F3 New Orleans

Category: Northshore

  • Quick Steppin’ and Some Core Work

    In the upper 40’s, the gloom was chilly enough that YHC wanted to get the blood pumping as quickly as possible. And so….

    WARMORAMA

    High tempo start with: High knees, Butt Kicks, SSHs, Torso Twists, Imperial Walkers, Windmills, and some High Skips.

    THANG

    The PAX took off running the usual route, and after half way, started to slowly segregate with YHC and Bird, Waterpik, Hammer, and Pelican, and Shooter and Akbar grouping up respectively.

    MARY

    Upon returning to the MULTIPLE NEW SHOVEL FLAGS, the PAX congregated around the fitness equipment for some significant core challenges OYO:

    100 LBCs

    100 100s

    80 L E2Ks

    80 R E2Ks

    50Flutter Kicks

    COT

    Hammer’s 1000 Burpee Challenge is nigh upon us, so bring your A game. Whether just in the gloom or additional meet-ups with lagniappe F2, Saturday will not be one to miss – especially with the long-awaited return of Maximus the Invincible , Tank! (Full disclosure, Bushwacker will be out of town)

    Bird prayed us out and we all fell out into the dawning day to tackle our challenges, come what may.

    Thanks for always showing up guys. I’m consistently humbled and motivated!

  • All 7s can be lucky says Grandma!

    YHC scooped up the lead at Grandmas and figured we would stay close to home on this brisk high 40s Gloom. With the likes of our fellow bicyclists in Steve and Russo rolling in the PAX added to others with Pelican and Zoolander as the clock struck 0515.

    Warmup

    Circled the AO with a casual mosey followed by all IC15 SSH, Imperial walkers, Windmills, Cherry pickers, Self-love and Toe touches..

    thang

    All 7s

    7 Merkins, 7 Jump squats, 7 Big Boy sit-ups, 7 columns distance bear crawl and 7 up and down the steps with a mosey back to the start completing 7 rounds. Closed with some Mary all IC15 Little Manny crunches, Hello Dollies, Flutter kicks and 1:30 of Chillcut planks..

    T👋🏼 To Russo praying us out..

    Appreciate the post gentlemen while following my lead and till the next Gloom 👍🏼👊🏼✌🏼!!

  • Listening to the Birds

    (From Bird:)

    Better late than never posting the backblast, fellas.  It took me long enough to Q my first Saturday so it’s only fitting that it takes me this long to put this out, but PAX is always encouraging and won’t let you fall behind.  Thanks to the 22 who posted plus a few guest appearances.

    0610 – Handful of guys posting for the 2-mile pre thang to the end of the lakefront and back.  Q rolls in as PAX is already on the move after strategically placing the buckets for the impending beatdown.  

    0630 – PAX circled up for warm up following the required warnings and disclosures.  Warm up proceeded through side straddle hops, seal jacks, good mornings, windmills, toe touches, and imperial walkers. Cadence on the windmills and imperial walkers was a little quick creating some mumble chatter.  Those big moves are tough first thing in the morning.  PAX dropped to the ground for some fire hydrants followed by 20 pushups, uh I mean merkins, OYO.  

    App. 0640 – PAX mozies to open field past gazebo and fountain to buckets for first phase of workout – 30 for 30 – consisting of 3 rounds of 30 reps of an exercise, 30-yard sprint, and 30-yard walk back (lunge, bear crawl, and backwards bear crawl).  PAX thanked “coach” for reminding them to explode off the line and run all the way through to the end of the sprint!  There was some confusion first round of the walk back which got cleaned up during the second and third.  A few random 10 counts in between rounds kept the PAX together.  

    Round 1

    • 30 Sister Mary Catherines (each leg one), 30-yard sprint, 30-yard lunge walk
    • 30 merkins, 30-yard sprint, 30-yard ?
    • 30 big boy situps, 30-yard sprint,  30  yard YHC calls out “your choice!”
    • Hold plank until all complete
    • Brief forward fold and wide leg forward fold to stretch.  

    Round 2

    • 30 squats, 30-yard sprint, 30-yard lunge walk
    • 30 shoulder taps, 30-yard sprint, 30-yard bear crawl
    • 30 leg lifts, 30-yard sprint, 30-yard backwards bear crawl
    • Hold  low plank until all complete

    Round 3

    • 30 monkey humpers,  30-yard sprint, 30-yard lunge
    • 30 carolina dry docks, 30-yard sprint, 30-yard bear crawl
    • 30 groiners (collective groan amongst PAX), 30-yard sprint,  30-yard backward bear crawl
    • Hold side plank (alternate) until all complete

    App. 0705 – PAX remained in open field for second phase of beatdown spreading out along the seawall for 11s consisting of box jump burpees at the wall and crunchy frogs at road.  First box jump burpee seemed not so bad, but quickly “intensified’ as the PAX got deeper into the 11s.  The “mumble chatter” from the earlier warm up pretty much all subsided at this point as we ground through the phase.  Around 0720, YHC called off the remaining reps as only a few had completed the entire series.  \

    App. 0720 – Following a 10 count to regroup, the PAX mozied back towards the mothership stopping just short and circling up for the final phase of the work.  Final phase started with “failure to launch,” a 10 second countdown in Al gore followed by a jump squat and immediately back to Al gore for a total of 5 reps.  PAX on their six for 20 Russian Twists, LBCs, and Heel Touches (in cadence), and a round of 100s OYO to finish. 

    As PAX counted silently, the sounds of the lakefront became evident. The gathering seagulls began to make their presence known.  As if inspired by his aviary companions, Q (i.e, Bird) leads PAX in a sun salutation a (mountain pose, high mountain, forward fold, halfway lift, forward fold, jump back to plank, chataranga, up dog, down dog).  Q encouraged proper breathing for full effect – inhale rise up, ,exhale forward fold, etc..  Yoga session ended peacefully while the seagulls sounded their appreciation of the reverent moment.  

    App. 0730 – Pax mozies back to the mothership, circles up, and reports out in traditional fashion.  YHC prayed us out.  

    Post Beatdown – Tank, MIA as of late, and like a ghost, runs by on the lakefront as YHC returns to his truck.  Like a man on a mission, he doesn’t stop to chat and continues his journey, later texting to say that he was at mile 13.8 of a 14 mile run!  Coffeeteria was well attended with a guest appearance by Grundy, still recovering from injury.  

    Thanks for the opportunity to lead, guys.  

    Bird

  • Friday the 13th

    It was a cold, chilly morning. So YHC decided to get up early and run sprints on top of the A1C. I sprinted the long path, walked the short. It was good to get the heart rate up. I was happily surprised to see Moby show up a bit early. He quickly joined in with me. After awhile, Einstein rode up on his bike, quick look at the clock, and it was 5:15.

    Warm up: Toe touches, torso twists, and self love. We moseyed to side of the parking lot and did Lieutenant Steve’s. 2 lounges, 1 squat, 4 lounges, 2 squats, etc…all the way across the parking garage. We then did 4 corners: 7 burpees each corner, 14 hand release Merkins, 21 squats, 28 lbc’s. The alarm went off, and I had to leave. It was a pleasure leading y’all this morning. SYITG.

  • On the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month-Remembering Armistice Day

    Veterans Day originally was known as Armistice Day. Hostilities between Allied and German forces in World War I officially ceased at 1100 on November 11, 1918. Appropriate enough, 11 PAX gathered in the Gloom this morning at The Gipper to remember our Veterans.

    After a warmup of 11 Seal Jacks, 11 Imperial Walkers, 11 Toe Touches, 19 Side Straddle Hops, and 18 Overhead Hand Claps, all IC, the PAX mosied to the front of the St. Tammany Parish Emergency Operations Center where our Parish’s WWI Memorial stands. We circled up around the flagpole there for five rounds of T Merkins, Prisoner Squats, Flutter Kicks, Front to Back Lunges, Hello Dolly, Airplanes and Shoulder Taps.

    11 reps IC on the first round, 11 reps IC on the second round, 11 reps IC on the third round, 19 reps IC on the fourth round and of course 18 rounds IC on the fifth round.

    Between rounds, the PAX bear crawled about 20 yards to the Operations Center ramp which kinda sorta resembles a trench. We lunged walked up the ramp and then returned to our circle for the next round.

    We headed back to the shovel flag after our last round for the COT with Grover leading us in the Pledge of Allegiance and Moby praying us out.

    God bless all of our Veterans. Please help us always remember the sacrifices that they and their families made for our Country.

  • First Official Northshore H8!

    The inquiries started as soon as Steve announced the 3rd semi-annual Northshore H8! in his weekly e-mail blast. Would YHC get it right this year? Couched in the politest terms possible, the PAX wanted to know. So after reassuring everyone who asked that yes I knew what I was doing this time, YHC privately reviewed his notes from the last two fiascos, scoured Hawgcycle’s backblast from the recent Southshore challenge, and secretly consulted with Cowbell to confirm his conclusions. The result of all was, I think, a successful running of the Northshore H8! Finally.

    But first there was the warmup and a memorable warmup it was when 9 year old Pick Axe agreed to help prepare the PAX by leading his favorite exercises. YHC and Pick Axe rotated with Seal Jacks, SSHs, Hillbillies, IWs, lunges, toe touches, and arm circles. Once he adjusted his volume to screaming 9 year old level, Pick Axe performed flawlessly. The PAX really enjoyed it, and the presence of so many sons with their fathers in the early morning Mandeville Lakefront gloom has been a real boost to our fellowship and wholesome mission.

    So everyone was feeling pretty good on the mosey to that famous landmark, the Lakefront Shaft, and the starting line for the 3rd semi-annual but 1st official Northshore H8! Once YHC got through the instructions over Bushwacker’s questions, comments, thoughts, and philosophical musings, we were off.

    Of course, the Northshore PAX cannot replicate the Southshore’s version of the H8! precisely because we don’t have levees and a figure 8 was out of the question (it would be like playing Frogger with the traffic). We did our best and if truth be told it was more like a HS! YHC marked out a .4 mile out and back course which included a bridge with minuscule elevation change and cones measuring 35 yards apart. The first lap required each PAX to run and bear crawl the course and then perform 8 burpees and 36 hand release Merkins upon returning to the starting line. Rinse and repeat with the number of burpees and Merkins decreasing by 1 each lap. The objective was to complete 8 laps in 40 minutes. Total of over 3 miles running, 550 yards of bear crawls, 36 burpees and 120 hand release Merkins for the 8 laps.

    There were some impressive performances. This type of workout tends to favor the little guys and the guys who like to run. The guys who can lift appliances with their pinkie fingers when helping their friends move generally do not like this workout. But YHC didn’t hear any negative mumble chatter and only witnessed lots of effort. The 40 minute buzzer finally sounded and we made our way back to the shovel flag where we wrapped things up in our COT, Hammer praying us out.

    Thanks for letting me lead guys. SYITG.

  • Stranger Things

    It was quite nice in the gloom this morning when YHC and Grover arrived to a cool 65 degrees and a clean Milestone Marsh. We noticed that the picnic tables had been moved to the far side of the fence, something I’ve never witnessed before. That would be the beginning of the strangest post I’ve ever been a part of in my short time at F3.

    Pik, Pixie Stix, and Steve soon arrived and we circled up with OYO stretching and grumbling of sore shoulders from H8!

    Warm Up:  SSH, Imperial Walkers, Self-Love, and Arm Circles front and back x 20 each

    Cowbell came speeding in as usual – having arrived on time at Grandma’s House just a few minutes earlier – realizing it was Monday rather than Tuesday. 

    Short jog down to Mariny and back; pick up blocks and meet at the corner of the court for instructions

    Thang: Block Murph 

    YHC was explaining we would honor our veterans today, specifically Lieutenant Murphy, since yesterday was Veterans Day. But it actually wasn’t, because Veterans Day is this Wednesday. Can you see a pattern here?

    4 corners:   

    20 Block Curls, 20 Block Rows, 40 Block Presses, 60 Goblet Squats, .2mile run

    Rifle Carry on long sides of the court, 1 arm farmer carry on short sides

    Rinse and Repeat x 5

    YHC had some anthem tunes ready, specifically for Hammer (no show), and was worried a bit about how loud it might be so early in the morning – keeping it low not to disturb the neighbors.

    Round 1 was finished 10 minutes in when things really got weird. 4-5 vehicles pulled up to the Marsh with windows down, bass thumps, music blaring, and @8 people stepped out with khaki cargo pants, jackets, flashlights, and .…….basketballs?

    What is happening man? Who decides to play bball in the dark @ 5:30 on a Monday morning? We pressed on, and modified an already modified Murph by moving to the street. 3rd round in, we saw a few people riding their bikes past the Marsh fully dressed in non-workout attire, presumably on their way to work or coming in from the night. 

    15 minutes left, another modification was announced. We would finish the last 2 rounds of block work, make 1 more run and call it a day.

    All finished with 100 Curls, 100 Rows, 200 Block Presses, and 300 Block Squats. And some running.

    Mary:  1 minute left, Crunchy Frogs for Cowbell, IC. Only YHC did not do Crunchy Frogs, but American Hammers. After being called out, quickly switched to the correct exercise until 6:00am 

    COT: Grover prayed us out

    Even the COT was strange, our blocks still by our side, loud flashlight basketball, and another strange occurrence. Guy comes out of the house across the street and starts his car, moves it out of the way – parking it on the side street –  then starts his other car up and takes off – leaving the original backed out car still running.

    Count, Name-O-Rama, Announcements

    Thursday Oct 12th: 1 Mile time trial at the Scramble, F2 Flag making party @ Cowbell’s, Turkey Trot on Turkey day

    This is one beatdown I will never forget. Thanks for letting me lead.

    SYITG,

    Akbar

  • Rinse, Lather, Repeat

    Okay, so 4 straight days of softball until 9 each night, running 5 miles the night before, and Katie’s 40th birthday. These are all the reasons why I came unprepared this morning to the A1C. However, Tabata is always a great workout, especially when you still have the list of exercises still in your car. But then you come up with a better idea. Round Robin Tabata. So that is what happened this morning at the A1C. Everyone coming up with exercises, including Einstein’s crazy Lord of the Dance jump rope cross overs. It was tough, it was fun, and it was an honor to lead you gentlemen.

  • The One Ring (ok, possibly 2)

    YHC was coming in as hot as Cowbell, and proceeding to send forth one more text to the missing Steve, when he was suddenly knocking on my window *HOLY CRAP HEART ATTACK*

    After laying out some “preemptive” cones, we commenced to warmin’ up…

    WARM UP

    Some high knees got us started before tribute to most of the PAX had us doing Pik’s “hop twist”, some of Cowebell’s leg swings and 4 corner hops, and Shooter’s head rolls.

    THANG

    Steve, who had the wherewithal to look up, pointed out a far out phenomenon: Surrounding the bright moon was an enormous ring of light. I’m not talking a ring of light like that depicted over a saint’s head, I’m talking like the rings of Saturn! It’s called a 22 degree Halo (or a moon ring or winter halo) and is formed when direct moonlight is refracted in millions of hexagonal ice crystals suspended in the atmosphere!

    And so with this heavenly halo overhead the PAX scrambled down massena, took the loop, and headed towards the lake for a better look. It was along the way that it seemed there could possibly be a double halo? Anyway, we continued back along Pik pass and arrived to put those cones to use.

    MARY

    One man ran a 3 cone suicide while the PAX ere doing core. Upon completion the runner chose the next exercise. LBCs, Flutter Kicks, Crunchy Frogs, V Ups, Putins, and not to leave Steve out of the fun…well it escapes me at the moment, sorry!

    COT

    YHC prayed us out plus special intentions for Cowbell, finally getting to memorialize his grandmother who passed in April.

    Go forth and make a difference in someone else’s life gentlemen!

  • Dabbin’ With the Homies

    James, Stanley, and Benjamin walk into a bar….

    OK, it was actually a darkened, trash-strewn basketball court and playground we, on the north shore fondly call The Milestone Marsh. And the PAX was there to do business, so to business they got.

    WARM UP

    It was an imperative to get the heart rate rolling quickly so QIC started with some quick rounds of High Knees, Butt Kicks, and SSHs. We slowed the tempo and turned the focus elsewhere on the anatomy before heading out to the intersection.

    THANG

    The Marsh was where YHC was introduced to the Dab by our gone-but-not-forgotten comrade Coconuts, and is the sole location where it has been unleashed in my experience. And so it was that we three ventured forth and completed 10 Burpees EMOM for 5 minutes then running 400 meters, and repeating 4 times.

    MARY

    To be perfectly honest, procrastination on this back blast has directly lead to a constipation of the brain. There may or may not have been a slight bit of wrap-up.

    COT

    I believe Pik prayed us out and there was a great deal of appreciation for my fellow F3 brothers!

    Thanks for Dabbin’ with your homey!