Q’s are well thought out (and typed out), usually including some sort of element of chance (for Cardinal).
    PAX partnered up for a grinder as a reminder of all those mornings at The Stage with just Goose and Enron. Split duty on 100 burpees at home plate while partner 2 runs the bases.

    Era 3: Return of the EH (and Crab Walk) King
    Cardinal eventually did return, and not only did he stick with it, even on weekdays, but the PAX quickly began to swell with his FNG’s, and his move to Chackbay has only widened his EH territory.
    The exercise would be Bear Crawl Tag Infection–Cardinal started at the pitchers mound and bear crawled around tagging the PAX, who were crab walking to get away within the confines of the infield. Once someone was tagged, he became part of the cult, switched to bear crawl, and began tagging the rest of the sad clowns (crabwalkers). It took no time for all to be tagged, ironically with Head Cheese being the last…So, we moseyed to The Chimney for Era 4.

    Era 4: Paradox
    As soon as Paradox even heard there was an F3, he had purchased tiny Mudgear shorts and within minutes had memorized the entire Exicon and the last 100 backblasts from the top 5 regions. And, his foot has never let off the gas. This next routine would be a nod to his name (you know, cuz he’s a doctor, and his wife is also a doctor, so they’re a pair-o-docs…), and to a couple of his Peltch Q’s.
    Partner up, both partners do 10 burpees, then one partner body drags another about 20 yards to the chimney, both do 10 more burpees, then flapjack and body drag the other back to start. This is where Paradox’s mustache exploded (the remainder of his facial hair) which made him Orlando Bloom’s character instead (props to Lil’ Cuz for that observation).

    Era 5: Lumen Christi
    Earlier this year Cardinal was able to talk a few of the young men who worked at the chancery with he and YHC to come out to a new beatdown on Tuesday mornings at Lumen Christ, the retreat center behind the chancery (with showers and everything). It was a glorious AO with a great crew, and some of the Thibodaux PAX would show up every now and then, too. Unfortunately, it wouldn’t last as the retreat schedule filled up (I guess it seemed a little less retreat-ish to have a bunch of sweaty dudes bear crawling down the hill to the Top Gun soundtrack or Indian running past the windows with cinder blocks over their heads).
    In a nod to Tighty Whitey (may he never be forgotten) and Enron’s near death experience at Lumen, we did Welsh Dragons up to 7, followed by a mosey to the playground.

    Era 6: SV 500
    The St. Vincent was arguably the best F3 fundraiser in the country (and maybe the world) for 2022 (and maybe for all time, past and future). Thanks to Paradox’s leadership and the buy-in of the rest of the PAX, it went off beautifully, tons of people attended, we had an incredible time, and we surpassed our goal of $10K for prescription meds for people in need. In honor if this incredibly blessed experience, we partnered up again for a quick Dora in honor of the partner race that raised the bar for many years to come.
    Partners would split duty on 100 flutter kicks on the playground side of the “mountain” while partner 2 ran over the “mountain” and did 10 Big Boy Situps on the other side and ran back. Then, moseyed back to the Thunderdome for the final eras.

    Era 7: Jerftember
    Yankee Joe’s arrival came and went like many who get a first taste of F3, puke, and don’t come back. But he did come back after about a month, puked some more, and became hopelessly addicted to growth. The Jerf was born out of this deep desire for more and more growth, and it opened a new era of Thibodaux PAX ownership, comradery, accountability, and WHOOP pressure. It also gave birth to BAPS, who still hasn’t fully proven himself.
    In honor of the Jerf, PAX lined up on the baseline under the Thunderdome for one full round of Jerfing. The sound of 17 PAX dropping cinder blocks onto concrete under an echoing pavillion is truly a glorious thing.

    Era 8: IPC and Burptober
    With one minute remaining, YHC led the PAX in 3 Kraken Burpees in honor of the unprecedented Week 5 of IPC and to finish out the 100 burpees needed for the second to last day of Burptober.

    Moseyed back to the flag, all still in full costume, for an incredible COT and our first ever coffeeteria. Fence Post was named (Welcome!!), Cue Ball was welcomed (originally from F3 Huntsville), and tables, donuts, too much coffee, and raw eggs were laid out under the trees. Conversation was awesome as the PAX rejoiced in the incredible blessing that F3 has been and the unrepeatable gift that each man has been to the whole group. The high from that morning has lasted for multiple days now, and it spilled over into record breaking numbers at The Stage this morning (including Fence Post!). Looking forward to the many years to come!

    See You In The Gloom,
    Goose