F3 Knoxville

Flying in Stormy Conditions

THE SCENE: Sunny, temp in low 20s
F3 WELCOME & DISCLAIMER
WARM-O-RAMA:

20 Side Straddle Hops, 10 Mountain Climbers, 10 Windmills, 10 Twisties, 10 Tempo Merkins, 7 Wide Arm Circles Forward and 7 Backward, Little of This and That
THA-THANG:
Mosey to the stop sign by the road that head to the Coliseum.  We will do 20 Hello Dollies.

Mosey on the perimeter trail to where it curves left by Lyons Bend Road.  We will do 10 Tempo Squats.

Next, we will run up Roadshow Run to the roadway that semi-circles around the Admin Bldg.  Each man shall stop to do 5 burpees at the top of each of the three sets of stairs on Roadshow Run.  At the roadway, men should alternate between Merkins and Big Boy Sit-ups until the six arrives.

Mosey to the stairs at the front of the Admin Bldg.  We will run counterclockwise around the loop that goes between the Admin Bldg and the Coliseum.  We will stop at the following locations to do these exercises:

  • Stairs to Admin Bldg:  20 Calve Raises
  • Southern Curve of Loop:  20 Carolina Dry Docks
  • Benches at Coliseum:  20 Bench Dips
  • Northern Curve of Loop:  20 Star Jumps
  • Rinse and Repeat two more times.

Mosey south to roadway and then to old apartments.  We will do 20 Box Cutters.

Mosey to southern parking lot.  We will run to the cones set out in parking lot. At each cone, men should turn around and bear crawl for three parking spaces.  Then turn back around and run to next cone.  Do this until last cone where, once again, men should turn around and bear crawl three parking spaces.  The rabbits who finish shall run back to starting spot, sweeping men with them.  Rinse and repeat.

Do again but hop the three parking spaces.  Then, do again but lunge the three parking spaces.

Mosey to entrance to the Caribbean parking lot.  We will stop to do 20 American Hammers.

Mosey to parking lot near playground.  We will do 10 Rocky Balboa (4 ct).

Mosey to AO.  At the AO we will split into two teams.  The first man of each team will throw a frisbee toward the cone near the opposite curb.  Whoever is closest wins.  His team gets to watch while all members of the other team must sprint to the opposite curb and back, retrieving the frisbees.  Then the second man of each team compete and the procedure starts again.

Run around parking lot two times.

COUNT-OFF & NAME-O-RAMA
19 men, no FNGs.
CIRCLE OF TRUST/BOM:

Flying In Cloudy Conditions

An instrument rating is an advanced type of aviation certification enabling pilots to fly rather than be grounded even during cloudy weather and other weather conditions that cause low visibility. The Instrument Flight Rules Rating (IFR) training requirements include 30 hours of pre and post flight ground school, 40 hours of instrument flight training, 50 hours of PIC Cross-Country, and the successful completion of an instrument written exam. It is an excellent addition to a private pilot’s certificate, which by itself leaves the pilot limited to flying only during Visual Flight Rules (VFR) conditions.

Pilots go through a great amount of training in order to get their private pilot’s certificate to fly.  Despite all the training, that certificate limits the pilot to flying only during conditions where there is nice weather with clear skies.  Clouds, heavy precipitation, low visibility and otherwise adverse conditions are to be avoided.

In order for a pilot to be able to fly during cloudy weather and conditions that cause low visibility the pilot is required to obtain an Instrument Flight Rules Rating.  This requires many more hours of training.  Basically, the pilot must learn the instruments on a plane well enough to fly in conditions where one can’t see out the plane.  That training takes more than just learning what the instruments are.  The pilot must learn to fly while relying on the instruments in flight.  The pilot must not only read the book but put the book to use!

In life, our personal skies are sometimes clear and we can fly full speed ahead.  We can make decisions based on good old logic and we understand well what we are doing.  In life, however, the skies are not always clear.  Sometimes vision gets difficult and sometimes it is hard to see altogether.

Like pilots, we need to rely on something more to get us through difficult times – otherwise, we crash.

At age 65, I have learned to rely on a number of valuable tools to get me through the darkest of times.  First, I rely on the Bible.  It is my “life manual.”  The lessons in it are priceless, give me direction, and teach me who God is.  Second, I rely on teachings from others about the Bible, whether from my attending church, going to Sunday school and bible studies, reading bible commentaries, or discussing the bible with others.  The Bible is a large and complex read.  I can’t rely on my own reading of it alone to fully comprehend its meaning and direct me through the challenges of life.  Third, I rely on practicing the principals I have learned.  Pilots need many hours of training before they get their Instrument Rating and I need many hours of practice myself to manage life’s difficult time.  Living like Jesus isn’t something that you just “do.”  It takes a lifetime of practice to get it right and I am still working on “getting it right.”  It also takes talking to God, through prayer.  Finally, I rely on other people to help me out.  Pilots need to have instructors with them as they are learning to master flying and the use of instruments in cloudy weather.  Commercial pilots need co-pilots sitting beside them.  I rely on others to negotiate my foggy skies and you brothers are some of those I rely on.  I try to gain wisdom from the words of the Q of each BOM I attend.  You guys teach incredible life lessons.  I also know that, when I am in a pinch or feeling lost, I can call on my brothers to help me out.  I have done just that with some of you.

In summary, we need more than our senses to get through the cloudy and dark skies of life.  For me, the Bible, teachings about God’s word, application of God’s word and using the help of Godly people are what I have found necessary to get through the most challenging of times.

MOLESKIN:
Prayers for Drum Major’s wife and family as his wife’s mother died this last week; prayers for two missionary friends of Crawdad who are serving in Ukraine; prayers for the Special Olympics – Cheatsheet and Lilydipper will be at an event today, the Polar Plunge at the West Town YMCA – registration fees and donations serve the Special Olympics in East Tennessee; prayers for fathers and for the underprivileged who are facing troubles at this time.
ANNOUNCEMENTS:
CSAUP on February 26 at 6:30 am, the Asylum.  Also, when registering for the event on Slack, please consider making a donation to the Wesley House.  The link for doing that will be with the CSAUP registration notice.

Live in God

THE SCENE:  Partly cloudy and cold, temp about 20 degrees.
F3 WELCOME & DISCLAIMER
WARM-O-RAMA:

20 Side-Straddle-Hops, 10 Mountain Climbers, 10 Imperial Walkers, 10 Mountain Climbers, 10 Twisties, 10 Tempo Merkins, 10 Windmills, Michael Phelps, Little of This and That
THA-THANG:
Mosey to stop sign by intersection of main roadway and road that goes to the Admin Bldg.  We will do 20 American Hammers.

Mosey on perimeter trail until it intersects with trail coming from Lyons Bend Gate.  We will do 20 Hello Dollies.

Next, we will head west and then east on the perimeter trail.  We will do nickel, dime, quarters with the following exercises:

  • Jump Squats
  • Iron Mikes (both legs = 1)
  • Dive Bombers

We will stop when we get to the Northshore Gate.

Mosey to Area 51 and go to the curb.  Find a partner for teams of two.  One one partner runs to the entrance of Area 51, does 5 merkins, and runs back, the other partner works on the listed exercises below.  Then partners trade places.  Each team will do:

  • 200 Baby Crunches (4 ct)
  • 150 Flutter Kicks (4 ct)
  • 150 Bicycle Kicks (4 ct)

Next, we will run up hill above area 51.  At the top, we will alternate between 10 Merkins and 10 Big-Boy Sit-ups until the six is there.

Mosey to the stop sign by the roadway that goes to the soccer fields.  We will stop to do 20 Box Cutters.  Mosey to the soccer fields.  We will do suicides, with Bernie Sanders to each cone, a mosey to the left of cone parallel with that cone, and then sprint back.  We will do 20 Baby Crunches each time we get back until we finish the suicides.

Mosey to the open outdoor structure that is close to the outdoor chapel.  We will do 20 four count bench dips and 20 decline merkins.

Mosey to parking lot by the playground.  We will do 20 Georgia Cheerleaders (inverted Pickle Pounders).

Mosey to the bottom of mini-cardiac.  We will Bernie Sanders to park sign, then sprint to top.  We will then run back down to AO.

MARY:
We will cash out with ATMs.
COUNT-OFF & NAME-O-RAMA
19 men, no FNGs.
CIRCLE OF TRUST/BOM:

LIVE IN GOD

Psalm 19: 7-10:

The law of the Lord is perfect,[c]
reviving the soul;
the testimony of the Lord is sure,
making wise the simple;
the precepts of the Lord are right,
rejoicing the heart;
the commandment of the Lord is pure,
enlightening the eyes;
the fear of the Lord is clean,
enduring forever;
the rules[d] of the Lord are true,
and righteous altogether.
10 More to be desired are they than gold,
even much fine gold;
sweeter also than honey
and drippings of the honeycomb.

I need to remember that the law and ways of the Lord are perfect.  They are more to be desired than gold.  As Van Morrison asks in his song by the same name, “When will I ever learn to live in God.”  He goes on to say, “He gives me everything I need, and more – when will I ever learn?”  I don’t know about you, but I find myself getting caught up in the ways of the world time and time again.  Am I successful enough in my job?  How does my house look compared to my neighbors?  In an effort to “get ahead”, to be liked, to be popular, to be “a winner”, I focus on things that may be out of sorts with how I truly should be.  I may go along with a business idea that is not truly honorable.  I may cut corners to get something I want, not considering how that will impact others around me.  I might participate in conversation or laugh at jokes that, if I look closely, are belittling to certain segments of our population.  Our brother, Rooney, gave a message at a recent BOM that I need to consider more carefully for myself.  He said that when we consider what we are willing to do in our life, it should align with our moral compass.

When I consider what I am to do this day, does it align with God’s laws and way?  They are perfect and I need to remember that.  I don’t have to worry so much about getting ahead, pleasing other people, or being successful.  If I act as God asks me to do, that is success.  That is what I should live for, not what Gentleman’s Quarterly, Money Magazine, Newsweek, or the latest get rich book tells me to do.  God’s ways are finer than gold and sweeter than the drippings of a honeycomb.

MOLESKIN:
Prayers for the disenfranchised, for those who have lost loved ones, for Operation and his wife who are hoping she gets pregnant, and that F3 brothers will find activities that continue to help our community.
ANNOUNCEMENTS:
CSAUP!!!

Warriors working upper body

THE SCENE:

Partly Cloudy Temperature Humidity Feels like Wind Speed Wind Direction
26 ℉ 74% 18 ℉ 7.3 mi/h NNE

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

WARM-O-RAMA:

25 SSHs, Cherry Pickers OYO, 10 Windmills, 5 Ranger Merkins, and 5 Spiderman Merkins.

THA-THANG:

Mosey to berm along football field. 10 Incline Merkins. 10 Decline Merkins.

Mosey to big parking lot. 10 stations in basically a loop. On your own move from one station to next do exercises. 5 total laps.
#1 5 Ranger Merkins
#2 5 Diamond Merkins
#3 5 Wide Merkins
#4 5 Carolina Dry Docks
#5 5 Spiderman Merkins
#6 5 Regular Merkins
#7 10 BBS
#8 10 Squats
#9 10 LBCs
#10 10 Monkey Humpers

On fifth lap, 10 each of all Merkins.

Mosey to short wall by church. 15 Incline Merkins. 15 Decline Merkins.

Mosey to CMU pile. Grab a CMU
20 Curls, 20 Overhead Triceps, 20 Overhead Press
15 Curls, 15 Overhead Triceps, 15 Overhead Press
10 Curls, 10 Overhead Triceps, 10 Overhead Press
5 Curls, 5 Overhead Triceps, 5 Overhead Press
Quick break mosey to end of parking lot and back
20 CMU Merkin, 10 count break
15 CMU Merkin, 10 count break
10 CMU Merkin, 1 or 2 count (No real break and do 5 more)
5 CMU Merkin

Mosey back to AO
MARY:
30 Flutter kicks
20 Merkins
COUNT-OFF & NAME-O-RAMA
6 Brothers.
CIRCLE OF TRUST/BOM:

 

MOLESKIN:
For Dumpster Dive’s mother and her recovery from surgery. For elderly friend of Cheetsheet and her well being. For Cheetsheet’s daughter and all kids that they become stronger and grow because of the love of their parents. For those suffering from covid and other illnesses. For the unsaid prayers in our hearts.

ANNOUNCEMENTS:

Shamrock – Road Rage!

THE SCENE: 28F wind chill of 22F. Numb faces and plenty of snot.
F3 WELCOME & DISCLAIMER
WARM-O-RAMA:

Side Straddle hop (IC) 4 CT x 25

Tie Fighter 4 CT x 10 each

Cherry Pickers x5

Flutter Kicks 25 – 4 count 

Air Drama – Squat with calf rise at the top X20 

Stretch 

Mosey to the big parking lot. Need 16 lines. 

Line 1 – 25 Merkins

Line 2 – 25 Big Boys

Line 3 – 25 Squats

Line 4 – Calf Raises 

Repeat for 4 rounds total

We will end up at 100 reps per exercise. 

Mosey to a tall curb for 1 minute AMRAPs

Curb Alperts – Like the Musician Herb Albert?  – Step ups with hands – 1 minute

Rocky Balboas – 1 minute

Curb Dips – 1 minute 

Mosey to Weigels

Monkey Humpers to warm up the legs

Run / Jog / Walk to the top.

Mosey back to the AO

We knocked out 2 more rounds of 25 Merkins, Big Boys, Squats and Calf raises

We ended up with a total of 150 reps. 

MARY:

Scissor kicks, Snow Angels, Box cutters and pickle pointers.

COUNT-OFF & NAME-O-RAMA
Anchorman, Waxjob, Pom-Pom, Baby Boomer, Honeydew, Curveball, Mermaid, Osteen, Fabio, Music City, Trolley, Cosmo,
CIRCLE OF TRUST/BOM:

A Liturgy For Experiencing Road Rage – From “Every Moment Holy” by Douglas Kaine McKelvey

If my hearth were more content in you, O Lord, 

I would be less inclined to rage at others. 

Let me gauge by the knot in my gut,

The poverty of my own understanding 

Of the grace that I have received

From a God who, loving me

Chose rather to receive wounds

Than to give them. 

Take from me my self-righteousness, 

And my ego-driven demands for respect. 

Overthrow the tyranny of my anger, O Lord,

And in its place establish a better vision

Of your throne, 

Your kingdom, 

And your peace. 

Amen. 

———

Although I rarely experience road rage I definitely experience other forms of anger. I love the comparison to the example that Christ led on Earth. He could have raged and kicked so many butts. In the end he chose to accept the wounds over giving them. 

 

Betty White and John Madden

THE SCENE:

Partly Cloudy Temperature Humidity Feels like Wind Speed Wind Direction
39 ℉ 87% 34 ℉ 8.3 mi/h SW

F3 WELCOME & DISCLAIMER.
I am not a professional.

WARM-O-RAMA:

Straight into a mosey. .15 miles and then 20 SSHs and 10 Rockettes. Mosey .15 miles then Cherry Pickers OYO, 20 total Tie Fighters, and 10 Merkins.

THA-THANG:

Retread of Fun with the Alphabet workout. Based on this list:

A – Burpees x 15
B – Little Baby Crunches x 30
C – Jump Squats x 20
D – Merkins x 20
E – Squats x 25
F – Plank x 60 seconds
G – Lunges x 30
H – Carolina Dry Docks x 25
I – Side Lunges x 30
J – Freddie Mercury x 50
K – Iron Mikes (Jump Lunges) x 25
L – Military Toe Touch Situps x 20
M – Single Leg Squats x 20 (10 each leg)
N – Dips or Diamond Merkins x 20
O – SSH Jumping Jacks x 50
P – Hello Dolly x 20
Q – Box Jump x 16 or Cross Country Skiers x 30
R – Flutter Kicks x 50
S – High Knees x 50
T – Mountain Climbers x 50
U – Bobby Hurleys x 20
V – Wide Merkins 20
W – Monkey Humpers x 25
X – Shoulder Taps x 40
Y – Supermans x 20
Z – Heals to Heaven x 20

Using four variations of the above alphabet/exercises. During Welcome tell PAX to think of and remember the names of their favorite pets. Now, mosey about .15 miles to different exercise locations. Using alphabet workout list, do the exercises of the first pet name. Mosey .15 miles, switch to second alphabet variation, and do second pet name. Do this for all pets of the PAX or until you run out of time.

Half way through, mosey to CMU pile. Everyone grab a CMU. One half of a Gorilla Complex.

Then back to alphabet workout and PAX pet names.

Then Mosey back to AO.  (Mosey distances are all basically just far enough and slow enough to have a break.)

MARY:
Last pet of the group was used for the Mary.

COUNT-OFF & NAME-O-RAMA
7 Brothers.
CIRCLE OF TRUST/BOM:

 

MOLESKIN:
For the loss of a father-n-law and those in that family. For those suffering from covid and other illnesses. For the unsaid prayers in our hearts.

ANNOUNCEMENTS: