(B)Easter Egg Hunt 2025

AO: the-knoll
Q: El Capitan
PAX: Wolfpack, Derby, Papa Bear, AAA, Sooie, El Capitan, Ex-Pat, morning stār, Pebbles, Timber, Half Lyfe, G-string, Pitmaster, Étouffée, @GoldDigger, @Rubix (2.0), @Schmaltz (2.0), @Bumblebee (2.0), @Grizzly (TBD)
FNGs: 1 @Grizzly (TBD)
COUNT: 19
CONDITIONS:

Mid-50s, lovely sunlit clouds at 6:15

TUNES:

Young & Heavy

WARMUP:

Climb routine
Back stretches
Willie mays hays
Good mornings!

THE THANG:

– Circle up around the lamp in field
– 22 eggs to find in playground, each with an exercise & follow-up hold exercise
– Each PAX will search for an egg with the lamp, all PAX will perform the exercise upon opening & perform hold exercise while next PAX searches.
– Wash, rinse, repeat

Ended with MARY: a 3-round Ring of Fire & American Hammers

MOLESKINE:

Life is constantly changing & you change and grow as a man each passing year. I asked the PAX to take some time to reflect, with a moment of silence, on one aspect of change in their lives and one aspect that has stayed constant. I then asked everyone to think of one person (spouse, mentor, friend) who has been a source of strength & stability in their lives. Ended with a prayer of thanksgiving for these individuals.

ANNOUNCEMENTS:

– Tax Day got moved to November 3rd(?!)
– Check slack for upcoming Night Moves & extra free workouts!

COT:

Countorama, Nameorama, coffeteria.

It was a pleasure leading y’all this morning, men!

I’m ready for a nap. :yawning_face: :el-capitan:

Good Grief

AO: the-knoll
Q: morning stār
PAX: Pebbles, Sooie, Stubs, AAA, Pitmaster, Half Lyfe, El Capitan, morning stār, Papa Bear, Derby, Malibu, clay hoover, Phillip Lee, Gold Digger, She told me, Sardine
FNGs: 2 She told me, Sardine
COUNT: 16
CONDITIONS: Chilly yet spring-like.

WARMUP: Mosey to tree line and back. Ground movements on the way. Avoid the puddle (YHC wasn’t in the mood to get wet this am), avoid posts. Circle up for low slow squats and SSH.

Mosey to 2010 flood memorial bench.

THE THANG:
31 rounds of 15 seconds of work, 45 seconds of active recovery.
Exercise one: 3-2-1 ladder of power erkins and dips
Exercise two: 3-2-1 ladder of jump squats and squats

Modify up option: finish the ladder instead of stopping at the timer.

Each PAX took turns walking around the back stop with a 30# ruck and 30# kettle bell while considering a loss they have not grieved.

Mosey back to the startex for an extended COT.

MOLESKINE:
If we keep the momentum up we the knoll may be ready to spin off another AO … which on one hand, I don’t look forward to because of the great connections we have growing here. And yet, this is how we grow and provide more opportunities for men to accelerate.

Welcome to She told me (formerly “My wife told me”) and Sardine!

Well done welcoming the new men, PAX! Hospitality is one of my favorite things about F3 and we excel at it.

I used to try to come up with a new, creative BD every time I Q’ed. I’m enjoying not having to think much about it and intending to run the “power rounds” for the rest of my days. Let’s see how long that lasts.

Here’s a quote on the danger of not facing our sadness that I didn’t share:
“”Sadness does not sink a person; it is the energy a person spends trying to avoid sadness that does that.” “- Barbara Brown Taylor, From theplacewefindourselves.libsyn.com/17-what-it-looks-like-to-actually-grieve-your-wounds of Adam Young’s “The Place We Find Ourselves” Podcast: “What it looks like to actually grieve your wounds”.

I pray we all find the courage and space to face the losses of our past and present.

ANNOUNCEMENTS: skipped them; check slack or come back Thursday.

COT:
YHC shared that learning to grieve what is, what was not (or what has not come to be) has been the most effective way to grow as a man.

Shared about the 4 achetypes of masculinity: Warrior, Lover, King and Sage. Each has an entry emotion … anger for warrior, sadness for lover, joy for king and fear for sage. In YHC’s experience growing as a lover has helped mature as a King.

YHC read the an account of the passing of Eric Liddel’s life from For the Glory (by Duncan Hamilton). This is a gut wrenching account as Lidell died withough meeting his youngest child.

When I was growing up, I chased after many things. Now, at 41, I am to live in the moment and pour out as much delight on my family and those close to me as I can.

Stay curious my brothers,
-m*

Another Round of Merkins

AO: the-knoll
Q: The Merchant
PAX: AAA, El Capitan, Sparrow, Sooie, Stubs, Pebbles, Wolfpack, Étouffée, Parka-Eh, morning stār, G-string, Half Lyfe, Timber, Papa Bear, Ex-Pat, Bumblebee, Rubiks, Gold Digger
FNGs: 1 Gold Digger
COUNT: 19
Warm-up:
SSH, BACs, WMHs, Motivators

The Thang:
HIIT Workout
20 seconds of work, 10 seconds of rest
6 exercises in a round, 75 seconds between rounds

Exercises:
Merkins
Sit Ups
Imperial Walkers
Merkins
Crunches
Squats

Wake up early and work hard

AO: the-knoll
Q: Malibu
PAX: Pebbles, El Capitan, Wolfpack, AAA, Malibu, Papa Bear, Étouffée, Siri
FNGs: None
COUNT: 8
CONDITIONS: but nippy at the start but closed with some cosmic ray goodness and warmth at the end.

WARMUP:
Mosey to Peppbles’ place. Move 2k lbs of lumber, mosey back to playground and stretch (dealer’s choice). Prep for Thang 1 and Thang 2.

THE THANG:
(1) 15’ amrap: 7x squats + 7x Mericans.
Extra sauce for jumping squats, burpees, and variations galore.

(2) 13’ amrap: 5x plank walk outs, 10x sit-ups, 10x American Twists (variations encouraged).

MOLESKINE:
I‘ve been recalling recently the fact that I will one day pass away from this life. This reality focuses me more on living well, loving more, and giving of myself for others instead of the self-centered temptations I so often and so easily choose.
I also believe that at the end of my life I will be judged on how much I loved, and recently a friend encouraged me to try to live out and up this notion: how proud can I make my Heavenly Father when he has to judge my choices? A somber thought for sure, but a hopeful one when I know I am surrounded and encouraged by other men such as The Knoll is made.

ANNOUNCEMENTS:
Merican March Challenge. 4/6 BBQ meetup at Warner Parks.

COT:
Prayers for Étouffée’s friend Josh, El Capitan‘s dad, for good meetings for both Sooie and Papa Bear, and health of all our families.

Spontaneous Combustion

AO: pain-train
Q: El Capitan
PAX: Wolfpack, G-string, Stubs, Cheeks, El Capitan, FLO, Pitmaster, Siri, Waffle, @OfficerDangle
FNGs: 1 @OfficerDangle
COUNT: 10
CONDITIONS: Crisp + chilly

WARMUP:

– Downdog, Cobra, sprinter stretch both sides
– 10x three-count merkins
– Back stretches
– BACs & BacBACs x7
– Imperial walkers
– Mosey to grab two cinder blocks with some high knees & butt-kickers thrown in for good measure

THE THANG:

Station Work at playground

80 seconds on, 20 sec. Rest. (Three complete circuits, adjusted to 60 seconds of work for circuits #2 & #3)

– Pull-up / Hangs
– 20 merkins, then hold plank
– Jump rope or Knee Taps
– “Psycho” squats with coupon (goblin goblet, straight-arm, above-head)
– Bear Crawl Plank hip-knee-toes
– Swims :sweat:
– American Hammers with weight / Reverse burpees (sit-up to jump)

Ended with two burpees.

MOLESKINE:

Reading from Every Moment Holy, Volume 1: “A Liturgy for the Ritual of Morning Coffee” while drinking coffee. :coffee:

ANNOUNCEMENTS:

March Merkin Madness continues! (We knocked out 70 today).

COT:

Nameorama, Countorama, named our FNG Wes @OfficerDangle (welcome aboard!), and closed in prayer.

I enjoyed our time together, men! :el-capitan:

Providing a new perspective on provision

AO: the-knoll
Q: morning stār
PAX: El Capitan, Wolfpack, Stubs, Papa Bear, morning stār, Bumble bee (2.0)
FNGs: None
COUNT: 6
CONDITIONS: mild and windy

WARMUP: jog to tree line with ground movement; circle up for motivators, arm circles, low slow squats, etc.

Jog to flood memorial table/bench.

THE THANG:
Rotate through 3 exercises on the minute (OTM) for 30 minutes:
– power elevated merkins … to slow merkins mixed with dips
– cross crawl step ups
– SSH with focus on core

MOLESKINE:
– solid work every one; appreciate the mumble chatter

ANNOUNCEMENTS:
– Ash Wed ruck starting at 0500 at greenway entrance down the road from the-knoll (text morning stār if you want to join)
– Merkin challenge (check 1stf)

COT:
YHC shared a word study on provision he did years ago in which he came to the following conclusion:
“”I wonder if the more correct definition of provision would be ‘to consider in advance the path and foresee the coming needs, traps, and opportunities, and then to act accordingly so that one’s family is well prepared and equipped to endure and overcome, fulfilling fully all their God given purposes.’””
Stay curious my friends,
-m*

Dealing it out

AO: the-knoll
Q: G-string
PAX: Pebbles, morning stār, El Capitan, Half Lyfe, Wolfpack, Stubs, Sooie, Papa Bear, Sparrow, Bumblebee
FNGs: None
COUNT: 11
CONDITIONS: Dark with a sliver of crescent moon. Brisk but warmer than than it has been.

WARMUP:
SSH and something else before I got there. Sorry guys!
– Slow Squats
– Mike Tysons
– Willie Mayes Hayes while we went over the mission and core principles

THE THANG:
Deck of cards work out. Reps match the card. Aces are 15
:hearts: – Decline Merkins
:spades: – Pulse Squats
:diamonds: – Pullups
:clubs: – Reverse Lunges
:black_joker: – 10 Burpees
Twos: Mosey to the backstop and sprint back
Threes: 15 reps of the exercise chosen by the person who drew the card.

MOLESKINE:
We discussed two questions.
1. What are some things you want your son (or daughter) to know before they leave home?
2. Who do you want them to be?
We then left with a challenge to think about how to communicate those things.

ANNOUNCEMENTS:
Biscuit run this weekend
March Merkin Madness starts on Saturday
Night Moves happening

COT:
Prayers were offered up.

Hazzaah!

AO: the-knoll
Q: Pebbles
PAX: Stubs, Wolfpack, Half Lyfe, El Capitan, Malibu, Sparrow, morning stār, Pitmaster, Bumblebee
FNGs: None
COUNT: 10
CONDITIONS:
Cool trending toward cold

WARMUP:
Mosey to retrieve coupons
Bacs
Bac Bacs
Don Quixotes
Slow Squats
Stretch OYO – Mission stated, 5-core principles

THE THANG:
Split into two teams. One team completes 100meter MOT while the other works. 2 rounds for each exercise.

Exercises with coupon:
Deadlift
Snatch
Overhead Press
Floor to Ceiling

MOTs:
Lunges
Bear Crawls

Mosey to return coupons
3 min of Plank Ups/Ring of Wolfpack
2 min Mary

MOLESKINE:
Super impressive to watch the evolution of PAX from FNG to seasoned PAX. Everyone was bear crawling like a champ today.

ANNOUNCEMENTS:
Lot’s of opportunities to socialize on slack

COT:
I was up most of the night worrying about things. Money, job, housework, etc. It’s been a long time since I’ve worried. I blame it on not being able to workout for a week. Working out is critical to overall wellbeing.

Prayers offered for families and those without shelter.

4 corners and tumbling dice

AO: the-knoll
Q: Stubs
PAX: Wolfpack, Half Lyfe, El Capitan, Sooie, Stubs
FNGs: None
COUNT: 5
CONDITIONS: Raining cats and dogs

WARMUP:
SSH x 20
BACS x10
BACBAC x 10
Moroccan Night Clubs x 10
Stated mission
Slow squats x 5 – 1 for each principle
Willie Mays Hays OYO

THE THANG:
Thang 1
Mosey to all 4 corners of the park
At each corner
25x mercans
25x shoulder taps (2 is 1)
25x squats

Thang 2
Roll of the dice
2 large dice – six sided die determine the exercise – 20 sided die determines reps
1 = incline mercs
2= ww2s
3 = dips
4 = step ups or iron mikes
5 = jump squats
6 = swimmers

Doubles = Burpees

Did about five rounds of this

Mary
Each Pax picked 1 exercise
Imperial walkers x10
Pull-ups x5
Shoulder presses x 15
Mountain climbers x15
Motivators x 5

Ended with ring of pull-ups – 2 rounds

MOLESKINE:

Briefly touched on the Importance of relationships and the 2nd F especially when the conditions are this poor outside

ANNOUNCEMENTS:
Game Night 2/28
Biscuit Run 3/1
Petition to stop road thru Percy Warner park. All can be found in slack.

COT: prayers were offered up and coffee was had before we headed to dryer ground

Quiet Thinking While Working Out

AO: the-knoll
Q: Ex-Pat
PAX: Ex-Pat, Malibu, Half Lyfe, Sooie, El Capitan, Wolfpack, Stubs, Papa Bear, Pebbles, FLO, Samwise (2.0), Iowa (2.0)
FNGs: None
COUNT: 12
CONDITIONS: Misty – did I sweat or is that rain? Not so sure.

WARMUP:
– Little baby arm circles
– Back backs
– Don quixotes
– Lazy imperial walkers
– 3 min Mozy
THE THANG:

Quote: Alchemist- When we love, we always strive to become better than we are. When we strive to become better than we are, everything around us becomes better too.
? What is one thing you want to make better?

1 – 5 minutes of work, 5 minutes of running
– Merkins – 10
– Squats – 10
– WWII – 20
– Run

Quote: Thomas Merton – You do not need to know precisely what is happening, or exactly where it is all going. What you need is to recognize the possibilities and challenges offered by the present moment, and to embrace them with courage, faith and hope.
? What is the challenge in your present and what is one tool you need to move into it?

2
– Dips – 20
– Calf raises – 20
– Mountain climbers – 20
– 5 min run

Quote: MLKjr – But the end is reconciliation; the end is redemption; the end is the creation of the beloved community. It is this type of spirit and this type of love that can transform opposers into friends
? Who do you need to be reconciled with – a person, a group? What is a step that you can move into relationship and community

3
– Shoulder taps – 30
– Step ups – 30
– Crunches – 30
– 5 min run

MOLESKINE:
We need accountability- tell your answers to at least one person you trust this week. Thinking about the quiet and sitting in the questions. Leave room for contemplation and see what happens.

ANNOUNCEMENTS:
March 1 – Loveless Run, Game Night Soon (I forgot the date and time and place).

COT: