[Pain Train] More Bad Decisions

Date: 2026-10-02 AO: Pain Train Q: Sooie , PAX: Bulldog, Half Lyfe, Siri, Roadkill, Derby, Sooie, Kiwi, INCHWORM, Shakira, Argggg, Paper Trail, Uh Oh FNGs: 1 Uh Oh COUNT: 12 CONDITIONS: SOLID: not as cool as before, but decent beatdown weather
WARMUP: Before the first exercise could commence, our plans were temporarily thwarted when a local denizen had laid claim to our tables, delaying the inevitable furniture-based foolishness that would eventually come to pass. We proceeded with the warmup anyway…but Hark! What was this sonorous tone gliding gently into our ear canals? Was this the melodious humming of a choir of angels? Nay! ‘Twas the dulcet tones emanating from Roadkill ‘s new whip, a beautiful electric cargo van, whose friendly exterior seemed to say both “I have your delivery” and “Hey kid, you wanna push pop?” The warmup continued until YHC announced KNERKINS, prompting an immediate cry from the ranks: “ON THE ASPHALT?!?” The dissenter was chastised, the knerkins were performed, and the PAX was reminded that questioning the Q is rarely a productive endeavor.
THE THANG: 1 of 4 — Half Mile Hang We then moseyed to the pull-up bars for the Half Mile Hang, splitting into two groups, with one group running a quarter-mile lap while the other performed hanging knee raises before switching. Two rounds each meant half a mile of running and plenty of time hanging from the bars, with ten Lieutenant Dans levied against anyone unfortunate enough to surrender to gravity.
2 of 4: Chill Hill >From there we headed to Chill Hill for 11’s, beginning with one Mountain Climber at the bottom, followed by a Politician to the crown of the hill for ten Merkins, then a mosey back down. The reps shifted until we reached ten Mountain Climbers and one Merkin, with the downhill running and backwards uphill Politician combining to make a surprisingly effective method of reducing the PAX to a collection of heavily breathing quadriceps. All were sufficiently gassed by the end, Kiwi may or may not have suffered some groinal distress, and our FNG, Uh Oh, Politicianed up the hill like a seasoned swamp monster despite having no reasonable expectation of knowing what he had gotten himself into.
3 of 4: TABLE CARRY!!! We then formed an Indian Run to reclaim the tables, divided back into our original groups, and briefly introduced confusion when YHC forgot which group I belonged to. Order was eventually restored, and two tables were carried from the gazebo to the stage and back while the rest of the PAX followed in a train of walking lunges. As each front carrier tired, he moved to the back and everyone shifted forward, ensuring that the burden circulated appropriately. Miraculously, no injuries were sustained during this portion of the morning, which may be the strongest evidence yet that Pain Train occasionally looks after its own.
4 of 4: Descending(?) DIDs With time running short, we finished with DIDs: five Derkins, five Irkins, and five Dips, then four of each, then three, two, and one. There was some initial confusion regarding what it meant to “count down from 5,” requiring a brief clarification that the numbers were, in fact, supposed to decrease.
MOLESKINE: The workout was then complete, and our FNG received his name, Uh Oh, after recounting that those were the final words he heard from his doctor immediately before being anesthetized for a precarious procedure. A name forged in medical anxiety seemed entirely appropriate for a man who had just survived his first Pain Train.
ANNOUNCEMENTS: GRUESOME NEWSOME!!! T-claps to Half Lyfe, Hair Band, INCHWORM for making it happen.
COT: Prayers lifted. Coffee downed.

The Knoll

Date: 2026-09-29 AO: The Knoll Q: Malibu , PAX: Papa Bear II, Juicy J, Sooie, AAA, Malibu, Pebbles, Creamsicle FNGs: None COUNT: 7 CONDITIONS: mid-50s- warm enough for short sleeves+shorts, cold enough for a cone-fire to stay warm
WARMUP: SSH, slow-squats, slow Mericans, BAC/BBAC
THE THANG: Hero WOD in honor of Tennessean Alvin York’s 1918 exploits in France that resulted in his award of the Medal of Honor. By sheer power of his will, he captured 132 enemy prisoners. This workout was structured on two sets of numbers connected to his fateful day:
(1) The Seventeen: 3x Rounds of 17*(Squats, Mericans, and WWI’s). York was one of seventeen sent to out maneuver a German battalion’s sized machine gun emplacement. Immediately, half of his unit were killed or wounded. Leading the rest, York used every skill and amount of grit to win the day. (2) The 132: Partners- P1 does a sandbag or partner carry to the end of the lot and back while P2 banks reps (rotate merkins, overhead press, big boys). Swap. Each pair did 132 total per exercise. By power of his will, York captured 132 prisoners of war and returned them to his base.
MARY: Final 7 minutes of abs, with a minute of dealer’s choice per man.
MOLESKINE: York had to wrestle with his conviction that God had a mission for him in uniform. He went up a mountain to pray and discern, and came back with a stronger conviction of service, to his God and his nation. Life has difficult seasons, and refining beliefs in these seasons can be difficult. What’s one belief about yourself that is holding you back? Find one in your mind, test it, and inject some order to it so that you can be ready for whatever you are called to do. You don’t have to go up a mountain like in York’s example, but he shows us that it is both possible and good.
ANNOUNCEMENTS: Check Slack, esp for departure times for the Bellevue Trains :steam_locomotive: :burpee::+1:
COT: Prayers lifted for those in need, those providing need, and those affected by furloughs.
PLAYLIST: I prepared coffee, not tunes.

[Pain Train] The new King has arrived!

Date: 2026-09-25 AO: Pain Train Q: Wolfpack , Siri PAX: Shakira, Chili Dip, Sooie, Siri, Juicy J, Officer Dangle, Wolfpack, Derby, Bulldog, Argggg, Booch, Paper Trail FNGs: 2 Booch, Paper Trail COUNT: 12 CONDITIONS: lovely
WARMUP: SSH while FNGs roll in
THE THANG: 9SQUARE TOURNY!
A tournament for the ages! Juicy J and Shakira battled back and forth with Juicy looking like the winner as the final minutes ticked away. But Officer Dangle had other plans as he stepped into the Kings square with 3 points and 2 minutes left knocking out the burpees and securing the 8 points needed with the final point scored at the buzzer to take the crown.
Ladies and gentlemen… your new… heavyweight 9 square champion of the wooooooooooooorrrrllllddddddd
Officer Dangle !!!!!
ANNOUNCEMENTS: Juicy J 5k and birthday brunch tomorrow for anyone that can make it. DM him for the deets.
COT: mission credo pillars
PLAYLIST: grunting and the occasional OOOOOOOOOOOO!

Climbing Everest

Date: 2026-09-23 AO: Insane Train Q: Wolfpack , PAX: 2 a dayz, Choo Choo, Chili Dip, Sooie, INCHWORM, Bulldog, Roadkill, Wolfpack, Derby, Juicy J, Argggg, El Capitan, Half Lyfe, Sharpshooter FNGs: 1 Sharpshooter COUNT: 14 CONDITIONS: little mist. Perfect temp.
WARMUP: ssh and stretches while we wait for Sharpshooter to roll in from his armadillo fight
THE THANG: sandbag carry to bottom of Mt. Everest.
10 SB Rows 10-20yard SB lunges 10 SB Presses
Repeat to top of hill
SB carry back to startex
MARY: Nah
MOLESKINE: tried to keep it quiet through the neighborhood. May have spooked an old lady or two.
ANNOUNCEMENTS: 9Square tourney Friday at pain-train Juicy J has a Titans 5k on Saturday so message him if ya want to join (and birthday brunch) New AO naming workout Saturday morning – message Half Lyfe for deets
COT: big mountains are hard to climb, but it’s worth it for the view. Go climb something big today.
PLAYLIST: grunting

Wise man told me don’t argue with fools

Date: 2026-09-16 AO: Insane Train Q: Puzzlah , PAX: Hooters, Puzzlah, Bulldog, Juicy J, El Capitan, Derby, Roadkill, Sooie, Argggg FNGs: None COUNT: 9 CONDITIONS: moist
WARMUP: 1) Mosey lap 2) Good Mornings 3) last man up one lap 4) Squats IC 5) last man up with sandbag one lap 6) up downs, push ups
THE THANG:
5 min burpee test 45 on, 15 off Try to hold that first number all 5 rounds
Sandbag complex: 10 DLs 10 hang cleans 10 push press 10 alternating V-ups Run length of parking lot X3
Sandbag Beep test Standard beep tests are 20 meters Start at 10 m to get warmed up, after 3 rounds, 12.5 m, next round, 15, then did full 20. Once beep was missed, pax was instructed to drop sandbags and keep running to failure
MARY: Stretch
MOLESKINE: Listened to Jay-Z’s The Blueprint, which was released on 9/11/2001, just over 25 years ago. Celebrated YHC’s 17th anniversary of moving to Nashville Closed out with Wilco’s Jesus, etc. from Yankee Hotel Foxtrot, which was scheduled to be released also on 9/11 but was pushed back last second, but people complained that it foretold the events of 9/11 and/or mocked it, when in reality just an odd set of eerie connections.
Asked Pax to reflect on their paths.
ANNOUNCEMENTS:
COT:
PLAYLIST: %5B**https%3A//open.spotify.com/album/54I5tDCMjnNVWSENHg8EDH?si=q2JPIFimQCac8qoVLki1Zw&utm_source=copy-link**%5D(https://open.spotify.com/album/54I5tDCMjnNVWSENHg8EDH?si=q2JPIFimQCac8qoVLki1Zw&utm_source=copy-link)
%5Bhttps%3A//open.spotify.com/track/4wd09wCccmxUB7XVJp0RNn?si=OoQlHWqmSjiCT9LcgArrwQ&utm_source=copy-link%5D(https://open.spotify.com/track/4wd09wCccmxUB7XVJp0RNn?si=OoQlHWqmSjiCT9LcgArrwQ&utm_source=copy-link)%20

Relay Day

Date: 2026-09-15 AO: The Knoll Q: Shakira , PAX: Bulldog, Dangle, Étouffée, Sooie, Juicy J, Pebbles, AAA, Shakira FNGs: None COUNT: 8 CONDITIONS: Perfect
WARMUP:
SSHs Strawberry Pickers Mike Tysons Power Jacks
THE THANG:
Divide into teams. 4 cones = one teammate at each cone. First person finishes all 4 stations, second does 3, etc. While waiting, PAX hold squat or plank.
– Round 1: all together. Shuffle, sprint, shuffle, super marios – Deconstructed burpees: 20 x squats, merkins, jump squats, 10 x presses, – Leg day relay: 20 x scissor lunges, weighted squats, monkey humpers, power jacks – Egg + Spoon race: On-deck PAX do scissor kicks or LBCs. 10 burpees if egg is dropped. – Arms: 5 perfect pushups, tag out partner who does plank jacks
MARY: Stretching, pushups, squats
MOLESKINE: Gratitude for a community where we can work hard to pursue shared values together
ANNOUNCEMENTS: Juicy offered open invites to 5ks this Saturday and next!
COT: Prayers for Etouffee’s Uncle and Etouffee’s business.
PLAYLIST:

Nein! NEIN!!!

Date: 2026-09-09 AO: Insane Train Q: Sooie , PAX: Half Lyfe, Juicy J, Roadkill, Bulldog, El Capitan, 2 a dayz, Sooie FNGs: None COUNT: 7 CONDITIONS: Pleasant, just shy of wunderbar.
WARMUP: SSH: 27 BAC: 18 BBAC: 18 Squats IC: 9 Merkins IC: 9 Stretch OYO
THE THANG: Moseyed up to the playground only to discover someone had surreptitiously left a sheet of paper with the mnemonic “SCHNITZEL” scrawled on it, so we proceeded to make a workout from it! 9 exercises. 9 reps. 9 rounds. 1 champion. S – shoulder press C – curl H – halo N – Nantucket squeeze I – imperial crawler T – twist Z – zercher squat E – elevated splunge L – lunge
MARY: 1 minute plank buyout
MOLESKINE: Reading Wendell Berry for the first time. Reflecting on taking time to pay closer attention to the people and processes taking place around me and not just rush from point A to point B. Thinking more in terms of generations rather than seasons.
ANNOUNCEMENTS: WESTSIDE WEDNESDAY tonight! Juicy J and Roadkill are both :hardcommit:’s for it! 5:30-7:30. Tailgate Brewery. BYOF
COT: El Capitan completed all 9 rounds. I awarded him FREE F3 workouts for the rest of the month. SalPal can redeem that voucher. Awarded all PAX present with a commemorative coloring sheet in honor of our Nein! NEIN!!! workout. Though it was Bulldog who got the official workout sheet.
Color your sheet. Post it as a reply to this backblast. The PAX that receives the most emojis will get free F3 workouts for the rest of the year! If you weren’t present, feel free to print and color your own sheet attached to this backblast.
Prayers lifted. Mountain Mojo enjoyed!

[Pain Train] Pain Train

Date: 2026-09-04 AO: Pain Train Q: G-string , PAX: Sooie, Juicy J, Pebbles, Half Lyfe, Roadkill, El Capitan, Wolfpack, G-string, Cheeks, Bulldog, Hooters, Inchworm FNGs: None COUNT: 12 CONDITIONS: Perfect for a South Texas boy. Aka, hot and humid
WARMUP: SSH x 33 5 burpees Imperial walkers 5 burpees Slow squats 5 burpees Merkins 5 burpees Stretch OYO while workout is explained
THE THANG: hyrox style: complete exercise then lap around the park 50 thrusters Angry bear crawl 25 man makers weighted lunges 1:1 50 rows Burpee broad jumps 50 merkins Shout out to Pebbles for crushing the workout and lapping, I think, everyone.
MARY: Coupon WW2 Leg raises Heel taps Plank
MOLESKINE: Be free of the outcome. Working in the ER means being prepared for anything to come through those doors with no warning. It also means that I rarely see how people end up. Someone comes in with a stroke or heart attack, and I have about five minutes to do everything I can for them before sending them off with a different team, and I may never find out what happened or even if they lived. People come in from overdosing on something. We get them stabilized and send them out just hoping they won’t fall off the wagon again. In those few moments I have with them, I have to give all my expertise (limited as it is), all my hope for them, and some joy to ease their fear. Then, when that time is up, I leave and do it again for the next patient. Every person I encounter, I want to see them healed, but that isn’t my place to force that. I have to trust my team, the other teams in the hospital, and the patient themselves. In doing that, if there is success, it isn’t mine alone. If there is failure, it isn’t all my fault. I have to give everything and then let go peacefully. Same can be said for raising our children and so many areas of life. Do what you can, and be free of the outcome. “Have no anxiety at all, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, make your requests known to God. Then the peace of God that surpasses all understanding will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:6-7
ANNOUNCEMENTS: – CSAUP burpee run thing by Wolfpack on Sunday – 5k on the 26th Juicy J – IronPax is live!
COT: Prayers were offered up.
PLAYLIST:

The Knoll

Date: 2026-09-01 AO: The Knoll Q: The Banker , PAX: The Banker, Timber, Pebbles, Sooie, Juicy J, AAA FNGs: None COUNT: 6 CONDITIONS: Fooled us with some dry wonderful conditions and then the steam machine turned on.
WARMUP: A few SSH, slow merkins, slow squats, stretching
THE THANG: Wurph not to be confused with its cousin Murph 1 mile run, 10 rounds of 10 burpees, 20 dips, 30 squats each. Set the timer for 1 min and 45 sec each round, finished with another mile run.
MARY: no time
MOLESKINE: I recently watched the movie Young Washington, which you can watch on the Angel app, and found it to be a very good movie. It was centered around George Washington’s younger years and highlighted some of his early challenges, particularly around his stubbornness and inexperience. I enjoyed seeing and reflecting on my own mistakes and my own shortcomings and how to think about channeling that into wisdom and understanding that comes from defeats. You never know what lies on the other side of defeat, and as long as you don’t quit or give up, you give yourself a chance for amazing things. Disclaimer: It’s pretty gory and graphic in parts, so it might not be suitable for young children, but my older boys enjoyed it as well.
ANNOUNCEMENTS: See general channel
COT: Prayers were said
PLAYLIST:

More Fun Than an OTB Trail Run

Date: 2026-08-24 AO: The Eddy Q: Sooie , Hooters PAX: Stubs, FLO, Hooters, Sooie, Roadkill FNGs: None COUNT: 5 CONDITIONS: 63 degrees. Waxing Gibbous Moon. Perfect rucking weather!
THE THANG: Our journey began as all such journey’s begin, with a pensive reflection on the quote chosen by the Q. In this case, we bent our minds around the anonymous quote: “Everyone’s a gangster until they’re in the woods at night.”
And thus we set out into the dark woods. We traversed the traditional path and took a sharp left before the steep incline to briefly gaze out from atop the rough-hewn, timber tower. Having satisfied our gaze, we continued on, YHC ignoring the inscribed warning of an impending dead-end. And lo! as our path was barred before us, we escaped by way of the unpaved connector trail which took us deep into timber rattler territory. The cool temperature salved our trepidations as we trusted that the fearsome ejaculations of Roadkill’s rum buffer wouldst protect our company! Alas having escaped from the dark un-snake-bitten, we met the pavement again and continued on! The final event of note was the appearance of a timely omen! The forest spirits sent an owl (great-horned or barred, I could not tell) which alighted on Hooters broad shoulders, indicating that he shouldst be declared then and there AOQ of the Warner marches!
MOLESKINE: Reflected on the implications of the quote at the outset. That though the woods be daunting alone, in the company of doughty brothers, nothing is to be feared! Prayers lifted and our company dissolved, parting ways to our various appointments of the day.
ANNOUNCEMENTS: 9/9: Westside Wednesday! see FLO
PLAYLIST: Hootin’ Hooters