Tag: Tool

  • Rarajipari at the Stomp

    El Guapo:  When Hawg sent the message on GroupMe last night that we would be playing Rarajipari at the Stomp, I knew I had to be there.  I’m running the Blue Ridge Relay in September and I’m taking every opportunity that I can to train.  I also thought it would be a good opportunity to see how Hawg’s training is going.  Truthfully, I’ve been a little concerned.  He set up a June challenge for us on MapMyRun.  They idea was to run at least 70 miles in the month of June.  86 and Swampcock are already over a hundred.  Everyone else on the team is around 50-60.  Hawg has run…..11.  Eleven miles.  that’s about a third of a mile per day.  A third of a mile per day.  He also looks a little overweight.  Well, maybe more than a little.  I’m not sure he’s training.

    Rudy:  You have met Hawg right?  What about him made you think he knows what training is?  I didn’t even know he was still doing F3.

    Da Parish:  Hawg made a burpee bet with me on the LSU – Arkansas series this year and then went double or nothing on the SEC tourney.  He owes me 66 burpees at the Mothership, and I haven’t seen him since.

    Hawg:  I got a lot of family commitments.

    Stubhub:  Now that school is out, I’m glad to be back to working out with the guys.  I’ve been back for a while, but Hawg kept making a big deal about my “kotter” today.  I just let him go on and didn’t say anything.  My kotter was a month ago.  I’m not sure the last time he posted.  When he taught my girls in high school my wife and I used to talk about how we weren’t real sure he knew what he was doing.  Seeing him operate at F3….my opinion hasn’t really changed.

    Bongo:  “We gotta get out while we’re young, ‘Cause tramps like us, baby we were born to run..”

    Triple Shift:  Hawg pulls up, at 5:30 mind you, with a couple of baseballs.  We are supposed to be playing Rarajipari.  They actually make balls for that, but he’s going to use baseballs.  What kind of Mickey Mouse operation is this?

    Stubhub:  So as soon as we take off, my calf starts acting up again.  I injured it last week.  Let’s see…what was I doing when I injured it?  Oh yeah, I was at an F3 workout.

    Hawg: So Stubhub pulls up lame right out of the gate.  I felt so bad for him.  His first day back in a year and that happens.

    Stubhub: ….

    Cornbread:  T-claps to Stubhub.  He stuck around and got some work in and met us for the COT.  A lesser man would have gone home.

    Tool:  I was excited about the team I was assigned to – Me, T-Shift, Rudy, and El Guapo.  We are all strong runners and I can get to Laborde Mountain in my sleep.  I’ve actually done it a couple of times after one of our block parties.  At least, I think that’s how I got there.

    El Guapo:  We came out of the gate with the early lead, but we start to hear heavy breathing around Diagonal Ave.  We knew JV was out of town, so it had to be Hawg.

    Tool:  Things were going well, until Diagonal Ave.  Rudy and El Guapo must have gotten spooked and they took off….fast.  As Cornbread caught up to me and Triple, I could see Rudy and El Guapo crossing Harrison.  They were heading into the Couturie Forest using the path on the right.  Ironic as it is, the path on the right is wrong, but they were too far gone to hear me.

    Da Parish: Our team entered the Couturie Forest with Tool and Triple, but Rudy and El Guapo were already in there.  Laborde Mountain is only few hundred yards or so.  Having gone to Nichols, I’m familiar with losing and this had loss written all over it.

    Cornbread:  So kicking this baseball down the street is pretty easy, but once you get into the woods it gets a lot harder.  That’s when Hawg tells me and Da Parish, “I’ll run ahead and make sure we are going the right way.  You guys take care of the ball.”  …. Thanks Hawg.

    Da Parish:  We got to the top of Laborde Mountain and there was not a Rudy or El Guapo in sight.  We won!  I knew those Basin Runs would pay off.  Have I ever mentioned that there’s a run every Thursday night at The Basin?

    Hawgcycle:  Given the ISI this month, I thought we would do some merkins while we waited for the other team to straggle in.  Knowing that Triple Shift was there, I counted the cadence very slowly, making sure everyone had time to do them in perfect form.

    Tool:  Bongo and I split up to look for Rudy and El Guapo, hoping to find them in time to still win.  When we got to the top, the other team was there.  Wait, where’s Bongo?

    Bongo:  “All by myself, Don’t want to be, all by myself…anymore.  All by myself, Don’t want to be….

    Triple Shift: So Hawg finishes the merkins and proudly exclaims “That’s 50 more toward this month’s challenge.”  If he has done the rest of his merkins the way he did those 50…. I’d say he’s done…..zero merkins this month.

    Tool:  Hey guys – we need to go get Bongo.  No man left behind

    All:  No Man left behind!

    Stubhub:  ….

    Cornbread:  Unfortunately finding your way back from Laborde Mountain is easier than finding your way there, even for Rudy.

    Hawg:  We had lost sight of El Guapo and Rudy, by the time we passed the Foundry.

    Rudy:  I lost sight of El Guapo by the time I passed the Foundry.

    El Guapo:  Okay.  I’m certain Hawg’s not training.

     

     

     

     

  • Mellon Collie and the Infinite Side Straddle Hops

    I checked the temp as I walked out out the door this morning to discover that it was a cool, crisp 81° with 91% humidity. Perfect weather for a F3 beat down.

    We gathered around the flags and at 5:30am I gave the disclaimer and we moseyed over to circle up next to everyone’s favorite rock pile. My sparsely used theme for the morning is 90s alternative rock, so we did some extra SSHs to go with my title which is based on the 1995 Smashing Pumpkins album.

    The warmup

    SSH – 35

    Parker Peters – 20

    Hillbillies – 25

    Smurf jacks – 20 (since I needed to get a few more side straddle hops in for the sake of my title)

    The Playground

    We picked out our rocks and took them over to the playground for a standard playground rotation exercise. Everyone got a partner and I tagged up with Mambi and Hand-Grenada. We rotated to complete sets of shoulder presses (with rock), pull-ups, under dogs, real freddie mercuries, burpees, and merkins. The count was 20 shoulder presses. We completed the rotation twice.

    Slow Motion Suicide

    We took our beloved rocks to the football field to complete a slow motion suicide. I felt like slow motion suicide sounded like the name of an alternative rock band from the 90s. (I just googled the name and Slow Motion Suicide is the name of an alternative rock band!) We did a slow suicide down the football field and back. We ran 1/4 length of the field with rock over head. We stopped for 20 curls and then dropped the rock to run back to the starting line and back to our rock. We took the rock over head to midfield for 20 bench presses. We ran down to the starting line and back to the rock. We put the rock over head to 3/4 of the field for 20 rows. We ran down to the starting line and back to the rock. We put the rock over head to the end for 20 LSS. Following a 30 count, we repeated the suicide across the field to get back to our original position.

    Mary

    We deposited the rocks back in the pile before circling up for some Mary.

    Flutterkicks – 15

    Penguins – 20

    American Hammer – 20

    Wife-pleasers – 20

    O Dolly – 20

    We ran back to the flags. At our arrival there was some controversy with Rudy complaining that he wanted 60 more seconds of Mary. I was ready to put her to bed, so we counted off followed by name-o-rama, and prayer. Thank you men for running and sweating with me. I would never be out there without you. 13 strong.

     

  • He’s not heavy, he’s my brother!

    As I was preparing for my Q at the Mothership (Rudy ‘Voluntold’ me last week), I wanted to incorporate some new exercises to keep it ‘Fresh’ as my kids say and to have a theme of teamwork.  The one thing about F3 I so greatly appreciate is the partner workouts.  I know myself too well and I will quit on myself far earlier than quitting on someone else.   After going through the Exicon on our F3NOLA website, I gathered some thoughts and formulated a plan.

     

    WARMUP

    25 SSH, 10 Abe Vigoda, 10 Arm Circles (front and back) all in cadence.

    20 x Cheerleaders (Things got off kilter and I got messed up but this was pretty difficult)

    10 x Sprinklers

    20 x J-Lo’s and 20 Peter Parkers

     

    THE THANG #1

    Incorporating the partner theme, we grouped up into 2 groups of three and 2 groups of four and did ‘Catch us if you can’.  We would head from the great lawn to the large grassy area to the right of NOMA (Thank the Lord there are trees for shade and the grass was cut).  For the groups of three, one member carries another member by fireman’s carry or piggyback and runs to the field while the final pax member does 5 plank walks and runs to catch up to their teammates and switches out until they reach the field.  For the groups of four, one pax member will fireman’s carry or piggyback their partner while the other two pax members perform 5 plank walks and then runs to catch the other members of their team and switches out until they reach the field.

     

    THE THANG #2

    After we arrived at the field with many stares from onlookers, we partnered up for B.O.M.B.S. in the shady tree line.  50 Burpees, 100 Overhead Claps, 150 Merkins, 200 Bridges a.k.a Wife Pleasers and 250 Squat Jumps.  One pax member runs out approximately 100 yards and then back while their partner performs the exercises listed.  There was very little mumble chatter as we got to work.  As the PAX started on the Squat Jumps, I could see the fatigue amongst the PAX and quickly decided to drop the total number to 200 from 250.

     

    THE THANG #3

    After a quick water break, we did the Genuflect.  What is the Genuflect, you may ask?  It is a modified Lt. Dan where you are standing and then kneel down and stand back up.  After you stand back up, you perform 2 forward lunges.  From there you kneel down and stand up 2 times and lunge walk forward 4 times.  We did this all the way up to 10 kneel downs and 20 forward lunges.  Again, no mumble chatter.  After we arrived at the 8th tree, we slowsyed back to the water fountain with about 4 minutes left.

     

    THE THANG #4

    Did we run or walk back?  No!  This is a partner themed workout!  Because we did ‘Catch Us If You Can’ on the way out, we would do ‘Catch Us If You Can’ on the way back.

     

    Countoff, Namerama, and Circle of Trust.

    It always amazes me how F3 has grown and impacted so many men in our area and throughout the country.  Over half the men at today’s workout weren’t there 6 months ago!  Prayers for the sick and strength and grace for parents that have special needs children.  Lord help us to be difference makers in our homes and in our community!  Thank you for allowing me the privilege of leading the PAX of F3 NOLA!

     

     

     

     

  • More Tool in lieu of more Cowbell

    Nineteen men posted to get the usual Saturday fix at The Mothership.  YHC filled in as Q for Cowbell who anticipated a late night at the Taylor Swift concert or something of the sorts.  Typical June conditions meant we were in for another sweat fest but nothing the PAX couldn’t handle.  YHC has been slacking lately on themed workouts and didn’t want to throw together a last minute history tour so then plan was a no-frills workout in an effort to deliver a beatdown to all, and make sure to include plenty Merkins for the ISI challenge.  As the PAX trickled in, it was good to see some 2nd and 3rd timers in the mix which is always a good thing.  After the disclaimer, we were off in a longer than usual mosey around the Great Lawn, made clear by Rain Man, and circled up for the Pre-Thang:

    SSH x25, AC x20, WM x10, IPW x25

    Then we lined up on one side of the lawn for a bear crawl halfway followed by a lunge walk the other half.

     

    Next up, a mosey around Storyland to the back of TG Stadium where we broke up into three groups for:

    Group 1 – Wall Sit against the train shed, which we made base for the circuit

    Group 2 – Run to the Refinery for 10 pullups and 10 inverted rows, or any combo of the two, run back and plank

    Group 3 – Run to the prison bars, aka Tool Wall, for calf raises x40, run back and plank

    After one round, rinse and repeat.

     

    Then a mosey to the Museum water fountain where we lined up along the trees for:

    Merkins x10, Squats x10 (OYO) at each light pole, run to the next…think think were 10 poles.

     

    How bout some Mary:  LBC x20, Box Cutters x20, Penguins x25

    How bout an Indian Run:  PAX split in two groups, one on each side of Lelong Dr., down and back (almost half mile), with a little friendly competition along the way.  T-claps to Rudy for the Nascar-like announcing.

    This brought us back to the light poles so this time we knocked out Merkins x5 and Squats x5 at each one, plank and wait/hydrate by the water fountain.

     

    More Mary:

    LBTs ? x20

    Merkins x10 OYO

    Russin Twist a la Jingle Vader x20?

    Merkins x10 OYO

    Mahatma took the mic for: Dying Cockroach x10, keep feet up, Flutter Kicks x10, repeat

    Time to head back to base.  Total ground covered was 2.68mi.  Merkin count was 170 for those in the ISI challenge.

    COT to seal the deal.  Coffeeteria included some good F2 followed by bible study…t-claps Woz.

    Thanks for the opportunity to lead.

    Tool

     

     

  • And the Tony for the best use of Musicals in a Q goes to….

    Due to some over-excitement to hit the “snooze” button, YHC was a couple of minutes late w/ the F3 Flag and to his own Q.  Thanks to the miracle of GroupMe & Mumblechatter, YHC was able to give directions to the PAX who would be lost w/out him.  When YHC arrived, the PAX had already begun the w/u at the Practice Track while also going over the command instructions for those who have yet to Q.

    W/U

    • SSH
    • AC (led by Mambi)
    • Windmills/Abe Vigodas/Don Quixotes (led by Pai Gow)
    • IW x 20
    • MC x 20
    • JL x 15

    Head to Roosevelt Mall for some Route 66

    • Starting w/ the first bench to your left, do 5 Irkins and 5 Derkins; run to the next bench and increase the reps by 1; proceed all the way down the mall. Total Irkin/Derkin count 81 each.

    Mosey to the left wall of NOMA

    • Hold the People’s Chair while each PAX names his favorite Musical Artist/Band, Favorite Broadway Musical, First Concert Attended.   T-Claps to some of those favs & first including Elvis Presley, Wicked, Cowboy Mouth, West Side Story, and the Cars.

    Mosey to the Foundry & partner up for AMRAP; while we pay tribute to some of the Best Musical Tony winners w/in the past few years.

    1. “Disappear” from Dear Evan Hansen – ~.25 Mile Run at your 1mi pace.  (This is the count)
    2. “Falling Slowly” from Once – Negative Pull Ups or Pull Up w/ a :03 down motion
    3. “Sex Is In the Heel” from Kinky Boots – Calf Raises
    4.  “All-American Prophet” from The Book of Mormon – Merkins
    5.  “My Shot” from Hamilton – Bobby Hurleys

    Mosey back to the Flag

    Counterama, Namerama, Announcements, Intentions, COT

    Thank you for the opportunity to lead,  SYITG,

    Da Parish

  • Stomp #146

    YHC arrived at the 146th running of the 610 Stomp to find not one, but two Kotters!  Welcome back Stubhub and Milkman!  Hope you’re here to stay!

    YHC isn’t creative enough to do anything other than a run on a Tuesday, so instructions were given to run out for 20 minutes and back along the Bayou St John route.  Great run with Great F2!

    Upon all arriving back at the shovel flag, YHC told all to “do some ‘merkins or something” while waiting for the 6.  Once all arrived, YHC figured he’s better get it organized, so we did the following:

    Merkin IC x 15

    Flutterkicks IC x 15

    Dying Cockroach IC x 15

    Penguins IC x 15 (no cheating!)

    LBC’s IC x 15

    COT

    Name-O-Rama, Announcements, Intentions, and Closed with a prayer to the Sky Q.

    Thanks for posting with me today.  No pictures today, my bad!

    SYITG!

     

     

  • Field of Dreams, and Rocks

    Well, summer is clearly here. Humidity, damp air, and sweaty shirts will be the norm for the next 3-4 months. And that means we are left with baseball and golf for the remainder of the summer. So to celebrate the nation’s (past) past-time, we worked in a beat down on the baseball diamond.  13 men showed up ready to sweat. A disclaimer and off we go.

    A short mosey to the warm-up COP:
    SSH x 20 IC
    Imperial walkers x 20 IC
    Windmills x 10 IC
    Arm circles x 10 forward, 10 backward, IC
    Mountain climbers x 20 IC

    Grab a rock! Mosey to the baseball diamond for some Rock Circuits.
    Round 1: exercise, then run to the next base with rock overhead.
    Shoulder press x 20 IC, Curls x 20 IC, Rock Rows x 20 IC, Chest Press x 20 IC
    Round 2: exercise, then run to the next base with rock at chest level.
    Shoulder press x 10 IC, Curls x 10 IC, Rock Rows x 10 IC, Chest Press x 10 IC
    Round 3: exercise, leave your rock, bear crawl to next base, and pick up somebody else’s rock.
    Shoulder press x 10 IC, Curls x 10 IC, Rock Rows x 10 IC, Chest Press x 10 IC

    Mosey to the baseball outfield for Dora 1,2,3:
    Partner 1 exercises, Partner 2 runs across the baseball outfield and back.
    100 merkins, 200 squats, 300 LBC’s

    Stay in the outfield for Mary:
    Flutter kicks x 20 IC
    Penguins x 20 IC
    Hello Dolly x 20 IC
    Dying cockroaches x 20 IC
    American Hammer x 20 IC

    1 sprint across the baseball outfield and back. Then return your beloved rock to the rock pile. Run back to the flag for a finish right on time. Count off, Name-o-rama, Announcements, Intentions, and a prayer. Thanks for letting me lead!

    Walleye

  • 610 Stomping Grounds

    7 PAX gathered around 2 flags, enjoying the bright morning skies.  “I need some shades” commented Da Parish.

    Wisner bridge remains closed off, though the walkways look like they are nearing completion.  Soon we’ll be able to add that route to the regular routes.  But instead, since Rudy wants some mileage (gearing up for Gnarly Gnutria) – we’ll do the usual Bayou St. John out-and-back route.  Be back at 6:10 for Mary.

    The Thang

    Out and back along Bayou St. John.  Typical June sweat-fest.  Enjoyed a great outbound run with Triple Shift, always a pleasure to feed off of his energy.  Home Schoolers are well served by having such a passionate advocate on their behalf.  Keep Pushing!

    The Finish

    6:10 – finish up with some Mary, everyone join in as they return.

    • Flutter Kick x25
    • Dolly x25
    • Rosalita x25
    • Penguin x25

    Circle up for count-off, name-o-rama, announcements and intentions.  FracSac seemed to casually keep moving to the side of the circle opposite YHC (who, having noticed this behavior, kept casually crossing the circle to stand next to FracSac.  Is it my sweat?)

    Finish off with prayers for guidance and wisdom, to use the glorious gift of Today in service of Your wishes.

     

  • Bridge Over Stagnant Waters

    Leading 20+ men on Saturday beat-down is a tall order, so Your Humble Correspondent (YHC) needed to prepare. On the afternoon before the workout, my 9-year-old son and I took I bike ride to City Park to survey any hidden corners typically overlooked during Mothership workouts. Whenever the Pax moseys from the flag to the museum of art, the little hill of a bridge just after Morning Call is a nice little challenge, especially because we don’t have hills in New Orleans. But there’s too much traffic along that road to do a workout on. On my bike, YHC spied those foot bridges over the lagoon behind Morning Call and thought it might be a good spot to try something new. (At least, YHC hasn’t worked out there before.)

    YHC showed up a few minutes before the workout was to begin, and there was already a healthy crowd there. A few stragglers joined in as the PAX moseyed to the Great Lawn. Let’s get started:

    • Arm circles – 10 forward, 10 back
    • Cross-legged windmills – 10
    • Then some stretching – Runners stretch, crouching and holding it for 10, knee circles, legs open with stretch forward, soles touching and stretch forward

     

    Warm ups

    • Hillbillies x20
    • Merkins x20 (maybe too fast a cadence)
    • Jump squats x20
    • Floyd Mayweather x20
    • Peter Parkers x20
    • SSH x20
    • 10 burpees on your own

    To the bridges

    We did a Dora 123 where one partner runs over one bridge and returns over the second with some nice steps to climb up. Taps out and the other partner does the circuit. A combined exercise of:

    • 100 plank jacks
    • 200 toe-touches (from crab-walk position)
    • 300 mountain climbers

    To NOMA

    After a moment of hydration at the museum, we partnered up again at the main fountain.

    One partner bunny-hopped up the stairs, while the other partner did:

    • derkins
    • irkins
    • dips

    …partners switching each time between bunny-hops and the exercises at the fountain. When we were done, rinse and repeat.

    At the trees

    Short mosey to the field with the line of trees in front of NOMA.

    • Lunge walk (length of two trees)
    • 10 burpees on your own
    • Duck walk (length of two trees)
    • 10 burpees on your own

    Mosey back to the Great Lawn

    Time for some Mary

    • Flutter kicks x20
    • American hammer x20
    • Hello Dolly x20
    • Crunchy rolls and crunchy roll step-ups (something from my martial arts practice) – on your own
    • Freddy Mercuries (I think) x 20

    Times up! Back to the flag for name-a-rama where we named two FNGs: Calliope and Mary Lou. (Mary Lou’s leaving town anyway, so a silly name won’t haunt him for long.) Announcements, a prayer, and then some camaraderie at Morning Call.

  • RED Friday – Tommy Mac

    This year the first Friday of the month has been RED Friday at The Uptowner.  I have to give credit to F3 Greenwood.  I stole their idea and sometimes steal their workouts.  Today we celebrated the life and service of Sgt. Thomas MacPherson.  More on him in the NMM.

    Conditions: 81 degrees and 91% Humidity (Heat Index of 89 in the gloom)

    Equipment:  Rocks Ranging from 30 – 50 pounds

    Warm-up:  SSH x 31: IW x 31; Abe Vigodas x 10; Good Mornings x 10; Moroccan Night Club x 31; Self-love x 10; Copperhead Squats x 10

    The Tommy Mac uses 5 different lifts, so we practiced a few with the rocks.  These lifts actually require a barbell, so we made some slight modifications in order to perform them

    • Thrusters – Squat, then press rock above head.
    • Power Snatches – Pick up rock from the ground, lift over head, then throw it back on the ground real manly like.
    • Push Jerks – Shoulder Presses with a rock that’s too heavy to shoulder press.
    • Hang Squat Cleans – Curl the rock, then squat.
    • Overhead Squats – Just keep the rock at chest and squat.  Don’t get crazy.

    The Thang

    • 12 Burpees
    • 12 Thrusters
    • 12 Burpees
    • 12 Power Snatches
    • 12 Burpees
    • 12 Hang Squat Cleans
    • 12 Burpees
    • 12 Overhead Squats

    We went AMRAP.  I believe everyone completed 2 rounds in 28 minutes, some started a 3rd before time was up.

    NMM

    Today’s workout was in honor of Thomas MacPherson.  Sgt. Thomas R. MacPherson, 26, was killed in action on October 12, 2012 by enemy forces during a heavy firefight while conducting combat operations in Ghazni Province, Afghanistan. He was leading an assault against an enemy position when he was mortally wounded by small arms fire.

    MacPherson was a team leader assigned to Company D, 2nd Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment at Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Wash. He previously served one deployment to Iraq and this was his fourth deployment to Afghanistan.

    The “Tommy Mac” Hero WOD was created by elite-level coach Rudy Nielsen of CrossFit Outlaw (Alexandria, VA, USA), who first posted the workout on his “The Outlaw Way” blog as the workout of the day for October 27, 2012. The post included the following quote from Tommy’s former Platoon Leader:

    “The whole thing with Tommy is that he embodies everything that’s right about Ranger Battalion. He held the position of Ranger Team Leader which is literally the tip of the spear. He was the consummate, quiet professional—he expected absolutely zero recognition for what he did. He loved his job because he was a born protector. He was perfectly content to carry out his life’s work under the cover of darkness, with his and his comrades’ actions to remain forever under the cloak of shadows. He died doing what he loved; protecting all of us. What stood out about Tommy the most was his maturity beyond his years. I believe it was the fact that he was the older brother of younger siblings, but like another Sgt. said “Tommy wasn’t one of those guys who joined the Army and grew into a man. He joined as a man and grew others.” He left behind his beautiful wife wife, Claudia MacPherson, and their son, Brayden.”

    Lagniappe

    • It was great to be joined by 3 actual Uptowners at The Uptowner.  I believe that is equal to the number of Uptowners that have posted in the past year.  If Uptowners ever outnumber the World at the Uptowner, we may consider a name change.  These Uptowners handled themselves admirably.  Tools always said an Uptowner would never suvive the Uptowner, but these three proved him wrong.  I hypothesize that since they are relatively new to F3, they have not been sufficiently softened by the tickle fights that occur at the Skinny.  Let’s get Douille or Yankee out here and see what happens then.
    • It was agreed by all that the rock exercises were the best part of this workout.  #BurpeeLoveHate
    • No Mahatma today, so I believe it was Tool that took home the prize of WOD crusher.
    • Pay attention to what Abacus wears.  He gets it.
    • I did my best Cowbell impersonation and wore flip-flops to the workout.  Difference is that I worked out instead of drinking an umbrellaed libation and looking on.  Baby steps.  (If Shorty is reading this, this is where he says “I think you mean Cowbell steps.”)
    • 2 Rounds = 120 burpees which we all did correctly and can count toward the June ISI challenge of 10,000 merkins.