F3 New Orleans

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  • It’s 6am on a Saturday, the regular crowd shuffles in…

    First off, t-claps to the gents who made it out Friday night for the 4-hour ruck and turned it all around to make the 6:10 warm-up run… and still outpaced YHC.  It is both annoying and inspiring, and YHC has vowed to make it to next Friday’s 4-hour ruck just to be part of the club.

    Warm-Up: SSH, Windmills, Cossack Squats, Toe Touches, Imperial Walkers, and Butt Kicks, all 20x IC.

    The Thang:

    To the sea wall for a set of 11’s: Freak Nasties on the sea wall, burpees at the curb.  YHC learned the hard way that there’s a reason no one incorporates burpees into a set of 11’s.

    Mosey to the playground for some Captain Thor (1 sit-up : 4 Russian Twists), where Grundy quoted Emerson, saying, “Man’s life is a progress, not a station.”  Or something along those lines.  The PAX took it to heart and progressed 1 up from our personal best, reaching a set of 8.  And I’m still feeling it.

    Next up, hands outstretched, palms up, then down.  50x.  No, that didn’t do anything… 100x.  Still nothing… 200x does the trick!

    Mosey to the perimeter for four stations: merkins, LBC’s, Mountain Climbers, and Squats.  Two teams of 4, with one teammate at each station.  The teammate doing the merkins does 15, sprints to relieve his teammate at the next station, sending that PAX to the next, and so on.  Rotating each PAX through all four stations twice.

    And finally, not much of a surprise, but a trip to Rips was in the cards this morning.  The usual Rocky Balboas, up and over, lateral RB’s, up and over.  Rinse and repeat until time’s up.

    A sprint back to the shovel flag where Tank finally took home the gold (Grundy sat it out), and immediately on to the countdown, nameorama, welcoming of FNG Boomer, announcements and coffeteria.  Thanks guys for a great Saturday morning!

     

  • Pinch Hitting and Pinching

    Where are the Qs for The Foundry?  Why is a world traveler from Uptown having to bring out his passport to Q for The Foundry?  Does The Foundry fall to neglect just because Buttercup (YHC meant Amnesty) is sunning himself in The Philippines? Where are the Red Pills, gentlemen?  Then Shorty appears (and re-appeared Thursday and for a ruck-o-rama today, Sunday), so YHC is just all confused.  Oh well.  YHC can’t solve these conundrums alone, but will do what he can.  So with a Disclaimer, the PAX is off.

    After a mosey past the tract, COP1:

    • Hillbillies 30xIC
    • SSHs 30xIC
    • Low Slow Squats 30xIC
    • Rudy face time: Parker Peters, Merkins, JLos and Mountain Climbers 20xIC each

    Mosey to the shaded foundry for COP2 for a round robin: 1st PAX, Box Jumps 12 for the count; 2nd PAX, Dips AMRAP; 3rd PAX, Squats AMRAP; 4th PAX, Inverted Rows AMRAP; 5th PAX, Orangutan Leg Lifts AMRAP; 6th PAX, Pull Ups AMRAP.  Rinse and repeat, but substituting 12 burpees for the count in place of squats.  Rinse and repeat again, but substituting 18 slerkins (slow merkins) for the count in place of burpees.  Enough mumble-chatter about pinched nerves and sore shoulders persuaded YHC not to rinse and repeat yet again.

    So instead the PAX moseyed to one of YHC’s favorite spots, Tool’s Wall, for COP3:

    • Calf Lifts 20xIC
    • Right Leg Dips 20xIC
    • Calf Lifts 20xIC
    • Left Leg Dips 20xIC

    QHC would have preferred to do this about three or four times longer, but the clock was ticking as it has a wont to do.  So instead the PAX moseyed around Tad Gormley for a green, moist open space for six minutes (plus or minus) of Mary.  Each PAX picked his favorite DownPainment for 20xIC.  YHC knows Shortly with a demonic grin selected Crunchy Frogs, and YHC ended with Dying Cockroaches; YHC remembers someone chose Real Freddy Mercuries and someone else Putins.  Unfortunately, YHC can’t now remember what two PAX chose for a final beatdown, but it was good and sweaty.

    The PAX then moseyed back to the flag for a quick countoff, name-o-rama, and COP in thanks for the morning and all our blessings.  Peace, Jingle Vader

  • Monumental Mother Ruckers

    Five NOLA Ruckers showed up at the Mothership on this fine Mother’s Day morning for a march through history. At 06:00 we hit the streets and wound through the park, passing the museum and onward to the still standing statue of Gen. Beauregard. From there we took Esplanade Ave to Royal street and made our way through the FQ crossing Canal and on to St. Charles. From there we made our way to Lee Circle for a quick visit w General Lee, who still stands today. Next we rucked over to Loyola Ave and then to Canal. We moved toward mid-city and the intersection of Jefferson Davis Pkwy. As we know, the Davis statue ain’t dere no more… We moved on toward the bayou and took the Lafitte Greenway back to Carrollton and made our way back to the Mothership to disburse. In 2:24 we covered between 8.2 and 8.9 miles depending on who’s device you believe. If YHC were more tech savvy, the photos would accompany this post…

    Good Times!

    Roots

  • Northshore GrowRuck Training #9

    Four PAX rolled out from the Covington Trailhead Friday night at 1900 for the 9th installment of our GrowRuck 03 Training.  We ended up executing a modified Murph of sorts over our 11.75 mile ruck around Old Covington.  Each PAX carried a coupon for 15 minutes then we all hit the deck for 10 Merkins and back up for 20 squats and 30 good mornings before exchanging the coupon.  15 exchanges total through the evening with a Swiss watch precision arrival at the Tap Room at 2300 for some cold ones.  It would be fair to say we were all feeling it at Saturday morning’s beatdown, but the good news is that we are going to be ready for the main event…or at least that’s the plan.

  • “For duty and humanity” ~ Moe, Larry, and Curly

    A PAX of six posted today

    here’s how it went:

    salutations

    short disclaimer

    warmup
    20xIC side straddle hops
    20xIC arm circles
    20xIC imperial walkers
    20xIC toe touches
    20xIC hillbillys
    20xIC squats
    20xIC buttkicks
    20xIC zombies
    20xIC seal jacks

    mosey to the back of St. Tammany Schoolboard TajMahal
    stops and starts; run up and backpeddle 2,4,6,8 parking spaces
    at posts: leg swings; left and right
    stops and starts; lateral hop 2,4,6,8 parking spaces
    at posts: leg swings; front and back

     
    mosey to the front of St. Tammany Schoolboard TajMahal
    circle-up around the flagpole, the group does one merkin…and holds in plank position, while one PAX jumps up, runs up the stairs, down the stairs, around and back into position
    group does one merkin, and the next guy runs the loop – did this for each member of the PAX
    next; form a circle about 10 foot radius from flagpole, bearcrawl to flag pole, shoulder tap, reverse bearcrawl back to starting point.
    next; form a circle about 20 foot radius from flagpole, bearcrawl to flag pole, shoulder tap, reverse bearcrawl to starting point.

     
    mosey to the back of the St. Tammany Parish Courthouse Annex parking garage
    back peddle half way up the first floor ramp, turn and sprint up rest of the way
    jog across the second floor ramp,
    back peddle half way up the third floor ramp, turn and sprint up rest of the way,
    on the top deck of the parking garage
    4x sprint across the width of the deck, derkin, and burpee at 4 points per sprint

     

    mosey down the stairs to the “Noodling for Rats” ledge
    5 pull-ups, 20 rocky balboas
    …around this point, Tanked-up tells Moby that he has a nice butt. The PAX is stunned into silence. YHC is worried that Tanked-up is not getting enough oxygen. But for “duty and humanity”  we continue…
    5 pull-ups, 20 mini box jumps

     
    mosey to the front of the Courthouse, circle up around the flagpole for a few merkins, bear crawlin clockwise,
    a few more merkins bear crawling counter clockwise

     
    mosey back to the trailhead, sans flag, for forty seconds of Mary
    chose to do bicycles

     

     
    count-o-rama, lead-out prayer by Grundy

     
    Fun!

  • Introducing: @F3SPEEDFORNEED / HELPING Kids & GROWING F3Nation

    CALLING ALL MEN IN F3NATION:  PLEASE take just a few minutes to read about this new and exciting charitable initiative, watch the video link, consider making a donation to fund the charity, and seeing how your region can get involved and IMPACT our communities.

    “When I became a part of F3, I gained so much more than just fitness. F3 gave a me community, a place to belong. It has been a tremendous honor to share in bringing others into F3Nation and support them on their journey. I love seeing people bring friends and family into our community – especially fathers bringing sons (and other way around!).
    Most of you know my son has Muscular Dystrophy. His condition means he will never run hills, do burpees or participate in an F3 CSAUP event at 5:30AM. But I know that he and kids like him everywhere long to be part of something bigger than themselves. SPEED-FOR-NEED provides that opportunity. Pushing Owen (or anyone) during a race and letting them feel the support from fellow runners and cheering crowds is exactly what F3 is designed to promote – connecting people, having an IMPACT in our community.
    My interest in this project is personal. But I know the men of F3 will step up and impact this community which needs our support.” – F3 Nation (Metro) “Nash”

    No fancy marketing. Simply put, SPEED-FOR-NEED is about HELPING KIDS WITH DISABILITIES and GROWING F3NATION.  It’s about making our biggest fans, the sideline supporters who may have never set foot on the playing field, the STAR ATHLETE.  It’s about lifting up humankind’s single greatest Earthly asset, OUR CHILDREN, so they can be filled with DIGNITY and PRIDE.  It’s about changing the objective of our race from winning to helping someone else edge us out at the finish line, as we BOTH CELEBRATE VICTORY, every…Single…TIME.  It’s about the men of F3Nation commissioning our hearts into ACTION, and practicing the three words we speak of so often: FITNESS FELLOWSHIP FAITH, and seeing an infectious gravitation by other men to be part of the F3Nation brotherhood as the byproduct.  THIS is what SPEED-FOR-NEED is all about… Will you support us? CLICK TO DONATE

    The MISSION of SPEED-FOR-NEED is to mobilize High Impact Men in F3Nation in responsibly pushing children with disabilities in specialized racing chairs to create an experience impossible by themselves due to their physical limitations. In doing so, SPEED-FOR-NEED exists for the enjoyment of the athlete-rider and their loved ones, to raise awareness and financial support for local charities and our partner Ainsley’s Angels of America, and to increase the visibility of F3Nation for the purpose of invigorating all men in the community, and sparking a call to action.

    So, following in the footsteps of Team Hoyt and our partner Ainsley’s Angels of America , the men of F3Nation will be pushing kids with disabilities in racing chairs… really, really FAST ones, and we couldn’t be more excited!  Speaking of racing chairs, after months of planning and hard work, we’ve gone ahead and pre-ordered 2 chairs to get SPEED-FOR-NEED up and running and we hope to be pushing kids at our first race near the end of June.  These chairs are ridiculously cool looking, will be outfitted F3 style, and highly visible at racing events to thousands of people in the community and men who are waiting to be EH’d by YOU.  All of the finer details of SPEED-FOR-NEED, from signing liability waivers, to proper training, to race swag, to safety protocols have been considered and we will elaborate on those in a far more detailed post in the near future.

    WE NEED YOUR SUPPORT!

    We need your prayers, marketing, help identifying riders, involvement, and FINANCIAL SUPPORT to accomplish the mission of SPEED-FOR-NEED !  Thanks to several early charitable donations, as well as a generous grant from The F3 Foundation, SPEED-FOR-NEED has got a solid start in fundraising, but we still need your financial support.  Each Team Hoyt Blade 2 Racing Chair (fully equipped and ‘souped up’ F3 style) will cost roughly $5,000 and we are aiming to buy several to serve as many kids as possible.  Be assured 100% of the money raised in this marketing campaign will be used solely by SPEED-FOR-NEED to purchase racing chairs and accessories, fund operations (i.e. rider race entry fees, finisher medals, Mudgear shirts, etc), support the charities SPEED-FOR-NEED supports at each race, and a portion will be going to our non-profit partner Ainsley’s Angels of America to help accomplish their mission.  All donations will flow through Ainsley’s Angels of America and the F3 Foundation and managed by a 501(c)(3) non-profit, and your donation is tax-deductible (you will receive a charitable contribution letter).

    1. We are encouraging F3Nation PAX to donate whatever amount they feel is appropriate, and that has the number “3” in it, symbolic of the three F’s in F3. And while we are trying to raise lots of money for SPEED-FOR-NEED and the many great causes it will support, we are hoping for broad based sponsorship across all of F3Nation, particularly F3 Charlotte and surrounding areas where SPEED-FOR-NEED will initially operate.  So no amount is too small: $10.03, $13, $23 $33, $3 million dollars (ok not that… we don’t want to manage that much money) .  Please make sure to put your F3 name and region in the comments.  The donation link is here: SPEED-FOR-NEED DONATION LINK
    2. Please spread the word for us! Copy this pre-blast link and/or the donation link in your backblasts, share it with your friends on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Tinder….. (ok maybe not Tinder). Talk about SPEED-FOR-NEED in COT at every workout, and please T-Clap this preblast so all men of F3 can see the opportunity SPEED-FOR-NEED is presenting to serve kids with disabilities and increase the exposure for F3Nation to thousands of people at every race. https://www.crowdrise.com/f3-nation-speed-for-need-charitable-initiative
    3. If your F3 region is invested in a local race (reasonable driving distance from Charlotte) that you would like SPEED-FOR-NEED to be present at, we want to hear from you!  And we will do our best to put you on the race calendar.  Your region will have the opportunity to Q that event, identify, support, and push rider-athlete(s) in your chosen race, and fundraise for the cause of your choosing.

    We hope that after reading this preblast, watching the video, and visualizing the tremendous opportunity SPEED-FOR-NEED presents for children with disabilities and the growth of F3Nation, you will choose to be a part of SPEED-FOR-NEED in some way, shape, or form, and and make a donation CROWDRISE DONATION LINK .  It takes a village to raise a child. Will each of us in F3Nation be that village and each of us donate something to get make the impossible possible for these children?

    And if SPEED-FOR-NEED isn’t something you have a passion for, or stirs your heart like it has done to ours, we understand.  But we do hope that by reading this, you are inspired to seek out, support, and lead another worthy cause that accomplishes the mission of F3 ‘for the invigoration of male community leadership’.  Please reach out to us on Twitter: @JRRTolkienF3 or @F3Nash with any questions or if you would like to help in any other way.  Thank you very much for your consideration.

    With Appreciation and God Bless,

    The Future Athlete-Riders of SPEED-FOR-NEED, F3Nation, Ainsley’s Angels of America, JRR Tolkien and Nash

    SPEED-FOR-NEED Sample Race Schedule (we want to be pushing EVERY RACE WEEKEND!)

    JAN                      Joe Davis Run 5K / 10K for Addiction Recovery (Fort Mill, SC – F3 The Fort)

    FEB                       <YOUR RACE, YOUR RIDER, YOUR CAUSE, YOUR F3 REGION!!!>      

    MAR                      Run Jen Run 5k to end Breast Cancer (Charlotte, NC – A51 / SOB)

    APR                      Community Foundation Run 5K (Gastonia, NC – F3 Gastonia)

    APR                       Richard Sheltra Memorial 10K / 5K (Pineville, NC – F3 A51 / SOB)

    MAY                      Cannoli Run 5K (Fort Mill, SC – The Fort)

    MAY                      Lexington 3rdF 5K to end Leukemia (Lexington, SC – F3 Lexington)

    JUNE                     King Tiger 5k for YMCA (University Area, Charlotte, NC – F3 MECA)

    JULY/AUG              <YOUR RACE, YOUR RIDER, YOUR CAUSE, YOUR F3 REGION!!!>

    SEPT                      St Jude 5k to end Childhood Cancer (Charlotte, NC – F3 Metro)

    SEPT                      Summer Sizzler 5k (Virginia Beach, VA – F3 VA Beach)

    OCT                        <YOUR RACE, YOUR RIDER, YOUR CAUSE, YOUR F3 REGION!!!>

    NOV                       Turkey Dash 4mi (South Charlotte, Charlotte NC – F3 SOB / A51)

    NOV                        Charlotte Southpark Turkey Trot 4mi (South Charlotte, NC – F3 Metro)

    NOV                       Novant Charlotte Marathon (Charlotte, NC – F3 Metro)

    DEC                        Run Run Rudolph 5k/10K (University Area, Charlotte, NC – F3 MECA)

    DEC                        Huntersville Half Marathon & 5k (Huntersville, NC – F3 Isotope)

     

  • Birdcage Ruck #3

    Two Nola pax met up at the birdcage for another evening of Go Ruck prep. YHC initially thought Thursday evenings might bring a good crowd… You’re missing a chance at some great 2nd F if you’re not showing up. We took off at 18:10 and made our way through the park to Loyola, where we made the obligatory ascent up WPM ramps.  After quick scan of our city we descended the ramps and made our way through the Tulane campus and over to The Boot. There were many more students around than YHC expected, so we moseyed on to Maple street and stopped at Phillip’s for refreshments. From there we headed back to the park and around to the starting point. 4.95 miles were covered along w many important topics.

    Good Times!

    Roots

  • Troubled Skies

    It was a dark and dreary day in troubled waters where the skies had keapt all but 2 away from the challenge at hand.

    After a disclaimer and extra 60 count for any possible stragglers, the pax proceeded to the spot where the flag should’ve been and began the warm up.

    SSH x 20

    imperial walkers x 20

    windmills forward and backward x 15

    overhead seal clap x 20

    bird stretch each leg x 10 seconds

    after a mosey to the basketball court and finding a dry spot,  the pax cranked out 25 squats, 20 flutter kicks, then 20 scissor kicks, followed by one half mile lap.

    Now that we’re awake, the pax then embarks on a trust challenge. At the basketball court, the pax does an exercise while one member runs to the flag and back. Once back that member rejoins the pax and then the next member makes the journey. Normally exercises change for every member that makes the journey, however, with a limited pax, those not running chipped away at their 300 squat challenge. After a few rounds of that, the flag changed to the pull up bar/ box jump bench for 10 reps a piece, 2 rounds each. The Pax finished their squats, moseyed to the flag area, finished out with some flutters, scissors, and ww2 sit-ups and called it a morning, completing our daily challenge in the process.

    For those of you who haven’t put it together or don’t know, the flag area is right by the cars and the basketball court is on the other side the park. The trust in the trust challenge was trusting the guy making the journey to come back and not leave you stranded doing squats. However this pax in troubled waters doesn’t have to worry about that one bit.

    tclaps to kimchi for making it out

     

  • Revenge of the 40

    Glorious morning on the lakefront, summer humidity is starting to make its presence known.  Pulled in alongside the parked and running cars holding other PAX just waiting to get started.  Yup, that’s Shorty’s car.  And Cowbell.  And ….. Um, no driver in that one.  No PAX either.  Just a ghost car, idling and waiting for godot, I guess.  YHC happy to return to the site of his last real F3 workout 7 weeks ago.  But then who appears next in the gloom but The Culprit.  YHC stared (perhaps glared) at Triple Shift, and covered up his pinky in instinctive defense mode.

    Quick disclaimer as JV told us time was a-wastin’.  And then we were off.

    Jacks COP: Mosey towards the levee to start off with some Jacks

    • SSH x25
    • Seal Jacks x25
    • Smurf Jacks (aka Cowbells) x20
    • Plank Jacks x25
    • 1:00 Elbow Plank

    40: 40 times over the levee.  10 exercises, each done in 4 sets of 10 reps.  Over the levee for set 1.  Back over for set 2.  Back over for set 3.  Back over for set 4.  After set 4, continue the exercise until the 6 finishes.

    • Lunges
    • Box Cutters
    • XFit Muricans
    • Mountain Climbers
    • Bobby Hurleys (coupled with the levee climbs, these sucked)

    Half way.  Break for 30 count from Cowbell, then a 1:00 Elbow Plank.  Then continue…

    • Russian Twists
    • Muricans
    • Low Slow Squats
    • Peter Parkers
    • Dr. W (YHC was gassed, and my form stunk.  Triple Shift showed up every one as he maintained that pristine form through the end)

    6:15 on the nose, so back to the VSF for count-off, name-o-rama, and close with a prayer.

    Great to be back out at it with the group.  I thought 6 weeks of running would have kept me in good shape, but there’s a big difference between the running and Levee Running.  Looking forward to being back in the saddle again!

  • Rising Sun Brings Crowds to the Birdcage!

    The Birdcage is getting crowded for a cool morning and an earlier rising sun.
    A euphoric feeling of exhaustion, coffee, and determination to drive the masses to exercise.

    We began with the obligatory mosey and warm up circle
    SSH x20
    Imperial Walker Squats X20
    Forward Arm Circle X20
    Reverse Arm Cricles X20 (thank you Quick Draw for counting correctly!)

    We then moseyed to Oak Alley for alternating lunges and butt kicks.

    At the track we run Burpee Me If You Can out and back total 10 Burpees

    Back up Oak Ally alternating lunges and high knees.

    At the bandstand we partnered up for Dora 100 Mericans, 200 Dips, and 300 Declined Parker Peters, while partner rant to track and back.

    Lastly we moseyed to Oak Alley for alternating lunges and wind sprints to the flag!