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.
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!
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.
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!
It’s a start of a new year. So just get at it. A PAX of eight on this blustery morning, waves crashing onto the promenade. After a brief disclaimer and a mosey around the fountain and across the street, The Thang:
Warm Up:
SSHs 25xIC
Low Slow Squats 25xIC
Merkins 25xIC
First COP: Route 66 along the planters with box jumps: one at the first planter, mosey back; two at the second, mosey back; etc. up to 11 box jumps at the 11th planter.
Second COP: Mosey down aways for
Dips 20xIC
Half V-Ups 20xIC
Dips 20xIC
Dying Cockroachs 20xIC
Third COP: Mosey to the bottom of the levee. Then lunge walk to the top, 50 LBCs, duck walk back down, Bernie Sanders back up, 50 more LBCs; then mosey back to the flag.
Circle of Mary:
Russian Twists 20xIC
Big Boy Sit-Ups 20xIC
Flutter Kicks 20xIC
Penguins 20xIC
Dr. W’s 10xIC
Close it out with 12 burpees. Then count off, name-o-rama, and COT. Thanks. Push me harder for this year; I could use it. –JV
Thanks to Woodstock, Green Screen and YHC, age won before beauty or youth. So with apologies to Brown Eye as our youngster for the day, here’s The Thang.
Warm up
SSHs 35xIC (changing cadence was tricky for some, but YHC persisted)
Low Very Slow Squats 20xIC
Hill Billies 20xIC
Slate Grabbers 20xIC
Plank Jacks 20xIC
Parker Peters 20xIC
Peter Parkers 20xIC
Merkins 20xIC
Short mosey to the side of the Museum, where the PAX split up with half doing a Tooth Fairy up the 14 steps (one merkin on the first step, two on the second, etc., to 14 merkins on the 14th step) while the other half sat in People’s Chair watching the day go by. [YHC is convinced that the other half of the PAX was purposefully, and vindictively, slow on their round of Tooth Fairy.]
Short mosey to the other side of the Museum, where the PAX again split up with half doing a reverse bear crawl up the 14 steps with the other half did LBCs.
Short mosey to the great lawn for some tree trimming. One burpee at the first tree, all the way to 11 burpees at the 11th tree. In between it was bear crawls, then duck walks, then reverse crab, then forward crab, then Donkey Kongs; and then repeat because the PAX traversed across 10 trees.
Short mosey to the fountain:
Leg Leg Power-Ups 20xIC
Dips 20xIC
Right Leg Power-Ups 20xIC
Derkins 20xIC
Saunter to the curb for 50 Rocky Balboas, then bunny hop up the Museum Steps and 5 SSHs at the top; rinse and repeat twice more times.
Short mosey back to the grass for Circle of Mary:
Flutter Kicks 20xIC
Dying Cockroach 20xIC
Russian Twist 20xIC
Hello Dolly 20xIC
Penguins 20xIC
And finish off with 30 seconds of Mission Impossible.
20 Men gathered in the gloom on Monday February 25th to join Bones on his VQ
Warmup:
Run the loop to the bandstand. 19 Sidestraddle hops. 10 Forward Arm Circles. 10 Backward Arm Circles. 20 Peter Parkers. 20 Parker Peters.
Run down Oak Alley with ascending burpees at each lightpost 2-4-6 then bearcrawl to the track.
Run to the zoo, 10 windmills, 20 hillbillies, 20 imperial walkers.
The Thang:
Dora The Explorer: 100 Dips, 200 Jump Lunges (2 is 1), 300 LBCs, 10 Murkins to finish.
Run to levee: 7s with Burpees and Jump Squats
End at the Flag with Protractor, 20 Freddie Mercuries.
How could I forget to tag Nip/Tuck, the one who EH’d me into this whole deal in the first place?? This has been addressed, thanks to my man for changing my life.
34 #HIM gathered on a muggy February morning to accelerate
and get better. The turnout brought the
feel of a mini-convergence and great fellowship. After the disclaimers were outlined, and a
handful of the PAX moseyed off for a 4-5ish mile run, the remaining 20
something PAX moseyed to the parking deck and straight to the 7th
(top) level for a foggy view of NoLa and a little COP:
COP – all IC:
Moroccan Night Clubs x 20, Arm circles forward and backward x
10
Mumble chatter and one of the PAX counting backwards,
distracted YHC and the count. As a
result, 5 penalty burpees were promptly called. The backward counting of the PAX ceased.
Side straddle hops x 30 – varying speeds
Double count Merkins X 15 with a hold to plank – salutations
to the left and right then to down dog, a few repeats of planks at normal height
and 6 inch holds.
Low slow squats x 20
COP complete – Mosey to the 6th level
YHC and the PAX of the Fort have spent much of 2019 talking
about getting comfortable with discomfort.
Given that the NoLa Nantan (aka Reluctant Yankee) talked of doing 11’s
on the morning ride to the AO, it seemed only appropriate for YHC to call, of
course, 12’s. Therefore:
Jacobs Ladder – Burpees, lunge walks roughly 25 yards (YHC’s
rough math), LBC’s and mosey 25 yards (roughly) back to the start. 11 burpees, lunge walk 25 yards, 1 LBC, mosey
back. 10 burpees, lunge walk 25 yards 2
LBC’s, mosey back. You get the idea. Al Gores or LBC’s done by early finishing PAX
until the 6 was in.
Mosey down 6 flights, out the deck, through the courtyard to
the front circle for a partner Dora
Dora 100 – YHC had to shorten Dora (normally a 1-2-3) due to
time and, of course, saving the last 5 minutes for (what else?) Mary (more to
follow). So a partner dora of 100
merkins and circular shuttle runs got the PAX their fill of shoulder work for
the morning before moving on to a little ab work…….but just a little.
Mary:
Protractor – 1 minute, varying angles and stopping short to
allow unanticipated cars to park and pass.
Hello Dollys IC x 15
Box Cutters IC x 15
Mosey back to COT YHC chose intentional as his word for 2019. In trying to become a #HIM, being a part of F3 teaches us all that the real benefits and gains we realize in our lives are from intentionally living 3rd, getting out of our comfort zone and pushing our limits to break through thresholds we may have felt were not possible before. Whether it is the opportunity to Q at a new AO or step up in any other way, getting outside your own comfort zone, serving and leading are reminders of why it is important for each of us to fully and intentionally engage in every role to which we are called to serve and why we seek to accelerate in our development – physically, emotionally and spiritually. It is always a special occasion for YHC to post away from home. I have been lucky to be made better by PAX from all over F3 nation and considered this past Friday morning both a privilege and an honor to get uncomfortable and better with a great group of #HIMs. Thanks to Reluctant Yankee and the PAX of NoLa for the opportunity and a great 2nd F as well.
With Run Ranger Run in full swing, I thought it would be good to get a few miles in during the beatdown on Thursday morning at Okwata. So without further ado, at 5:30am I issued the disclaimer & we mosey’d to the intersection of Canal Blvd / Lakeshore Drive for the Warmup
Warmup
20 side straddle hops
15 concrete grabbers
20 plankjacks
15 imperial walkers
The Thang
After the warmup, we did a count-off in which each of the 12 PAX was assigned a number; 1-12. The number was relevant because we did a variation of an Indian run called the ‘Single Reverse Indian Run’ (which is a completely made up name) which entailed the PAX running in a circle up & down the paved part of the levee at the intersection of Canal Blvd / Lakeshore Drive. While the group of PAX was doing a traditional Indian Run, each individual member of the PAX would then peel off to take a turn sprosey’ing (running at a speed that falls in between a sprint & a mosey) the same route until they re-connected with the PAX. So PAX 1 would peel off first, and when he got back to the group, PAX 2 would go; and so on until all 12 PAX had a turn. Seeing as how I hadn’t done this before, there were a few hiccups along the way. When it was time for PAX 1 (High Rise) to peel off to do his individual run, he just ran down the levee & then back up to the group; he didn’t run the whole route before returning to the group. So when PAX 2 (Cowbell) began to run, I explained he had to run the whole route before returning to the group. What we soon discovered, though, was that this was a pretty tall order & that we would probably be there all day if we continued in this fashion. So, to his credit, Rudy, suggested that we keep the exercise the same, but have the individual members of the PAX do the individual runs in reverse, so that they would run into the group of PAX doing the traditional Indian Run instead of having to essentially catch up to the group of PAX doing the traditional Indian Run. Rudy then ran to get Cowbell to communicate the change, and after this tweak, most PAX were able to complete their individual lap using the reverse technique. To Smooth’s credit, he did not go in reverse; he completed his individual lap running the same direction as the group (using what some may refer to as the elusive reverse reverse technique).
After one of the most complicated Indian Runs ever attempted in 21st century America was completed, we mosey’d down the lakefront to where the potted plants (or what many in the lower 48 refer to as planters) are located near the water. What I learned from my last Q at Okwata is that there are indeed only 10 planters on this part of the lakefront. With this knowledge fresh in mind, our next exercise was to run from the 1st planter to the 10th planter. Once at the 10th planter, the PAX would do 5 derkins, and then we’d run back to the first planter and do 5 irkins. We did this 5 times so that we did a total of 50 combined derkins & irkins.
Once completed, I took a quick glance at my watch and noticed we had about 10 minutes left, which was plenty enough time for us to mosey back to the paved intersection of Canal Blvd / Lakeshore Drive so that we could do 2 laps of Bernie Sanders up the levee. For this exercise, the PAX would do a Bernie Sanders up the levee (run backwards), and then do a forward run down the levee. Once at the other side, the PAX would then do a Bernie Sanders back up the levee and then a forward run back down the levee. We did this twice, and truth be told, most of the PAX seemed like they were #FeelingTheBurn in a physical sense by the time we were done. Some of the PAX may have also been #FeelingTheBern in a political sense as well, but it wasn’t relevant to the exercise & I am not a mind reader, so who knows.
After this exercise, time was up. So we mosey’d back to the flag & did the count-off, name-o-rama, announcements & prayer. Turns out we had cranked out a little over 4 miles during the beatdown, which was nice for all the guys tracking for Run Ranger Run. High Rise had also brought out an FNG with him to the Beatdown. It turned out the FNG had wrestled back in high school with Kuch, so he was aptly named “Half Nelson.” Thanks for letting me lead, fellas. I appreciate it & I enjoy it.
