Hidden Hills of Apex

Temps in the mid 40s. A perfect day for a strong group of 21 PAX to log a few miles and eat some hills for breakfast. Good to see Yoda make the trip from Raleigh again, and his guy Curry. This was YHC’s 2-week delayed birthday Q, after being sick with the flu on my actual birthday. Thanks to Burt for the beer lesson and for bringing me the gift of various of Anheuser Busch products (you know, because Michelob). [Read More]

Jump Set Spike Rock

As Friday morning rolled around and my soreness from the SNS Q still sang its sweet chords up and down my quads, glutes and hamstrings, I realized that today may not be a good day for excessive leg work. A few of my fellow SNS PAX quickly agreed - thanks for the nudge Liverpool and Chanticleer. Luckily I was not without any ideas having pre-blasted some volleyball action at the DZ sand court. [Read More]

Rocks Ad Nauseum

12.5 PAX and 2.5 IR PAX assembled at FOD for another round with Beaker - you know who you are Fifty-Fifty. I’ve had in mind to run a Q that hopped from rock pile to rock pile throughout a site, and today seemed as good as any to try it out. The Warm-Up (Beaker’s Beginnings) Jog up to the West FOD entrance where there is a Rock Pile 1 comprised of little baby one-handed rocks. [Read More]

Workout Wednesday.. on a Thursday

YHC is always on the lookout for some ruck workouts to change things up. Sometimes we stroll, sometimes we step it out, sometimes we do PT. Lucky for me, GORUCK posts a Wednesday Workout, and this week’s looked pretty good. With four of us to get after it, we stepped off to go find a coupon for our ruck-less brother. Everyone pick up a pain stick at the parking deck. Everyone. [Read More]

A Pierogi Confession

To whit: I had not, to date, really tried to deliver a good ol’, shut yo’ mouth F3 beatdown so when the SNS Twitter handle kindly reminded YHC of the Q the next day, that’s what I vowed to try and do. If the other PAX feel even a small fraction as sore as I do this afternoon, success! Warmup SSH Sir Fazio & claps Cotton pickers Thang: Form into 3 lines and scout run to the end of the main road through Bond (sprint to the light post) Recover care of Jack Webb 1:4 Merkins:Air presses Catch Me Indian Run to main parking lot (5 DM when peeling off) Recover with Lt Dans 1:4 Squats:Lunges (each leg one) 4 corner escalator (10-20-30-40) - 10x squat - 10x LBC - 10x overhead claps - 10x burpees Bear-crawl inchworm to the end of the parking lot No time for mini-Dora so Mosey back to main parking lot for… High tempo Mary: American Hammers x10 IC Leg Raises x10 IC Heel touches x10 IC LBC x10 IC Boat/canoe x10 Flutter kick IC (each PAX did a 4 count around the COT… ~120 total) COT: Count-a-rama: 22 for SNS and another 8 for Vespers (Hermes, Term Paper, Michelob, Hot Spot +3 others I don’t recall or thought were with SNS the whole time) Announcements: F3 Dads camp: sign up! [Read More]

Raccoon sighting

Friday, April 6th No we really didn’t see any raccoons but you are now reading the back blast, so that is a positive. While arriving last Friday I was greeted by an extremely chipper PAX. I think his name was Bayonne, so that is a problem. Although, another PAX that was less energetic was actually named “Chipper”, also present, so that washes itself out. I asked Earhart how many kettlebells he had in his car the night before and it was actually half of what he mentioned. [Read More]

Esse Quam Videri

 

For those who chose the wise route of taking a language in high school that is actually USEFUL, you might not have the Latin translation for the state motto of NC on the tip of your tongue.

Much like a yuppie JEEP owner gets excited when they finally figured out that 4x4 is not a math question, but a useful tool for “creating parking spots;” I am now equally excited to have an opportunity to share what is, otherwise, useless knowledge.

“Esse Quam Videri” translates as “To be, rather than to seem” and  YHC thinks our state motto embodies what F3 is about. It is about a bunch of fellas that have decided we want to do more than just go through the motions. We want to do more than just talk about it or make excuses for why we can’t do it. We know we can be better the more we work. We get up and push ourselves. We challenge, encourage, and grow together both in the darkness and in the light. We make an IMPACT on each other, our families, and our communities – because we want to be HIM, not seem like HIM.

This starts by simply showing up, it progresses by contributing, it thrives with leadership, and it endures with an impactful legacy.

Hi-Liter and Biner doing their good SiteQ leadership duties, encouraged some of us rookies to do more than just show up and maybe try ringing that 2nd bell. To contribute. To step up and Q.

It is easy to fall into the trap of wanting to be better/faster/stronger before making such a commitment… but leading a PAX is part of the growth.

The PAX always has your back. Just put yourself out there, know you might fall down, and know everyone starts somewhere.  So, what the heck!  Here’s what we did.

The Q

It may be the darkest and gloomiest AO in the Carpex Tribe, but 20 HIM brought all they had and lit Wolverine up for a VQ Butterscotch birthday blowout. Burt brought some Werthers to honor the moment. How sweet…. (Yep) After a few disclaimers, we ran south down Davis to the lower parking lot for a little warmup in the darkness. Fellowship pace.

Warmup

A little “do as I say not as I do” when cadence and rhythm didn’t match, but we did:

  • Hillbillies, IC??? (debatable)
  • Merkin, OMD
  • Sir Fazio, IC
  • Reverse Sir Fazio, IC

Not saying YHC had some jitters and lost track of count/cadence, but not NOT saying it either. Note: Important to make time in your cadence to actually breathe…

Either way, lots of chatter. Clearly YHC needs to step it up.

Thang 1

Head south with ALL YOU GOT to furthest light pole at Pleasant Grove Church. Then, bear crawl back to the first light pole. Alllll the way back. (75 yards)

Red Bull Smurf Jacks, aka Burtjacks.  IC x 30. No chatter now. Not even Burt. Must be doing something right.

Four Corners , hour-glass formation (no short runs)

  • Sweat Angels x 10 OYO
  • Plank Jacks x 10 OYO
  • Squat Jumps x 10 OYO
  • Wolverines x 10 OYO.

Wash, Rinse, Repeat x 3. PAX grumbling about the Wolverines, so dropped to x5 on round two. On second thought – need to save those arms….Star jumps replaced Wolverines round three.

Thang 2

Indian run back to the shelter. Two lines. Kind of.

Head to the basketball courts for a quick 5 minute workout to “Thunderstruck.”

Get the AC/DC pumping on the speaker

SSH OYO while Angus Young shreds the guitar intro, half burpee every time you hear  “Thunder” (12) Switch to plank. Merkins down on “Thunder” (11) Switch to High Knees. Squats on “Thunder” (10) Recover

Mary

Asked for a tight circle. HIM calls exercise and bearcrawls around the circle while everyone else does it. Circle got a little tighter after everyone caught on.

American Hammer, Freddy Mercuries, LBC, LSF, Burpees, etc. Hi-liter gave us some final punishment with boat/canoes to send us out.

COT

Count-o-rama, Name-o-rama.

Announcements

  • The Bull is at Churham this weekend.
  • Healing Transitions event
  • Banjo is selling BBQ at Cary UMC on 4/20 4pm-7pm. $10pp or $40/family. All are welcome – especially hungry stoners. Venmo/Paypal accepted.

Prayers

  • Water Wings – M has flue and Nanny recovering from torn ACL.
  • Burt – BIL John going for another round of treatment.
  • HiLiter – Dad going for another round of chemo.
  • Praise for Disco Duck M - good report

NMS

  • Werthers are actually caramels, not butterscotch. My entire life is a lie!
  • HiLiter and Biner were vested.
  • It is possible for Hermes to workout without telling a Dad Joke.
  • Biner does not run through puddles. They always move out of his way…

Hills, Benches and Rocks - Teamwork Makes the Dream Work

After a week of vacation in the mountains YHC was anxious to jump back into F3 this week! Since I was a bit out of shape from too much beer and pizza I invited (guilted) Crimson into co-Q’ing with me this fine Monday. Last night as we were planning our co-Q my M gave me some funny looks as we discussed “Dora” and “Mary” but I digress. A cool, crisp “spring” morning greeted 12 PAX at Apex Community Park. [Read More]

1-2 Texas Hello Ranger Kitty Knockout

What happens when Texas Ranger and Hello Kitty tag team for a co-Q beat-down at Phoenix? … … a little Texas Kung fu kitty cat knockout. It was wet when YHC rolled into Bond Park for Phoenix this morning. The rain was beating down on the entire drive there, but then on cue the rain let up as we started the workout, and it was a beautiful morning. YHC led the first half and Hello Kitty took over. [Read More]

The Long Journey of The BreathTaker

By now, most of you know the story of the BreathTaker. Once owned by South Wake’s own Midget4Life, she has taken on a life of short term relationships with sweaty HIMs who pass her along after 5 workouts. Once a robust 20 pound weighted vest, by recent measurements she only goes 16.6. YHC acquired the BreathTaker from Skid Mark at DP on March 23rd. A work trip to Boston messed up the normal cadence of posting schedule, and I quickly realize it will be possible to not only move BreathTaker out of region, but to go WAAAAAY out. [Read More]