F3 New Orleans

Category: New Orleans

  • The H8! Can Be Conquered

    Event:  2nd Running of the H8!

    Conditions: Clear and 42

    Field: 13 F3 Nola Pax ages 14-49

    The idea behind the H8! was to create something challenging that we can use to measure our progress.  The inaugural running was in October and results can be seen here.  Five men from that first running came out to measure their progress on this brisk morning.  Eight others came to test themselves for the first time.  No one conquered it that first time, but today was a different story.  T-claps to all the participants today.  It is obvious that F3 Nola has improved in the last 5 months.  Let’s keep pushing each other – accelerate.

    Post your results in the comments below to have a record of your progress.

    The Thang

    Each lap consists of running south to the top of the levee, crossing canal (bear crawling the neutral ground), running south to the bottom of the levee, cross canal and run north to the top of the levee, cross canal (bear crawling the neutral ground), running north down the levee and back across canal to the starting point.  At the starting point you do a descending burp and merk pyramid starting at 8 (bupee with 8 merkins, burpee with 7 merkins, …..burpee with 1 merkin)

    At the end of the 2nd lap the burp and merk pyramid starts at 7, etc.

    The goal is to complete 8 laps in 40 minutes.  According to MapMyRun, each loop is approximately 0.4 miles.  Therefore, to conquer the H8! you will have to do the following in 40 minutes:

    • Run over 3 Miles of Hills
    • 550 Yards of Bear Crawls
    • 36 Burpees
    • 120 Merkins

    We did AMRAP and then moseyed back to the flag.

    Moleskin

    • I felt like we had a good chance to conquer it today, but our improvement over the last 5 months is more than I thought.  The Tough Mudder is in trouble.
    • Welcome to Triple Shift’s 2.0 Yo-Yo making his initial post at the H8!  That’s a nice initiation.  Later in the day he called us out for a lack of creativity in his F3 name.  If he continues to post, I promise we will try to do better.
    • T-claps to Yankee for his first appearance at Okwata.  Our lack of creativity in naming our FNG was certainly not due to him.  Who knows how many laps he could have finished if he hadn’t been thinking of all of the possible types of Shifts we might use for his name.
    • T-claps to Kimchi for having not missed a workout yet this year.  Beyond impressive.

  • Coastie – Hill (Bridge) Repeats!

    It’s the Tuesday after Daylight Savings time where we lose an hour.  Ugghh!  Just when I was getting used to seeing first light before the end of the workout, I’m forced to endure the ‘Gloom’ for a few months longer.  After we did the Countoff, Namerama and I led the COT.  I shared with the Pax about pulling on the rope of ‘Prosperity’ with one hand while pulling on the rope of ‘God’ with the other.  By holding and pulling on both ropes, we can make a difference in our fallen world and prevent ourselves from thinking and acting like we are God.

    After introductions, we had a FNG brought by Moped and named him Polaroid with respect.  His name is Craig Macaluso and he celebrated his birthday (56) with us this morning.  After we finished the COT we headed to the New Orleans Lakefront with a nice 15 mph tailwind.  Our workout would be ride out to the Bayou St. John overpass and do three (3) rounds of 6 hills.  From there we would ride out to the Technology Park circle then had back to our AO.  Needless to say, riding back west was painful with the 15 mph wind in our faces.   Another day to be thankful!

     

  • The Substitute

    It was chilly out in the gloom where 16 men gathered around a flagless patch of dirt in the park.  With Roots recovering from a leg injury, YHC was asked to fill in as Q and was unable to come up with a quick enough excuse for saying no.  Before the Pax could disperse upon learning of the downgrade at Q, YHC snuck in a quick disclaimer and led the Pax over to the kickball fields for a warmup COP:

    • SSH x30
    • IW squats x20
    • Plank Jacks x20
    • Peter Parker x20

    Short jog from there to the soccer goal where we split into 4 groups:

    • Merkins x20 (timer)
    • Supermans
    • Shoulder taps
    • Pull ups

    Rinse, repeat, then head to the surprisingly well-manicured levee at the Fly for some 11s featuring burpees and jump lunges, which proved to be quite the challenging combination.

    From there, Indian run in two groups down the levee to the Fly exit ramp.  There, the Pax planked up in a line, alternating head to toe.  First man jumped over the legs of the other Pax members and got into plank position at the end of the line.  Next man did the same until the entire Pax had gone two rounds. During round two, we modified the plank into a plank walks.

    We moseyed on from there and braved the mystical Labyrinth for two and a half MOM:

    • LBC x25
    • Russian Twists x25
    • Dying Cockroach x51

    Hustle back to the VSF for the COT – count, name-o-rama with a renaming part 2, and prayer.  We kept Roots in our thoughts as we hope for a quick recovery.

    -Mulligan

  • Building Muscle to Back that Chatter

    Welcomed by chants of “SIDE EFFECTS…SIDE EFFECTS!” YHC jogged into the waiting circle of the PAX giving high fives and fist bumps to the masses until the clock struck 4:45am on this not so gloomy Saturday in SE Louisiana. YHC would once again have the pleasure…nay, the honor to lead the NOLA PAX after a 4 month hiatus, but it wouldn’t quite go as dreamt. While driving the hour and 15 minutes to the Mothership, YHC once again worried that 4 months without the Creatine Q led to disastrous effects on the NOLA PAX, YHC could just picture a bunch of skinny Uptowners preparing for their next marathon. Welcomed by a few handshakes from F3 brothers, and introductions to yet unknown brothers, the disclaimer and then the mumble chatter rained down like a bunch of R. Kelly wanna-bes. Time to pack some muscle on… to back that chatter.

    Mosey to the Great Lawn

    Circle for 5 minutes of Plank-o-rama Straight Plank Alternating shoulder touches Left arm plank with right hand reaches Right arm plank with left hand reaches Peter Parker

    YHC honored by kind words from Rudy on the creative start to the workout
    YHC thanked Rudy for giving him the idea to perform repeated planking exercises to start a workout

    Mosey to the Foundry

    PAX Divided into three groups: 1) BLIMPS starting with 10 burpees 2) Max Dr. W’s, followed by Max LBCs, repeat 3) Rotation: 10 pull-ups (timer), parallel bar dips, superman, low rows or more pull-ups, bar kicks, planks, added pike derkins (feet on bench, 6 high, press straight up) on round 2

    Rotate twice through the cycle
    YHC again honored by Rudy and other PAX members for creativity and hard work planning the workout

    Mosey to the museum steps

    3 groups: 1) Wall sits 2) Ascending tooth fairy merkins 3) Dying cockroaches
    Rotate once through each

    Mosey toward the Flag

    Pause for time on the ledge for:
    Dips (IC) x 20
    Incline Merkins (IC) x 15
    Dips (IC) x 18 (YHC actually correctly executed the proper Q pre-exercise etiquette thanks to Boogey’s and Hawg’s mumble chatter reminders of my subpar Q’ing skills – so much forgotten in 4 months it’s sad)

    Finish Mosey to the Flag

    COT 1 FNG nicknamed: Snooky, that’s what hanging around with Rudy will get you! Announcements
    Shout-outs: Walleyes family member recovering from colon cancer
    Unnamed special intentions from KimChi
    YHC’s sister-in-law getting married

    YHC’s next Q scheduled for 4/23 in Philadelphia, all PAX welcome to attend, coordinate travel with Hawg and leave the mumble chatter at home or be prepared to back it up

    Miss and love you brothers!

    Thanks for representing The Hood!

  • 610 Stomp ‘n Sprint

    On a brisk gloomy Pi-Day morning, 4 PAX and 1 PUP gathered around the flag.  After a brief moment of pondering, YHC settled on the Stomp ‘n’ Sprint.  30 Min stomp, meet back at the track for sprints.  Go.

    Stomp: YHC enjoyed a good brisk run with KimChi, reviewing the upcoming Tough Mudder.  Much discussion on appropriate footwear…. Returning to the track, we stumble upon Babyface and Tool, both of whom had apparently missed our step off by a few minutes.  Better late than never!

    Sprints: LBCs at the track while we wait for the 6.  OYO: Sprint the straight-away, slowsey around the curve.  Repeat.  And keep repeating till we run out of time.  I think all PAX got at least 4 laps (8 sprints).  LBCs wait for the 6.  Then back to the flag.

    Countoff, Name-o-rama, Announcements.  Much chatting about logistics for Tough Mudder – in particular, where we will keep the ice chest of beer (I volunteered the back of Heisenburg’s car).

    Close with a prayer for blessings to use the gift of today in service of God, our families, our co-workers.  Finish with St. Ignatius’ Prayer for Generosity.

  • Welcome Back Gloom

    Perhaps Q Karma folows the Pax but I found it painfully ironic that on the Monday following a return of (or is expiration of) daylight savings time that I had the Q.  Mondays are my favorite day to fartsack but duty called.  The mid-workout sunrises that had been greeting us recently were certainly not going to be seen and the gloom was back in full force.  The original plan for the post was a run around the park and fly but upon seeing the faces of my assembled Pax I realized I wasn’t the only one dragging today and I audibled to a park lap only.

    Warm-up:

    Mosey to the band stand for a high and dry warm up.

    • SSH x 30
    • IW Squats x 20
    • Monkey Humpers x 20

    Mosey to the track and then single file for Indian Run to row bars.  Form three groups and rotate.

    • Rows
    • Burpees x 10 for the count
    • Lunges

    Indian Run to a clearing for some shoulder work/ ring of fire.  Bring the circle in, bring it back out, 180 to the right, 10 Merkins, 180 to the left, bring the circle in.

    Indian Run to benches at the head of the park:

    • Left leg power ups x 20
    • Dips x 20
    • Right leg power ups x 20
    • Decline Merkins x 5 => Shoulder taps x 10 => Decline Merkins x 5

    Indian Run POW style to the Mary green for some Mary:

    • LBC x 20
    • Putins x 20
    • Real Freddy Mercury x 20

    Indian Run to the pull up bars and divide into 4 groups and rotate:

    • Jump Squats x 10 as the count (I found myself doing a Hurley, nod to March Madness perhaps)
    • Al Gore
    • Merkins
    • Pull-ups

    Jog-Sprint alternating run back to the patch-of-dirt-where-a-flag-will-be-planted-when-Roots-posts.  4 minutes to spare so we knocked out some dying cockroach and plank work for good measure.

    Count off to 13, nameorama, and announcements.  Tough Mudder week!  Ball of Man with thanks for the opportunity to push ourselves.

  • Voluntold

    Quick back blast:

    Great workout this morning with 12 pax.  I learned that someone had put me down for the Q at 5:31 AM today.  No worries. I need to learn to think quickly on the fly.

    Standard warmup:  Side straddle hop, imperial walker, arm circles, plank, Peter Parker, plank jacks

    Grab a rock and Indian run to a field.

    We ran through a series of weight exercises: curls, shoulder presses, rows, bench presses : 15 times, then 10 times, then 5 times each

    Elevens with bench presses on one side of the hill and curls on the other side.

    Headed to the pavilion for some leg work and dips.

    Indian run back to the rock pile for somethin new.

    We exchanged our current rock for the largest one we had ever picked up at F3 and finished the rock workout with a series of bench presses with max weight.

    Then on to Mary.

  • Suprise

    “The key to happiness is low expectations” – a wise man

    YHC woke up with excitement today, not just because of an Okwata beatdown with F3 brothers…it was my birthday Q!  So excited that I picked up a pack of cupcakes for a post-beatdown celebration. But pulling up to the AO…it looked like this:

    Image result for empty parking lot

    That one car was Torque, my only friend who decided to celebrate with me on my Birthday Q.  As 0530 hrs came, YHC was depressed… where could all the Pax be?? Was Kim Chi’s posting streak over now??? Not going to lie, my excitement I had when I woke up was evaporating quickly!  At 0532 hrs, reality set in that no one else was coming, and Torque and I were going to get stronger today!

    DISCLAIMER (depressed tone)

    The Thang

    Mosey around the fountain, which was on this gloom (at least Mitch remembered my birthday!)… then a strange noise could be heard, and a lot of movement on top of the levee:

    South Park running crowd rush mob

    It was a Pax of 10 pranksters storming down the levee!  Well played, gentlemen…well played! They got me good…I can just imagine them up on top the levee watching us two around the flag:

    staring interested creep creeper george clooney

    Anyway, circle up in a high-grassy area.

    COP #1: Warmup

    29x SSH IC (YHC’s age!)
    20x Smurf Jacks IC (Cowbell still did SSH for some reason!)
    20x Squat Jacks IC
    15x Merkins IC
    15x Mountain Climbers IC

    Stayed in our circle for Game #1.

    Game #1: Squat Pulses

    Pax performed squat pulses until 3 Pax were left standing. If you fall out, plank and wait.  4x Burpees if you weren’t one of the three.

    Mosey over to the levee and partner up.

    Game #2: Dora 100
    Pax 1: Run up the levee backwards and back down forward (quad burn after Game #1).
    Pax 2: AMRAP Burpees (keep going until the group hits 100x Burpees).

    No penalty here…just doing it was penalty enough!

    Mosey up to the top of the levee and line up facing the lake.

    Game #3: 3 minutes of Planks

    If you fall out, LBCs for you…not many Pax doing LBCs…our time with Mary is helping!

    Mosey down to the backside of levee (aka Prankster Parking Lot) and partner up.

    Game #4: Team BLIMPS

    BLIMPS together with your partner. Cannot advance until both finish the letter. Alternate letters at the top and bottom of the levee (e.g. B at the top, L at the bottom, I at the top, etc.)

    Tclaps to Torque & Triple Shift for winning, they watched the rest of us do 4x Burpees.

    Mosey to the frontside of the levee (aka Lonely Island) and partner up.

    Game #5: Dora 300
    Pax 1: AMRAP Dips (keep going until the group hits 300x Dips)
    Pax 2: 1x Pullup (Best Pullup of your life!). Probably ended up with about 20x Pullups per Group.

    Mosey back to the flag..2 minutes left… so Mary Time

    COP #2: 2MOM

    12x Crunchy Frog IC
    12x Flutter Kicks IC

    Now back to the flag, where we held the COT – Countoff, Nameorama, Shoutouts and Prayer….and Birthday Cupcakes too!  Thanks for coming to my party….and for that lovely surprise!

    Moleskin

    One more year of hate from YHC!  After this little prank from the Pax, i’ll get revenge!

    Tough Mudder is next weekend!  Tclaps to the men who signed up!

  • NOLA Maltz Challenge

    YHC called an audible and changed #TheUptowner plans from Awkward Yoga to The Maltz Challenge.  Today, people around the country honored fallen service men by completing the Maltz Challenge.  This is a Hero WOD named after USAF Master Sergeant Mike Maltz, who along with five others, was killed in 2003 on a para rescue mission trying to save children in an Afghani Hospital.  His grave is inscribed with the phrase “That others may live.”  His older brother, who works for the Drug Enforcement Agency, started this challenge as a way to honor those that have been killed in action.  Today people around the country participated in remembrance of the sacrifice others have made for us and others around the world.

    The Thang

    Fireman Carry 100 meters (Frac & Kim, YHC & Triple) or Farmer Carry 50 lbs 200 meters (Torque)

    100 pull-ups

    50 Dips (we did bench dips)

    400m run to playground on opposite side of Pontiff

    50 Knees to Elbows (hang from rings and bring your knees up to your elbows)

    100 merkins

    100 sit-ups

    400m run back to the other playground.

    We ended with some Vinyasas, including runners pose and the world’s greatest stretch.

    Moleskin

    Reading through all the information on MSgt Maltz is powerful stuff.  I encourage you to do so if you haven’t.  In John 15:13 Jesus said “Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends.”  The six men killed that day laid down their lives for strangers, sick children that were in desperate need of supplies.  MSgt Maltz was 42 years old that day; my age.  He had two kids of his own.  Many of us would say that we would do what ever was necessary for our own children and I think that’s honest.  But would we be able to sacrifice everything for someone else’s children; children we had never met; children from a far away place that shares very little in common with our culture and ideals; children with relatives that might be trying to kill you?  That’s what those six men did that day.

    It’s not likely we will be asked to do what MSgt Maltz and his comrades did that day.  But what we can do is look to put the needs of others ahead of our own needs; loving those around us, even strangers, with sacrificial love; not counting the cost, but giving freely.  Let’s condition ourselves to love without counting the cost.  Take some time to reflect on I John 3:16-18 today:  “By this we know love, that he laid down his life for us, and we ought to lay down our lives for the brothers.  But if anyone has the world’s goods and sees his brother in need, yet closes his heart against him, how does God’s love abide in him?”

    Great work by all of the guys that showed up to The Uptowner today.  I’m really proud to have completed this challenge with you all.  Everyone completed it sub 29 minutes.  Impressive work fellows.

    -Hawg

  • 610 Stomp #80

    “How old would you be if you didn’t know how old you are?” Satchel Paige

    Today was YHC’s birthday Stomp and first post at the Stomp. You don’t get to pick the day on which your birthday falls.

    DISCLAIMER

    The Thang

    Typical bayou route, but turn around after 15 minutes to leave time for Mary.

    COP: Mary

    YHC started it off with:

    25x LBCs IC
    25x Flutter Kicks IC

    Then, YHC asked for some Mary b-day presents from the PAX:

    25x Slow Dying Cockroach IC (increasing cadence) from Kimchi
    25x Wife Pleasers IC (eyes closed) from Amnesty
    25x Tin Snips IC from Fracsac
    2-minute Rotisserie Chicken from Tool

    10 burpees to close out with an awesome finish!

    COT:
    Countoff, Nameorama, and Prayer (for the blessings received and generosity)