We posted for a beatdown at 6am in preparation for the REX ROYAL RUN 2019. We arrived to find it under 40 degrees and to find Fracsac and Two Yutes had already run a lap around the park.
A quick disclaimer – then we mosey’d over the bandstand. A brief warm up SSH x 20, imperial walker squats x 20, merks x 20, and peter pakers x 20.
Then we did a short mosey over to the row bars. Rows x 20, Burpees x 10, Plank Jacks x 20, and Parker Peters x 20 Burpees was the count.
Finally we mosey’d back to the pavillion. At the pavillion we did 20 decline merks, 20 power ups right, 20 power ups left, dips x 20 20 decline peter parkers –decline shoulder taps until the song ended
Started to notice people gathering at the front of the park – circled up for a DJ style circle of mary. Here we did 12 of each exercise: dying cockroach, freddies, protractor, lbcs, lbts, flutter, vups, nolan ryans and finished with o-marys.
As we were doing OMARY a few random dudes dressed up likes clowns came to stare at our Circle of MARY. Many odd expressions.
We finished our beatdown here and mosey’d over to the rex tshirts lady. I had to make sure that FRACSAC got a shirt. Once we got a BEEFY T, some champagne and OJ, and king cake from Hi-dough. Then REX showed up with the QUEEN of Carnival, they fired a cannon, and off we ran to do one lap around Audubon Park for 1.7 miles We closed with a pic and a COT.
Desperate to burn some king cake and booze, I decided to Q on ASH Wednesday so that I could beginning the healing process and recovery post-Mardi Gras. I wanted to start things off right with a nice little beatdown to get the ball rolling the right direction.
IT was a very cold 37 degrees and windy to start. I like to remind myself that they have 0 degree beatdowns in Pennsylvania and Minnesota but it doesn’t make me warm up.
We started off with a quick mosey over by the zoo. At the zoo we did a basic circle of pain warm up: SSH x 20, Reg Squats, x 20, Merks x 15, Mtn Climbers x 20, Peter Parkers x 20 On the way to this COP we lost GSpot- Nature calls when nature calls. We also gained 9 lives – meow!
Then we mosey’d to Audubon Statue. Here we did 20 Dips – did a lap, 20 dips did a lap, and 20 dips and did a lap. So 20-20-20.
After that we mosey’d up to the riverview at the FLY. Here there was all kinds of wildlife in the river. Probably a nutria. Angie’s swears it was a beaver. or a river otter or an eel or a snake.
At the river we did a ring of fire. Merks and bear crawls.
Then we did a mosey over the hill. At the hill Mariah was 100% sure he saw a fox but as we approached it was evident that it was NOT a fox but rather a cat. A huge cat but a cat. Not a jaguar.
At the hill we did 20 hillbillies and then 19 low country crabs – 18-17-16-15-14-13-12-11. Evens were hillbillies and odds were crabs.
Then we did a long MOSEY to Nip/Tuck’s pimp station. Guys did a BLIMPS and wait for the 6. Once the 6 arrived we all waited in plank while each PAX did pullups AMRAMP.
After we got through the entire PAX we mosey’d back to the flag – we had an extra minute for a mission impossible plank.
The early moring parade goers in Mid-City were treated to some sweet F3 eye candy on Saturday for the 4th annual Mardi Gras Mambo aka Endymion Run. Our krewe consited of 22 PAX eager to start the day off right and get in the carnival spirit. YHC had stewed on some new ideas for the past month and decided to incorporate a “float” consisting of a jogging stroller and boom box to be pushed along the route blarring some good ole Mardi Gras music to get the juices flowing. Some festive chatter started as the Dr. John and Professor Longhair tunes came on. Here’s a recap of our parade:
Warmup near The Peristyle: IW, Lunges, WM, SSH with “bead wave” capped off with the tradional Mardi Gras Mambo song providing the guidance for 2+ minutes of syncronized planking, merkins, and plankjacks….always a crowd pleaser! We followed with a mosey to City Park Ave and N. Olympia and stopped to go over the gameplan for the run topped off with burpees x10, just because.
Route Run – Leg #1: Run at your own pace down Orleans trying to stay in clusters. The float/stroller acted as the kaboose and stayed in the rear, similar to the speaker trucks following the Dance Connection, minus the purple fishnets. Once at Carrollton, turn around and sweep the six. T-claps to the PAX for taking turns pushing the float and also to the guys carrying two F3 shovel flags….Merica!!! Lots of intrigued and possibly jealous onlookers wishing they were running with us.
Route Run – Leg #2: Right on Carrollton all the way to Canal, at you own pace, sweep the six. The motivational cheers from the spot watchers kept coming.
Route Run – Leg #3: Back down Carrollton to Orleans veering off to the neutral ground for a COP. Some grumbling was heard when YHC started with LSS x20, PP x25, ISW x20, and Plankorama w/Merkins. Everyone survived and the moseying resumed.
Route Run – Leg #4: Run back on Orleans to our starting point on N. Olympia, sweep the six. Good to see lots of other running groups out there…”Happy Mardi Gras” and high fives were being dolled out right and left. Might even try to work in some beads for next year.
Lagniappe Leg #5: Once back along City Park Ave, we had enough time to take the long way back along Marconi for a peek at the floats, before heading back to the Great Lawn. A few guys were able to modify the run with a shortcut.
Great Lawn: YHC wanted to make sure all PAX were ready for the rest of MG season and in stellar bead catching/throwing shape, so out came a bag of beads stashed in the bushes. All PAX grabbed a good bead to throw and parterned up for “Bead Burpees” consisting of throwing beads 15 yards away to your partner, alternating with burpees. This was not well received by the PAX, I’m guessing due to the sloppy terrain and the presumption that we were only going to run that moring. After a minute of some hideousness with Bead Burpees, YHC felt the need to cut it short and move on to something more challenging. Next up we did a bead throw and bear crawl circuit across the lawn, followed by a lunge walk and bead throw back.
Mary: After getting rid of the beads, we had enought time left to knock out LBC x20, Flutter Kicks x30, and Plankorama.
COT: YHC was a tad woozy and run-drunk at this point so not sure of all the announcements and intentions. We did pray for, among other things, a safe Mardi Gras weekened. We also called out Amnesty for yet again missing the annual event he co-fathered. YHC forgot to mention that we consider striving to avoid over indulging this Mardi Gras season and instead focus on making the most of our time with family, friends, or perhaps ourselves, whether that be at a parade or elsewhere. While pigging out and/or getting hammered may be something many of us have been guilty of during the carnival season, we should consider throttling that back on the guilty pleasures and possibly replace them with something more meaningful and healthy….just a thought.
Thanks to the PAX for going along with my antics and helping to bring in the 4th “F”….FUN!
A nice brisk, soggy Monday morning in the park working off the copious amount of popeyes consumed over the weekend. 11 pax gathered for the disclaimer then a mosey to bandstand.
At the bandstand: SSH x20, MDC x10, FAC x10, RAC x10, PP x20, PP x20, MC x20, SJ x20
Mosey back to track with Medulla taking a extremely quick detour to the pristine facilities in the shelter.
On the track: Burpee at the running man going up by one to the 9th man: 45 total burpees
Three groups, three rotations at the rows: 1) rows, 12 squat jumps & flutter kicks, 2) rows, 12 Bobby Hurleys, & hello dollys, 3) rows, 12 LLS & RFMs – (after the 1st rotation a nice old lady ask if we wanted to “kiss down there” – unsure if she was looking for a good time or referring to her dog.) Nevertheless, the pax & especially the Q trudged back to the track a bit confused.
At the track: Reverse it: Running backwards to each running man 8 burpees down to 1, total of 36 burpees
At the row of lights, a quick two minute plank-o-rama
Mosey to the shelter for some bench work: RLSU x20, Dips x15, RLPU x20 (with an O face halt), Incline merkins x10, LLSU x20, Dips x15, LLPU x20
OK my Disclaimer – I am not as creative as Tool. No babystroller with a speaker. No bead burpees. Tool is the man. This is a no frills, no extras run.
The plan: Run down St Charles Ave in the valley of the ladders aka the Trench. Not Angie List’s trench. That is a totally different Trench. You don’t want any of that TRENCH.
Brown Bag picked me up at 545am. On the way out the door we had our first strange encounter. A guy and a girls laughing or crying or fighting. Brown Bag and I made sure they were OK and we discovered she was crying because she was wasted and lost her cellphone.
Then we moseyed down Napoleon to the launch site at Napoleon and St Charles. On our mosey Brown Bag informed me that in Jan and Feb of 2019 Urban South has sold more beer than their first 9 months! #tclaps Also got offers of beer , and the quote of the leg “i will drink for you, you run for me!”
At NAP and ST CHUCK we assembled the Xwings for a serious trench run. A motley crew of men ready for the 5.5 mile Gnarly Nutria training run. Angie’s List was taking pics of the 80 yr old sleeping on the corner guarding her spot. It was a truly gloomy – gloom.
First leg Napoleon to Louisiana – this is where the run gets its name. Lots of people protecting their spot. Ladders wall to wall on both sides of the route. You really do feel like you are running a trench.
Second leg Louisiana to Jackson – things thin out – you could get a spot if you wanted one – apparently we saw Willie’s crew setting up their ladders for him. Let me say again that Willie was not setting up his ladders – a crew was doing it FOR #Willie. Could be Gabrielle and Mudbug just messing with Willy. This is the trophy table guys leg. They heckled us hard. Tclaps to Gabrielle for the hard e-headlock.
Third leg from Jackson to the Circle formerly known as Lee. Tool and Hokey hit the circle and started back to Napoleon. Things really really thin out here. One person chilling per block. I learned here that Tool is a weed smelling expert.
Fourth leg from the circle to Poydras – uneventful – the bleacher trenches. At Poydras we turned around. I am thinking next year we might push it through the quarter to Esplanade then back. On the circle back leg 5 – a Mazerati tried to impress us, then Voodoo had beads stuck in his shoes, then a guy stumbling back to his hotel looking for the Holiday Inn express he ran two blocks with us in jeans and a pink oxford shirt. LOL. The highlight of this leg was being behind the porta-potty emptying truck. I am still gagging on the smell of that – it was awful. Like running behind El Wire or Seaman.
Leg 5 was the Circle to Jackson. More weed, more drunk kids, more sleeping people on the route.
Leg 6 Jackson to Louisiana – just wanted to finish now – ran past the trophy crew again. Still getting rowdy.
Leg 7 Louisiana to Napoleon – back in the trenches. Lots more people coming out of the wood work. Caught up with Tool and Hokie.
We circled up – 12 pax and closed with a prayer. Angie’s List said it best – there is no way I would have got up today to run without the PAX making it easy to be out there together. It was a gloomy Sunday! #HailThoth #HailBacchus #HailMid-City #HailOkeanos
Today’s RED Friday was in honor of Cpl. William Crouch from Zachary, LA. Cpl. Crouch was killed by a roadside bomb in June of 2007 in Hadid, Iraq. He was a Calvary Scout for the 2nd Squadron, 1st Calvary Regiment of the 4th Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division of the United States Army.
Cpl. Crouch was a sci-fi fan so we did Imperial Squat Walkers and Peter Parkers. He enjoyed kickboxing so we did Chuck Norrises, Floyd Mayweathers, and Donkey Kicks. He was in the Army so we did WWII sit-ups.
We book-ended these exercises with burpees because they are hard. Cpl. Crouch had many normal interest. In addition to sci-fi movies and kickboxing, he enjoyed pizza and hanging out with close friends. But one thing set him apart and that was his decision to do the hard thing and serve our country. He lost his father at 13. His father was a policeman and Cpl. Crouch wanted to honor him by joining the military. This was not an easy way to honor his father. It was hard and that is what he chose to do.
We started each round with a 400 meter run, since as a Calvary Scout, it was his job to run recon ahead of his fellow men. We did 21 reps of each exercises as a reminder that he gave his life at the young age of 21.
The Thang
400m run
Burpees x 21
Imperial Squat Walkers x 21 (2 is 1)
Peter Parkers x 21 (2 is 1)
Chuck Norrises x 21
Floyd Mayweathers x 21 (2 is 1)
Donkey Kicks x 21
WWII sit-ups x 21
Burpees x 21
We stuck together and made it through 3 rounds. Scantron sealed the deal for us by leading us in 15 dying cockroaches
Naked Man Moleskin
One of the great things about Pontiff Playground is that it serves as a flood control reservoir for the surrounding neighborhood. This means that it gets sloppy when it rains. Not sure if you have noticed, but it has been raining a lot lately. Conditions were perfect this morning for testing our physical and mental toughness by getting down and dirty and really wet. Just one of the reasons why F3 is so much better than other workouts.
T-claps to Scantron for leading us in a little Mary at a moment’s notice. He did a great job.
126 burpees. Good work.
A few of us got in some post workout isometric exercises as we pushed in vain against Mahatma’s truck trying to free it from the hole of mud it had succumbed to. One by one we all left Mahatma on his own to figure it out. Within 10 minutes, he had it freed on his own.
Gloomy morning at Okwata. Last day of February, last day of 2019 RRR and YHC’s legs are definitely feeling it. Been a great month – getting pushed by all the PAX to pull a Forest Gump and just keep running.
And as 5:30 approaches, out of the gloom emerge Kuch and Ya Mom’N’Dem – 2 PAX who have been pushing and inspiring me all month. Running to the workouts, running home. Way to go guys!
Disclaimer given, and off we go – looking for a rare patch of dry ground in the swamplands of Okwata.
Warm Up
Circle up at the foot of Canal Street. Typical Warmup, as YHC is a bit of a creature of habit. As Triple Shift noted – all exercises in cadence x28 (28th day of February. SSH, Hillbilly, Peter Parker (“Stay here” yells frac, so we may as well stay here), Shoulder Taps (“stay here” the Pax grumbles, so YHC obliges), Parker Peter. Recover
But wait – no warmup is complete without burpees. So we’ll do a Burpee Box: run the canal St loop with 7 burpees at each corner (28 total burpees). If you finish, sweep the 6 and join them for their burpees as well. Mahatma quickly identifies that the name of the game is “stay together”. But he and Cowbell sprint off anyway, earning the opportunity to sweep and pick up two more sets of burpees. Nice work!
Animal Crossing
A few rounds of mosey up the levee, animal walk across, and mosey back down the levee. First its Bear Crawls, then Crab Walks, then Duck Walks. Each time, plank at the bottom for the 6. Make room for the sandal-footed hippie who decided to disrupt the workout on his run to nowhere.
Route 66
Across the street. Route 66 with Merkins. Go. Certain unnamed PAX reached lightpole #10 and became confused with what to do next. Ole Miss apparently does not cover counting when numbers exceed fingers.
Cirlce of Time / Benches
Back across the street to one of the underutilized areas of Okwata – the circle of 8 benches. A PAX of 17 made this a bit crowded, but we’ll make do. Partner up at each bench. We’ll go clockwise around. PAX noted that it was wet. Quite wet. Shoes will be wet. But – no griping allowed. Persevere. Accelerate. Own It.
Right Leg Step Up x20 (everyone). Lunge Walk clockwise to the next bench.
Left Leg Step Up x20. Lunge Walk clockwise.
Monkey Humpers x25. Lunge Walk clockwise
Low Slow Squats x20. (this was to be Box Jumps – but the dampness and crowds seemed to make that a bad idea. So improvise…). Lunge Walk clockwise.
Dips x20. Bear Crawl clockwise
Incline Merks x20. Bear Crawl
Regular Merks x20, with the whole group throwing in extras to motivate the rest of the PAX. YHC shoulders are feeling the burn. Bear Crawl onward.
Derkins. AMRAP. YHC has a clock. Go. Much grumbling and groaning ensured. 1:10 of derkins.
A soggy group of PAX gathered up and moseyed back to the flag, where we got in a last round of LBC x28
And with that, we wrap up the end of February. 2.3 miles earned for RRR. Close out with intentions (several PAX praying for close friends and family suffering with illness). And then prayers – as always YHC asks for the grace of God’s wisdom to use the gift of a day in service of Him, and in service of his family and friends.
Then – as a little bit of lagniappe, Team Okwata (cowbell, mahatma, kuch, ya mom’n’dem, rudy) took off on one last 2 mile run to celebrate the end of RRR. Thanks for the month – for the inspiration, and for the F2.
It was tough getting up early after our late night Mardi Gras parades. But three brave PAXs ventured into the early morning hours to cycle through the F3 Exercise Wheel.
After a quick warm up of 20 – SSH, 20 – Smurf Jacks, and 20 – Plank Jacks, T-Square, FroZone, and Thighs mosey-ed to the center of the F3 Exercise Wheel, which for our AO is a padded playground.
Then from the center of the F3 Exercise Wheel (playground), we branched off to 5 different pavilions that were located around our AO’s track. Below is a description of this partner exercise.
We partnered up, and as one partner went to a spoke of the wheel, the other stayed in the center to do continuous Ab exercises. Then after that partner finished bear crawling back to the center, the new partner ran to the next pavilion on the route.
After completing one revolution of the wheel, the center exercise changed to the next round. The picture below shows 4 rounds of the wheel.
We completed three rounds this morning.
It was tough. We were winded from the bear crawling. Our muscles were screaming after all the ab and arm exercises.
We are all looking forward to next time, as we find creative ways to build our muscles.
Yes, yes, YHC recognizes that Mardi Gras festivities started several weeks ago now (Hail Chewbacchus!), but it really starts in earnest today, Wednesday, with Nyx and Druids (geaux F3 Druids!). Why don’t we get some work in so we don’t feel so guilty with what we are going to do to our bodies in the next week? Oh, and we do need to get just a few more miles for RRR (looking at you F3 NOLA HNJ). With a short disclaimer, off we go!
Mosey to track form 2
columns:
March to High Kicks
till Q yells Halt then
IW I/C X15
March to Butt Kicks
till Q yells Halt then
Forward Arm Circles I/C X10 Reverse Arm Circles I/C X10
High Kicks (aka Supreme Leader’s aka Kim Jong-Un’s aka Un’s till Q yells Halt then)
Hillbillies I/C X15
Open Gates till Q
yells Halt then
Self Love I/C X10
All of the above were done in columns.
Mosey in Columns to
Row Workout station for:
4 station-workout
10 burpees is count
Plank Jacks
Rows
Peter Parkers
Cycle through until PAX completes all stations.
Indian Run to Fountain (watch out for ducks crossing) for:
Incline Merks I/C X15
SL Stand Ups LL Up I/C X8
Dips I/C X15
Decline Merks I/C X15
Dips I/C X15
SL Stand Ups RL UP I/C X8
Indian Run to Middle
Green for Jack Webbs I/C X11 (1 extra for Catfish)
Back to track for Indian Run to Pull-Up Station
10 Count Pull Ups
10 Pull Ups is count
Jump Squats
LBC’s
SSH’s
Cycle through until PAX completes all stations.
Indian Run to Shelter
RL Step Ups I/C X10
LL Step Ups I/C X10
Mosey around horseshoe back to flag.
Count-Off, Name-o-rama, Announcements (lots of Mardi Gras-themed workouts coming up, Endymion Run, Death Star Trench Run on St. Charles on Sunday, Tsunami/Rex Run on Mardi Gras day), and Prayer.
Thanks PAX for letting me lead. Have a safe and happy Mardi Gras!
YHC was excited for his second trip and first Q at the newly
established AO Popeyes (Lafreniere Park) and had a decided on a nice plan to
use the hills that are nicely spread out to get some miles in for RRR. Quick disclaimer was given and we moseyed a
bit for the warm up.
Warm-Up
SSHs x 20
Grass Grabbers x 20
Arm Circles x 10 forward and x 10 backwards
Low Slow Squats x 20
The Thang
11’s were going to be the theme of the day but with the
heavy rain over night the ground was to say the least damp and the standing water/puddles
quickly became the theme of the day. 7
Pax strong trudge up and over hills and through the occasional puddle. Utilizing four hills that are spread out on
the parks grounds we set out for 2 rounds of 11’s.
Round 1
10 Burpess at the base of hill one, up and over the hill and
1 LBC at the base of the hill. Run to
the base of hill 2; 9 Burpees at the base up and over the hill and 2 LBCS at
the base of the hill. Move onto hills 3
and 4 using then circle back through the hills until the 11’s were complete. This was not as confusing at it seems and
thankfully Rudy was not there to ask questions or confuse the Pax. The Pax took my simple and clear directions “You
will not run up and over any hill two times in a row” and the 11’s were
completed at the base of the 4 hill.
Round 2
10 Jack Webs at the base of hill one, up and over the hill and
1 Squat Jump at the base of the hill.
Follow the same hill patter as in round 1.
Quick check of the time and still time for one circuit of exercises
on the gym equipment.
Time is running low so back to the flag for a 20 Russian
Twists to close things out.
COT
Count O Rama, Name O Rama, announcements and intentions. This is a great new AO that has a lot of potential so if you have the opportunity come out and join us at Popeyes. As always it is an honor to lead and workout with the F3 brotherhood. SYITG.
