F3 Hartsville Presents the 4th Edition of The Fox #CSAUP

B.L.U.F. – It’s hard. You’ll get better. Sign up HERE

It’s baaaack!

Mark your calendars now! Back for the fourth consecutive year on Saturday May 11th the PAX of F3 Hartsville will host the #CSAUP that F3 Nation will be talking about the rest of the year…The Fox!

You’ve heard of The Goat and The Mule and some little fun run called The Yeti…well The Fox eats Goats, Mules and Yetis for breakfast!  That’s probably not true but after cementing The Fox into the #CSAUP Hall Of Fame last year, YHC and team have raised the bar yet again. Through each stage of planning we have erred on the side of “choosing the hard thing”. You’d think we would be experienced by now…but no, we still don’t exactly know what we’re doing so it will definitely be Completely Stupid and Utterly Pointless.

What is The Fox?

This is a team event.  Put your three or four man team together considering speed, strength and endurance will be equally relied upon in this challenge. Don’t have a team? That’s fine, sign up anyway and we will put you on a team!  We will classify teams in four groups and each group will have a staggered start time; Gazelles(6-8 min/mile 10K pace), Thoroughbreds(8-10 min/mile 10K pace), Clydesdales(10+ min/mile 10K pace) & Mules(If you plan to RUCK the event. Minimum weight requirement is 30 lbs).  The course is approximately 11-13 miles (ish) around town hitting at least 5 AO’s full of pain with some extra pain stations built in along the way.  We will start and end at Prestwood Country Club (because we’re classy like that, and Tater Salad is on the board) and the course will be both on and off pavement (WAY off pavement at times).

The Fox 2nd F

Bowtie is in charge of the entertainment this year.  His favorite types of music are death metal and Mexican mariachi so who knows what will happen.  No matter the band, immediately following the event there will be some solid Second F at the club with beer & food provided (bring your own lawn chair). This is really what makes the event worth while, sharing war stories from the event with your brothers, new and old alike. Winners for each class will be announced during this time so be sure to stick around.  I hear there may even be prizes! 

The Fox 2.0 Race

Be sure to bring the whole family! We will have a Fox 2.0 course set up for the young guns (boys and girls)! Race will start at 11:15.  Course will be approximately 2 miles with several “obstacles”. We will put 2.0’s on teams based on age or they can form their own team if preferred (sign them up as any racing class…it doesn’t matter) and each team will be accompanied by an adult (certainly your M or yourself are welcome to run as well). You don’t want to miss out on this part! T-shirts will be given to all who register!

The Why

Why give 3-4 hours of your Saturday to such a pointless and stupid event?  Because it’s actually the opposite of that.  You will push yourself to new heights and relish in the victory with your brothers of completing an event as tough as this!  And…because it’s not about you.  It’s about the guy who will be on your team that needs you there so that he can reach the next level.  Don’t let him down!

Who Are The Event Q’s?

Bow Tie, Ground Blind and Divac

Is It Ruck Friendly?

Heck yea!  We can’t promise there won’t be other heavy things to lift but this will be great training for anyone preparing for a GoRuck challenge.

What Kind Of Equipment Do I need?

Flippers, goggles, one of those triathlon unitard things….No really, normal workout gear should suffice.  I would recommend some high socks to protect your shins.  Remember, it’s both on and off pavement.

How Long Will This Take?

We’re not sure.  I would budget for AT LEAST 2.5 hours for the Gazelles (and that will be smoking it!)  Wheels up at 0630 for ruckers and we hope all will be enjoying some Second F by 1100.

What Does It Cost?

Nothing, zero, zilch, nada to participate.  BUT…it does cost to put the event on.  Last year we broke even, almost to the dollar! This year we are donating anything above cost to Cypress Adventures.  If there were a youth form of F3 & FIA, this would be it!  These kids are learning about leadership and doing most if it through experiences outside (sound familiar?)  (Website here)  So if you are so inclined please send a donation (in the amount of your choice, even $5 helps!) via PayPal to blake_faucette@yahoo.com  Please use “friends and family” method and indicate “The Fox” in the comments section.  All registrants (including 2.0’s) will get an event T-shirt.

Who Is Invited?

All men 18+.  All of F3 Nation is invited and this could be a good chance to get some FNG’s, if they like a challenge.

Do We Need Volunteers?

Yes. We will need volunteers for pain stations, hydration stations, photography, chase car and probably more that we haven’t thought of.  If you or your M or 2.0 would be willing to volunteer, please contact one of the Q’s, indicated in the comment section at the end of the post, or sign up here.

What Is The Route?

Now that would spoil all the fun…

Where Do I Sign Up?

Please sign up here.  Sign up as an individual or a team.  If you know your team make sure that each member includes the SAME team name.  If you sign up without a team we will group individuals together the best we can.

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6 Week Weight Loss Challenge – Spring 2019

Need to lose some weight but don’t have accountability? Love competition and winning money? Here's your chance. If you're like me and have been wanting to drop a few pounds, there's absolutely no reason for you to say no to this challenge.

What: It's simple. $20 buy in. Whoever loses the highest percentage of weight in 6 weeks wins the pot.

When: 04/11/2019 - 05/23/2019

Where: You must bring your cash to me on April 11th and we will all weigh in and out on the same scale that I provide. No exceptions. There will be three opportunities on the weigh-in and weigh-out days.

  • 5:00am @ The Clinic (This will be quick so you can make it back to your AO)
  • 5:15pm @ Revolution
  • 6:45pm @ Mac's for Happy Hour

Details: Yes, there will be a chat and you will be added at weigh in. Yes, it will be gone when this challenge is over. You can direct your questions to the chat or me directly. If you fail to weigh in or out on the same day, you forfeit your chance at winning and it will go the the next in line.

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HC for Waterbug

Weather: Who cares?

F3Hartsville took a gut punch this past weekend. One of our Redwoods, a warrior, known and respected by all, ran his last mile. His finish line came up before any of us expected it to. In retrospect, I can't think of a more fitting way for Waterbug to pass away. He was running with a couple of fellow pax, both of whom came into F3 out of shape and needing encouragement to step up as leaders of men. Both Paula Dean and Skinny Pete have been transformed by their participation in F3 in general and by their relationship with Waterbug specifically. The light shines brightest when the night is darkest.

To honor Waterbug's legacy, everyone agreed that this special Tuesday Convergence should feature some classic Waterbug tortures.

LoveBug led us out.

All pax gathered up and planked in a moment of silence around the flag.

SSH IC x 20

Reach Thrus IC x 20

GroundBlind took over.

Count off in 4's. Everybody got it right until some guy from Revo showed up late and said "FIVE!" We have to give Revo pax a pass, because they chose to stay up from last night's HH and walked over from Mac's. #Respect.

Station 1

Spartan bucket carry and spear throw. Lawn darts in the dark with a flashy hula-hoop while pax run close by is a thing. This ain't no place for sissies. Speaking of sissies, YHC pulled up lame with a busted groin thanks to whuppin' Southern Belle's rump in the NFL Combine queue. The bucket finished YHC off. Judge Judy did my burpees.

Station 2

March Madness. WB was renowned for his work with balls. He loved his balls, especially sharing them with other pax. Only in F3 would that sentence be OK.

10 Merkins right hand on ball

5 Bball burpees/10 leg raises with ball

10 Merkins left hand on ball

5 Bball burpees/10 leg raises with ball

10 Diamond merkins on ball

5 Bball burpees/10 leg raises with ball

10 Elf on the shelf to the right/10 to the left

5 Bball burpees/10 leg raises with ball

10 Squat thrusters with the ball

5 Bball burpees/10 leg raises with ball

Station 3

Plank-o-rama

Waterbug was known for his yoga affinity. Many new pax would snicker until they started doing the workout.

High plank

Floyd Mayweathers (from plank position, reach through and punch, IC)

Catalina wine mixers IC

Superman/canoe

Low plank

Various planks till time is called

Station 4

12 Days of Christmas, Waterbug Style

It's not the loud talkers that you need to fear. Eisenhower, Barfly and Judge Judy are harmless. It's the quiet pax that scare me. Waterbug sat up late every night thinking of new ways to punish pax. Evidently Christmas time was especially hard for Waterbug, as he chose to take out all his anger and frustration from growing up in Goldilock's shadow on the poor innocent pax who showed up for 12 Days of Christmas.

Perform Day 1 and run to cones and back.

Perform Day 2, then day 1 and run to cones and back.

Repeat and keep adding another day until you get to Day 12, Day 11, etc. etc.

1 x Diamond Merkin

2 x Jump Lunges (2 ct)

3 x Plyo or Hand release merkin

4 x Carolina Dry dock

5 x Burpees

6 x Plank Jacks

7 x Jump Squats

8 x Inchworms

9 x Ranger Merkins

10 x Mountain climbers (2 ct)

11 x Rollups

12 x Groiners

 

All pax gathered back up around the flag. YHC, aka Blue Falcon, requested a round of Banjo Bear Crawl, but the pax beat me down. Thunderbird came into the center and led the pax in some Jane Fonda/Richard Simmons inspired plank leg thrust twist thingy. Audit pretty much just laid on his side and tried to look like Hugh Hefner. Not sure why he would do that in front of a bunch of men. Judgement Free Zone.

Count-off

All pax counted off. Revo dudes evidently were fully awake as we got it right all the way around the circle.

Name-O-Rama

In a beautiful display of solidarity, memory and respect, each pax said, "Farrell Talbert. 45. Waterbug" one at a time. It took a while, because we had so many pax, which made it even more powerful. Waterbug's name resonated across the field. His name will not be forgotten. His legacy is written on our lives.

Announcements

1pm Visitation at the Lakeview Baptist Church Family Life Center (Gym)

2pm Funeral service. All pax are requested by Waterbug's M to sit together and wear an F3 armband.

Graveside memorial with F3 participation. Details to follow

5:30pm Revolution Waterbug Q

BOM and Devo by Divac

One of Waterbug's last Q's was a Convergence Christmas Q, where he opened up about his battle with depression. It was tough for him to get through it, but he did it. The pax stepped up and showed great support for him. Waterbug was excellent at all things, including his Devo's.

Transparency vs. Vulnerability

I thought about telling a highlight reel of stories of Waterbug.  But there have been a lot of stories shared already and I know later today and in the days and weeks to come more and more will be told.  All of these stories are great and true.  But the gloom is meant to get better, to sharpen each other.  That’s what Waterbug did every chance he had so that’s what we’ll do this morning.

A few weeks ago, at the anniversary convergence we spoke about living more out of our true selves.  In the COT we regularly see brothers be transparent.  This is something few men in our society do.  Few men get up in front of others and share what is going on in their lives.  But guys, I’m here to tell you it’s not enough. What we need is not transparency but vulnerability.

"Transparency" means, by definition, the ability to see through something. So when someone's being transparent with you, they're letting you see into their lives. They'll let you know what's going on and even inform you about how they've been feeling. But while people who are transparent will share openly, they do so in a self-conscious, controlled way. In other words, they're presenting a processed, polished version of themselves.

"Vulnerability" though is a little different. When someone's being vulnerable, they're making themselves susceptible to the judgment of others. Vulnerability means they don't just let you know what's going on in their lives - they let you actually see how everything is affecting them. This involves them letting their guard down and relinquishing control. In other words, they're presenting an unprocessed, unpolished version of themselves.

The tricky thing about "transparency" is that it makes us think we know a person. After all, they're opening and sharing about themselves. But that's the thing - people who are only transparent tend to only share about themselves. We know a lot of facts about them, but we don't really know them.

For example, if a friend told me that he lost his job, I'd feel sad and hope he finds a new one soon. However, if he told me he lost his job and now he feels completely lost - I'd feel strangely closer with him. Why? Well when someone loses their job, that tells me about his circumstances. But when he tells me how he's handling his circumstances, that tells me a lot about him.

And that's why it's probably difficult for us to be vulnerable with others because when doing so, we're letting people get to know the real us. And we don't want people to know the real us because if they do, then they now have the power to reject us. And we don't want that. That's why it's easier to put people at arms-length and tell them just enough so that they don't have to really know us.

We can’t be vulnerable with everyone.  We can’t be vulnerable with our entire AO.  We can be transparent, and that’s a good thing.  But the hard thing, which is what we do in F3, is intentionally cultivating those relationships with a few people where we can be vulnerable.

We love you Waterbug.

 

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It Will Be a Shuckin’ Good Time!

3/30/19 – F3 Hartsville 4 Year Anniversary Shindig

 

Location: Last Rites’ House

Come one, come all!  Those who attended last year remember fellowship and Stallion winning not one but two awards.  Those of you who weren’t a part of this crazy thing we call F3 Hartsville last year, come get some great 2nd F with us this year.

What:

A party for all of F3 Hartsville AND the families of F3 Hartsville

This year we are back to shuckin’ oysters!  We will have other stuff to eat as long as you bring it (that means bring an appetizer to share).  Also, we will be taking monetary donations to apply to service projects in our community (3rdF).  That’s what F3 is all about!

Awards.  I did mention awards.  Divac will be sending out ballots shortly for your voting pleasure.  Don’t feel too bad if you don’t win one.  I know it’s hard for some, but be a man about it.  Did I mention Stallion won two last year?  Don’t let that happen again.

When:

Saturday, March 30 6:00pm. Come early to help set up if you can.

Where:

1121 Pine Lake Drive, Hartsville

How:

RSVP here by 3/23: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1MooOZrey4WZZp-WGqrPBDRKnifmQMltl_2lPRIVgkAc/edit?usp=sharing  so we can know how many oysters to buy

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2018 Mud Run

When: May 19th 2018

Where: 1215 Valley Ridge Road Gaston, SC 29053

The Thang:

It is that time of year again. Time for another CSAUP, the Mud Run. Last year F3 was around 300 of the total runners on the course, with IYAFYL coming in 2nd place (thus making them last by their own motto). This year we will expect more from them and more of you! We need all Hartsville Pax to sign up, take the challenge head on. There are 146 Pax on Convergence lets shoot for getting 80 of you  to sign up! You can Ruck, Run, Walk or Bear crawl through this obstacle course of rope swings, over/unders, that crazy pyramid log challenge. Typically this event is run in teams of four, if you do not have a team sign up anyway and we will place you on a team. This is a test of all the great things F3 can do in a mans life. Grab your teammates and get signed up by following the link here: http://f3summerville.com/mud-run-f3-nation/

We need to turn out in force. If you are not inspired by the fun of the run, be inspired by the food and annual beer boat which will be the cause for a continuation of the Bowtie-Lil Sweet "trip to the woods." I look forward to seeing all of you at this great event.

 

Cost: $60

Benefits: Unlimited!

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Pull Up Challenge

The knowledge: These fine pax made the effort of posting this past week in order to get base-lines set for a personal pull-up challenge. This challenge does not care about the total number of reps but rather improving the skill to make us all better together.

Baselines:

  • Pig Pen–4
  • Audit–5
  • Bagboy–11
  • Dumper–7
  • Greenacres–4
  • Southern Bell–2
  • Heehaw–2
  • Schaefer–5
  • Homer–5
  • Sludge–6
  • Eisenhower—10 Sec. Hang-time
  • Mams—10 Sec. Hang-time
  • Wall-E–8
  • Chainsaw–15
  • Postal–20
  • Lil-Sweet–10
  • Judge Judy—15

The Thang:

We want to see improvement by all pax. Not just one, not just two, but motivational improvement. There will be two sets of goals one for March 31 and one for April 21.

Goals:

March                                                         April

Pig Pen                   3 sets of 4                                                 3 sets of 8

Audit                        3 sets of 5                                                 3 sets of 10

Bagboy                   3 sets of 11                                              3 sets of 15

Dumper                 3 sets of 7                                                 3 sets of 12

Greenacres         3 sets of 4                                                 3 sets of 8

Southern Bell     3 sets of 2                                                 3 sets of 5

Heehaw                 3 sets of 2                                                 3 sets of 5

Schaefer                3 sets of 5                                                 3 sets of 10

Homer                    3 sets of 5                                                 3 sets of 10

Sludge                     3 sets of 6                                                 3 Sets of 10

Eisenhower         3 sets of 10 sec hang                        3 sets of 3

(arms at 90 degrees)

Mams                      3 sets of 10 sec hang                        3 sets of 3

(arms at 90 degrees)

Wall-E                     3 sets of 8                                                 3 sets of 13

Chainsaw             3 sets of 15                                              3 sets of 20

Postal                     3 sets of 20                                              3 sets of 30

Lil-sweet               3 sets of 10                                              3 sets of 15

Judge Judy           3 sets of 15                                              3 sets of 20

How to Improve:

How do we do better than our base line, I have been at this number for 6 months and it doesn’t change…

Start with your baseline, (Example)

Baseline=5

1st set do 5

One minute rest

2nd set as many as possible stopping at 5

One minute rest

3rd set as many as possible stopping at 5

Your goal is to get to 3 times your baseline

If your baseline is 5 keep doing set of pull-ups until you get to 15.

Ex: set 1-5, set 2-4, set 3-3, set 4-3

                  Even if it takes 10 sets, make it to 3 times your number

After a while you will notice your sets getting better, when you can get your first and second set to both match your baseline, up your goal from 3 times the baseline to 4 times the baseline.

Ex: set 1-5, set 2-5, set 3-3, set 4-3 (don’t stop), set 5-3, set 6-2

Don’t stop until you get to or pass your goal. By doing this you train your body to get use to more reps allowing you to strengthen your 3 set.

After you hit your baseline on all three sets, you should change your sets to match April’s goal. Meaning your fist set you should go to 10 if you were at 5. Although it will be a struggle to adjust you will slowly build back to three sets of your new number.

Closing: This is not meant to be easy, this is supposed to be a challenge, if you have any other questions let me know and we will help you succeed.

PS: Eisenhower and Mams, work together, after your three sets of hang time do partner assisted pull-ups. 3 sets of 5 each, that will help you build up to doing them on your own

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30-Day Challenge – Pull-up Pre-Blast

30-Day Challenge – Pull-up Pre-Blast

Tired of having pull-ups announced during a workout and dreading the exercise? Ready to build that muscle that has been eluding you this entire time. This is the challenge for you!

What:

30-day pull up challenge. The next installment in the 30-day challenge series from F3 Hartsville

When:

The challenge starts on Feb, 12 and ends March, 12. But you will need to set a baseline and get that number to Judge Judy before we start

What we need from you:

Go to a close pull-up bar location, War-zone, Farsight, The Clinic etc. they all have a bar/playground. Use proper form, palms out people, we are doing pull-ups not chin-ups. I will be at Farsight 5:00am and Revolution 5:15pm Tuesday 2/6, and War-Zone 2/8 at 5:00am to get your baseline numbers and demonstrate good form. If you can’t make it to one of these then get your baseline (as described below) and let me know the number.

How you will get your numbers;

We will go to the pull-up bar and demonstrate form followed by as many as you can do before you Stop/Struggle/Cant get quite above the bar. From there I will assign CHALLENGES and a training program for each person.

This challenge is for everyone who wants to get better whether you can do ½ or 20 you will get better and be victorious if you give it all you got.

Training instructions will be given after your individual baselines have been established. Everyone should be advancing as the challenge continues.

What is success:

Stick with the program for all 30 days (no, not every single day) and show progress to complete this challenge.

Await further instructions IYAFYL

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F3 Hartsville Presents the 3rd Edition of The Fox #CSAUP

It’s baaaack!

Mark your calendars now! Back for the third consecutive year on Saturday February 3rd the PAX of F3 Hartsville will host the #CSAUP that F3 Nation will be talking about the rest of the year…The Fox!

You’ve heard of The Goat and The Mule and some little fun run called The Yeti…well The Fox eats Goats, Mules and Yetis for breakfast!  That’s probably not true but after cementing The Fox into the #CSAUP Hall Of Fame last year, YHC and team have raised the bar yet again. Through each stage of planning we have erred on the side of “choosing the hard thing”. You’d think we would be experienced by now…but no, we still don’t exactly know what we’re doing so it will definitely be Completely Stupid and Utterly Pointless.

What is The Fox?

This is a team event.  Put your three or four man team together considering speed, strength and endurance will be equally relied upon in this challenge. Don’t have a team? That’s fine, sign up anyway and we will put you on a team!  We will classify teams in four groups and each group will have a staggered start time; Gazelles (6-8 min/mile 10K pace), Thoroughbreds (8-10 min/mile 10K pace), Clydesdales (10+ min/mile 10K pace) & Mules (If you plan to RUCK the event. Minimum weight requirement is 30 lbs).  The course is approximately 11-13 miles (ish) around town hitting at least 5 AO’s full of pain with some extra pain stations built in along the way.  We will start and end at Prestwood Country Club (because we’re classy like that, and Tater Salad is on the board) and the course will be both on and off pavement (WAY off pavement at times).

The Fox 2nd F

We are in the middle of tough negotiations with the band. Last year's band, Prettier Than Matt, wants a 10 ft perimeter from Arnold at all times! No matter the band, immediately following the event there will be some solid Second F at the club with beer & food provided (bring your own lawn chair). This is really what makes the event worth while, sharing war stories from the event with your brothers, new and old alike. Winners for each class will be announced during this time so be sure to stick around.  I hear there may even be prizes!

The Fox 2.0 Race

Be sure to bring the whole family! We will have a Fox 2.0 course set up for the young guns (boys and girls)! Race will start at 11:15.  Course will be approximately 2 miles with several “obstacles”. We will put 2.0’s on teams based on age or they can form their own team if preferred (sign them up as any racing class…it doesn’t matter) and each team will be accompanied by an adult (certainly your M or yourself are welcome to run as well). You don’t want to miss out on this part! T-shirts will be given to all who register!

The Why

Why give 3-4 hours of your Saturday to such a pointless and stupid event?  Because it’s actually the opposite of that.  You will push yourself to new heights and relish in the victory with your brothers of completing an event as tough as this!  And…because it’s not about you.  It’s about the guy who will be on your team that needs you there so that he can reach the next level.  Don’t let him down!

Who Are The Event Q’s?

Bow Tie, Ground Blind and Divac

Is It Ruck Friendly?

Heck yea!  We can’t promise there won’t be other heavy things to lift but this will be great training for anyone preparing for a GoRuck challenge.

What Kind Of Equipment Do I need?

Flippers, goggles, one of those triathlon unitard things....No really, normal workout gear should suffice.  I would recommend some high socks to protect your shins.  Remember, it’s both on and off pavement.

How Long Will This Take?

We’re not sure.  I would budget for AT LEAST 2.5 hours for the Gazelles (and that will be smoking it!)  Wheels up at 0630 for ruckers and we hope all will be enjoying some Second F by 1100.

What Does It Cost?

Nothing, zero, zilch, nada to participate.  BUT…it does cost to put the event on.  Last year we broke even, almost to the dollar! This year we are donating anything above cost to the Trent Hill Center for Children and Families (Website here) This is a GREAT local organization who are doing much needed work for the community.  So if you are so inclined please send a donation (in the amount of your choice, even $5 helps!) via PayPal to blake_faucette@yahoo.com  Please use "friends and family" method and indicate “The Fox” in the comments section.  All registrants (including 2.0’s) will get an event T-shirt.

Who Is Invited?

All men 18+.  All of F3 Nation is invited and this could be a good chance to get some FNG’s, if they like a challenge.

Do We Need Volunteers?

Yes. We will need volunteers for pain stations, hydration stations, photography, chase car and probably more that we haven’t thought of.  If you or your M or 2.0 would be willing to volunteer, please contact one of the Q’s, indicated in the comment section at the end of the post, or sign up here.

What Is The Route?

Now that would spoil all the fun…

Where Do I Sign Up?

Please sign up here.  Sign up as an individual or a team.  If you know your team make sure that each member includes the SAME team name.  If you sign up without a team we will group individuals together the best we can.

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Are You Up For The Challenge

ARE YOU UP FOR THE CHALLENGE??

One of the great things of F3 is the #CSAUP. Whether it’s the Marine Core Mud Run (#F3Superbowl), GoRuck Challenge, P200 or the ultimate test of strength and endurance in what is known as The Fox. CSAUP’s are great for 2 main reasons. 1) They push the Pax to train hard in preparation for the crazy stupid and utterly pointless event that will always take a man beyond what he thought he was capable of. And 2) It brings together Pax who don’t normally see each other at the Tues/Thurs workouts. THE ONLY PROBLEM WITH THE #CSAUP is….there isn’t enough of them! Thus the F3 Hartsville 30 Day Challenge was born.

What:

A series of 30-day challenges (goal is 6 per year) that focus on a specific muscle group or discipline. A goal will be defined at the beginning and a Q will be assigned. Each man will keep track of his progress, with the “encouragement” of the other Pax participating of course. Challenges could require double downs and/or solo work. After a Pax has completed 3 challenges within a 12 month time frame he will earn the exclusive F3 Hartsville Challenge Trifecta shirt or patch. Other key pieces of information include:

  • Regional 1st FQ (Goldilocks) will be the program Q with individual challenge Q’s taking the lead on the different 30 day challenges
  • Only one challenge will be active at a time
  • Challenge ideas should be presented to 1st FQ (Goldilocks) for “approval”. Requirements: it must be hard, it must be accessible to all men, there must be a clearly defined goal (preferably relative to a mans starting point)
  • Other stuff as we think of it….

Why:

Did you not read the 1st paragraph! We are not here to maintain the status quo. This is an opportunity for all Pax to go beyond their routine and comfort zone then relish with their brothers in the collective sharpening of our 1st and 2nd F.

Who:

All Pax. No excuses. Everyone is invited regardless of your starting point.

When:

Read below for launch dates of the first two challenges. After that it’s open but challenges must be approved by 1st FQ (Goldilocks).

Where:

Up to the Q. Some will be double down at the site determined by Q. Some will require solo work as well.

How:

Tab will be added to the Q sheet for Pax to sign up. https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1TPKwHL8WNM73wsfy3vw6VHu98irlhHxYVXPdbMesuCI/edit?pli=1#gid=2077069414

When the challenge starts, show up and do the work. #DFQ

Schedule:

  • Oct 10th – Kettle bell Challenge
  • Challenge Q – Green Acres
  • Goal – 10,000 swings in 30 days

 

  • November (date TBD) – Pull Up Challenge
  • Challenge Q – Divac
  • Goal – 3 pull up workouts/wk – rep specific goal based on starting point
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AT AAR

Linus got the wild idea to hike the Appalachian Trail and was foolish enough to mention it to YHC. Little did Linus know that this was a bucket list item for YHC, so I jumped at the chance to join the adventure. Then the recruiting started. As per normal, we told everybody how sucky it was going to be and that they should probably not even try attempt it. 6 more pax toed the line.

Linus brought along Short Circuit, TJ and Kevin (both FNG’s). Linus’s crew is planning an assault on Mt. Kilimanjaro in a couple of weeks, so they thought they should probably train once before heading to Africa for a 19,000 foot climb. YHC grabbed Groundblind, who wanted a little practice for his upcoming GoRuck Heavy, and Judge Judy, who can’t say no to anything.

Of course we had to set up yet another GroupMe chat so that we could have something to do during work hours other than work. We all dutifully noted what we were bringing for the community. Groundblind brought a bag of wasabi almonds and a pair of socks. Linus did not bring underwear.

The AT Assault started appropriately at the WarZone. At 1505, YHC rolled up and found Groundblind and Judge Judy sitting on the curb with their heads in their hands, looking all despondent. They told me that Linus and Short Circuit had already come and gone in disgust because YHC was 5 minutes late. YHC had no idea how anal farmers are about time until this very moment. Not to worry, however, because they returned. Groundblind made Judge Judy load all the gear that Judge Judy packed for Groundblind. The only thing Groundblind actually packed was a cooler full of Bud Lights, which he foolishly placed in the back seat between YHC and Judge Judy. The first can was opened before we hit 5th Street. It was gone before we hit the Wal-Mart stop light.

YHC made a humble request for victuals, since he had to forego lunch in order to make the 1500 step off time imposed upon us by the aforementioned angry farmer. After much mumblechatter, and let’s just call it unjustified verbal abuse, Linus finally pulled into the Hardee’s in Bishopville, where they took 2 hours to fill one meal. Not my fault. Linus started crying and yelling that we were already behind schedule. YHC gently reminded him that the original plan was to leave at 1700, so we were actually way ahead of schedule. Then YHC slapped the Hell out of him for disrespecting his elders. He told me I hit like Strider, which brought a tear to YHC’s eye.

We got close to our stepping off point, when the traffic came to a snarl. Evidently somebody had just died on the road. This was not a good omen. We turned around and found a different route, not wanting the same fate to visit our team, especially so early in the trip. We finally arrived at the Hike Inn campground, which was the start of the Approach Trail to the Appalachian Trail. Somebody got the fool idea to start hiking 8 miles BEFORE we even got to the start of the AT. The campsites, once we found them, were nice, however. Everybody commenced to setting up their individual campsites in a fine mist. This did not bode well for our trip. Linus planned the AT Assault around a hurricane. YHC thought farmers knew more about the weather. Perhaps he should have been looking at radar instead of his watch.  

YHC must admit that he is proud of his little brother for doing such a good job mooching gear, especially in light of the fact that he made his employee bring it all. Well played sir. Well played. TJ brought Tarpzilla, thinking perhaps that he would just go ahead and cover the whole damn mountain and save everybody else the trouble. We made him put the silver side down for fear that the reflections would confuse satellites passing overhead.

After everybody got their defecation situated, we all sat around the picnic table under TJ’s circus tent and started drinking Groundblind’s beer. Not too long after, whiskey, bourbon and rye emerged. Groundblind did not bring food or gear, but he did bring Hot Damn Cinnamon Schnapps that he stole from one of his M’s Tupperware parties. YHC slapped him in the face and pulled his man card. Groundblind was coddled as a child and never received the discipline that every young man needs. He claims it’s his parents’ fault, but YHC came from the same genetic stock and is a paragon of manhood, so it must be something else. Gay is not genetic.

YHC had planned for a long trip and brought most of a bottle of Jack Daniels Honey Bourbon. He even asked the other pax to bring extra flasks so we could tote it up the mountain. We did not need extra flasks. No honey bourbon got anywhere close to the trail. We polished that sucker off, along with the cinnamon schnapps, all the beer, a goodly portion of rye and some other surprise whiskey that Judge Judy brought along. We think he stole it from his parents’ house, which was only 2 miles away. The fact that he was afraid to take us there for a good home cooked meal lovingly prepared by his mama is the main evidence we had to derive the origins of said whiskey. Judge Judy has no real friends either. He called one guy asking for more beer, and the dude hung up on him after calling him foul and vulgar names.

After waking up the rest of the campsite with our loud talk and suggestive language, the pax tumbled into our respective abodes for the night. Upon waking the next morning, some things became clear.

  1. TJ packs like a junior high girl going to her first sleepover.
  2. Linus is a coffee snob and only uses a French press. (YHC was pleased with this revelation.)
  3. Hammocks suck as a means of getting any sleep.
  4. Freeze-dried meals have come a long way.

Linus cooked up a breakfast compote of eggs, hash browns, bacon and a few other ingredients. It all came in a little foil pouch, but it tasted like down home cooking. YHC is going to recommend Carolina Lunch start using these pouches.

After a satisfying breakfast, we all packed our gear. Four people had to help TJ stuff all his crap into his Army issue ruck. Judge Judy bounced around like a Lab puppy. Rogers kept circling his hammock, looking for the sleep he lost the night before. YHC thought he had a big tarp until TJ started packing up the parasail.

We all loaded up and took off for the Hike Inn parking lot to begin our trek through the woods. This is where the minutes of planning by Linus showed up. Everybody wandered around aimlessly, looking for the start. Short Circuit blew a circuit, because nobody put little feet on the road to guide us. Rogers couldn’t see anything, because his Ray Charles sunglasses were so dark. One stranger came up and put a dollar in his cup and said that he inspired him to overcome his own fears. After several minutes of circle jerking, YHC took the lead and found the trailhead. Wisdom comes with years.

We finally started on the trail, again two hours later than Farmer Linus would have preferred. It was warm and muggy and uphill. That pretty much sums up the day. About 3 minutes in, YHC was already considering faking an injury and heading back to the Hike Inn for some R&R. Within 5 minutes, Groundblind, Judge Judy and YHC had already put 5 miles between us and the rest of the pax. Being more gracious, refined, gentlemanly and merciful than the other two, YHC inquired as to whether we should hold up for a little bit to see if the rest of the pax actually made it out of the parking lot. The pax slowly emerged from the trail. Linus, then Rogers, then Kevin, then Short Circuit, then TJ, with his railroad car sized ruck. This did not bode well for our merry band…

After walking a few miles, some things became clear:

  1. Groundblind and Judge Judy have intense gastro-intestinal issues.
  2. There is no downhill on the AT, except to make you go uphill again.
  3. TJ has only one gear.
  4. Rogers will make a fine panhandler one day.

The group settled into a routine. About every mile the front 3 stopped and waited for the back of the inchworm to catch up.

The trail is pretty clearly marked with blazes every few hundred yards. Shelters and water sites are posted as well. We came upon our first shelter and took a load off. Three guys were already there, along with Cujo, the vicious attack dog from Hell. One of their guys told me to feed him something and he would calm down. I told him I would prefer to keep my hand, thank you very much.

These 3 backpackers were from Texas and did not know what to do if it rained. Their plan was to wait out the storm system, which was scheduled to last for the next 15 days. YHC told them they might as well quit and head back to the Texas flatlands. This ain’t for sissies.

We struck off for some more suckage and began the approach to Springer Mountain, which is the Southern Terminus of the AT. After about 30 miles and 10,000 feet of elevation changes, we finally hit the spot. YHC must say that he was fairly underwhelmed. He expected to see some fanfare, maybe an amusement park or at least a food truck. All they had was a lame bronze plaque on a big rock and a notebook hidden inside the rock, where you could write your name, or anybody else’s for that matter. YHC sees opportunities for future development…

The intrepid Ridge Runners dutifully waited for the Pack Mules, then struck off for the next shelter, which was about 20 feet from Big Plaque Rock. Somewhere between here and there, TJ got lost. We spent an hour eating a leisurely meal and getting water and waiting for TJ to show up. Finally we decided to send out a search party. It should be no problem finding a big dude with a tarp that could also be used for a 1:1 map of the United States. Short Circuit made a quick trip back to Big Rock and found somebody coming up. No TJ. He returned, and Short Circuit, Judge Judy and YHC decided to strike out on the trail to see if he missed us. YHC is older than all the pax by about 15 years. His body has been beaten and battered by time, ill luck and poor decisions, but YHC can still kick some ass. We started running, fully laden, down the trail. S.C. stayed on YHC’s heels and JJ could be heard not too far behind, clicking away with his little senior citizen walking sticks. We were humping and pumping. As we came across hikers going in the other direction, we would ask if they had spotted a big ugly dude with the giganto mainsail from Moby Dick’s Pequod. “Yeah. He’s about 10-15 minutes ahead.” More running. Same answer every time. Time stands still on the AT. Finally we came across a couple going the same direction, and they said he had just passed by a minute ago. Short Circuit pulled a dirty one on YHC and pushed him down the side of the mountain, shouting “Rubbin’s racing!”,  and passed YHC just before the finish line. Judge Judy was drafting on him, so YHC was relegated to last place, but YHC does not give up easily. Just before reaching the Pack Mule, YHC threw a rock at Short Circuit and broke his ankle in 3 places. We sat down on the trail and waited patiently while Rogers, aka Stevie Wonder, took his time and chewed every bite 50 times. About 1 hour later, the rest of the pax came ambling up. Pack Mule allowed as how he stopped at the shelter area and listened for us. It never occurred to him to actually enter the shelter area or to call out. Pack Mule’s job in the Army is either Intelligence or Communications.

While we were waiting on Stevie Wonder to find us, Groundblind took advantage of the time and started a nature documentary on the life and times of flying squirrels. About 500 of them piled out of a hole in a tree and commenced to flying to another tree to escape what they could only think was Yeti in the flesh.

After catching Pack Mule, some things became clear:

  1. Running on the AT is stoopid.
  2. Short Circuit is mean.
  3. Judge Judy has deadly accuracy with his ninja walking sticks.

After so much excitement, all we could really look forward to was finding the Hawk Mtn campsite and bedding down for the night. That would make 16 miles of hard rucking across the spine of the Appalachian Trail. As usual, the Ridge Runners led the way and scoped out the best campsite  and water/privy locations. Linus and TeaBag (Kevin) came dragging in a little bit later. We didn’t worry about Pack Mule and Stevie Wonder, because they were dragging all day long, but then a couple of other hikers came along and asked if we were looking for anybody. It is hard to mistake Pack Mule and Stevie Wonder, so we knew it must be them. The hikers said that our lost souls were lost again. This was beginning to be habit forming. In a beautiful moment of democracy, JJ, Groundblind and YHC voted for Linus to go back up the 1500 foot incline to the trail and bring back the lost sheep. Linus mentioned something about the voting being rigged and North Korea having more freedoms, but we told him we would not let him have any more alcohol if he didn’t do it, so he got up and ran up the hill like a billy goat.

Some time later Pack Mule and Stevie limped in, dragging Short Circuit like he got wounded. Turns out that rock I threw on the trail hit the mark. Old age and treachery will beat youth and inexperience. Who’s running now, punk?

Short Circuit sat on a log and cried, while everybody else got busy setting up camp. Some of the other campers thought the solar eclipse was upon us when Pack Mule set up his canopy. We calmed their fears and asked them to join us for victuals and strong drink. Short Circuit then pulled out his box of wine that he had been toting for 16 Godforsaken miles. Groundblind snuck some mini-bottles of cheap wine that he stole when he crashed a wedding in Mexico the previous week. YHC broke out some aspirin, which pairs well with wine, and began to imbibe the magical elixirs.

After several passes of the box, some things became clear:

  1. YHC should never try to say inebriated in public.
  2. YHC may need to visit a physician to discuss balance issues.
  3. Groundblind sucks at making a campfire.

8 o’clock, also known as Hiker’s Midnight, rolled around, and all the pax began to feel the drag of their respective sleeping arrangements. It wasn’t long before Short Circuit replaced his crying with snores. YHC was proud of the fact that he was able to find the zipper on his mosquito net, lay down in his hammock and rezip said net without falling off the edge of the world. Everything was fine until YHC started to feel a little chilly. YHC had packed some clothes for cool temps just in case. The problem arose when YHC tried to extricate said clothes from his dry bag which was ensconced in his 500 liter (528 quart) ILBE Marine Corps ruck. To exacerbate the problem, YHC was not wearing his glasses or headlamp and his mental acuity was slightly off due to the preceding paragraph. Linus thought a bear had attacked the campsite and started whimpering in sheer terror. YHC began singing a lullaby, which made Linus clutch his blanket tightly, insert his thumb and fall back off to sleep.

After finally extricating the stupid dry bag and removing the long sleeve shirt, YHC proceeded to attempt another soft landing in the hammock of death. (Go here for hammock fails) It was not pretty. YHC ended up on his back, legs aloft. Hiking all day created a situation whereby sudden movements caused cramps to emerge. This was a delicate balancing act. After about 45 minutes, YHC finally found himself nestled in his hammock and actually in a somewhat comfortable position. Then morning came about 5 minutes later.

We all got up and began breaking camp and cooking duties. YHC, being 3rd, went down to the creek to get water for everybody. Groundblind followed soon thereafter, but not to get water. After sitting around for a couple of minutes, he began to hunt around for a suitable location to drop a load. When Groundblind hears the call of Nature, nothing gets in his way, including a clean water source for half the mountain. YHC keeps looking for news articles about a mysterious cholera outbreak in the mountains.

Judge Judy kept trying to sell his oatmeal to people, but nobody was buying. YHC ate a delicious breakfast skillet prepared by Linus, who will make somebody a fine wife one day.

We all packed up and hiked the 3 miles uphill to the start of the trail. Short Circuit took off ahead of us to test out his bum foot. Everybody was a little sore from the previous day. The last 16 miles were gonna suck.

The routine from the previous day continued. The Ridge Runners struck off ahead and then waited at specified points along the trail, usually gaps. Gaps are the point on the trail where the downhill stops and a murderous uphill begins. Every time. Without fail. The trail out of the gap is like climbing a ladder. This section had about 400 gaps. We saw Mt. Everest just below us a few times. YHC swatted a fly, and it turned out to be a passing satellite. Then we would descend into the abyss once again. For 16 miles.

At the 4 mile point, we hit a road and saw some hikers and a driver. Richard was kind enough to wait for the rest of the pax to see if Short Circuit was going to keep going or tap out. Nobody doubts Short Circuit’s manhood, except Linus, who probably knows better than anybody else. SC made the hard decision and jumped in the truck, although he had something of a twinkle in his eye when he did so. Short Circuit has now failed in the P200, the Fox and the AT. YHC took the opportunity to shed some pounds and unloaded Pack Mule's earth-sized tarp. Richard’s truck sagged a little to one side under the weight.

After dropping off the dead weight, we struck back out on the trail. More suckiness ensued. Stevie had the look of death on his face. At each stop along the trail, he looked more and more haggard. Finally we reached another gap, and Stevie Wonder tapped out. YHC tried to dissuade him, but the AT claimed another victim. From this point forward the rest of the pax were on death watch. Who would be next? Before leaving, YHC sternly warned Stevie Wonder not to return to Woody Gap without some Yuengling.

The rest of us loaded up and headed up yet another freaking 45 degree incline. We kept up the punishing pace until the next to last stop, 4 miles from the finish line. Groundblind, Judge Judy and YHC shed as many pounds as possible by consuming the rest of our snacks. When the the others showed up, we asked how everybody was doing. Pack Mule called it quits, but we called BS on that. We told him the rest of the path was smooth sailing and relatively flat. This was a bald-faced lie, but Pack Mule had already proven his profound gullibility in previous conversations. Evidently it worked, because he kept going.

About a mile into the trail, just after two hellacious uphill ascents, YHC got a wild hair and decided to start running the trail. YHC could smell ice cold beer at the finish line. Groundblind and JJ were not going to let that kind of challenge go unheeded. After about 100 yards, YHC was gassed, but Groundblind was just getting started. JJ and his gay little poles scampered past as well. They can both kiss YHC’s ass.

YHC finally dragged into the Woody Gap parking lot. It would have been all OK, except for one little detail. Short Circuit and Stevie Wonder failed to provide any beer. This is inexcusable and a flagrant miscarriage of basic manly courtesy. If you can’t make it on the trail like a real man, then at least be a good waterboy and provide beer for the A team. YHC bitched about this for the rest of the day and is not sorry for it. Linus looked unphased, no doubt because he knew the actors. Judge Judy was off by himself singing kumbayah and making smores. Groundblind went around to all the cars and picked them up, just because he could. Teabag walked around aimlessly, asking strangers if they had any beer. Pack Mule just loaded his gear and headed off into the sunset.

Overall it was a great trip. At the end some things became clear:

  1. YHC would have taken a little less gear, but not much.
  2. Going with buds is definitely preferable to striking off solo.
  3. Riding home with Judge Judy is a toxic proposition.
  4. Linus never forgets a debt.
  5. Not all mushrooms are beneficial.
  6. Lighting camp stoves with camp stoves is stoopid bur really cool at the same time.
  7. Dick’s hatband is pretty tight.
  8. We’re signing up for the next one.
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