8 PAX saddled up in The Gloom for a Bishop-led Root Scoot Boogie thru the Enchanted Forest, which was full of roots, rocks, and tree stumps…oh, my!

Four of those PAX stayed on for a Double Down, and along with 8 other unwitting souls, were subjected to a Duggar-led Deconstructed Burpee tour along El Camino Real.

Disclaimer

F3 workouts are free and you’re here voluntarily, and since YHC isn’t a professional, only you know how far you can push yourself. So, modify as needed, and let’s go have some fun.

Conditions

It was a balmy 41° F, as the Early Bird Pax stepped off for the 0600 BC. As they circled back to the parking lot for the 0700 session, and the sun rose in the sky, temps went the other way, down to 38°F. So, the naming session for the 0600 FNG was short, sweet, and to the point, and the 0700 PAX got right to playtime without delay.

The Thang

8 Early Birds stepped off at 0600, moseying through the parking lot to El Camino Real (ECR), where they took a left, and continued on for a bit, until they could pull over at a Rest Area for some COP. – SSH x 20 IC, Imperial Walker x 20 IC,  Windmills x 20 IC

Resume mosey on ECR alternating Back Peddle, Side Shuffle L/R, Karaoke L/R to the intersection with Memorial. Circle up for Round 1 of Legs Stomach And Chest (LSAC) work: Merkins x 10 IC, LBCs x 10 IC, Squats x 10 IC

Next up was playing Frogger to cross Memorial Pkwy and then hang a left on the trail. Pause for Round 2 of LSAC work: Wide Arm Merkins x 10 IC, Bicycle x 10 IC, Lunges x 10

Hanging a right, the journey began along the trail into the Enchanted Forest #NotInKansasAnymore #WatchOutForMudAndRoots #HeadlampWould’veHelped. The PAX paused halfway through at the Troll Bridge for more LSAC work: Decline Merkins x 10 IC, Knee Raises x 10 IC, Step-Ups x 10 OYO

It was quickly back to moseying through the Enchanted Forest #FollowTheBreadCrumbs, until the PAX roundtripped it to Memorial Parkway. There was another stop for yet more LSAC work: Stagger Right Merkins x 10 IC, American Hammer x 10 IC, Low Slow Squat x 10 IC

Another quarter in the arcade and the PAX were playing Frogger once again to cross Memorial Pkwy and get back on the the ECR to start heading for home. Couldn’t pass the pull-up bars without a quick Pull Up and Aussie Merkin (#DownUnderMate) Pyramid. Pax line up to 1-2-3-2-1 reps alternating between each exercise. #sweetpain #hurtssogood

Back along the ECR for a bit with one final stop at a Rest Area for a final round of LSAC work: Stagger Left Merkins x 10 IC, LBCs x 10 IC, Jump Squats x 10 IC

The Shovel Flags and parking lot, it was a Jail Break back, where the 0700 Pax gathering for their launch.

Little time was wasted in the Transtion, as YHC led the PAX thru a quick COP of SSH x 25 IC, Copperhead Squats x 20 IC, Morocaan Night Club x 15 IC, Merkins x 10 IC, and Grass Grabbers x 10 IC.

YHC took the PAX West, stopping first at the Side Yard, where we got to work on the Deconstructed Burpee, which happens to be a YHC favorite. It’s comprised of Squats x 10 IC, Leg Thrusts x 10 IC, Merkins x 10 IC, and Squat Jumps x 10 OYO.

To make a long story short, YHC took the PAX along the ECR, stopping 5x in total for a Rinse & Repeat of the Deconstructed Burpee. Having taken them far enough out, YHC brought them back to the starting point with the Battaan Death March.

Thinking the PAX could take more, YHC piled on with 11s, comprised of Burpees and Heals to Heaven.

For those counting at home (on the back of an envelope and not an HP 12C), the 0700 BC totaled ~120 Squats, 100 Leg Thrusters, 120 Merkins, 50 Squat Jumps, 60 Burpees, and covered ~2.6 miles…or something pretty close to that.

Count-O-Rama

8 Pax, including 1 FNG, were out there for the Early Bird Special. An espresso-fueled Bishop, bouncing back from a bout with a Cold/Flu, broke new ground, taking the PAX .

Name-O-Rama

#FNG Johnny Utah. – Omar Mederios hails from Santa Cruz, CA., it’s true he may like surfing, but with an undergraduate degree from Stanford and an MBA from Michigan, there’s no mistaking him for Jeff Spicoli. Welcome to the PAX Johnny Utah! #noonenightstands

BoM (Ball of Man)

Thanks were offered to the Sky Q for bringing the PAX together and offering them the opportunity to test and build their minds, bodies, and spirits in Fellowship.

NakedManMoleskin

• Somewhere along the way, Bishop, nailed the weather conditions perfectly, when he said, “Well, it may be cold, but at least it’s windy and overcast!” Brrrrriliant summary.
• When running offroad, along a trail in the woods, while it’s still dark out…yea, that would be the ideal time for a headlamp or flashlight of some kind. #gladtostillhavemyteeth #thanks4notrollinganankle
• Welcome Back Kotter goes to Comrade, who had taken a few weeks off, due to weather conditions. Not sure what ‘conditions’ he was referring to, as he sure chose one brisk morning for his return. Of course, while YHC thought of it as being ‘brisk’, having spent 17+ years in Moscow, Comrade probably thought the morning a bit stuffy and would’ve been far more comfortable in a bathsuit and flip flops.
• Britney had a classic Leon Lett moment towards the end of the 11s. Just as YHC had finished the last of the Burpees and beginng the run towards the finish, Britney, who had already covered half that distance, yelled, “I’m not going to let you lap me, Duggar!” Now, had he actually been running like he meant that, there’d be no story to tell. But instead, since he was moving only slightly faster than a group of senior citizens in line at Luby’s, it really wasn’t too hard for YHC to blow by him, before the finish. Hopefully, he’s learned the same valuable lesson that Leon Lett did – it’s not a touchdown, until it’s a touchdown. So, you never slow down and never showboat, before you cross that goal line. Words to live by.

– LEXICONOLOGY (AKA: Word of the Day)

COMPLETELY STUPID AND UTTERLY POINTLESS: Difficult Events that the PAX do together to promote Teamwork and Perseverance. Abbr: CSAUP.

This is a great time to remind you to Hard Commit (HC) for the Spartan Sprint, which the AOs of F3 Texas will be converging on on May 21. Check it out: https://www.spartan.com/en/race/detail/1880/overview

Quick reminders: 

• 2nd F This Thursday, we’ll be meeting up at Kirby Ice House for the Thirsty Third Thursday Happy Hour. Make your best effort to get there. Commit this phrase to memory: the Fitness is the Magnet; the Fellowship is the Glue; and the Faith is the Dynamite. If you don’t work on the 2nd F, you’ll never comprehend the 3rd F, and without those two, well, all F3 will ever be for you is the latest in a long line of fitness crazes that have come and gone. Don’t be a Jane Fonda.
• 1/2/(F)3 Convergence. Each year on January 1st, it’s tradition in F3 Nation to have a “Convergence” in honor of F3’s founding on 1/1/11. Since the 1st falls on a Sunday this year, we have called an audible to move it to January 2nd (and it also takes the hangover excuse of the table #NoExcuses). The 1/2/(F3) Convergence is intended to pull together everyone who has participated in a F3 Houston workout for a combined, extended event. A particular focus for the Convergence is for each member of the Pax to bring out FNGs (note: the plural was intentional!). Most guys are “New Year’s resolutionists” (“I need to get in shape this year…”), so it is a great time to bring them out to F3. It is also a great time to celebrate 3 months of F3 Houston #badassery  More details to follow.

On behalf of Bishop and YHC, thanks for the opportunity to lead on Saturday.

Aye!

Duggar