F3 Knoxville

Giving Back

THE SCENE: Sunny, temp in high 80s.
F3 WELCOME & DISCLAIMER
WARM-O-RAMA:

20 Side Straddle Hops, 10 Burpees, 8 Cherry Pickers, 8 Twisties, 7 Little Baby Arm Circles Forward and Backward, 5 Paradactyls Forward and Backward, Stretches
THA-THANG:
Mosey to the stop sign at the Southeastern Corner of the Admin Bldg.  We will do 20 Flutter Kicks.

Mosey to the parking lot that is to the east side of the Utilities Bldg.  We will stop to do 20 Hello Dollies.  We will then Bear Crawl across half the parking lot and Lunge across the other half.

Mosey to the shaded area the the southwestern corner of the Utilities Bldg.  We will do 10 Tempo Squats.

Next, we will go along the perimeter trail as it heads south and then east toward the water area where there are benches overlooking the water.  We will run for six lights and walk for two lights until we get to our destination.  Then, each man will grab a boulder from the boulder pile near the water’s edge.  We will do the following exercises with the boulders:

  • 25 Shoulder Presses
  • 25 Curls
  • 25 Rows
  • 25 Squats

After putting the boulders back we will go west and south along the perimeter trail until we reach the pavilion that is close to the Lily Pad.  We will get there by running for six lights and walking for two lights until we reach our destination.

Mosey to the Outdoor Chapel.  We will do 20 Baby Crunches then run on the sidewalk as it circles the chapel.  We will rinse and repeat twice.

Mosey up the grass that is south of Pickett’s Charge.  We will be running up to the stairs that goes up from the small parking lot left of the coliseum.  There will be three hills to climb.  We will stop to do two burpees af the top of each hill.

Mosey to the end of the gravel parking lot for the Admin Bldg.  We will sprint about 50 yards north on the roadway.  We will take a brief rest and sprint back to the parking lot.  Then, we will sprint back to the AO flag.

MARY:
20 Flutter Kicks and 20 Bicycle Kicks
COUNT-OFF & NAME-O-RAMA
16 men, no FNGs.
CIRCLE OF TRUST/BOM:
During my first number of years working as a psychologist at Cherokee Health Systems (where I still work), I spent about 6 hours per week consulting on the Oncology/Hematology Unit at East Tennessee Children’s Hospital (ETCH).  I saw many many kids with cancer.  I loved the staff members, including doctors Ray Pais and Shahid Malik, on the unit because they were mighty special people. The staff had such a heart for the patients and the families of the patients who came there.  I also loved the kids on the unit.  Some had bald heads due to chemotherapy, some may have had trouble walking, some were sickly, some may not have had much longer to live.  But they still loved to play, they still loved to laugh, they still were affectionate, and they still had a zest for life. You might think that a cancer ward would be a sad place to work.  Certainly, there was sadness.  But I found it to be a joyful place to work.  Love abounded there.

My wife, Jan, a psychologist who works on all floors at ETCH, recently sent me an inspiring story about a former patient on the Oncology/Hematology Unit.  Hannah Lawson was diagnosed with a cancerous stage three brain tumor at the age of 7.  Her dog, Frenchy, was the first to notice something wrong with her.  Frenchy pawed at her pillow, knowing Hannah just wasn’t right. Her parents came in and found her disoriented and non-responsive.  Two days later, on Valentines Day in 2007, surgeons removed the brain tumor.

The journey was not over for Hannah.  She had to go through radiation treatment at the Thompson Cancer Survival Center.  During her months of treatment, she would sometimes get letters from U.S Soldiers overseas.  U.S. Soldiers often write to kids who have cancer and some become pen pals with kids. Hannah’s pen pal was a soldier named David Creech.  Hannah admired what these soldiers like David Creech did.  During her treatment and recovery, Hannah began to think of how she, also, might help others.  She created Hannah’s Army Angels which raised money for the pediatric Brain Tumor Foundation.  Hannah’s Army Angels also collected supplies to send to soldiers overseas.  Because of what she had accomplished through her Hannah’s Army Angels, the Tennessee legislature recognized her bravery and compassion with a proclamation and special metal coin on the senate floor in Nashville.

After graduation from high school, Hannah went on to study nursing at East Tennessee State University (ETSU).  Now age 22, she still has some remnants of the cancer and brain tumor, including left-sided weakness and permanent baldness on the right side of her head.  Guess where she is now working?  At ETCH on the same ward where she received treatment all those years ago.  Pediatric oncology was always her passion in college. And, her prior treatment is one of her greatest connections to the young patients she is caring for ETCH.

Two other things to mention in this happy story.  Hannah is getting married in October.  And, her dog Frenchy, who found her that day back in 2007 and helped to save her life – she is still alive and will walk down the aisle as the flower dog on Hannah’s wedding day.

God, thank you for warriors like Hannah Lawson.  May they be an inspiration to us and reminder how, we too, can give back to our communities.

MOLESKIN:
Prayers for Crispr’s friend, Chris, whose mother recently had a massive aneurysm in her brain.  She is currently at the hospital.  Prayers for Mr. Jinxy’s father who has a heart condition that is worsening.  His father was recently released from the hospital.  Prayers of praise that the brain tumor of Swimmies’ sister was found to be benign.  Prayers for Lillydipper who has total shoulder replacement surgery this Thursday.
ANNOUNCEMENTS:
Mt. Everest public run on September 10 at 10 am.  F3 family picnic on September 11 from 4 pm to 8 pm at Victor Ashe Park.

Hills of Pain

1THE SCENE:

88 degrees and Sunny

F3 WELCOME & DISCLAIMER

The usual house cleaning statements

WARM-O-RAMA:

Neck rolls, SSHs, Cherry Pickers, Windmills, lower back stretch, and done.

THA-THANG:

Mosey to The Field of dreams…..

  • 10 Merkins, 15 Monkey Humps, 10 mountain climbers
  • Run to 1st hill, then Bear Crawl up hill
  • Repeat 10 Merkins, …………
  • Run to 2nd hill, then Bear crawl up hill
  • Repeat 10 Merkins, ………..
  • X 3
  • Mosey to second exercise area
  • Do 10 up downs and 10 Starjumpers
  • Crossovers to 1st hill
  • Bear crawl up hill
  • repeat 10 up downs and 10 Starjumpers

We continued doing much of the same until I was all out of friends. Then, we ran back to the starting point.

  1. COUNT-OFF & NAME-O-RAMALilly Dipper, Curveball, High Heels, Love Boat, Pusher, Title 9, Duggar, abacus, Blue Bird, Steam, MD Hammer, Drum Major, Doubtfire, and Pay Way.
    CIRCLE OF TRUST/BOM:Being an intentional father

Thank You Frederick Buechner

THE SCENE: Partly cloudy, temp about 70 degrees.
F3 WELCOME & DISCLAIMER
WARM-O-RAMA:

Motivators starting with seven, 5 Burpees, 10 Cherry Pickers, 4 Burpees, 10 Rockettes, 3 Burpees, 10 Tempo Merkins, 10 Burpees (thanks to wisecracks about the Q!), 10 Windmills, 1 Burpee, Little of This and That
THA-THANG:
Split into teams of two men each.  Mosey to the shady parking lot across the street from the AO to get bricks out my vehicle. Each team of two gets one set of bricks (two bricks per team).  We will then mosey back to the AO parking lot and go to the curb on the east end of the parking lot.  We will do Doras.  While one partner runs to the opposite curb and does 10 Rocky Balboas (both legs = 1), the other partner works on the exercises with the bricks.  Partners switch off after the running partner comes back.  These are the exercises that the team of partners completes with the bricks:

  • 100 Overhead Presses
  • 100 Wings Down
  • 100 Curls
  • 100 Wings Out
  • 100 Triceps
  • 100 Wings Up
  • 100 Rows
  • 100 Punches (where punches from both hands = 1)
  • 40 Mini Man-makers

Mosey to end of parking lot with the nice bathrooms.  We will do 20 American Hammers.

Mosey to the Lily Pad parking lot.  There will be four cones spread out in a very large rectangle around the parking lot.  We will be going around the parking lot to each of the cones three different times.  We will Bernie Sanders when going either east or west and will run when going north or south.  The exercise will be displayed near the cones.  We will do the first exercises the first time around the parking lot, etc.  Here are the exercises performed at each cone:

  • Cone 1:  20 Squat Jumps, 20 Merkins, 20 Dead Bugs (4 count)
  • Cone 2:  20 Iron Mikes (both legs = 1), 20 Carolina Dry Docks, 20 Hello Dollies (4 count).
  • Cone 3:  20 Smurf Jacks, 20 Diamond Merkins, 20 Flutter Kicks (4 count).
  • Cone 4:  20 Star Jumps, 20 Shoulder Taps, 20 Freddie Mercury’s (4 count)

Mosey to the parking lot with the nice bathrooms.  We will do 20 more American Hammers.  Then Butt Kick run halfway across the parking lot and High Knees run the other half to the curb.

Mosey to the playground.  We will do three sets of 10 Bench Jumps

Mosey to AO.

MARY:
Abdominals

COUNT-OFF & NAME-ORAMA
18 men with one FNG, Bob Fautnouh (sp?) whom we dubbed “Beignet.”  We were also honored to have three visitors from other AOs:  Gipper from Omaha, Graham Cracker from Florida, and Rogue from Davidson.  Graham Cracker and Rogue have moved to Knoxville so we definitely hope to see them again soon.
CIRCLE OF TRUST/BOM:

One of America’s greatest theologians died this week.  Frederick Buechner died on Monday, August 15.  He was 96.  Buechner was an ordained Presbyterian minister, essayist, novelist, poet, and autobiographer.  He was the author of 39 published books.  His writings have had a profound influence on many, including me.  One of my favorite novels by him was Brendan, but he wrote many others that were highly acclaimed.  He was a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize and National Book Award.
I am going to give you just a few quotes from his writings.
For those of you who have pondered on your vocation in life, Buechner wrote, “The place God calls you to is the place where your deep gladness and the world’s deep hunger meet.”
For those of you who have ever struggled with the idea of the existence of God, Buechner wrote, “It is as impossible for man to demonstrate the existence of God as it would be for even Sherlock Holmes to demonstrate the existence of Arthur Conan Doyle.”
Some of my favorite lines from Buechner are the following from his book, The Faces of Jesus.
“If the world is sane, then Jesus is mad as a hatter and the Last Supper is the Mad Tea Party. The world says, Mind your own business, and Jesus says, There is no such thing as your own business. The world says, Follow the wisest course and be a success, and Jesus says, Follow me and be crucified. The world says, Drive carefully—the life you save may be your own—and Jesus says, Whoever would save his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. The world says, Law and order, and Jesus says, Love. The world says, Get, and Jesus says, Give. In terms of the world’s sanity, Jesus is crazy as a coot, and anybody who thinks we can follow him without being a little crazy too is laboring less under a cross than under a delusion.”
My last lines from Buechner are ones that are certainly true for me. He said, “When you remember me, it means you have carried something of who I am with you, that I have left some mark of who I am on who you are.  It means that you can summon me back to your mind even though countless years and miles may stand between us.  It means that if we meet again, you will know me.  It means that even if I die, you can still see my face and hear my voice and speak to me in your heart.”
Frederick Buechner, speaking from my heart, I remember you and I say “thank you.”

 MOLESKIN:

Prayers for Cheatsheet’s daughter, Willow, who was recently baptized and who also recently joined a volleyball team.  Prayers for the father-daughter relationship.  Prayers for Gipper as he heads back to Omaha tomorrow.  We are thankful he visited us.
ANNOUNCEMENTS:
Mt. Everest Run on September 10.  2nd F Picnic on Sunday, September 11.

15 HIMs putting in the work at Asylum

THE SCENE: Overcast and in the mid 80’s with some lingering humidity
F3 WELCOME & DISCLAIMER
WARM-O-RAMA:

SSH IC – 20
Cherry Pickers 15
Arm Circles IC  10 x 2
Michael Phelps a/r
Grady Corn I/C 33
Merkins OYO 10

THA-THANG:
I

Mosey down to stop sign
5 forward lunges
5 backwards lunges
5 burpees
Mosey to pathway to the left in front of small parking lot
5, 10 , 25 Nickel dime quarter
Bernie to first light, run to second light – 5 american hammers, 2 CT
Bearcrawl to next light, run to second 10
Side straddle  to first light, run to second 25, sweep back
Bernie to first light, run to second light – 5 Merkins
Bearcrawl to first light, run to second 10
Side straddle  to first light, run to second 25, sweep back
Bernie to first light, run to second light – 5 Freddie Mercuries
Bearcrawl to first light, run to second 10
Side straddle  to first light, run to second 25, sweep back
Mosey to hill side, Find partner
SSH at bottom, partner runs to top Heal Raises (20)
Imperial Walkers at bottom, merkins (20)
Mountain Climbers at bottom, Squats (20)
Back down to walkway at light
Hello Dollies – single count 5, run 2 lights, 10, run 2 lights , 25 sweep back
Shoulder Taps – 2 count 5, 2 count 10, 2 count 25
mosey  up hill directly below bat cave
Top hill with partner
Squats, partner runs to wall to do 20 bench dips
up the stairs to AO, do 3 Merkins OYO

MARY:
none
COUNT-OFF & NAME-O-RAMA
Use the TAGS on right-side to record PAX (BE SURE TO INCLUDE YOURSELF) in attendance. Be sure to select the AO in CATEGORY above TAGS and then delete these notes!
CIRCLE OF TRUST/BOM:

August 31 is International Overdose Awareness day

North America continues to experience the highest drug-related mortality rate in the world, accounting for one in four drug-related deaths globally, the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime reports.

The US rate is about 90,000 deaths per year

Knox county, there have been 11 deaths so far this year, with year to date deaths at about 291 according to the Knox County Attorney General s office, with about 498 last year and we are on that track this year.

I lost my son Grady due to an accidental overdose caused by Fentanyl in 2018.

The drug-related death report for 2021 from Knox County Regional Forensic Center brings to light some alarming statistics.

  • The five most common drugs identified in drug-related deaths in 2020 were synthetic opioids, methamphetamine, diphenhydramine, alcohol/ethanol, and cocaine.
  • The most frequent cause of drug-related deaths in 2021 was fentanyl and fentanyl analogs, which are structurally similar to fentanyl but are types of synthetic opioids.
  • Over 75% of drug-related deaths were found to be cases of polypharmacy, where more than one drug was responsible for the person’s death.
  • Knox County had a 29% increase in drug-related deaths from 2020 to 2021.
  • People ages 35-40 experienced the most drug deaths in Knox County.
  • The sharpest increase in drug-related groups was in individuals ages 55-64.
  • The presence of anxiety, anti-depressant, and anti-psychotic medication was found in 30 percent of all drug deaths in Knox County.

 

The drug dealers are lacing everything with fentanyl which is 50 times stronger that heroin and 100 time stronger then morphine – less than a drop of water or the weight of a few grains of sand are lethal. Please talk to your children, teens and make them aware of this risk. Use of naloxone/Narvan can reverse the effects of a drug od.

On Aug 31, from 5-8 pm there will be an event at Volunteer Landing sponsored by the Knoxville Metro Drug Coalition with various speakers. The event will end with a candlelight vigil.

The Metro Drug Coalition is a local resource with a goal is to increase access to evidence-based prevention education, harm reduction programs and recovery support services for anyone desiring to maintain or seek a life free from substance misuse.

The harm reduction aspect of this organization is as follows:

Harm Reduction is a way of preventing disease and promoting health that meets people where they are rather than making judgments about where

MOLESKIN:
Pray for Bluebird (his family and especially his father in law JC) who recently lost his mother in law and for Drum Major’s daughter who is moving into the dorms and all the students who are moving from home for the first time and will be on their own
ANNOUNCEMENTS:
Welcome FNG Isaac (@Loveboat).

Steam and Brick will be leading a discussion every wednesday about the book “fighting the war inside your head”

chocolate chip

THE SCENE:

Partly Cloudy Temperature Feels Like Humidity Wind Speed Wind Direction
88 ℉ 96 ℉ 63% 5.6 mi/h SSW

F3 WELCOME & DISCLAIMER.
Delivered as desired. I am not a professional.

WARM-O-RAMA:

Stretching with Cherry Pickers, Willie Mays, Neck Rolls.  10 Imperial Walkers.  Mountain Climbers.

THA-THANG:

On my phone is an app. Tiny Decisions. It is a spinning wheel that randomly selects an exercise and a rep count.

Mostly just run from shaded area to shaded area. Then spin the wheel and do what it says.

We did move along the walking path and do 2 burpees at each lamp post.
We did 11’s at one point that included Merkins and Squats.
And at the top of Cardiac, we used 5 lamp posts to do LBCs. Starting at 5 increasing by 5 at each post. (25 at last post.)

Then
We saw a little silhouetto of a man
Scaramouche, Scaramouche, will you do the Fandango?
Thunderbolt and lightning very, very frightening me
(Galileo) Galileo
(Galileo) Galileo
Galileo Figaro
Magnifico-o-o-o-o

So we headed back to the flag.

MARY:
Storm moved away so we did some Mary based on the spinning wheel.
COUNT-OFF & NAME-O-RAMA
14 Cookie Lovers.
CIRCLE OF TRUST/BOM:

Welcome FNG – Steve-O

MOLESKIN:
For Andrew and his battles to find a better path.  And for all the sick and suffering.  For the unsaid prayers in our hearts.

ANNOUNCEMENTS:

August 6th workday 7AM – Cerebral Palsy Center.