Quaker’s Winter Wonderland

 

AO: BombSquad

Conditions: 35 degrees/30 Degrees; Rain/Snow  . . . Perfect

Today started out like most days in the Gloom. Conditions were perfect! The temperatures topped out at a balmy 35 degrees (and would drop to about 30 degrees within an hour), the rain was steady with a refreshing northwestern breeze! Who could ask for anything more?

Because Candy Cane was DR this weekend our typical Earlier Riser pre-run was scheduled to start & end at the AO.

The night before, 4 Pax (including YHC) HC’d for the pre-run and as I exited my humble abode there were doubts swirling in my mind questioning whether or not any of us would or should follow through with it. As I drove down CF Blvd., the rain pelted my windshield and I thought to myself, “this would be a great snow if only it was a few degrees cooler!” As I neared the AO I thought I even saw some flakes mixed in with the rain.

Rounding the turn near Avalon I spotted in the distance Jedah’s truck in the parking lot (HC #1).  As I turned into the AO another car appeared through the precipitation and a 3^rd car was sneakily tucked to the side of Jedah.

Cross Stitch & Billy Banks (HC #2 & HC#3) remained warm inside the car next to Jedah. The other car belonged to our fearless AOQ, Beefsteak!  (If he HC’d I missed it)

Was Beefsteak here merely for moral support & to plant the Shovel Flag? No way!! As the rest of us clearly wrestled with our commitment, Beefsteak boldly stepped out into the gloom!

There was no turning back now! Once we were out in it, it was ‘ go time’! No pre-stretching, no procrastination! You can only get wet once & that occurred pretty much immediately! The only way to stay warm, however, (especially if you were like Cross Stitch wearing shorts due to an unfortunate chaffing accident last week) was to get moving and keep moving!

This is what went down!!

5:15 – We began running from the virtual Shovel Flag across the front parking lot, passed the Cross and out the main entrance of CFCC to the fun path that parallels Carolina Forest Blvd. At the path we turned left and ran to the entrance of Avalon then turned left once more onto Stoney Falls Blvd. We continued running down Stoney Falls Blvd until it terminated in a cal-de-sac just past Birnamwood Ct. Here we looped around and headed back down Stoney Falls Blvd until we reached Silvercrest Drive. Somewhere along the Blvd, Jedah fell slightly behind. At Silvercrest we circled up for SSHs until Jedah caught  up. Once we were all together again we continued to run through the neighborhood along Silvercrest Dr until it connected to Carolina Forest Blvd.  At Carolina Forest Blvd we turned left again onto the fun path and ran back towards BombSquad. We re-entered BombSquad at the main entrance and ran 2 full loops through the AO. During the 1^st loop we met up with Rousey & Pikachu getting their pre-run in. During our 2^nd loop, ERC came barreling into the AO from parts unknown (Did he do a Solo Pre-run from Early Risers?).  We finished our runs & circled up. All in all we totalled 4.01 miles!! A five minute warning was given. By this time the temperature dropped and the rain turned into snow!! After a minute of mumblechatter the BS executive board unanimously agreed to start the workout 4 minutes early to avoid the potential of hypothermia and/or exposure. Shortly there after,  Elmers rolled up to complete the Pax

5:55 – 5 Minute Warning (which became the 1 Minute Warning)

5:54 – Proper Disclaimer

COP/Trivia:

Rousey – What is your favorite female Bond Villain?  Answer: Pussy Galour (earmuffs were properly in place for all 2.0s)

4 Hairy Rockets  IC – just to get them out of the way for Pikachu

Beef Steak – What year did Steelers enter the NFL? Answer: 1933 (no one got this correct, Beefsteak thought it was 1963, YHC thought it was 1935, no one else really cared!)

15 Windmills IC

Pikachu & ERC – How many Superbowls have the Buffalo Bills won? Answer: ZERO . . . Pikachu immediately got a wild look in his eyes and bull rushed YHC for my insolence but I quickly feigned a back injury (#Pikachu’sKryptonite) to subdue the onslaught! (NOTE: ERC was not so lucky later during the beatdown)

15 Tempo Squats

Beefsteak asked the PAX – How much did Andy Rooney buy the Pittsburgh Steelers for in 1933? Answer: $2500.00 ($53,615.77 in today’s dollar)(#NotABadInvestment).

15 Imperial Walkers IC

Rousey asked the 2.0s – Who caught the Immaculate Reception?  . . .total crickets!! Answer: Franco Harris

15 Hillbillies IC

20 Little Baby Arm Circles IC

NOTE: It was about this time that YHC notice that Elmers was collecting so much snow on his clothing that he was beginning to look like a snowman. Two lessons were learned: (1) don’t face directly into the snow during a beatdown & (2) next time pre-run like everybody else . . .LOL!!)

20 Little Baby Arm Circles in Reverse IC

Mosey to the block Pile – each Pax was instructed to grab a coupon of his choice.

The THANG:

Blocking out the Cold

The PAX lined up on the west side of the Shovel Flag lot and rifle carry (YHC kept saying “fireman carry” and couldn’t understand why the Pax couldn’t follow simple directions (#BrainFreeze)) east  than north with periodic stops for some block exercises.

Exercise #1 – 5 Blockees

Fireman . . .uh, I mean Rifle Carry to the cement island halfway down the lot.

Exercise #2 – 10 Block Squats

Rifle Carry to the intersection of the Shovel Flag Lot and the Front Lot

Exercise #3 – 10 Thrusters

Rifle Carry to CF Blvd

Exercise #4 – 30 Block Curls IC

Rifle Carry to the Carolina Forest Community Church Sign

Exercise #5 – 10 Block Swings IC

Rifle Carry to the main entrance of AO

10 Triceps Extensions IC

At this point we set the blocks down

Dashing Through the Snow

Because it was snowing & our hands were freezing due to the blocks we needed to get the blood flowing. So we ran for undetermined distances with periodic stops along the way. During each stop an exercise was called out.

Run to the entrance of Avalon

10 Monkey Humpers IC (NOTE: these were properly performed by facing away from CF Blvd)

10 more Monkey Humpers IC (#Encore #CrowdPleaser)

Run across the entrance to Avalon for about 20 yds

22 Merkins OYO

Run Back to the entrance of Avalon (Billy Blanks had so much fun on the Pre-run that he suggested we take a 2^nd tour of the neighborhood).

5 Burpees OYO

Run down Stoney Falls Blvd. until it intersected with Nectar Court

2 minute Plank (we had to wait on Pikachu & ERC who were filming promos for ERC Tic-Toc page)

Run to Thistle Lane

15 Tempo Squats

Run to Silvercrest Drive

6 Burpees OYO

Turn left onto Silvercrest Drive & run 150 yds.

25 Softy Side Straddle Hops (NOTE: these were done in a whisper voice so not to awake the neighbors . . . I think Jedah may have even whispered his favorite 4 letter word b/c this is so counter intuitive to his Bostonian Instincts)

Run another 150 yds. ,(NOTE: somewhere along these runs, King James & Billy Blanks thought it would be fun to sprint & try to make the old guys keep pace!) (It was all fun & games until one of the PAX (after a few sprints) in a desperate, strained gasp, while fighting for breath leaned near YHC and simply stated, “make them stop” LOL #TrueStory)

20 Softy Alpine Skiers IC

Run until Silvercrest Drive turns east towards CF Blvd.

15 Lunges IC

Run to No Name Street that leads to Condos

15 Windmills (at this point we lost ERC, Pikachu, and King James (I think) who stayed behind to film more promotions for ERC. It is also at this time that ERC was tackled in the ‘snow’ (about 3 millimeters at this time) by Pikachu. (what we called back in the day a real #SnotBubbler)

Run to the intersection of Silvercrest & Overcrest Drive (Note: ERC staggered to this intersection)

15 Side Lunges IC (these have an official F3 exicon but I can’t recall it)

Run to CF Blvd

7 Burpees OYO

Run to the  south entrance of the AO

50 Rock Balboas on the cement Island.

Run to the main Entrance of the AO (look what’s been patiently waiting for us!!)

10 Overhead Block Presses IC

Rifle Carry the Blocks to the back Parking Lot & set the blocks down. Line up shoulder to shoulder.

3-2-1 Sprint 85% to 1^st light pole

3-2-1 Sprint 90% to 2^nd light pole . . . turn around and line up

3-2-1 Sprint 95% back to 1^st light pole

3-2-1 Mosey back to the Blocks

Rifle Carry the Blocks back to the Coupon Pile

Rack’em Dano!!

Mosey to the snow covered grass adjacent to the Shovel Flag Lot

10 Snow Angels IC (#BigFinish)

6:58 – Time Called

Count-o-Rama =10

Name-o-Rama

Announcements: Lasertag; Freed to Bleed – Feb 4^th; Get on the Q sheet.

Prayers: Prayers for family and fellow Pax, prayers unspoken.

Testimonials:

BeefSteak – “That was the best beatdown ever . . . and I don’t want to ever do it again!”

Cross Stitch – “The most fun in the Gloom I ever had . . . was it planned?”

Pikachu – “An event this special needs to be recorded”

ERC – “Somebody hit me with a snowball to make sure I’m not dreaming”

Random Motorist on CF Blvd – “What kinda sick individuals work out in weather like this & why are they lining up and grabbing their ankles . . . . .?”

Moleskin: YHC has been part of F3 Grandstrand for over 5 ½ years and today may have been the greatest, most exhilarating, fun, different, and exciting beatdown! It was not the parts (you, me, the weather, the exercises, mumble chatter, or a myriad of other components that made this so memorable. It was the final product, “the Cake”. I wish everyone would have or could have been a part of it! We all put in a lot of work during the week . . . next time let’s not forget to enjoy the Cake,too!!

Aye!!

Quaker