F3 New Orleans

Category: Backblasts

  • Dora’s lazy mean sister – from Kenna Brah

    Birthday Q
    8/7/61

    Arm Circles
    Twists
    Imperial Walkers
    Abe Vigoda
    Low Slow Squat

    Flora 1-2-3

    100 Merkins – P1 does 10 with feet on coupon. P2 holds plank with feet on his coupon. Flapjack.

    200 LBCs – P1 does 20 LBC holding coupon high on chest. P2 holds legs 6″ off ground, and extends arms w/ coupon over chest. Flapjack.

    300 Goblet Squats – P1 does 25 goblet squats. P2 lowers to bottom of goblet squat w/ coupon, and holds. Flapjack.

    200 LBCs – P1 does 20 LBC holding coupon high on chest. P2 holds legs 6″ off ground, and extends arms w/ coupon over chest. Flapjack.

    100 Merkins – P1 does 10 with feet on coupon. P2 holds plank with feet on his coupon.
    Rifle/any carry down to the gazebo for some recovery stretches
    Return to rock pit for Ring of fire till times up – then backwards walk/jog to flag
    COT

  • It’s You Against You, So You Better Be First. – from Yankee Joe

    How It Started:

    Yesterday, YHC was talking with Paradox about life. As would be expected, the conversation shifted quickly to F3.

    We wondered at Popeye’s badassery and how he methodically works through a beatdown. You’ll hear part of that Army motto pouring out with his sweat, “I will always place the mission first. I will never accept defeat. I will never quit. I will never leave a fallen comrade.” Chills!

    We lamented the torture that was SaturDiddle and that we actively seek out fartsacking excuses when Diddle’s name shows up on the Q list. Brutal!

    We marveled at Safety Valve’s unprecedented posting record right out of the FNG gates…6 for 6. Keep it up. Respect!

    We delighted in how Bone Thug swooped in one day and took his place at the table. We debated whether Bone Thug should be plural or singular. Dox writes it in plural. He’s wrong. Recognize!

    We discussed the wonder of Cardinal’s random F3 superpowers, including his Q evasion tactics for questionable excuses like needing to shepherd the people. Apostolic!

    We laughed and cried about how Pope is surpassing Goose, but acknowledged the King was far from dethroned. Quicksand!

    You can almost hear the exchange:

    – Pope ‘Shark’ Lavay: “Slow down, Dad. You’re going to have a stroke.”

    – Montezuma ‘Goose’ Monroe: “I don’t get strokes motha*@$#&. I give them.”

    ———————————
    Why It Started:

    You see, YHC is fully focused on the SV 500, and thus, beatdowns leading up to the event should be carefully designed. YHC told Paradox there would be no silly themes. Nope…no props or monologues this time. Paradox simply said (in his deep, serious Doctor voice when he doesn’t make eye contact), “Yeahhh. That sounds good.”

    Soooo, while driving home, suffocating under the crushing weight of Dox’s disappointment, it became clear what needed to be done. It was an obvious transition from…SV 500 to Indy 500 to Talladega Nights to wearing a Cal Naughton Jr. wig to adopting a Homeric accent. (Homerian? Homenetian? Homogenous?)

    Following the Warmarama, in the spirit of Ricky Bobby, and in honor of Paradox’s homeland, YHC gave a monologue (below) in his best Homer, LA speak. However, YHC’s High Country Homerian dialect was difficult for Paradox to follow. As the old adage goes, there’s San Pellegrino and there’s La Croix. Then there’s Schweppes Club Soda. Quaint!

    If you haven’t seen Talladega Nights, the following monologue will sound pretty stupid. If you have seen Talladega Nights, the following will still sound pretty stupid. Who cares?

    ——————————–
    The Monologue (read in your best Homerian accent):

    “As we are prepping for the 2nd inaugural SV 500, most of us are reconsidering how ready we are following Paradiddle’s ‘Back to School” beatdown.

    “That said, it’s in these dark moments where we find our special talents.

    “Sometimes you get a knock in the head, you get superpowers. It happens all the time. Read comic books, okay.

    “I know what each of you are thinking…you’re thinking, “I wanna go fast. I wanna go fast.”

    “But in the midst of our suffering, yer startin’ to doubt yerself and askin’. “Am I going fast?”

    “You look around to see how other PAX are doing, but mannn…you can’t “mumblechatter with your eyes, you chatter with your heart.”

    “And sometimes you don’t know “what to do with your chatter.

    “You find yerself flyin’ through the air, the Tom Cruise witchcraft ain’t working, the ninjas are tryna get you…and then shame of shames, you get thrown out of Applebee’s and you don’t know what to say.

    “But then you see Goose and realize that he’s just a big hairy American F3 machine. Heck, paradox’s shorts are so tight he could crack walnuts with his butt cheeks.

    “So, you dig deep. Maybe you picture Jesus in a tuxedo. You think perhaps, it’s time to shake and bake.

    “You’re all jacked up on Mountain Dew and Surge. ready to go at yerself like a spider monkey.

    “Because it’s okay…in the end, in F3, it’s just you against you. But also, if you ain’t first, yer last. So, if it’s between you and you, you better be faster than you so you don’t lose. Here’s your sign.

    “To help our lost cause, we got ourselves a cougar in the back seat…you know, metaforeigner speakin’. We got ourselves a little race. We got ourselves an F3 500.

    And I’ll tell you this right now, you know who loves racing? Our girl, Dora.

    —————————————–
    What Happened (please make it stop):

    9 PAX gathered at the Stage on a VERY muggy Monday morning. A few HC’s and a few pseudo commits. As alluded to, most of the PAX were nursing physical and emotional wounds from a torturous Saturdiddle. Mannn, we were ALL on the Diddle List. We’re prepping for the SV 500 and though we wouldn’t go full pads, YHC very generously offered a series of strength and conditioning opportunities. Playing off of the SV 500 theme, the PAX entered with respectable pole positions for an F3 500.

    In pairs, P1 would sprint around the AO track (approx. ⅛ mile) while P2 knocked out reps of a particular exercise. When P1 returned, flapjack, and P2 would sprint the track. The goal was to reach a rep count of 100 for each exercise. There were five scheduled exercises for a total of 500. Yeah, you get it. Cheers.

    There were three caviars…(Homerian for caveat). The PAX loved those. The groans sounded like a bunch of constipated walruses.

    1. The race was timed. All teams had 25 minutes to complete 500 reps.

    2. When a partner pitted (completed a lap), both partners had to perform 10 Bonnie Blairs before P1 could start the exercise or P2 left pit row.

    3. YHC could put up one caution flag, in which all PAX had to slowly mosey around the track until caution was lifted. This meant the partners completing reps had to stop and mosey along with the running PAX.

    The Exercises:

    – Overhead press with coupons (x 100)
    – Leg lifts with coupon (x 100)
    – Thrusters (x 100)
    – Coupon LBC’s (x 100)
    – Coupon curls (x 100)

    ————————————–
    To YHC’s surprise, several teams finished within the 25-minute window. YHC’s team finished only because Pope and Goose dragged him there. Thanks, fellas for carrying me. The PAX then moved onto the musical stylings of the Proclaimers.

    500 miles

    – Flutters, V-ups on “gonna”
    – LBC’s on refrain
    – Mosh jumps on bridge (na na na na) – after second verse
    – SSH for third verse with high knee sprints on last refrain

    Here, YHC remembered and genuinely understood a great line from Paradiddle’s last blast:

    “…a chance to catch your breath, swallow the puke, and try and salivate to keep from dry heaving (please tell me it wasn’t only me).”

    It wasn’t only you on Saturday and it definitely wasn’t only you this morning.

    We finished with Pot Luck Mary, but stopped just short of Paradox’s dolphin hops. You know dolphins shouldn’t swim in a shark tank.

    Gigi was bestowed on Paradiddle by Safety Valve. ANIMAL was presented to Popeye.

    Don’t forget to sign up for the SV 500.

    Prayers for Smooth and Paradiddle, the first day of school (teachers and students), and for Cardinal’s new and exciting journey as the Bishop’s Secretary.

    Popeye prayed us out.

    SYITG,

    Jeaux

    Have A Cup of Jeaux:

    Let’s talk about the hard commit or HC? The H has always confused me…as if the word “commit” is a multi-leveled state of being. There is no qualifier for commitment. You can’t semi commit, kinda commit, soft commit…just like you can’t be just a little bit pregnant. You are either pregnant or you aren’t. You can’t kinda be dead. You either are or you aren’t. You can’t sorta be a jackass. You either are or you aren’t. In this particular case, I am. There is only “commit.” There is only C.

  • Chlorophyll? More Like Borophyll. – from Paradiddle

    Coming off of a week long hiatus, YHC was excited to be back for a beat down. Not knowing where to turn, but knowing that the SV 500 lay around the corner, YHC consulted with none other than Goose to try and collect some intel on the possible beatdown. YHC was determined to try to prepare the PAX for lay ahead. After turning to the exicon for some inspiration, none other than a childhood favorite of Billy Madison would be the source of inspiration for the punishment that lay ahead.

    YHC was coming in hot this morning from Houma, and he arrived with only a few minutes to spare. The PAX were already assembled upon his arrival. Mumble chatter was low, and as YHC approached, silence fell over the men. DJ DOX would be needed for his duties this morning. Yankee Joe was quick to offer BAPS as the source of sound, even though YHC offered Burrito Supreme who was nestled in the truck. Let a man do his thing. BAPS to the rescue, and rescue us he would. But wait…who is that?! Out of the gloom came G.I. Joe – a legend of sorts in these swamps.

    We began the warmup with the usual SSH, grass grabbers w a clap, windmills, circles, cherry pickers, high knees, and mountain climbers.

    The pax would then mosey with a coupon to the breezeway at E.D. White, where the thang would be explained.

    The Thang
    Taking the advice of Goose (one hour, no breaks), YHC explained the Billy Madison.

    We would work our way through each of the numbered school grades, only to then have to repeat them as Billy does (to prove to his dad he’s not a fool). Each grade would have 12 reps of one exercise, followed by a run to St. Joseph Elementary and back to the breezeway at ED White. Once back to the breezeway, you would repeat all the previous grades, making your way all the way to 12th grade. (1st grade, 1st + 2nd grade, 1st + 2nd + 3rd grade, 1st + 2nd + 3rd + 4th grade, etc.)

    So the grades would go:
    1st – Burpees
    2nd – Bonnie Blairs
    3rd – Declined Merkins
    4th – Grainers
    5th – Kettle bell swings
    6th – Thrusters (do it for Tap)
    7th – goblet squats
    8th – Peter Parkers
    9th – OH Press
    10th – Russian Twists w/ coupon
    11th – Hernia (V-Ups w/ coupon)
    12th – Dips

    The Pax soon discovered that the run to St. Joseph would be their reprieve, a chance to catch your breathe, swallow the puke, and try and salivate to keep from dry heaving (please tell me it wasn’t only me). With a strong start, everyone stayed together through third grade. Coyote set the pace for the 2.0’s, with Pope offering insight into his actual schedule for his upcoming school year. Lil Cuz, YJ, and America’s Best led helped to set the pace for the majority of the pax with a strong and consistent showing. YHC was terrified of the first impression he was leaving on Safety Valve. Smooth, as always, kept the run fun with the boys. YHC is sure that the convo shared between Dox and Gecko is one in reference to “that man”. Goose helped YHC set the pace, but in reality YHC was fighting to keep up through those coupon swings. A high school inspired playlist from some of the pax helped us along, and we needed all the help we could get. Imagine not having MMMBOP to get us through the sixth round of burpees?

    The Pax would make it halfway through 7th grade before time would force us to call it quits. A slow, silent mosey back to the flag and YHC desperately just wanted a cooldown walk. But the PAX pushed back and asked for three minutes of Mary. Freddie Merc’s, flutters, and ABC… (just three letters). The counting of this morning is all the evidence one would need to prove that the PAX desperately needed to repeat their grade. Now the only thing to do is make through the remaining grades at an undetermined date in the future.

    An impressive showing of 16 men this morning who came out, showed up, and put up with the shenanigans of a Saturdiddle. Til next time… or til next Saturday when we kinda have to do something similar again…but at least there will be breakfast.

    SYITG,
    Paradiddle

  • Two-fer One; We Belong Together (by Dox AND Goose) – from Paradox

    Opener: Dox
    2 roads diverged in then den
    And sorry YHCc could not travel both
    And being 2 pax long they stood
    Until 8 more HCs knew they should
    Cardinals claim,  was it right and just?
    The answer is no but the CoQ was a must
    Yet knowing how way leads to way
    We’ll keep his Q for another day
    The CoQs built a beatdown rep by rep
    There’s  a big race coming we still need the prep …

    Duke! Stop ripping off Bob Frost and roll that beautiful footage

    Warmup: Goose
    When the Cardinal-ready PAX heard that YHC and Dox were co-Q-ing, there was an astonished moment of silence. Was this scientifically possible? Two heavy hitters with two very different styles; both frighteningly all-in, tall, and good looking, but was there room in one beatdown for both? What would happen? It was like putting a gorilla in a pen with a walrus, or an alligator with a jaguar, or a bull and a bear, or a shark and Mike Tyson. Could they join forces, or would they just stare at each other wondering what move the other would make?
    Ultimately, it was a mixture of both as YHC told Paradox to come up with his usual warmup mashup ridiculousness, while I went the practical route. But, after the forward arm circle/high knees, it seemed only appropriate to match the Yin with the Yang and do backward arm circle butt kicks. This then led to P-dox leading self-love lunges, which, of course, was followed by YHC’s Moroccan Night Club Windmills. The chemistry had begun, and there was no stopping the fallout.

    Song 1: Paradox
    The coQs had a few jams planned to get the muscles loose. YHCc wanted to started with “Move Along”  by All American Rejects as a tribute to moving along from last years SV500 trauma and to talk about the first time I was dumped. Did I cry in my 02 Chevy blazer with the factory 10s?  (I kept them clean)
    Yes
    Did my now ex girlfriends dad have to jumpstart my car after the battery died in their driveway. Also yes
    But here I am after Moving along and better for it and this was my hope for the pax.
    We released the pain with hand release Merkin burpees on each “move along” and let the pain tears flow on the concrete.
    Popeye is our local burpee variation expert and I could see he appreciated it a lot.

    Song 2: Goose
    One of YHC’s fondest memories from when I was a student at LSU was the time spent in shared suffering with good brothers at the Rec Center gym. We enjoyed quality time together most days, working out before heading to class. This included a refreshing shower surrounded by mostly old men who tended to clear out relatively quickly not long after we arrived. It might have had something to do with the singing, but the jury is still out. We gravitated mostly to 80’s hits, our favorite being “We Belong” by Pat Benitar, which we sung with all the passion we could muster after a tough workout in a strikingly accurate pitch.
    YHC figured we could harness that same energy this morning to bring a sense of belonging to the PAX, especially after Dox’s story of isolation and whoa.
    We split into groups of three (one with four), and laid down with our heads together looking at the stars. The PAX were then directed to hold six inches (Legs, Yankee Joe. Get your “belonging” straight.) for the duration of the song, and execute a leg raise for every “belong”, touching toes together at the top.
    It was good. It was really good.

    First Thang: Dox
    The SV 150
    Mosey to the basketball court and partner up
    Buy in was 1 full suicide to get to the signs at the other end of the court, and after completing the chosen number of sets (given on the sign) frog hop back to get your bling

    Bronze: 10 points
    Silver: 15
    Gold: 25

    Stations for your choosing:
    1 Bobby Hurleys
    2 SSH
    3 freddy mercuries
    4 mountain climbers
    5 leg raise Dora with fence run
    6 Bonnie Blairs

    You cannot repeat a station and
    10 minute timer till we had a winner

    This went along with what YHC planned for a cardio torcher mixed with some core work. As always, it was great to be under the watchful Eye of Yankee “Sauron” Joe for an iron sharpening form critique. Great team efforts across the board. The jello legs set in very quick with frog hops and huge T – claps to Safety Valve his 4th in a row post and for continuing to pretend that being YHC’s partner is a good time.
    In the end Team Ronnie/Jeaux rekindled that old flame from last years fling to take 1st place with 100 points.
    YJ conquered his inner zinc demons and was all about the Climb  with his new found knowledge that Miley Cyrus and Hanna Montana are the same person (not a Finkle/Einhorn situation).

    Second Thang: Goose
    We gathered ALL the gear and headed back to the flag. Again, YHC had to decide between a practical grinder of 11’s, or a fun, yet challenging competition. And, again, the chemistry took over, so the fun spirit of competition continued.
    YHC grabbed some baseballs (actual baseballs, YJ) as the PAX split into new teams of three. Each team got a ball, and YHC introduced Rarajipari, a game in which teams run and kick a ball a given distance. The only rule given this morning were that the ball couldn’t be kicked by the same PAX twice. The starting line was the entrance driveway, and we had to kick it around the civic center to the mouth of the opposite driveway (a little over a quarter mile, I think). And, since it only took five minutes to complete this, we turned around and took it back the other way (to the delight of all).
    Athleticism was helpful, and endurance was a must, but the drive to get to the ball was the ultimate factor in this one. Most ran the loop faster than they otherwise would have–this caused the PAX (minus those who had attended the NOLA convergence a couple of years ago) to be surprised at how physically demanding this game is. Ultimately, though, since this crew was made up of some very driven men, it seemed that the soccer skills of Yankee Joe and Safety Valve were the deciding factor in giving their team the win. (YHC could get to the ball but couldn’t seem to kick it more than three feet, and even then, in an unhelpful direction.)

    COT, Valve got the loaded GiGi, and Pope prayed us out.

    Conclusion: Dox

    I shall be telling this with a sigh
    At some AO ages and ages hence
    The men of F3 take the road less traveled
    And that has made all the difference

  • Runner, walker, and KNoTers – from Charmin

    In a rare turn of events, we had no Ruckers, YHC was the only runner, and Hokie didn’t have his shoes KNoTted properly.

    Overall this workout was about putting our noses to the grindstone, doing what we are called to do, and trusting that we would all show up back at the flag at 6:15.

    COT ended with prayers for conforming ourselves to the will of God, knowing we have both temporal advocates, but also an Eternal Advocate, and praying for a HIM and his family.

  • The scramble goes Open Mike – from The Hammer

    Hot, but not record heat. Humid, but not record humidity.

    No official Q this morning, so Hammer led, YHC takes the backblast to appease PaxMiner.

    Warmup

    SSHs
    Cherry Pickers
    Windmills
    Toe touches
    Hammer’s favorite stretch
    25 merkins

    Thang
    Feet moved, some faster than others. Rucks were rucked by Jose and YHC. Runs were run by Mr. Miata, Hammer, and the resilient Waterpik, working through his recent injury like a champion. You can’t keep a good man down.

    COT, Name-o-Rama, and prayer closed us out, until…it was comedian’s showcase. In an unexpected twist, what began as a serious prayer intention turned into a joke involving bridges to Hawaii. Not to be outdone, Pik took the mike and dropped the Hammer (figuratively) with his own version of a biblically themed wisecrack. Before Mr. Miata could break out his favorite limerick, we disbursed into the gloom. Rule number 1 for a good comedian: always leave them wanting more.

    SYITG

  • Variety Pack at The Gipper – from Einstein

    Summertime at The Gipper, with typical heat and high humidity.
    Humidity should be added to the Exicon as a stand-alone exercise – as it sure is draining.
    And welcome guest pax Dinghy – from the Hillsborough, NC location.

    Long Warmup:
    Toe Touch, SSHops, Swimmers, Neck Rolls, Hi Jack Hi Jills, Imperial Walkers, Hillbillies, Shoulder Slingbacks, Butt Kicks, Smurf Jacks, etc.

    Mosey to the Taj Mahal parking lot for leg swings, font to back, left to right. Then using the stripes for a ladder template do a set of stops and starts forward, reverse, left shuffle, right shuffle. Then trott to the front of the Taj for ring-of-fire: each pax bear crawls into the flag pole and crab crawls back – whilst the rest of the pax holds plank waiting for their turn to crawl in/out.
    Then to the nearby grassy knoll for 10 OYO sprawls(kind-of-a burpee without the push-up).

    Mosey down the street to the Justice Center Parking Garage, at the garage entrance; backward lunge haf way then sprint, repeating up the ramp concourse.
    once on top; some core work, bear crawling, and sprints.

    Mosey to the front of the court house for some freak-nasties and rocky balboas.

    Mosey back to the flag for a minute of V-ups

    Circle-up, Count-o-rama, Dinghy leads us out with prayer; lifting up those recovering from injuries, the elderly, and families dealing with difficult challenges. And for “meet-less” BBQ, who has lost his alarm clock.

  • Outlive & the 4 Pillars of Exercise Fitness – from Enron

    YHC has been on a recent journey to learn more about the health secrets to longevity, and more importantly how to live out a longer health span and not just lifespan. Two potentially very different things. After some push from his concierge service PCP, or at least a guy that claims to be a doctor (we all know his M is the actual physician), he picked up a book called Outlive by Dr. Peter Attia. A great read I might add. Although, admittingly only the first 100 pages of over 490 pages have been read so far, YHC thought it would be a good thing to pass some of the preliminary information on to the remainder of the PAX. Therefore the 4 pillars of exercise fitness were created, well more like repeated, and copied from someone much smarter.

    YHC arrived early to write down some lists on an “exercise board”, which was just a piece of construction paper after an unwanted spring-cleaning event removed the dry erase board that was perfect for these things …. But I digress. The PAX quickly started to arrive, and by the time the beatdown started we were 9 strong at the Stage.

    An Introduction to the 5 Tactics of the Longevity Toolkit were quickly listed as follows and a short description of each was given:
    1)Nutation Biochemistry
    2) Exercise Fitness
    3) Sleep
    4) Distress Tolerance
    5) Drugs, Supplements, and Hormones

    Because we aren’t coming to the stage to eat (not this week at least) or sleep (although Tana looked like he might still be halfway there), YHC informed the PAX we would be covering the 4 pillars of exercise fitness as it applies to longevity training. Those four pillars are different types of exercise training that should be completed on a weekly basis and are as follows:

    1) Zone 2 Training – keeping heart rate at 60-70% of your max consistently through an exercise. Another way to judge if you are in zone 2 heart rate is if you can still carry a conversation while performing the level of exercise.
    2) Strength
    3) Stability
    4) V02 Max or Zone 5 Training – This is maximum effort and 90-100% of Max Heart Rate training.
    As a certain “doctor” once said, “Duke, lets get this show on the road.”
    Warmup:
    SSH, Windmills, Arm Circles, Cherry Pickers, IW, Willie Mays Hayes, Self-Love

    ZONE 2 Training:
    Mosied for a mile while keeping conversation for the duration of the jog. This was approximately a 10–11-minute mile pace. We ended up getting going a little fast, and every person will be different from a heart rate standpoint.

    Strength Training:
    Broke out the coupons and did the following exercises in order for 2 rounds.
    5 Man Makers
    10 Overhead Press
    15 Kettle Bell Swings
    20 Coupon Bench Press
    25 Merkins
    30 Goblet Squats
    35 Curls
    40 LBCs

    Stability Training:
    The following were meant to be performed until failure, but due to time constraints and Goose’s ability to do each of these for way too long, we completed a minute of each of the following:
    1) Hold Al Gore
    2) Mission Impossible Plank
    3) 6-inch Hold

    VO2 Max – Zone 5 Training:
    Sprinted to each of 3 picnic tables spread throughout the field about 15 yards apart, completed 1 burpee at the first and Nured back, then back to the second, 2 burpees, and so forth until we had worked our way up to 4 burpees then counted back down.

    Recover called.

    COT and Paradox prayed us out.
    Reminder that next Friday and Saturday is the SV500 and signups need to be completed soon. Can’t wait for that Thursday Cardinal Q!

    SYITG,

    Enron

  • Lucky 13 ~ Runners & KnOT with Pickle in the Middle no S & M – from Hokie

    13 Pax arrived… most before 0530 😉

    Some came for S & M and were disappointed when the closest they got to stretching was knees over toes.

    A bunch got stronger by running intervals with Pai Gow

    Some went to knees over toes

    Mahatma and Kenner Brah ran until daylight then played pickle ball

  • Endurance – from Paradox

    YHC arrived a touch early to the stage to set out a few cones on the back end of Richmans loop for a light cardio routine (rest and recovery is my thing ya know)
    . All was set, a few minutes to spare when nature called. YHC has become quite a fine purveyor of port o potty’s during my career at the stage. When demand meets supply plus IBS…well..Dr. Maught can tell you the rest of that equation this fall. I took a lovely light mosey to a very new Po’P to reread my bd notes.
    After reviewing the walls and wondering why I should call Terry for a good time (does he know we have a free men’s workout?) I hustled out to make good timing. That’s when I slipped and hit my head on the curb and the lights when out….

    …
    Somewhere in the Wedel Sea
    during “The other expedition”

    Fierce polar winds threatened to rip our tent apart with every breath as we huddled inside for warmth. Captain Goose had called this meeting on our 400th day at sea, floating aimlessly on the pack ice.

    He peered at us through a thick frosted beard
    “I’ll be straight with you men. We’ve got 800 miles to cover in a 20 foot life boat to save the pax we left on Fartsack island.
    There’s 9 of us and only enough provisions for 8.
    There’s also a pistol with 1 bullet left..”
    The tent door rustled open sharply and YJ popped is head in
    “What are y’all doing in here, is this an SLT meeting? Anyway I’m doing my heavy hands routine out here to stay warm if anyone wants to join” …cricket chirps…
    “Nobody?” This time even the Antarctic cricket was silent.
    He went back out and a collective sigh spread through the men.
    YHC shook his head in reply “ I’m sorry, we had to bring him, Rienzi 1 percenters funded the trip ya know “
    Captain Goose cleared his throat to re-establish order “Well it’s going to take every ounce of strength we have to save those men and…”
    YJ pops back in visibly more excited.
    “Hey I created a song called ice ice baby , it’s got a dope beat y’all come listen “ then he strutted back out.
    Across the tent, Tana pulled the last bullet from his shirt pocket, his gaze still stuck on the place YJ stood, he handed it to YHC with a nod. “Save it till we are starving but when the time comes you know what to do. Back of the head and Make sure he knows his backblasts were the best. “
    YHC racked the shell into his pistol as a single tear formed then froze in the artic gloom.
    Silence descended on the tent
    “For the pax” I said as the light faded …
    …

    YHC regained consciousness just in time to walk up and meet 9 sea worthy men at the stage in record setting humidity. They trickled in slowly following an abnormally early Cardinal arrival (61% sleep and fresh roasted grounds works wonders, can’t wait for his Q Thursday ).
    We circled up, all smiles, and only one of us knew what was waiting in the depths of the loop.

    Duke it’s time to cross Antarctica!
    Roll the footage !

    Warmups
    The usuals with 30 IWs by request because some jerk made us coupon lunge on Saturday. Chatter was at a zero but Bone thugz was just getting warmed up! A mosey to the bumper to get started.

    YHC started a series of beatdowns today to honor men throughout history that displayed courage and leadership in the face of great adversity.
    We shall call it Memorable Men Mondays (thanks smooth)

    Today we salute you …
    Sir Ernest Shackleton
    Considered one of the last great Antarctic Explorers. Most famous for his attempt to be the first to cross Antarctica in 1914 and today we would focus on his leadership during that expedition.

    First we needed to go back in time to 1914 and you if you are going to return 109 years the only appropriate travel is Nur. Goose repeated this a few times then seemed to accept it and I fear where his next time travel Q may take us.
    So we ran backwards to the fresh paint lot into the age of exploration.

    August 1 1914 : the ship Endurance sets sail from London to South Georgia Island with 28 men aboard as the Imperial TransAntartic Expedition begins. Their goal is to make landfall on Antarctica , hike across with sled dogs, and meet up with another crew on the other side…simple right?

    28 merkins for the 28 men aboard endurance.

    From South Georgia they left land and unknown to them would not return for 497 days.

    Stuck in pack Ice only 60 miles from their land destination the Endurance began to slowly be crushed by relentless pack ice and they were forced to abandon ship and camp on the drifting ice.

    “Ice Ice Baby “ by Vanilla Ice
    Rock Balboas – Jump Knee Tucks on ice ice baby.
    The pax had trivia which would free them from the Vanilla torture.
    What Year was song released? (1990) 1 minute
    What is vanilla ice real Name- Robert Van Winkle 2 minutes
    What lawsuit did this song create – Queen Under Pressure copyright) 3 minutes
    Two minutes were gained after Goose and YJ had a classic senior moment and went with 1991.

    Indian run to the back of Richmans loop where we found YHCs full arsenal of COUS (coupons of unusual size, thanks Tap) with the coup de grace being a rowing machine YHC plucked from his brother in law several months ago in a blockbuster trade deal for sketchy discount medical care. The concrete schoolyard was ready and the pax were willing.

    At this point Shackletons crew , after watching their beloved ship be crushed by ice and sink, must traverse roughly 100 miles of unruly pack ice all in 3 life boats to the closest land , Elephant Island .

    To honor this YHC put together a circuit with various tasks to represent the varied tasks of the men of Endurance .
    Everyone found a cone and we got to work.

    Voyage 1 Circuit
    45 seconds
    Patience Camp to Elephant Island

    1 rowing – 28s/m
    2 seal jacks
    3 Med ball hammers
    4 med ball v ups
    5. mountain climber
    6. Leg raises
    7. Suicides
    8. Hickory Lunges
    9. Freddy merks

    The pax performed admirably here despite minimal directions from YHC. Bone thugs has progressed into quite a force of mumblechatter and started to find his voice as the reps piled up. Pope continues to be an unstoppable force.

    In a 5 day journey the men make it to Elephant island 1/2 starved, several with frost bite but still fighting.
    Shackleton makes the decision to put 5 men (including himself) in the James Caird, their best life boat and attempt an 800 mile trip to South Georgia Island to get help. They leave with 23 men on the island knowing that if they fail , everyone will perish.

    Voyage 2 Circuit
    60 seconds
    Elephant Island to South Georgia
    800 miles
    1. rowing
    2. SSH
    3. BBSU w ball
    4. Med ball v up
    5. Flutter kicks
    6. Apollo Onos
    7. Nur suicide
    8. KB thrusters
    9. Med ball smash

    800 miles, 17 days and a hurricane in the most feared polar sea on planet earth and the 5 men survive to arrive at South Georgia Island.
    One final task to reach help and rescue their shipmates….
    A 26 mile hike across the island (which is basically a glacier) to civilization.

    Time to hoof it.

    We left everything for a 1/2 mile sprint back to the flag.

    COT and Goose prayed us out

    T- Claps to Safety Valve for his second post after the Catan massacre. Solid work from BT as well.

    SV 500 on Aug 12!
    Jambalaya tickets for sale

    NMM
    I stumbled upon this incredible story this summer and it blew me away. The perseverance through obstacles, the mounting intensity, and the odds looking worse and worse at every turn will have you on the edge of your seat. It has my highest reading recommendation. ( See links below) .
    The ability of Shackleton to have the men buy into giving everything they had to save the man next to them or the ones left behind was simply incredible.

    Clearly we don’t face anything even in this stratosphere on a day to day basis but it did remind me of the men in my own life. The ones ready to empty the tank when the cause is great and the glory not our own.
    Grateful to be surrounded by you gents, nobody id rather be in the boat with.

    https://www.audiobooks.com/audiobook/127307/?refId=40886&detailsLocale=US&refId=41464&gclid=EAIaIQobChMI7-y_mZW6gAMVcwetBh0rIgy7EAQYASABEgL8EPD_BwE

    Epilogue

    “The Other Expedition”

    It was day 497 at sea for the 9 men who had left Fartsack island to find help.
    The provisions gone , the boat held together in tatters, most men with blackened toes and fingers.
    8 souls crumpled into the bottom of the boat clinging to life….

    All but one continued to row.

    The one they had saved the bullet for.

    Scientist would later spend decades trying to explain how this man single-handedly saved his crew. Some say it was years of his heavy hands routines. Others say that the only manuscript of his backblasts were in that boat and he knew the world needed them.
    But only the men of F3 Thibodaux knew
    , it was the chatter , all he ever needed was the chatter.

    “Ice Ice Baby” Joe whispered as he peered into the sky and led the boat to land.
    His pax were safe and the chatter would live on.

    SYITG
    Dox