F3 Knoxville

Last Hello

THE SCENE: Partly cloudy, 66 degrees F, 91% humidity
F3 WELCOME & DISCLAIMER
WARM-O-RAMA:

SSH, Imperial Squat Walkers, Arm Circles, Cherry Pickers

Grinder Run, Grinder Bernie, Grinder Skip

THA-THANG:

Push Pull

Two Groups:  First group does 11 Inverted Pull ups or 5 Pull ups while second group does 11 Merkins.  Switch spots and exercises.  Perform 6 rounds for a total of 66 Merkins and 66 Inverted Pull ups.

Indian Run to the Educator

Educator Workout

Burpees x3 at the base of hill

Alternate ascents: Bear Crawl half/Bernie half on odd number, then run on even number.

At the top perform following exercises with CMUs: Swings x11, Thrusters x11, Curls x11, 4 count Flutter kicks x11, Derkins x11, Upright Rows x11

Loop down the Educator by way of the sidewalk.

Mosey back to the AO.

MARY:
Box cutters, LBCs, Flutter kicks.
COUNT-OFF & NAME-O-RAMA
11 in attendance with a cameo appearance by Woodshack and a special appearance by Moses.  Good to see some back after a few weeks.
CIRCLE OF TRUST/BOM:
My reflection today is based on a memory error on my part.  I thought May 2 was the anniversary but it was actually October 2.  Just assume its October 2 today.

On that day in 2002, the Alcoa, Inc plant was getting ready for a visit by the CEO.  Finishing touches on cleanup, painting, mowing, etc was in full gear.  Just before noon, I was heading back to my office though a glass hallway when I see Rod using a push mower around the office area.  I stop and waited for about 30 to 45 seconds for Rod to see me.  Finally during one of his changes in direction he looks up and sees me.  I nod, give him a wave, and open my mouth as if to say “hi.”  Rod does the same and then we both go about our business.

Rod usually ended his work day at 3:00 pm but with much to be done, he accepted an overtime shift to work 3:00 pm to 11:00 pm.  On that shift he and coworker, Danny Boone, were to get rid of an old glove vending machine that had been at the South Gate for ages.  No longer did workers have to spend 10 cents for a pair of cotton gloves.  Safety had progressed to a point dictating gloves as essential to job performance.  Plus many task required specialized gloves much more protective than thin cotton ones.

Danny and Rod loaded the vending machine onto a 10-ton flatbed truck and took it around to the dumpster box area on the North end of the plant.  At the top of the bunker they started to push the vending machine into the dumpster below when Danny got a page.  He told Rod that he needed to find a phone to return the call.  He asked that the machine not be moved until he returned.  About 5 minutes later, Danny returns and notices that the vending machine was no longer on the truck and he did not know where Rod was.  Looking over the top rail of the offloading area, Danny sees that the machine is in the dumpster.  Tragically, he also sees Rod has fallen between the dumpster box and the bunker wall.  The 8 to 9 foot fall proved to be fatal to 48 year old Rodney W. Martin.

One of the pillars of F3 is Fellowship.  I bring up my memory of Rod to remind us how important it is to make those small, short, and sincere connections.  We do that as we gather each workout with a simple fist bump and perhaps short chatter like “how are you doing” or “how did that work out for you at work.”  It’s that simple connection to let each other know that they matter and they add to our life.  Someday we will look back and smile about each other and the impact that F3 fellowship made.

I think back to October 02, 2002 frequently and I remember Rod mowing in his Christian slogan T-shirt.  More often than not, he had one on.  Perhaps that is what drew me to him.  Perhaps that is what encouraged me to have some chit-chat with him.  Perhaps I admired his impeccable work ethic.

Most often I think back to that day and know that I didn’t stop to say “hello” to Rod.  I had stopped to say “goodbye.”

MOLESKIN
Continue prayer for Butterfingers’ M concerning employment.  Lifted up Moses, Squiggly, and Snorkel in the 100 miler this weekend.
ANNOUNCEMENTS:
Hardship Hill – Be there or be square.  May 18th.

KISS

THE SCENE: Mid 60s
F3 WELCOME & DISCLAIMER
WARM-O-RAMA:

SSH x 25
Jog grinder down and back
Merkin 4-ct x 15 IC
Jog grinder down and back
Squat 4-ct x 15 IC
Jog grinder down and back
BBS 4-ct x 15 IC
THA-THANG:
ROUTE 66 by Crumpet:
Merkins
Squats
BBS
Alternate for the 6:
10 4-ct flutters
4 10-count Superman

10 rounds of sprints up Mt. Butterbilly together
Starting at 10 Burpees at the top with decreasing reps each round. We got in 3 rounds.
MARY:
CMU Thrusters x 20
CMU Flutter kicks 4-ct x 20
COUNT-OFF & NAME-O-RAMA
10 men got better.
CIRCLE OF TRUST/BOM:
KISS – Keep it Simple, Stupid
Sometimes we overcomplicate our lives unneccesarily. I find when things feel out of control complicated, I just need to take it back to basics. Merkins, Squats, Big Boys. When life feels too overcomplicated and I’m stressed out, I go downstairs and hit the pull-up bar, do some merkins or big boys. All of a sudden I can see a little more clearly. Exercise sharpens the mind as well as the body.
MOLESKIN:
ANNOUNCEMENTS:OEW night at Abridged Brewery on May 9 at 6 pm. Some profits are donated. We had a good turnout last year so let’s do it again!

Volition

THE SCENE: Clear skies, 51 degrees F, 90% humidity
F3 WELCOME & DISCLAIMER
WARM-O-RAMA:

SSH, Glute marches, Baby arm circles (forward/backward), Imperial squat walkers.

Length of grinder jog, Bernie, skip, and karaoke.
THA-THANG:
Partner up.  #1 overhead CMU carry toward Mt. Crumpit by way of the fountain.  #2 does 5, WWII sit-ups, runs to catch #2 and overhead carries CMU while #1 does 5, WWII sit-ups.  Continue to alternate until reaching the base of Mt. Crumpit.

At Mt. Crumpit #1 run up to back side of tree, performs 3 burpees, and runs down to pick up where #2 left off on the following exercise reps.

100 CMU Squat thrusts

200 Derkins

300 OH CMU Flutter kicks (single count)

200 One arm dead lifts (alternate arms after 10x)

150 Curls

200 Bent rows

200 Dips

When time requires, return to AO with OH CMU carry/WWII sit-ups described above.

MARY:
Glute marches, Box cutters, LBCs.

COUNT-OFF & NAME-O-RAMA
8 HIMs.

CIRCLE OF TRUST/BOM:
Today we spent time on “voliltion.”  What got me thinking about it was a photo on social media that I saved a few years ago.  It was a picture of the football field with Army and Navy playing.  The caption said something about it being the only game that day where every player on that field was willing to die for me and my freedom.  I also thought of my son-in-law, Travis.  During one of his 8 tours of duty he received the Bronze Star for Valor because he chose to live by the Ranger creed to leave no man behind, put himself in harms way, and drag his wounded teammate to safety.  Sua Sponte!  I mentioned one of the last scenes of the movie, Saving Private Ryan, when Captain John Miller (a Ranger) tells Private Ryan to “earn this.”  This disappointed many Army Rangers because they believe that a Ranger would not say something like that.  Rangers don’t expect their service to be “earned”, there service is their own volition.  Sua Sponte!

We celebrated Christ this past week.  He chose to obey his Father on His own volition.  Yes, in His prayer in the garden He did ask if there was some other way to accomplish His mission but he always came back to say that He would do the will of His Father.  Jesus didn’t ask us to earn it.  He did it by choice so that our sins would be forgiven, we would be declared justified in God’s eyes, and redemption could be ours.  We don’t have to earn it.  We only need to repent, profess Christ, obey, and follow.  Not easy, but at least we know the way to everlasting joy and peace.

MOLESKIN:
Insert any personal comments, notes, devotion content, etc.
ANNOUNCEMENTS:
Insert information about upcoming events, 2nd or 3rd F opportunities, and any other announcements.

Columbian neck tie mission complete

THE SCENE: 45, windy and crisp w a slight drizzle
F3 WELCOME & DISCLAIMER
WARM-O-RAMA:

Tempo squats x10

tempo merkins x10

proton Parker’s x10

jog the grinder a few times

imperial squat walkers x 23 ic
THA-THANG:
Mosey to the base of kiddie slope for Columbian neck tie

  • Run to the first cone run back to base and do 1 neck tie
  • Run to cone 2, run back to base for 2 neck ties
  • Continue until up to 20th cone , run back for 20 neck ties
  • Total of 220 Columbian neck ties and close to 4 miles of distance covered

MARY:
None
COUNT-OFF & NAME-O-RAMA

14 pax
CIRCLE OF TRUST/BOM:
God will give you more than you can handle but he will be there to help you get through it.
MOLESKIN:
At the halfway point during the workout, I  hit a wall, I went dark and thought to myself , this is too hard , I don’t know that I can complete all 20 cones… I knew that we had 20 cones but a few only saw 17-18 cones, which created some mumble chatter once they saw that there was more to do ! Seeing ALL THOSE cones lined up the hill really puts your mind in a place you don’t want to be. Knowing what we went through today , suffering through the workout, we or let’s say I found a way to get through and complete the planned workout. Last time we tried , we fell short of time. We fell short on official F3 time but were so close to completing the mission ! I really appreciate everyone staying a few minutes past so we could complete the workout! Everyone persevered through the workout ! Thank you and rest assure, we won’t need to do it again now that we finished what we started!

ANNOUNCEMENTS:
Insert information about upcoming events, 2nd or 3rd F opportunities, and any other announcements.

Time is on our Side

THE SCENE: Fabulous moon lit sky at 62 degrees.
F3 WELCOME & DISCLAIMER
WARM-O-RAMA:

SSH X 10

Arm Circles Front/Back X 10 each

Cherry Pickers X 10

Mosey to Mt. Suckmore and do sevens.  Burpees at the top and BBS at the bottom.  Alternate a run with bear crawl each time we go to the top. Mosey back to the grinder.

THA-THANG:

At Grinder- The old Kraken sprint around circle after each station is completed.

Station 1 – 20 Merkins

Station 2 – 20 single count Flutter kicks with CMU

Station 3 – 20 – 4 count Mt Climbers

Station 4 – 20 OH Press with CMU

Station 5 – 20 Monkey Humpers

Station 6 – 20 CMU Curls

Station 7 – 20 LBCs

Station 8 – 20 CMU Squats

MARY:

Box Cutters X 20

25 BBS OYO

Box Cutters X 10

COUNT-OFF & NAME-O-RAMA
10 HIMs Today
CIRCLE OF TRUST/BOM:
Today’s word was about time.  As we age it seems to accelerate.  Use it wisely and don’t waste a second.

Time is free, but it’s priceless. You can’t own it, but you can use it. You can’t keep it, but you can spend it. Once you’ve lost it you can never get it back. Harvey Mackay

Time is more valuable than money. You can get more money, but you cannot get more time. Jim Rohn

MOLESKIN:
Insert any personal comments, notes, devotion content, etc.
ANNOUNCEMENTS:
Insert information about upcoming events, 2nd or 3rd F opportunities, and any other announcements.