It was YHC’s VQ2..that’s a Virgin Double Q for those that were wondering, and since it’s a term YHC just made up, you won’t find it in the Lexicon (yet). Being a holiday week, the overall Count clearly took a hit, but YHC was impressed by the committment of those Pax that weren’t Down Range (DR), because they ralleyed despite all the plausible excuses they could’ve employed for Fartsacking. And T-claps to the seven Pax who Embraced The Suck and went for the full Double Down (DD)!

Disclaimer

What is F3? It’s a Free, Men’s, Peer-led workout group that’s held Outdoors, Rain or Shine, Hot or Cold. YHC clearly isn’t a professional, so use your knoggins and listen to your bodies, then modify where/when needed.

Conditions

57° F and a balmy 59° F at the finish were just the conditions needed for the Pax to get their sweat on and test their Minds, Bodies, and Spirits.

The Thang

The Early Birds stepped off, 8 strong, for what is fast becoming the M.O. for the 0600-0700 workout on Saturdays at The Hogg, a String of Pearls along El Camino Real (ECR). ECR is just over 3 miles long and wraps around Memorial Park. The running trail is said to draw over 10,000 runners each day, and from what YHC has witnessed, there have been many a morning where that estimate feels low.

The eight Early Birds took a Louie at ECR, heading East. As the Pax wound around, YHC tried to use the Playthangs along the way to introduce a little fun. First up, the Pax performed zig-zag box jumps over two wood beams. Next up were Derkins x 10 IC and Dips x 10 IC at the Sound of Music Gazebo. Moseying along, YHC noted some chin up bars, so the Pax doubled back and did Pull Ups x 5 OYO, while the other Pax planked up. Down the ECR some, we came to Mount St. Houston, a modest incline along a trail that briefly run parallel to ECR. It was here that Juice (F3 Savannah) learned the imporance of gloves, because the Pax were subjected to Bear Crawl Indian Run the distance between two street lights (that second light took forever to get to) along a stony gravel trail. Much to his credit, Juice employed a little Individual Initiative (I2) and opted to perform his Bear Crawls along the grassy shoulder of the trail; smart man, that Juice is. Watching out for ant piles and Canine Bombs along the shoulder of the ECR, the Pax did the Dying Cockroach x 10 IC. Further along, the Pax did 10 Knee Ups at the Uneven Bars (side note: Inferno opted for the lowest bars, all of 5′ off the ground…but despite what he lacked in vertical acumen, he made it be known that he wouldn’t ever come up short on pushing himself). Next, it was off to the Parallel Bars for some Austrailian Pushups (so named by Britney and no one could knowledgabley contest the name) x 10 OYO, rinse & repeat. Down the way, we stopped at the Fun Deck for some In&Outs x 10 IC, as well as Freedom Twists x 10 IC. After that, it was back to the AO, to rally with the other Pax for the 0700 BC. And all of those Early Birds with the exception of Juice, who had other obligations, stayed on for the DD.

At 0700, the Pax stepped off for Round 2/1. Wanting to get the newcomers warmed up, YHC ran through:

• Side Straddle Hops x 51 IC
• Imperial Walkers x 15 IC
• Hill Billy Walkers x 15 IC
• And some other things…

Stepping off from the Shovel Flags (SF), the Pax began what YHC is sure they thought was going to be the standard run in front of St. Theresa’s Church, but instead, YHC had them do a quick loop around the immediate parking lot, just long enough so YHC could buy some time to open Pandora’s Box (the back of YHC’s SUV, where the Coupons are kept). The Pax were told to “Grab a pair!” and off we went.

The Pax moseyed, along to ECR, took a Ralph, and proceeded Double Applesauce with Coupons in hand, to the just adjacent to the Fun Deck. Once there, YHC broke out the Fun Deck (aka Deck of Death) that YHC had been concealing. From there, the #downpainment ensued with the suits as follows:

• Hearts: Side Straddle Hops with Coupons
• Diamonds: Hands to Toes with Coupons
• Clubs: Squat Thrust Press with Coupons
• Spades: Burpees with Coupons (aka: Brickees)

While circled up for the Fun Deck, adjacent to the Fun Deck, the Pax all took turns leading the Count, as 3 of 4 of the exercises were done in cadence. This offered the Pax an excellent opportunity to work on their Q form, not to mention that it allowed YHC to actually breathe. We’ll leave aside the YHC’s motivations for this until another time.

For those counting at home, a Fun Deck with Coupons is a serious beat down. Given the SSHs were done IC on a 4 Count, that means the Pax performed 280 SSH with Coupons and 140 of each of the other 3 exercises! That ain’t no child play; the Pax truly embraced the suck! To finish off the deck, the Pax were told that we’d have to run into a little Extra Credit time; YHC was proud that the Pax all elected to play out the deck! Tclaps Brothers, that’s how we all grow stronger!

Moseying back to the SF with an Indian Run. Already running long, the Pax dispensed with Mary and went straight into the CoT.

Count-O-Rama

8 Pax, including 1 FNG, were out there for the Early Bird Special. 7 of those Pax stayed on and joined 5 others (makes 12) for the Second Session. So, depending on how you count’em, it seems The Hogg had 13 for a holiday-thinned-out BC.

Name-O-Rama

#FNG G.E.D. – Huck Rocca, YHC’s nephew, is currently attending Harvard and rows on the Crew team there. He attested to the truth of OBT’s tale that it’s the 3rd500 that matters in the race. Not that YHC ever had a doubt about the veracity of said tale, but still, it’s there’s something really cool about confirming its authenticity.

#Vistor Juice from Savannah. Great to have you post with us twice this holiday week, Brother. Make sure, if you’re ever back in town, to look us up!

BoM (Ball of Man)

TAPs for those traveling. Thanks for the perfect day and the opporutnity to come out and test our minds, bodies, and spirits, so that we might become better husbands, fathers, brothers, sons, grandfathers, and friends. A prayer that the Sky Q might grant us with Widsom and Courage, so that we might become beacons of Leadership within our communities. One quick announcement that

NakedManMoleskin

• Gloves, you got to have gloves. Juice learned the hard way that when you show up without gloves, there’s an almost 100% probability that you’re going to need them. So, pack an extra set or two in the car or luggage, if you’re traveling, just don’t leave the homestead without them.
• How to Count, it’s not just for Qs anymore! Yes, that’s right, even if you’re pushing to the back of the Pax in a concerted effort to avoid your VQ, it would serve you well to review Dredd’s F3 TV: How to Count. Why? Because one day, just like yesterday, the Q may call upon you to lead the exercise and you want to be able to at least bluff your way through it. So, take a minute and check this out: https://youtu.be/xRTitxnE-mI
• Q Tip: Should you complain to the Q that something seems too awkward to do in public or too hard to do, period, then you should realize that you’re playing with fire. Know that there’s no more sure-fire way to ensure that the Q does something, than to ask him not to do something. Witness Britney remarking that Dying Cockroaches looked awkward to the passerbys; hence the reason YHC had the Pax perform Pickle Pounders right at the side of ECR (failed to mention that above). Needless to say that it was indeed comical to see 8 grown men humping the ground in broad daylight, but….well, hey, he asked for it!

– Word of the Day (WOD): THIRD-500 The ages of 40-60 (roughly) when a man will win or lose the race set out for him based upon whether or not he has continued to Accelerate through the first half of his life. Abbr: T500. Reposting this one, first, in case anyone missed it in Thursday’s BB, but also in honor of YHC’s nephew, who actually rows for Harvard.

If you haven’t read Freed To Lead (FTL), then order it today (https://www.amazon.com/Freed-Lead-Unshackling-Modern-day-Warrior/dp/0991238109) and you’ll understand the reference. In short, OBT (co-founder of F3 with Dredd) rowed for Harvard also. His coach admonished OBT and his fellow rowers that in a 2000m competition, the race was won or lost in the Third 500. In the first 500m, the rowers would be so jacked up with adrenaline that they wouldn’t notice the strain the race was putting on their bodies; in the second 500m, they’d be focused on finding their ‘catch’, when the rowers all find a rythm that allows them to row most efficiently; while in the fourth 500m, they’d be able to ‘see’ the finish line and know that it was time to ‘leave it all out there’; and so it was in the third 500m, when the starting line was a distant memory and the finish line too far off to contemplate, that the real challenge to their minds, bodies, and spirits would be greatest. Thus, the race was ultimately lost in that Third 500.

For most men, their lives progress in a similar way, but to find out how, you’ll have to read the book.

Thanks for the opportunity to lead the workouts this weekend.

Aye!

 

Duggar