Backblasts

QIC:  Bonsai

Date: 12/21/2021

PAX: Cavity Search, Picabo, Sousa, Tatonka, Toe Tag

AO: Parliament

Conditions

Not bad at all, once you got moving.

COP

Side Straddle Hops

Hold Plank till late PAX falls in

Forward Fold (IC)

Baby Arm Circles (Forward and Back)

Seal Claps

Rockin’ Night Clubs

Willie Mays Hayes

The Thang

Glow sticks were placed on the track to mark 5 lines for suicides. In between each full set of suicides PAX performed an exercise from the list below, starting the first exercise with 20 reps and increasing by 20 reps for each exercise (final exercise = 100 reps):

Squats
Squat Jumps
Bird Dogs
Lunges
Imperial Walkers

PAX who finished held plank until Q called everyone in for 5-Minutes of Mary.

Toe Tag – American Hammers
Cavity Search – American Hammers
Sousa – Aquamans
Tatonka – American Hammers
Picabo – 1-min Plank

COT

It is difficult to live as a christian, but it is incredibly easy to become one. All that God asks is that we confess we are sinners and believe in Jesus.

Because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. Romans 10:9-10a

This is an option available to everyone at all times. You are never more than one step away from salvation. No matter how much you have messed up, how bad your sins are, you can be saved in a moment.

Recent Backblasts

QIC:  Gusher

Date: 12/21/2021

PAX: Burrito, Mansiere, Squirt, Yellow 5, Shank, Mox, Zima, Pound Dog, Pomade

AO: Smackdown

Conditions

The conditions were stellar for a Christmas week gathering of middle-age men stretching and moving together. The temperature was an honest 37 degrees, and honestly, it felt like it as well. The sky was clear and the visibility reached the stars. Aviation Data Service putting out some good news for pilots and some reassurances for those passengers in economy class popping dramamine with hopes of a safe trip through the skies. Flight METAR text for the morning is KCHA 211153Z 00000KT 10SM FEW045 BKN120 BKN180 05/02 A3007 RMK AO2 SLP185 T00500022 10050 20039 58015. I really have no idea what that means, but the pilots are nodding their heads like “yeah,” co-pilots moving the gears like, “yeah.” Speaking of stars — and you know you were speaking of stars — the aforementioned 37 degree temps had a tropical flair to it. Like the em dash, it was a comfortable 37. But back to the star conversation and maybe its just the season with the Star of Bethlehem firmly implanted on the gray matter — and speaking of Gray with another em dash — YHC is well nigh convinced that gazing on the galactic lesser lights, one star moved across the darkened canvas of the expanse above and settled over a place that was not so much like Bethlehem, but more like Epcot and the heart became strangely warm (nod to our Methodism and our boy JWesley). There, YHC mused quietly, lay Recycle all bundled up and getting some extra shut-eye because no doubt, he has a fast pass. There was virtually no wind this morning, save that which broke through bowels of men, and by men YHC means one man, as they he moved into the crouch position of the block swing. Calm with the occasional gust. #blessed.

COP

Standard Smackdown Mosey Lap because repetition is where traditions are made; SSH; WMHays, IraqiTT; Folding forward, Arm circles forward, unwind it, ray lewis it, gather at the coupons in a predestined place alongside a track that is sharper than a knife (see ray lewis).

Farmer Carry Because Signal Mountain is the Mountain of the People

Gotta get those forearms worked in order to write all those Yuletide Thank You notes.
Round 1: 3 cycles: Goal line PAX 20 Merkins/20LBCs on repeat until carrier returns;;;Moving PAX farmer carries to 50yrd line, does 20 curls and farmer carries back

Round 2: 3 cycles: Goal line PAX: 20 PJacks/20BBSU on repeat until carrier returns;;;;;;Moving PAX farmer carries to 50yrd line, does 20 block swings and farmer carries back

Round 3: 3 cycles: Goal line PAX 20 Squats/20Leg-Ups on repeat until carrier returns;;;::::;;;;Moving PAX farmer carries to 50 yrd line, does 20 thrusters and farmer carries back

Round 4: 3 cycles: Goal line: 20 ShoulderTaps/20Flutter on repeat until carrier returns;;;;;”’;;;;; Moving PAX farmer carries to 50yrd line, does 20 block squats and farmer carries back

COT

Ecclesiastes 3:11

[11] God has made everything beautiful in its time. Also, he has put eternity into man’s heart, yet so that he cannot find out what God has done from the beginning to the end.

All of our times/circumstances are beautifully planned by the Lord, yet are incomprehensible in their scope. And when he says God has set eternity in our hearts he is talking about the whole issue/matter of desire/pursuit and what we think will make us happy or fulfilled. Throughout Ecclesiastes, the writer is on a quest to find the meaning and purpose of life. He seeks it in knowledge, work and the things that successful work brings, and pleasure. But each of these in themselves cannot satisfy or fulfill or provide purpose because they are all finite. But if it’s eternity that has been set in our heart, then nothing finite or temporary will satisfy or fulfill. The only source of satisfaction for the eternity within us is the eternal God. Our chief desire should be the Giver and not the gifts. The answer is not to disdain knowledge, work, or pleasure, but to see them as gifts and means to praise the Giver. May our desires/pursuits reflect that and may we work hard to steward the gift well, while we desire that which is ultimate.

CS Lewis’ much quoted statement. 

“It would seem that Our Lord finds our desires not too strong, but too weak. We are half-hearted creatures, fooling about with drink and sex and ambition when infinite joy is offered us, like an ignorant child who wants to go on making mud pies in a slum because he cannot imagine what is meant by the offer of a holiday at the sea. We are far too easily pleased.”

So, just a reminder for pursuing the proper balance, focus, desire, pursuit. It’s got to be something bigger than anything temporal. I find myself thinking too much on the gifts and not the Giver. Maybe I’m alone in that. Maybe not. There’s something outside of us that we need to find. 

Moleskin

The mosey lap around the atrophied track was silent. This evoked a sense of panic within the introverted breast of the Q. Silently, questions began to form in the cranium and fears began to swell with the immoveable force of a tsunami. Confusion settled in as there was frustration at the mixed metaphor between reality of life on a ridge and tsunami at the ocean. Obviously YHC began to fear for Recycle’s safety in the case he was planning of deep sea fishing excursion. But all of this inner monologue was brought to a screeching halt as we formed up for some warmup movements in the shape of a rhombohedron. It is always remarkable how the command to circle up can turn into almost anything other than a circle. Mansiere, the man who dispenses more knowledge than a PEZ, can break the silence with a piercing question that may at first blush seem purely hypothetical. Alas, this man trades in reality and brass tacks is his currency. If you had an unlimited amount of money to spend on office supplies, what would you choose? These are the fundamental realities. Plato positing from his cave could never concoct a mind-bending question as this. YHC fears his own first thought betrays his dearth of office understanding. Immediately, the Q lost cadence imagining a lifetime supply of Pilot G-2 0.7 multi-colored pack of pens. Mansiere and Burrito went straight to noice cancelling headphones and standing desks and mats for ergonomic chairs to roll upon with ease. Did YHC’s thoughts fast pass to the CoT with the words of CS Lewis “your office supply desires are too weak?” Yes, but then Mansiere affirmed the 0.7 ball point, which does surpass all others for its writing and underlining capabilities. Jay Bilas gushes at the Pilot G-2 0.7 potential and wingspan. Burrito chimed in with his affinity for 0.5 lead pencil to which he was resoundingly admonished as the discussion did not center on pencil. There are no scantron tests here. Then whilst carrying coupons the way a farmer carries something in each hand, Pomade announces that he is leaving the Port. Completely befuddled, the eaves dropping began. “What is this Trent Pomade is pontificating about?” He’s talking about cruise ships. Negatively at that. Now, Pomade is as cool and laid back as the mountain fog on a Wednesday morning. He settles in and crushes every workout in good weather so one can understand the perplexity here. There is no vacation spot more calm and laid back than the cruise ship. YHC would have guessed Pomade to be the King of the Lido Deck. It is not always wrong to be wrong, but this time, YHC could not be more wrong. Wrongness reached its limits with this one. The 24 hour buffet options are not enough to sway Pomade. The man loves land. And you cannot condemn a person for that. While the visibility upwards seemed limitless, things get murky when looking to the left. But one PAX three over said something about “hangover” and “Sunday night” and “it’s the most wonderful time of the year.” Now, F3 is a true judgment free zone. Planet Fitness may plaster this phrase all over their purple walls, but who wants to pay a monthly fee to have people tell you they won’t judge you when you can come to F3 for free and not be judged? Seriously, this is free of charge and free of judgment;;;;and you can drop your coupon as hard as you want on the ground. Burrito went to law school and two things got him through those years. “Hardwork and dedication?” you ask. “Wrong.” Putin and Creed. YHC cannot remember the precise details. There was a lot of discussion about Creed and something about human clay and a paper route in a suped up Mustang with Bose speakers. Honestly, things began to get a little dicey because YHC never really listened to Creed. I believe in good music that is varied. Then Burrito demanded that YHC has, in fact, listened to Creed. This dogmatism and enforced acceptance of past experiences, one guesses, is where Putin comes into the picture. Apparently Camp Vesper Point, a youth rally in nashville, and Jump Little Children have a lot in common. I do hope it is not the hallucinogens JLC may have been known to digest in the mid ’90s South Carolina music scene. Squirt is a beast and one will be bettered if paired with him for any exercise pairing. There are seven point nine billion people in the world according to the Worldometer. Ten showed up to Smackdown. Some had to miss because of circumstances that demanded absentia. You know who you are and you are not forgotten. The ten, plus the excused absences, make up quite possibly the best of the best of the seven point nine billion. It is a privilege to move about the track with these HIM. Is it the most wonderful time of the year? Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus. And let it be stated again for the record, Zima is the coolest. The Outkast once asked, “now, what cooler than being cool?” “Zima,” was the answer André 3000 was looking for. He never found it and that is why they broke up. Do not forget your history. Coffee is now done.

News

Playlist from high school (92-95) and there will be no apologies for that.

Recent Backblasts

QIC:  Blackout

Date: 12/20/2021

PAX: Back Pew, Friar Tuck, Pink Panther, Roomba, The Count, Transplant

AO: Lion’s Den

Conditions

Low 30s. Cold, but we made sure to move around to stay warm. Very minimal wind.

COP

Mosey to Track

The Thang

PAX partnered up in one corner of the track for DORA style exercises. One PAX perforemd exercises below (Cumulative reps per pair) while the other ran the length of the track and then ran back. Exercises were as follows:

COT

Spoke about the Christmas Story in Luke and how it has got me thinking about the plans we make for our life and how we sometimes stray from God’s plan to make our own. In the story of Jesus’ birth, Mary was a young teenager when she was approached by the angel telling her she was to give birth to the Messiah. The reality is, Mary had plans. She was to merry Joseph, grow up and start a family. She must have been terrified. However, she did not let the fear overcome her, she stuck with the plan that the angel laid out for her. So many times in life, the reality is that we make our own plans. We know how we want our days, weeks and even years to end up. In the end, we must shift our way to thinking to allow God’s plan to enter our hearts, especially when we least expect it. We must allow God to interrupt our lists and our plans so that we can live in glory for him. My challenge to myself and all PAX in attendance was to be open to interruption from God’s plan. It is always better than our own plan even when we don’t feel like it is.

Moleskin

First three PAX to show up (myself included) are all dealing with upper body injuries/pain of some sort. PAX asked Q to modify with less upper body. Turns out Q already had a Leg Day planned. Worked out great!

PAX are well aware of their own limitations….especially when it comes to 200 pickle pointers. “We will never last that long”

News

Chubby’s Helping Chatt’s Homeless Ministry on Monday nights 6-8pm.

See 2nd-f and 3rd-F channel for opportunities as they arise.

Fourth-F weekend in May, reach out to WuzntMe for details.

Convergence Christmas Eve at 0700 at Anvil and New Years at Anvil time TBD

Recent Backblasts

QIC:  Blackout

Date: 12/14/2021

PAX: AOL, Cavity Search, Face Plant, iLean, Mandela, M.I.A., Tatonka, Toe Tag, WeBlow

AO: Parliament

Conditions

Stupid Cold

COP

Mosey to Track

The Thang

Workout consisted of splitting the 400M track into four quadrants (2 straightaway quadrants and 2 curves). PAX ran (it is track day after all) until whistle blew from Q. Q had watch set to blow whistle at 2,3,4, and 5 minute intervals. Once whistle blew, PAX did the following depending on where they were on the track:

COT

Shared some words about being willing and able to “have the hard conversations”. So often, I get caught up in letting others handle it or avoiding those conversations when it comes to situations that are unjust or potentially could cause conflict. As leaders, one of the things we need to be able to do is to hone our skills in that area so that we can have those hard conversations. The reality is, we live in the 21st Century where nearly everything is considered offensive. We can’t let that stop us from starting the hard conversations, calling out what is unjust as unjust when we see it and making the tough decisions if needed after those conversations. This is great skill to work on for myself and many other PAX of F3 Chattanooga.

Moleskin

Discussed this workout plan with MIA at work day before, he said he would come because he like the concept. I did not, however, disclose the rep counts, which was a point of contention at the beginning…..

Lots of good run groups formed with MC abound.

Cavity Search got stuck with 25 burpees back to back, he thought it is because I was doing it on purpose, but really he is just very skilled at keeping the same pace in his laps. I call that skill, not coincidence!

News

See 2nd-f, 3rd-F and 4th-F channels for information

Christmas Eve Convergence at Anvil 7:00 am Friday 12/24

Recent Backblasts