Date: 12/14/2020
PAX: Reentry, Snots, Ma Bell, Yahoo, Wahoo, Triple Lindy, Earhart, Entitlement, Roasters, Theismann, Side Out, Track Start, Kwik Stop, Free Bird, WWW
Q’ing for a whole week to commemorate my birthday on 12/16 & also my F3-versary since 2017. I first heard about F3 while I was in the Cary YMCA. There was a guy in the gym talking about it to his friend. He heard about F3 in Next Door website. As he described it to his friend, he said he tried it once but it was not his thing. He said they workout outside at 5:30 am rain, sleet, snow or shine. IT was bootcamp style and that is what peaked my interest. I have been searching for a bootcamp style workout group. I got into bootcamp in my last base and I fell in love with it. It pushed me and I thrived on it. I could not wait to workout in the morning. It was not coming fast enough.
In July 2013, I moved to Cary for a job after I retired from the Air Force. I have been searching for a bootcamp workout group since then. Fast forward to December 4, 2015 eaves dropping into the conversation between to workout buddies describing F3. I was intrigued and what really got me was it was “Free to all men!” I bit, hook, line & sinker. I had to find it. I remembered him breaking down the acronym Fitness, Fellowship & Faith.
I Googled F3 and it brought up F3 Nation in Charlotte, NC. I did the research on the site and found the map. I clicked in and kept clicking and eventually zoomed into Cary. There were 5 workouts at the time (A-Team, FOD, SnS, BO, DZ. The Saturday workout was in Raleigh @ Pullen Park. Eventually, the Pullen Park site was closed down and we launched Phoenix which has been going strong ever since.
My first workout was on 12/9/2015, SnS. Ollie was the Q for light pole to light pole crusher. As everyone who joins F3 and attends their first workout, I thought I was going to pass out from fatigue. What was amazing was how welcome you felt because everyone was so friendly. I knew then that this was for me and I kept coming back even being so sore that I could barely walk, sit or run.
I did take a short hiatus because my knees started to ache so much that I could not run. I was disappointed because I was making great gains with F3 and now I could not continue. I tried to heal up but my knees weren’t cooperating. I started to see a specialist and my diagnosis was I have arthritis (deteriorated cartilage on the inner portion of my knee). I could still run but it will be painful. I was so bummed. I went back to the gym and picked up swimming. It was great for my knees but I was missing something. You know it … I was missing workout out with my F3 Brothers. I looked at the Carpex workout schedule and noticed a limited run workout (Tortoises). I attended the 3/12017 workout and the rest in history. I have been going since and realized that I can still workout and get what I needed to continue to accelerate. I embraced the credo, “No Man Left Behind and No Man Left Where We Found Them!” I also embraced modify as needed. I made it a point to listen to my body and to modify as needed. My knees are still the same but it does not stop me from going to a workout in the gloom with all my F3 Brothers. Life is a BLESSING!! As Ma Bell said, we are blessed to have a choice to workout F3 style in the gloom. I am so grateful and I thank the Lord I can still get out in the gloom.
This was a long introduction but F3 has made a huge impact in my life and I wanted to tell my story. There is nothing that will ever come close to substitute F3 for me. So, to continue to honor what I love about F3, I set a goal each year to Q a workout each day during my BD week and F3-versary. This challenges me and I motivated to meet that challenge. This year is unique because we have two night workouts which I have added to the list; hence, 8 workouts, 8 Q’s.
I preblasted a few days ago what my intentions were. I was so honored this morning when 14 HIMs came to #1 of 8. It was not a beautiful morning but it was a glorious morning to be alive and in the gloom. 5 mins to start, it was a torrential rain shower. It did not matter because I was ready. What makes an F3 workout special is when the weather is a bit challenging (raining like crazy) and you have your Brothers out there in it to win it!
We did the usual F3-minstravia stuff (reciting the core values, credo, and F3 mission). Pleadged our Allegiance to Old Glory and off we go on a slow mosey / walk around the pickle to our starting point to get stretched out. Slow GMs, runners stretch (l&r), merkins in-between, plank jacks, mountain climbers and CFMs. Now the thang.
Thang 1: HB interval workout 3 rounds of 6 exercises (18 exercises total). 1 min work (AMRAP), 10 secs rest. Rotate after each minute to a different station.
Round 1: overhead press, tricep extension, LBC, KB swings, snatch with squat, reverse LBC
Round 2: Manmakers, Bent over tricep extension, flutter kicks, merkins on KB, goblet squats, heels to heaven
Round 3: KB bench press, lawn mowers, Homer to Marge, curls, squat hold with KB, WWII
After each set, mosey / walk around the pickle.
Thang 2: Murder Bunny
Mary: Mary around the the circle (PAX favorite for 10 reps (single or IC)
YHC/QIC took control with 2 mins left to get some stretching in be having a nice day!!!
COR: 15 HIMs
NOR: Honor (1), Respect (3), Mehs (11)
6 Man: Reentry
Announcements: Oakwood 24. Great cause for Healing Transitions, Duck Donut Dash
Prayers/Praises: Disco Duck’s family, Yahoo’s trip to Eastern Europe, Kwik Stop interview, Callahan’s friend Matt who lost his Dad, Hotspot’s Dad
NMS: This is #1 Q of 8 … Quest for 8 Q challenge
Thank you HIMs for letting me lead you this morning.
Yahoo … your coffee is awesome!!