Author: Drew Hart

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We Improve That Which We Measure

PAX: Boone’s Farm, Princess Aurora, Foley, Cowboy, Reveille, En Fuego (QIC)

Conditions: Idyllic

5:30 AM: Disclaimer given then we mosey to the football field for…

Warmarama: SSH, WMH, LBAC, GMs and fan favorite Scorpion Stretch (thanks and kudos to Toga).  YHC informs the PAX school is back in session this week at III Pillars – what better time to undergo a physical assessment, which will be completed the final week of the school year as well to track progress.  YHC chose not to go the APFT route – opting instead for the proprietary III Pillars version.  We stress proper form and no sandbagging.  Here goes…

The Thang:

Complete the following in order, for time.

  • 40 Merkins, run 2 laps (.25 miles)
  • 40 Merkins, 30 Jump Squats, run 2 laps
  • 40 Merkins, 30 Jump Squats, 20 Burpees, run 2 laps
  • 40 Merkins, 30 Jump Squats, 20 Burpees, 10 Big Boy Situps, run 2 laps
  • 40 Merkins, 30 Jump Squats, 20 Burpees, 10 Big Boy Situps, run 4 laps

All in the PAX completed 200 merkins, 120 jump squats, 60 burpees, 20 big boy sit ups (400 collective reps) and ran 1.5 miles.  Not a lot of mumble chatter – other than Rev expressing his impressive self control in keeping two potential splashes swallowed back into the system (good work Rev!)

Results:

  • Princess Aurora – 22:43
  • Boone – 24:00
  • En Fuego – 27:00
  • Cowboy – 28:00
  • Foley – 29:30
  • Rev – 33:00 (with an impressive AYG sprint his final 100 meters)

No time for Mary – mosey back for COT.

Great effort by the six in getting the school year started right – by no means an easy assessment, but guaranteed to be easier when we go again in May.

Appreciative of the opportunity to lead,

En Fuego

 

 

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Just Keep Showing Up

PAX: Big Bang, Olan Mills, Canary, Umbrella, Joey Freshwater, Black Widow, Ebola, Yeti (FNG), En Fuego (QIC)

Conditions: Better than the day before, with a beautiful sunrise in place for Warmarama.

5:30 AM: Disclaimer given – not a professional but have been doing F3 for one year today so there’s that; proceed mosey to top deck of LBMC parking garage.

Warmarama: SSH, LBC, WMH, Scorpion Stretch (PAX-pleaser) and GMs.  Proceed to bottom floor of the garage to begin…

The Thang: We go back in time and perform the same workout that greeted YHC at my first F3 post one year ago today – Q’d that day by HIM Olan Mills.  Details:

  • Sprint up ramp of parking garage to first corner; perform 15 WWIs
  • Bear Crawl right to next corner; perform 15 Burpees
  • Lieutenant Dan down length to next corner; perform 20 2-count American Hammers
  • Broad Jump to next and final corner; perform 15 merkins.  Wall sit until PAX are all in.  R&R 4x.  End with final sprint at top of parking garage and mosey back.  Time.

COT: Welcome FNG Yeti (neighbor of Ebola); prayers for Olan Mills father; Reminder that Warpath and TN Can Ruck are both this weekend.

Great work by the PAX today – appreciate you allowing YHC the opportunity to make first Racetrack post in nearly 12 months and lead you while doing so.

As I was driving home following the gathering in the gloom, I was thinking about this workout today compared to the same one 12 months ago on my Day 1.  As one would hope and expect, while by no means an easy endeavor today, it certainly wasn’t as painful as the first go round, where I was fairly certain and quasi-hopeful that life was going to end after just two sets of the above.

And in thinking about it, the only thing YHC can take credit for since that Day 1 to allow for a more successful 45 minutes today is the fact that I’ve just kept showing up.  Nothing more, nothing less – just kept showing up.  Good reminder of how that same discipline applies to so much more than F3.  In our marriages, with our kids, in our friendships, in our careers and in our spiritual walks, regardless of the conditions of your gloom, sometimes at the end of day all you can do is keep showing up.  And while the fruits of that daily discipline aren’t always as visible as we’d like, make no mistake that in doing so seeds are not just being sown but are being sown well.  Look no further than F3 as proof.

SYITG

En Fuego

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They Don’t Get Easier, You Just Get Better

PAX: Boone’s Farm, Princess Aurora, Bicentennial Man, En Fuego (QIC)

Conditions: Hot & muggy; missing a good January gloom

5:30 AM: We mosey, where halfway into it YHC realizes no disclaimer was given.  Disclaimer given mid-mosey.   Head to the soccer field for…

Warmarama: SSH, LBAC, WMH and GM.  During GMs, YHC informs the PAX that tomorrow is QIC’s one-year F3 birthday and thanks the PAX for coming to kick off the birthday festivities.  In honor of that birthday celebration this week, we’re going back in time reliving a couple milestones, including YHC’s first Q, delivered 9 months ago at the friendly confines of The Skunk – and in doing so testing the old F3 adage that the “workouts don’t get easier, you just get better”.  With that, we begin a slightly modified (soon to be regretted) version of that first Q.

The Thang:  We celebrate the 2nd F of F3 and bring Fellowship to the forefront.  QIC informs the PAX that from this point forward everything we do we do in two’s – so we partner up.  Fireman carry to the end of the soccer field to commence the following:

Partner 1 begins suicide utilizing length of soccer field – 1/3rd, 2/3rd and full length with one burpee, two burpees, and three burpees at the respective stops.  Second F twist is that Partner 1 doesn’t stop facing Partner 2 throughout suicide, so half is performed running backwards.

Partner 2 commences the following, with partners flapjacking until the below is complete:

  • 100 Burpees
  • 100 Jump Squats
  • 100 Power Merkins (modified from merkins in initial Q; regret sets in)
  • 100 Iron Mikes (modified from lunges; further regret)
  • 100 BigBoy Situps (modified from LBCs; modifying now a foolish decision at this point)

We’re all in, completely drenched, and PA is now shirtless.  With the latter, our lady friend from senior housing appears – mumble chatter between her and PA ensues; no questions asked.  Fireman carry to center sideline, where Partner 1 wheelbarrows to midfield; switch partners for return trip and end with 5 irkins and 5 derkins.  That’s one set; r&r 3x – increasing to 10 count of each on the final set.

Final minutes comprised of mixture of pull ups and sprints with Mary’s baked in.   Time.

COT:

  1. TN CAN Ruck this Saturday – reach out to PA for details.
  2. Prayers for Reveille’s cousin and brother; Bicentennial’s mom

As always, great effort by the PAX – appreciate you coming out to the party today and certainly thankful for the fellowship and accountability you’ve provided over the last 12 months.

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Monkey Bars, Relay Races & Crab Hunting – Honoring the Life of Levi Hughes

PAX: Foggy Pirate, Princess Aurora, En Fuego

QIC: En Fuego

3 PAX partake in a kid-friendly workout, honoring the life of Levi Hughes, the son of a buddy of mine who went to be with his Father following an all too quick but overly abundant 3 years of life on this earth spent with family and friends who absolutely loved and adored him.

Warm up with quick mosey around the parking lot, stop at separate speed bumps for 3, 13 and 15 merkins (Levi’s birthday of 3.13.15)

COP: SSH x 13; WMH x 13, Scorpion Stretch x 13 (totaling the 39 months Levi was able to bless those family and friends in their time together).  GMs oyo while YHC explained the motivation behind today’s workout.

Like friends on a playground, we head to the monkey bars, whereby YHC instructs the PAX we’ll be keeping the friend theme together this morning, as most of what we do we do in unison or in collective counts together.

THANG:

L – Lateral pull-downs, aka pull-ups.  117 together as a team (approx. 39 per person).  Upon completion, head to track for relay race – 1 PAX completes a lap while remaining PAX hold high plank; flapjack until all PAX completed a lap.  Head to:

E – Escalator utilizing BLIMPs (because what kid doesn’t love things that fly).  Collective counts of 30, 60, 90, 120, 150 with respective BLIMP of Bodybuilders, Lieutenant Dangers, Imperial Storm Squats (exhaustion setting in), Merkins and PlankJacks; back to track for repeat of relay race, this time PAX hold low plank

V – It’s time for some wheelbarrow play-time, in the form of Vacuum Cleaners.  Two PAX hop in wheelbarrow position; wheelbarrow to sideline (approx 15 yards away), perform 5 derkins, reverse wheelbarrow to starting line.  Flapjack until all PAX have completed, with third PAX performing exercise in unison doing bear crawl.  Back to track, repeat relay race, PAX alternate between high and low plank.

I – Indian Crab Walk.  Apparently Levi was all about some crab hunting at the beach, and in fact his last t-shirt worn was his favorite crab hunting shirt.  PAX lined up on their six, PAX in the back crabwalks to the front, then next guy, etc.  Guys on six alternate doing WWIs, LBCs and American Hammers.  Approx. 60 yards of crab walking – here’s hoping the little man was smiling as he was watching.

2 minutes left on the clock, we give an AYG shuttle run on the field – 1/3, half, 2/3, full.  Time called and we mosey back for COT.

PAX – Honor to be able to lead you this morning in celebrating Levi and appreciate you showing up and doing your part in it.

For all of us men, Levi’s mom mentioned in the eulogy that Levi came to her at 11:00 that night and asked her to come sleep with him.  Whereas normally she might think twice at such a request, she this time hopped out of bed and unbeknownst to her spent her final night with him cuddled up in a bunk bed together.  How special is that.  Reminder to us all the preciousness of this life and our time together.  Fathers (and YHC is speaking to himself here), be quicker to listen and slower to raise your voice, spend that extra five minutes rubbing their backs at night, get off the couch and down on the floor with them – and most of all, keep reminding those littles how loved they are.

En Fuego

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96,348 Hours of Pure Marital Bliss

PAX: Bicentennial Man, Princess Aurora, T-Cell, Bad Boy, Porcelain, En Fuego

QIC: En Fuego

6 PAX greeted the 41 degree gloom at Westeros this morning – ready, willing and able to celebrate YHC’s 11 year wedding anniversary.   PA plants the Shovel Flag, 5:30 arrives, and with that, celebration commences…

Kick it off with 9 burpees, then mosey throughout AO, making four pit stops along the way for 6 burpees, 3, burpees, 4 burpees and 8 burpees – representing the 96,348 total hours of official marital coverage that has been outkicked by YHC.  PAX then huddle, disclaim, knock out a couple additional warm-ups, and details of how this anniversary party is going down are given.

Like any great marriage, we first partner up.  Then, 3 rounds of exercises focusing on the numbers 11 (years) and 132 (months).

Round 1:  Start at bottom of parking lot along Bowling entrance; Partner 1 Bernie Sanders to top, perform 11 hand-release merkins at top and then back to bottom.  Partner 2 is doing burpees.  Flap-jack until Partner 1 and 2 have collectively knocked out 132 burpees.

Round 2: Same starting point; Partner 1 forward run to top, perform 11 Lieutenant Dans and then back down; Partner 2 is doing storm squats (imperial walker with 2 added squats, 4-count = 1 rep; PA calls T-Cell out for poor form, at which point we realize we have 3 different forms going between the three PAX).  Flap-jack until collective 132 storm squat reps reached.

Round 3: Mosey to playground; same flap-jack theme, exercises being 11 pull-ups and 132 dips.

Mosey back to bottom of parking lot hill for one AYG up the hill.  10 strides in and its PA and a cloud of gloomy dust.

Three minutes of Mary, COT and YHC officially shuts the party down.  Great work by all the PAX – on average each knocking out 96 burpees, 66 storm squats, 66 dips, 22 Lieutenant Dans, 22 pull-ups and 22 hand-release merkins while traversing 1.71 miles worth of AO.

Honor to have led and appreciative to live out the gloom with each of you.  Remember our calling as leaders begins in our homes – may we choose to be intentional in embracing and owning that leadership mantle.

En Fuego

 

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Men of Bomber Pay Homage to The Last Frontier

Pax: T-Cell, Princess Aurora, Vector, Bicentennial Man, Third Person, High Viz, Porcelain, Hambone, Firefox, Blue Mule

QIC: En Fuego

A near full moon and 37 degree temperatures greeted the fine Pax of Bomber this morning – near ideal settings for YHC to bust out the winter gear again despite multiple showings of t-shirt / shorts pairings from his fellow Pax.  5:30 alarm goes off, YHC asks the 10 Pax to line up in alphabetical order, form two lines.  Teams are set, we’re ready to mosey.  Wait, up pulls Porcelain.  Ten becomes 11, teams are reset, mosey begins toward the Pro Shop.  Disclaimer, followed by COP mix of SSH, LBAC, RLBAC, WMH and GMs – 51 reps in total to celebrate tomorrow’s 51st running of the Iditarod – which leads us to…

The Thang:

We mosey to the driving range where YHC enlightens the Pax on the history of the Iditarod – something admitably YHC knew nothing about until the oldest came home this week with her 2nd grade class project.  Cliff notes – diptheria outbreak in the town of Nome, Alaska in 1925.  Nome is running on short supply of medical supplies to contain outbreak – in come a sled of dogs with antibiotics in tow, with none other than lead dog Balto leading the way.  Tomorrow, over 60 Mushers will lead their dogs through the 1,000 mile journey to commemorate this 1925 event.  Today, two Bomber Mushers got our Friday started right.

5 races, two teams, 1,000 total miles, er reps, (before adjustment to 1,200 to account for extra Pax on pack 2) with Musher Hi Viz in command of pack 1 and Musher Vector of pack 2, thanks to their respective HC first responder slack status.

B – Burpees; 200 total as a team (240 for Team 2).  Musher is responsible for ensuring accurate collective count, and upon completion / Musher command we race down the length of driving range (just over .2 miles).  Instructions to stay in close pack, with Musher ensuring no Pax left behind.  Team 1, aka, Good Guys, take race #1, despite some ensuing Mumble Chatter regarding some rules violations of a separated pack.  Winning team Musher picks exercise of 5 reps for losing team – goes with SSH.

A – Atomic Merkins; 200 / 240, upon completion teams perform Fireman Carry across width of driving range (approx. 100 yards).  YHC made his most strategic move of the day – deciding to quickly hop on the back of Mule vs the opposite.  Despite such winning strategy, Bad Guys take Round 2 – squats our penalty.

L – Lieutenant Dans; 200 / 240, upon completion wheelbarrow race back the 100 yards we just came from.  Bad Guys now on a winning streak, clerkins the punishment.

T – Turkish Sit-ups; 200 / 240, upon completion, team backward mosey back the .2m to start of driving range.  Folks, we now have a tie ball game with one race to go,  with a punishment of Groiners dished out.

O – One-legged Deadlift, whereby upon completion, each team’s Musher has pre-selected two from the pack to race down the .2m stretch and back while teams holds plank.  A confident PA and T-Cell raise their paw in call for duty for Team 2, with Firefox and YHC being tasked to stage the upset for Team 1.  Despite what YHC would deem a strong to quite strong drafting strategy on the way down, team T-Cell and PA were too much to overcome down the stretch, winning by a dog’s nose length.  Perhaps it was more like three body lengths – I can’t recall.

Officially dazed and slightly confused, YHC and Pax head back for final 5 minutes of Mary.  YHC starts off with flutter kicks and quickly passes the baton to Around the Horn format, still gassed, with proper Mary form and count in high debate at this point.

Close out in prayer – off to coffeeteria for those that could partake.   Great work by the crew.  Appreciate the opportunity to be a part of all things F3 with you.

Winning Team – Vector, T-Cell, PA, Hambone, Third Person, Porcelain

Close Runner Ups – Hi Viz, Bicentennial Man, Firefox, Blue Mule, YHC

En Fuego

 

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Lucky Horseshoe Comes to The Skunk

PAX: Venus, Life Champ, Preacher Man

QIC: En Fuego

A breezy 22 degrees greeted the 4 PAX at the Skunk this morning – Super Bowl hangover had nothing on these men, much to the delight of YHC who at 5:28 was fairly certain he’d be flying solo on this Q.  Following a short mosey, disclaimer and COP, we proceeded with The Thang:

Lucky Horseshoe (courtesy de Racetrack, courtesy de Toga – though this time I believe we applied the down and distance correctly).

  • Run carved .25 mile lap around the baseball fields.  Avoid ice patches.  20 merkins
  • Lap 2, 20 merkins, 20 storm squats
  • Lap 3, 20 merkins, 20 storm squats, 20 scorpion dry docks
  • Lap 4, 20 merkins, 20 storm squats, 20 scorpion dry docks, 20 WWIs
  • Lap 5, 20 merkins, 20 storm squats, 20 scorpion dry docks, 20 WWIs, 20 lunges.  Not a lot of mumble chatter by this point
  • Lap 6, 20 storm squats, 20 scorpion dry docks, 20 WWIs, 20 lunges
  • Lap 7, 20 scorpion dry docks, 20 WWIs, 20 lunges
  • Lap 8, 20 WWIs, 20 lunges
  • Lap 9, 20 lunges
  • YHC calls for the Victory Lap; Preacher Man says check your time.  Following checking of said time, YHC realizes we have 30 seconds left.  Hold plank while thanking Preacher Man for keeping us honest with the clock.

Mosey back to close out in prayer – lifting Toga, Head Stud and his wife Emily, and Life Champ’s buddy in Knoxville up in prayer.  Great work by the PAX – 2.65 miles all in including moseys.  Thank you for the opportunity to lead and be a part of all things F3 with you

En Fuego

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Lucky 7s

PAX: T-Cell, Princess Aurora, Vector, Bicentennial Man, Crawfish, High Viz, Porcelain, Ebola

QIC: En Fuego

9 PAX braved the wintry mix / Ice Storm / Snow Day elements and allowed YHC to get his Bomber VQ on.   Quick mosey through the streets of Sylvan Park followed by COP – SSH (7x); WMH (7x); Good Mornings (7x) and Scorpion Stretch (7x).  YHC mentions that not only does the week mark his 7-month F3 birthday, but that since it’s the start of the year why not get our luck right out of the gate by playing (and dominating) a good ol game of Lucky 7s.  Instead of caravaning to Tunica, however, we bring Tunica to Bomber.

The Thang:

First round of 7s at the hill from base of parking lot to stop sign at top.  Backwards run up the hill; double-up with burpees at top and bottom

Second round of 7s we head to the stairs; urkins at the top, derkins at the bottom

Third and final round of 7s we head to parking lot and bring out dealer’s choice.  PAX can choose between bear crawl, crawl bear, duck walk, crab walk or broad jump each time down and back; jump squats await at one end; iron mike’s at the other

5 minutes to go we head to the playground and partner up.  Round 1: Partner 1 performs 10 pull ups while Partner 2 does AMRAP of WWIs.  Flapjack to complete round.  Round 2: Repeat pull ups, replace WW1s with flutter kicks.  Round 3: Repeat pull ups, replace flutter kicks with American Hammers.

COT and closed it out in prayer.  Off to some coffeeteria.

Strong work by each of the PAX getting Snow Day started right – thankful for and appreciative of the opportunity to lead and work alongside each of you.

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Co-Q Get’s Garth’d – Field Trip Must Go On

PAX: Foggy Pirate, FoxTrot, Venus, Chum, TripleD, Big Stick

QIC: En Fuego

Four hours after arriving home from Garth and wondering if YHC is #muchtooyoungtofeelthisda@#old, and a mere 9 hours after receiving a text from Leatherneck stating #bringmetwopinacoladas cause I #aintgoingdowntilthesuncomesup, YHC arrived at The Skunk knowing the Co-Q was now just a Q, but the Field Trip to Higher Education Must go on.

Bus #1 departed at 5:30 sharp, with 5 #friendsinlowplaces moseying from J.T. Moore down to the Lipscomb University Soccer Field.  Bus #2 apparently departed at 5:31 with Venus and Big Stick on board.  With Green Hills streets just like a #river, ever-changing as they flow, Bus #2 and Bus #1 never actually met #inanother’seyes, but good to run into them 45 minutes later at the COT.  Following a quick COP on the Lipscomb Soccer Field, Bus #1 proceeded with…

The Thang:

11’s at stairs leading down to the field – Burpees at top, Jump Squats at bottom.  Stairs apparently are slippery when wet, and steeper than their visual from Granny White would suggest.   With Leatherneck still a member of the #americanhonkytonkbarassociation and no one for YHC to hand the Q baton, it’s time for YHC to improvise.

Backward mosey to the dugout, where FoxTrot mumbles once seeing USMNT practice on the field, their performance being barely #morethanamemory.  At Dugout:

Circuit of tricep dips, urkins and derkins.  Start at 5 reps, R&R x 4 adding 5 reps each round.  Foggy impressed us all with his ability to rep out some derkins x 20.  YHC lead modifier of said derkins.

Time left to kill, we’re going Dean Smith 4 Corners.  Cut the soccer field into a third, Lieutentant Dans from one touch line to the other, perform 20 WWIs, bear crawl to corner flag, 20 flutter kicks, Lieutenant Dans back to the other touch line, 20 Mariah Careys.  No time to bear crawl to fourth corner, it’s time to mosey back.  Bus took a slower pace on the way home, perhaps slightly affected by FoxTrotTalksaLot deciding to FoxTrotPopsaSquat #shameless? No judgment passed along from this PAX.

COT and closed it out in prayer, all thankful that He is the reason for the Season.

Solid work by each of the PAX – thankful and appreciate the opportunity to lead and work alongside each of you.

SYITG,

En Fuego

 

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We Focus on the Second F (with YHC Hopeful it’s not Historically Bad)

PAX: Life Champ, Foggy Pirate, Leatherneck, Venus, Erector Set, En Fuego, Cathy

QIC: En Fuego

Six other PAX braved an En Fuego VQ – arriving to a 46 degree gloom under some breezy skies.  Mumble chatter begins with PAX discussing all time worst VQs and the corresponding exercises.  YHC’s mind starts sweating as the lists are tossed out – hearing the sounds of exercises about to be partaken.  Alas, too late to rewrite the script, the 5:30 bell tolls and we’re off.  Here’s what we did:

Quick mosey followed by COP: SSH, WMH, GMs and Scorpion Stretch.  YHC instructs that today’s theme is the Second F – and from this point forward you won’t do another exercise without your partner.  With that, commence fireman’s carry mosey to the soccer field:

The Thang:

Partner 1 begins suicide utilizing length of soccer field – 1/3rd, 2/3rd and full length with one burpee, two burpees, three burpees at the respective stops.  The Second F twist is Partner 1 never takes their eyes off Partner 2, always facing Partner throughout length of suicide (so half the suicide is backwards run).

Partner 2 commences the following, with Partners flapjacking until the below is complete:

  • 100 Burpees
  • 100 Jump Squats
  • 100 Merkins
  • 100 Lunges
  • 100 LBCs

Following mumber chatter consensus on a growing disdain for backwards running, we’re all in and commence fireman carry mosey back to parking lot.  YHC later realizes VQ lesson #1 – never go back to initial place of COP until it’s officially Mary time – because we aren’t there yet.

With same Partners grab a parking spot lane – wheelbarrow across lot to opposite parking block in your lane.  Partner 1 completes 5 urkins followed by 5 derkins while Partner 2 performs back and forth jump over parking block until Partner 1 completes.  Flapjack and R&R x 3.

Slight mosey back to initial COT spot – confusion reigns again with PAX thinking it’s over (confirming VQ lesson #1 a second time).  Nope, we’ve got 3 minutes for Mary’s – where we complete group ABCs recited around the horn at a level slightly ahead of 3-year old’s pace followed by a plank closeout.  VQ officially a wrap.

COT: TAP for Leatherneck’s brother-n-law, T-Cell and Leatherneck with babies forthcoming and Cathy’s in-laws both battling pneumonia.

Great job to each of the PAX – 1.65 miles total on the suicides.  Thankful and am appreciative for the opportunity to lead and work alongside you!

SYITG,

En Fuego