F3 Knoxville

Relentlessly pursued

THE SCENE: Heavy rain that stopped when we started, temps in low 50’s.
F3 WELCOME & DISCLAIMER
WARM-O-RAMA:

Plank arm and leg raises, 20 plank jacks, 10 Burpees, 10 Rockettes, 10 Windmills, 10 temp squats.
THA-THANG:
Quick mosey to Dragon Fly.  We will do Route 66 up dragon fly with the following exercises:

  • Squat jumps
  • Dive bombers
  • Imperial Walkers

Quick mosey back to AO.  Break into teams.  Each team grabs a set of bricks.  We will do Doras.  One partner runs around parking lot in the following fashion:  Bernie Sanders Corner 1 to Corner 2.  Bear crawl Corner 2 to Corner 3.  Sprint Corner 3 to Corner 4.  Lunge Corner 4 to Corner 1.  Meanwhile, the other partner will be doing exercises with the bricks.  Then the partners switch off.  These are the exercises with the bricks:

  • 100 Overhead Presses
  • 100 Brick Punches
  • 100 Curls
  • 100 Wings Up
  • 100 Rows with hands at sides
  • 100 Wings Down
  • 100 Wings Out

Next we Bernie up Mini Cardiac and sprint back down.  Do 20 Merkins at bottom of Mini Cardiac.  Next time we Grapevine up Mini Cardiac, switching way we face halfway up.  We sprint down and do another 20 Merkins.

Quick mosey back to AO.

MARY:

Cash out with ATM’s.

COUNT-OFF & NAME-O-RAMA
Five men, no FNG’s.
CIRCLE OF TRUST/BOM:
One of the wonderful books I have read on the subject of God is by Ken Gire.  It is entitled Relentless Pursuit.  In it, Gire talks about how God, in his love for us, relentlessly pursues us.  We may stray, we may ignore, we may hide, but God comes to find us, the Good Shepherd seeking his lost sheep.  The first chapter, “The Pursuit”, talks about a poet named Francis Thompson.

In 1987, Wilfred Meynell, the editor of a Catholic literary magazine called Merry England received a parcel of mail containing disheveled manuscripts.  An unsigned note said, “I must ask your pardon for the soiled state of the manuscript.  It is not due to slovenliness, but to the strange places and circumstances under which it has been written.”  Meynell was fascinated enough to go through the manuscript, finding some poems and prose.  One of the poems particularly moved him.  The parcel had no return address.  He published the poem in the next edition of the magazine in hopes the author would contact him.  After the publication, the author did contact the editor, leaving the return address of a chemist shop.  When Meynell went to the chemist shop, the chemist told Meynell that the author was a man who was living on the streets.  He owed the chemist a debt for opium he had purchased and was selling matches make money to live by and pay off his bills.  Meynell paid the bill and left an invitation for the author to visit his office.

One day, unannounced, a thirty-something year-old man showed up with stained and threadbare clothing.  His body was frail and many years of drug addiction had taken there toll on him. He was Francis Thompson, the author of the poems and prose in the manuscript.  He has been born into a respected Catholic family.  He had gone to med school on the wishes of his father but dropped out, not liking it.  An argument with his father came afterward and Thompson left to make it on his own.  Instead he found opium and became addicted to it.

Meynell’s family watched over him, placed him under a doctor’s care, and sent him to a monastery where he was temporarily freed from his addiction.  For the 1889 to 1907, Thompson wrote three volumes of poetry, numerous literary reviews, and an essay on Shelly that was highly acclaimed.  His most noted work was a long poem entitled “The Hound of Heaven.”  In 1907, after a major relapse into addiction, Thompson died at the age of 48.

His poem, “The Hound of Heaven”, is considered to be one of the greatest in English literature.  In the poem, he talks about being pursued by a chasing Hound Dog .

I fled Him, down the nights and the dayss;
I fled Him, down the arches of the years;
I fled Him, down the labyrinthine ways
Of my own mind; and in the midst of tears

Thompson also describes the pursuer:

But with unhurrying chase,
And unperturbed pace,
Deliberate speed, majestic instancy,
They beat – and a Voice beat
More instant than the Feet –
“All things betray thee, who betrayest Me.

The Hound thus claims that the one pursued is acting in a way that betrays him as well as the Hound.

The pursuit continues through the poem until the pursued finally turns to face the predator, the Hound.  He finds that the pursuer was not a Hound, but God, his father.  The father speaks:

All which I took from thee I did but take,
Not for thy harms,
But just that thou might’st seek it in My arms.

The father later exclaims:

Ah, fondest, blindest, weakest,
I am Whom thou seekest!
Thou dravest love from thee, who dravest Me.

God pursues us.  For Thompson, God took the form of a hunting hound.  For others, God takes a different form.  For example, the author Anne Lamont talks about God pursuing her in the form of a mewing cat, continually showing up at her door.  She reluctantly feeds it milk and the cat keeps showing up until finally it is purring on her chest, gently kneading her.

God pursues each of us.  How is God pursuing you?  Does God come to you as a question that keeps ringing in your head? In the form of dissatisfaction with your current job or position in life that your are afraid to change?  In the longing for new meaning or answers that you just can’t seem to find?  We are unique individuals whom God seeks in different ways.  How might God be pursuing you right now?  Are you ignoring Him, running from Him, afraid of Him, dissatisfied with Him, angry with Him?  Dare to listen, dare to turn your head to see Himm.  You just may find a loving father with outstretched arms, saying “I am what you are seeking!”

MOLESKIN:
Prayers for Iceman’s mother, Mr. Jinxy’s father and Pinto.  Praise for the birth of Sparkler’s cousin.
ANNOUNCEMENTS:
Board meeting immediately after workout!

Ropes and bricks

THE SCENE: It was a sultry morning – the energy and emotional tension was overwhelming with gratitude and a desire to get better
F3 WELCOME & DISCLAIMER
WARM-O-RAMA:

I gave the chance prior to beginning
THA-THANG:

Jump ropes cinder blocks:

  • Stretch – before the timer starts – we are all grown ups:
  • 100 jumps
  • 20 squats w /blocks
  • 20 blocky
  • 20 American swings with blocks
    • Run to pooper with block (overhead)
  • 20 step ups
  • Mayberry’s Corner
  • 20 jump ups (no block)
    • Grab block overhead run back
  • 100 jumps
  • 20 iron mike with block
  • 20 Curl and press
  • Plank and hold on block for as long as you can last person to fall then –
  • 100 jumps
    • Run to pooper with block overhead
  • 20 step ups
  • 20 triceps raises
  • 20 Over head press
    • Run back with block
  • 100 jumps
  • 20 offset Merikans switching hands
  • 20 no hand get ups with Block
  • 20 Russian Swings
    • Run Back with block overhead
  • 20 step ups
  • 20 jump ups
  • 20 tri raise
  • 20 overhead press
  • Half Mayberry’s corner
    • Run Back over head
  • 20 squats
  • 20 curl and press
  • 20 Russian Swings

COUNT-OFF & NAME-O-RAMA
Junk, Scooter, lazy boy, bow flex, tank, shooter, Toe Box, Cosmos, Tweety
CIRCLE OF TRUST/BOM:

When asked for clarity –
She (Mother Teresa)said firmly, “No, I will not do that.” When asked why, she said, “Clarity is the last thing you are clinging to and must let go of.” He commented that she always seemed to have the clarity he longed for. She laughed and said, “I have never had clarity; what I have always had is trust. So I will pray that you trust God.”
“There is something in all of us that always wants clarity. It is part of our sinful ego and a common expression of our insecurities. Clarity can become an idol that replaces authentic trust in God. In many ways, we would rather understand the details of the road ahead than rest in deep intimacy with the God who has promised to direct our steps. He has never promised to show us a detailed 10-year plan. Clarity can actually become spiritually counterproductive as it shortchanges trust, a life of faith and moment-by-moment dependence on God.”

MOLESKIN:
It was great and we all got better
ANNOUNCEMENTS:

Ode to Bagger/Copyright Infringement

THE SCENE: 43 degrees. Perfect weather!
F3 WELCOME & DISCLAIMER
WARM-O-RAMA:

10x Cherry Pickers, 20xLBAC Forward/Backward, 10xTempo Merkins, 10xTempo Squats

Chumbaburpee! – Performed to the song “Tubthumping” by Chumbawampa. Perform SSH for the entirety of the song and perform a burpee every time the song says “I get knocked down”. There’s no doubt we were all warm after this!

THA-THANG:

Paying homage to Bagger at the first Q since he left, I copied my favorite workout that he Q’ed

Mosey to JUCO Lake.  Do a Burpee Mile (12 Burpees followed by 1 Lap around the lake x 4) JUCO Lake is close to a half mile so it ended up being the Burpee Double Mile.

Mosey to large West side parking lot.

4 Corners of Fun

At each corner of the parking lot do:

  • 20 Merkins
  • 20 Big Boys
  • 40 Mountain Climbers
  • 5 Burpees

Mosey back towards AO

MARY:
No time today
COUNT-OFF & NAME-O-RAMA
9 HIMs got better today

CIRCLE OF TRUST/BOM:

What’s your legacy?  Today marked one year since my grandmother passed away. She was an amazing Christian woman who was always looking to help others. When I think of the legacy that she left behind, I think of being a humble servant. My grandma was 80 years old when she passed away, still push mowed her one-acre yard, made meals every Tuesday for the shut-ins at church, went on mission trips to Honduras every year, and much more. She never let her age, and sometimes her health, get in the way of serving others. She was a remarkable woman and example to our family.

MOLESKIN:
Shoutout to the PreRuck crew Jude Judy and Spotter and Erector for the PreRun.
ANNOUNCEMENTS:
Wesley House workout tonight. Launch of the Quaken AO on Friday AM.

Planks a Lot

THE SCENE: 50s.
F3 WELCOME & DISCLAIMER
WARM-O-RAMA:

High plank 20 sec
Low plank 20 sec
Shoulder taps 10 4-count
Mountain climbers 10 4-count
Plank jacks 10 4-count
Peter Parker’s 10 4-count
THA-THANG:
Mosey to the Educator
5 Burpees. Sprint up perform 1 set of 2 exercises mosey down and do 5 burpees. Sprint up and move on to next set.
Set 1:
High plank 30 sec
Low plank 30 sec
Set 2:
Shoulder taps 20 4-count
Mountain climbers 20 4-count
Set 3:
Plank jacks 20 4-count
Peter parkers 20 4-count
Set 4:
Plank walk curb
Negative Merkins 20
Repeat
MARY:
Bear crawl parking lot doing merkin on each line. Round 2: 2 Merkins.
LBCs 1 minute.
COUNT-OFF & NAME-O-RAMA
12 mighty men including Taser, whom I couldn’t tag.
CIRCLE OF TRUST/BOM:
This is the only light in my dark life right now. This is my escape. When I can forget about work and let my mind free. Fellowship and hard work with you fine men. Thank you guys for being here and contributing to that light.
MOLESKIN:
Shoulders and core, bruh.
ANNOUNCEMENTS:
Habitat help on March 9, next Saturday.

Cherry Popped (VQ)

THE SCENE: Great 50 degree weather. Dry

WARM-O-RAMA:

25 x SSH and 8 x Cherry Pickers
THA-THANG:
Six stations. When finished with one run to the next. Repeat until time is up. Ran close to 3 miles

  • 10 Burpees
  • 25 Tri-dips
  • Cone to cone bear crawl merkins
  • 15 Bobby Hurleys
  • 15 Carolina dry docks
  • 10 Box cutters

MARY:
Burpees. Run to to station 2 for tri-dips. Back to AO for more burpees and then BBS.
COUNT-OFF & NAME-O-RAMA
14 HIMS out at The Dog Pound. Junk, Mayberry, Gibbler, Scooter, Bartman, Tweet-E, Bowflex, Tank, I-Beam, Pepper, Snitch, Abacus, Detention, Toe Box

CIRCLE OF TRUST/BOM:
You are either growing or dying. Stepping outside your comfort zone is key to discovering your passion, accomplishing your goals and finding happiness. Start with small steps to get out of your comfort zone to keep growing. “One can choose to go back toward safety or forward toward growth. Growth must be chosen again and again; fear must be overcome again and again.” Abraham Maslow

MOLESKIN:
Thanks for the encouragement through my first Q. Felt good to get it out of the way.