F3 New Orleans

Tag: Mud Bug

  • Thunderstruck

    5:25 and there was some light rumbling in the distance and a few drops of rain, but not enough to audible or change the plan of attack… at 5:30 a half-assed disclaimer was given and 13 of us were off, picking up a few stragglers and a loose pit bull mix along the way.


    Easy mosey around the parking lot to the bandstand for some warm-up in cadence:

    • SSH x20
    • Peter Parker x20
    • Merkins x 15
    • Low slow squat x 20

    To picnic tables under cover and pair up: 

    While partner A runs Oak Alley to track and back around parking lot, Partner B does exercises

    • Lap 1: steps ups
    • Lap 2: dips
    • Lap 3: incline merkins
    • Lap 4: squats
    • Lap 5: Freddie Mercurys

    Gather the six then head through the darkness to the track. Indian run to bridge, and squats while we wait for the 6.

    Over and into Audubon Park Golf Course for some Mary (staying low to the ground to avoid being struck by the lightning that seemed to be quickly approaching)

    50 LBCs, 40 Flutters, 40 Rosalita 

    Across the golf course, meandering aimlessly in the wind, rain and lightning to far side track, then a quick check of the clock showed that I’d blown the whole thing and leadership was disintegrating so we hustled back to the virtual flag by 6:15. (So much more planned but will need to wait for next time.)

    In total, 3.5 miles.

    COT in the rain and thunder.

    Announcements are in Yankees email from Sunday night, and there was not much time for chit chat due to the weather⚡️⚡️. Not sure what happened to the pit bull, but he wasn’t at COT so didn’t get a cool nickname like Pluto, Ocho-Cinqo or Sick-balls.

    Until next time, 

    Mariah

    Xo

    PS – Would be great to see more of F3 NOLA get on Strava…

    https://www.strava.com/activities/2592739771/embed/24565a44ddd42216cce35fe54be90da8c4165a94

  • The Summer Packet of Backblasts

    Much like my kids summer work for school some things are just hard to get done and 1/2-assed when they do get done. Apologies to school teachers and thorough backblast authors.

    Warm-up: Not really sure anymore. Combination of jacks and maybe grass grabbers.

    Warm up 2.0: Jog-sprint combo through the lights of the oak grove

    The Thing: Traditional items such as catch me if you can, jack web, legs and arms at the benches, sprint-jog alternates, Mary at the grassy knoll, Indian Run all the way home.

    Back to flag for namorama, and COT.

    …. now back to watching YouTube in my underwear!

  • The Day After F3 Picnic

    My family and I had a blast at the F3 Picnic on the previous day. Many M’s and 2.0’s were there. The picnic was a success thanks to all the donations and the set-up and take-down crew. T-claps to all the PAX who were involved organizing this wonderful event. Needless to say, I ate quite a bit and definitely wanted to work off all the food and drinks that I had indulged. Therefore, I was looking forward to the Sweaty Bells workout next day. I arrived 15 minutes early to set up cones on the soccer field. At 6:30 a.m., 5 strong PAX showed up with their kettle bells. I gave my disclaimer and moseyed to the middle of the soccer field.

    Warm-ups

    Circled up in the middle of the soccer field and did the following in cadence

    SSHs x 20

    Windmills x 10

    Forward / Backward Arm Circles x 10

    Hill Billies x 20

    Self-Love x 10

    The PAX then did the following warm-up exercises with the kettle bells: kettle bell swings x 10 OYO, curls x 10 IC, thrusters x 15 OYO, manmakers x 5 OYO, chest presses x 10 IC, shoulder presses x 10 IC, halo with curls x 10 OYO (5 in each direction), rows x 10 OYO on each side.

    The Thang

    Pax left the kettle bells in the middle of the soccer field then lined up on one end of the field. Pax did the following exercises in the following sequences without stopping.

    Performed 10 slow merkins IC.

    Moseyed back to the middle to the kettle bells and performed 20 kettle bell swings OYO.

    Moseyed toward the other end of the soccer field and performed 10 right leg genuflects IC.

    Ran back to the middle and performed 20 curls IC.

    Ran back toward the original end of the field and did 20 mountain climbers IC.

    Ran back to the middle and performed 15 thrusters OYO.

    Jogged toward the other end and did 10 left leg genuflects IC.

    Jogged back to the middle and muscled up 10 manmakers OYO.

    Jogged to the original end of the field and did 20 Peter Parker’s IC.

    Moseyed back to the middle and did 20 chest presses IC.

    Moseyed toward the other end and did 15 lunges IC (2 = 1).

    Moseyed back to the middle and did 20 shoulder presses IC.

    Ran to the original end and did 20 Parker Peter’s IC.

    Ran back toward the middle and muscled up 20 halo with curls OYO (10 on each direction).

    Ran to the other end and did 20 low slow squats IC.

    Jogged back to the middle and did 20 rows OYO (10 on each side).

    Then moseyed back to the original end of the field.

    Round of Mary

    Douille gave us the quickest 20 seconds count. The PAX bear-crawled to the middle of the field to the kettle bells and did the following MARY exercises with the help of the PAX:

    King Kong – flutter kicks x 15 IC (with kettle bells)

    Douille – American Hammer x 15 IC (with kettle bells)

    Medulla – Penguins x 15 IC

    Mudbug – LBCs x 20 IC

    Jingle Vader – Hello Dolly x 20 IC (with kettle bells)

    Stretches

    Starting from the middle of the field, each PAX did “open gates” all the way to one end of the field. This “open gates” stretch is one of Gabrielle’s favorite. Please ask him for proper form next time you see him. The PAX did the march stretch all the way back to the middle of the field. The PAX then did few shoulders stretches and finished with the superman stretching the shoulders and back.

    COT

    Ended the day with Count O Rama, Name O Rama, announcements and intentions. No FNGs. We prayed for all the mentioned and silent intentions and also safe travels. I am very grateful to be able to lead the workout. Always an honor to workout with my F3 brothers. SYITG.

    King Kong

    Gabrielle was not there at the beatdown, but he somehow made it to F2 coffeeteria.

  • 2 is 1

    It was a cold 40 so a PSA from Brown Bag Below 57 longs sleeves, below 50 pants and hat.

    Quick mosey to the Zoos mud field and warm up of SSH, Mountain Climbers, Parker Peters.

    We then formed into a line and did BLIMPS 5,10,15,… to the parking lot and back. As a group finished our squats we headed closer to the Zoo from some DORA.

    The DORA 2 is 1;

    100 Decline Mericans w/ Shoulder Taps (2 is 1 for taps) Thank you Tinkles!

    200 Power Ups Left and Right (2 legs are 1)

    300 Russian Twist (2 is 1)

    Quick 20 dips then back to the flag or final minute of LBCs, Box Cutters, and Pickle Pounders.

  • Back to Skinny 2.0

    There was a solid group of 20+ waiting In The Gloom this cool Monday morning. We kicked things off with a warmup in place:

    -15 second left-over-right and right-over-left stretches

    -15 SSH

    Then we ran. We headed up toward the Fly, then upriver along the levee, stopping every .5 miles:

    -Leg 1: mosey followed by 15x LBCs.

    -Leg 2: Indian Run followed by 20x Peter Parkers and 20x Parker Peters.

    -Leg 3: mosey followed by 20x LBTs and 20x Dying Cockroaches.

    -Leg 4: Prisoner Run down the levee followed by Indian run and then 15x Mountain Climbers and Pickle Pounders.

    -Leg 5: mosey followed by Flutter Kicks and Hello Dollies.

    Leg 6: mosey back to the flag. Repeat earlier stretch routine, 15 more Pickle Pounders and then 10 Bburpees OYO.

    3 miles = great start to the week!

  • ROYAL RUN #2 2019

    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.

    Happy Mardi Gras!

    Hail Rex!



  • Nutria? Is it gnarly? Nope a beaver!

    Desperate to burn some king cake and booze, I decided to Q on ASH Wednesday so that I could beginning the healing process and recovery post-Mardi Gras. I wanted to start things off right with a nice little beatdown to get the ball rolling the right direction.

    IT was a very cold 37 degrees and windy to start. I like to remind myself that they have 0 degree beatdowns in Pennsylvania and Minnesota but it doesn’t make me warm up.

    We started off with a quick mosey over by the zoo. At the zoo we did a basic circle of pain warm up: SSH x 20, Reg Squats, x 20, Merks x 15, Mtn Climbers x 20, Peter Parkers x 20 On the way to this COP we lost GSpot- Nature calls when nature calls. We also gained 9 lives – meow!

    Then we mosey’d to Audubon Statue. Here we did 20 Dips – did a lap, 20 dips did a lap, and 20 dips and did a lap. So 20-20-20.

    After that we mosey’d up to the riverview at the FLY. Here there was all kinds of wildlife in the river. Probably a nutria. Angie’s swears it was a beaver. or a river otter or an eel or a snake.

    At the river we did a ring of fire. Merks and bear crawls.

    Then we did a mosey over the hill. At the hill Mariah was 100% sure he saw a fox but as we approached it was evident that it was NOT a fox but rather a cat. A huge cat but a cat. Not a jaguar.

    At the hill we did 20 hillbillies and then 19 low country crabs – 18-17-16-15-14-13-12-11. Evens were hillbillies and odds were crabs.

    Then we did a long MOSEY to Nip/Tuck’s pimp station. Guys did a BLIMPS and wait for the 6. Once the 6 arrived we all waited in plank while each PAX did pullups AMRAMP.

    After we got through the entire PAX we mosey’d back to the flag – we had an extra minute for a mission impossible plank.

    Thanks to the PAX for putting up with me.

    See you in the gloom.

  • The 4th F is for “Fun”

    The 4th F is for “Fun”

    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!     

    Tool          

  • But under the circumstances I’ll settle for anywhere.

    A nice brisk, soggy Monday morning in the park working off the copious amount of popeyes consumed over the weekend. 11 pax gathered for the disclaimer then a mosey to bandstand.

    At the bandstand: SSH x20, MDC x10, FAC x10, RAC x10, PP x20, PP x20, MC x20, SJ x20

    Mosey back to track with Medulla taking a extremely quick detour to the pristine facilities in the shelter.

    On the track: Burpee at the running man going up by one to the 9th man: 45 total burpees

    Three groups, three rotations at the rows: 1) rows, 12 squat jumps & flutter kicks, 2) rows, 12 Bobby Hurleys, & hello dollys, 3) rows, 12 LLS & RFMs – (after the 1st rotation a nice old lady ask if we wanted to “kiss down there” – unsure if she was looking for a good time or referring to her dog.) Nevertheless, the pax & especially the Q trudged back to the track a bit confused.

    At the track: Reverse it: Running backwards to each running man 8 burpees down to 1, total of 36 burpees

    At the row of lights, a quick two minute plank-o-rama

    Mosey to the shelter for some bench work: RLSU x20, Dips x15, RLPU x20 (with an O face halt), Incline merkins x10, LLSU x20, Dips x15, LLPU x20

    Finished with Mary: RT x20, Eblow plank PP x20, Scissors x20 & Crunchy Frog x20

    At the flag: count-off, name-o-rama, & prayer

    Good start to the week…thanks

  • 2nd Annual Death Star Trench Run

    OK my Disclaimer – I am not as creative as Tool. No babystroller with a speaker. No bead burpees. Tool is the man. This is a no frills, no extras run.

    The plan: Run down St Charles Ave in the valley of the ladders aka the Trench. Not Angie List’s trench. That is a totally different Trench. You don’t want any of that TRENCH.

    Brown Bag picked me up at 545am. On the way out the door we had our first strange encounter. A guy and a girls laughing or crying or fighting. Brown Bag and I made sure they were OK and we discovered she was crying because she was wasted and lost her cellphone.

    Then we moseyed down Napoleon to the launch site at Napoleon and St Charles. On our mosey Brown Bag informed me that in Jan and Feb of 2019 Urban South has sold more beer than their first 9 months! #tclaps Also got offers of beer , and the quote of the leg “i will drink for you, you run for me!”

    At NAP and ST CHUCK we assembled the Xwings for a serious trench run. A motley crew of men ready for the 5.5 mile Gnarly Nutria training run. Angie’s List was taking pics of the 80 yr old sleeping on the corner guarding her spot. It was a truly gloomy – gloom.

    First leg Napoleon to Louisiana – this is where the run gets its name. Lots of people protecting their spot. Ladders wall to wall on both sides of the route. You really do feel like you are running a trench.

    Second leg Louisiana to Jackson – things thin out – you could get a spot if you wanted one – apparently we saw Willie’s crew setting up their ladders for him. Let me say again that Willie was not setting up his ladders – a crew was doing it FOR #Willie. Could be Gabrielle and Mudbug just messing with Willy. This is the trophy table guys leg. They heckled us hard. Tclaps to Gabrielle for the hard e-headlock.

    Third leg from Jackson to the Circle formerly known as Lee. Tool and Hokey hit the circle and started back to Napoleon. Things really really thin out here. One person chilling per block. I learned here that Tool is a weed smelling expert.

    Fourth leg from the circle to Poydras – uneventful – the bleacher trenches. At Poydras we turned around. I am thinking next year we might push it through the quarter to Esplanade then back. On the circle back leg 5 – a Mazerati tried to impress us, then Voodoo had beads stuck in his shoes, then a guy stumbling back to his hotel looking for the Holiday Inn express he ran two blocks with us in jeans and a pink oxford shirt. LOL. The highlight of this leg was being behind the porta-potty emptying truck. I am still gagging on the smell of that – it was awful. Like running behind El Wire or Seaman.

    Leg 5 was the Circle to Jackson. More weed, more drunk kids, more sleeping people on the route.

    Leg 6 Jackson to Louisiana – just wanted to finish now – ran past the trophy crew again. Still getting rowdy.

    Leg 7 Louisiana to Napoleon – back in the trenches. Lots more people coming out of the wood work. Caught up with Tool and Hokie.

    We circled up – 12 pax and closed with a prayer. Angie’s List said it best – there is no way I would have got up today to run without the PAX making it easy to be out there together. It was a gloomy Sunday! #HailThoth #HailBacchus #HailMid-City #HailOkeanos