Author: backblasts

Date: 2026-08-07
AO: Ground Zero
Q: Mr Roboto ,
PAX: Stock boy, Endo, Mr. Bean, Toto, Samsonite, The wet burrito, Brainfog, Mr Roboto, Cheap Shot, Manhole, Crack, Phillip Deisch, Cottontail, LeMond FNGs:
COUNT: 14
Conditions:
About 70° and, whaddayaknow? Still very humid.

WOR:
Toy soldiers x10
Tappy Taps x10
SSHs x10

The Thang:
After counting off *gasp* counterclockwise with an assist from YHC, we rucked (6) and ran (8) west. The runners, at first, we’re not quite sure what route to take, but Stock boy straightened them out. Additionally, YHC did not remember the first turn, so Mr. Bean yelled out the street from roughly 20 paces back since Samsonite and I were in some sort of hurry.

Moleskine:
Trust is at a premium these days. I notice it when I walk by people, and we both divert our eyes like we don’t exist. A University of Minnesota study described 4 types of trust that help us form strong communities: – Contractual — people do what they say they will do
– Communication — people let others know what is going on, like during a tornado – Competency — people are capable of doing their job or fulfilling their role – Caring — people are just generally there for each other
How can you help develop more trust in your community?

Tags: Ground Zero, Stock boy, Endo, Mr. Bean, Toto, Samsonite, The wet burrito, Brainfog, Mr Roboto, Cheap Shot, Manhole, Crack, Phillip Deisch, Cottontail, LeMond

Date: 2026-08-07
AO: Flat Earth
Q: Jolly ,
PAX: D’Count, White Noise, Boomerang, Y2K, Operation (F3 The 618), Knuckleball, Too Big To Fail (TBTF), BigBlue, Bloomer, Cheese, DQ, Pine tar, Dewey, Panda Express, Jolly, Gummi Bear, Headtop, Chopsticks Waffles, Bolt FNGs: 1 Bolt
COUNT: 19
Conditions:
Delightful.
WOR:
SSH, down and back
The Thang:
10v10 Ultimate
Moleskine:
Have fun

Tags: Flat Earth, D’Count, White Noise, Boomerang, Y2K, Operation (F3 The 618), Knuckleball, Too Big To Fail (TBTF), BigBlue, Bloomer, Cheese, DQ, Pine tar, Dewey, Panda Express, Jolly, Gummi Bear, Headtop, Chopsticks Waffles, Bolt

Date: 2026-08-06
AO: Mastodon
Q: Stock boy ,
PAX: Spit Valve, What, Big Mac, Too Big To Fail (TBTF), Mr Roboto, LouGee, Stock boy, Phillip Deisch, Falsetto, Bookworm FNGs: None
COUNT: 10
Conditions:
Overcast, mid 60s

WOR:
Motivators, Abe Vigodas, toy soldiers, Michael Phelps

The Thang:
5 teams of 2: we took turns having each team defend against the remaining 8 pax. The defenders line up at the top of Hoffa, and the attackers at the bottom. A 60lb sandbag was placed halfway up the hill. A 5 minute timer started, and each pax on each side had to perform a certain rep count to earn a throw of the bag; the attackers threw uphill, and the defenders downhill. If attackers and defenders were at the bag at the same time, they had to alternate throws between attackers and defenders. If attackers got the bag past the cones at the top of Hoffa before the 5 minute timer elapsed, they won, otherwise the defenders prevailed. We did 5 rounds: 1. 20 curls
2. 20 goblet squats
3. 5 nutcrackers
4. 5 thrusters
5. 3 blockees

The defenders won 3 times, attackers twice.

Playlist:
– Andrew Bird — Sisyphus
– Iron Maiden — Flight of Icarus
– Cream — Tales of Brave Ulysses
– Alice in Chains — Grind
– Led Zeppelin — Misty Mountain Hop
– Grateful Dead — Fire on the Mountain
– Alice in Chains — Again
– Metallica — Atlas, Rise!

Moleskine:
Be grateful for the blessing you receive; don’t let one bad circumstance cause you to take them for granted

Tags: Mastodon, Spit Valve, What, Big Mac, Too Big To Fail (TBTF), Mr Roboto, LouGee, Stock boy, Phillip Deisch, Falsetto, Bookworm

Date: 2026-08-06
AO: Dark Room
Q: Framed ,
PAX: Endo, perculator, Toto, Brainfog, Crack, Jolly, Lakers, Manhole, Framed, LeMond, Sparrow FNGs: None
COUNT: 11
Conditions: 67°F

WOR: SSHs, Tappy Taps, Abe Vigodas, Mountain Climbers, Imperial Walkers

The Thang:
– Spittoon – 300 Blockees
– 11s around the short loop – Merkins + BBSUs
– Spittoon – 500 Goblet Squats
– 11s Round 2 – 1 Arm Rows + Hanging Knee Raises

Moleskine: Just got back from a family trip to Shipshewana with a new appreciation for the Amish way of life. Their simple lifestyle has a lot to teach us. As a picture framer, I noticed the craftsmanship and attention to detail throughout our hotel. There was beauty in its simplicity. More than anything, I was reminded to put the phone down, be present with my family, and enjoy what was right in front of me. It was a simple trip… no theme parks, no Vrbo rental. Just time together. A reminder that family vacations don’t have to be flashy to be meaningful.

Tags: Dark Room, Endo, perculator, Toto, Brainfog, Crack, Jolly, Lakers, Manhole, Framed, LeMond, Sparrow

Date: 2026-08-04
AO: Dark Room
Q: Manhole ,
PAX: Body Double, Lakers, Manhole, Brainfog, LouGee, Toto, The wet burrito, Crack, perculator FNGs:
COUNT: 9
Conditions: nice!

WOR: sure did

The Thang: UPPER BODY

Moleskine: IYKYK

Tags: Dark Room, Body Double, Lakers, Manhole, Brainfog, LouGee, Toto, The wet burrito, Crack, perculator

Date: 2026-08-05
AO: Ground Zero
Q: Crack ,
PAX: Mr Roboto, Pool Boy, Stock boy, Cheap Shot, Crack, Mr. Bean FNGs: None
COUNT: 6
Conditions: humid, 72°F

WOR: SSH, Abe Vigodas, stretch OYO

The Thang: 2 runners, 4 ruckers headed east

Moleskine: The USA was recently listed 17th of the top 17 nations for health and fitness, largely linked to our obesity “epidemic.” Doctors are apparently struggling to figure out how to encourage their patients to exercise. It’s much harder to prescribe exercise than it is to prescribe pills. Get out there and move!

Tags: Ground Zero, Mr Roboto, Pool Boy, Stock boy, Cheap Shot, Crack, Mr. Bean

Date: 2026-08-05
AO: Tar Pit
Q: Lakers ,
PAX: Portage, Bloomer, Lakers, Tortuga, LouGee, T-bone, Too Big To Fail (TBTF) FNGs: None
COUNT: 7
Conditions: 77 degrees, winds S 2mph, 95% humidity, 91% cloud cover, air pressure at 30.02 and rising.

WOR: SSH, Tin Man (or Tin Soldier if you’re a war-monger like Tortuga), stretching

The Thang:
Process of Elimination:
Pax begin the first round doing 10 of each exercise, then run 100m. First person back gets to eliminate an exercise and add 5 reps to their count. Everyone made it to 15 reps. Congrats to LouGee and Bloomer for making it to 20 reps!

Exercises:
1. Coupon Sit-Ups (hold cinder block at chest)
2. American Hammers (2:1)
3. Plank Coupon Pull-Throughs (10 total)
4. Cruchy Frog
5. Flutter Kicks (2:1)
6. V-Ups
7. Heel Touches (2:1)
8. Freddie Mercury (2:1)
9. Coupon Toe Touches (hold block over chest, back on ground) 10. Mountain Climbers (2:1)
Modified to Pfiefer Scissors by Portage who is a bad man. 11. Shoulder Taps (2:1)
12. Pickle Pointers

Moleskine:
Give a gift. My Proud Papa, Sapper, invited me to my first BD and led this workout. What gifts are you giving to others in your life to help them lead others better?

Tags: Tar Pit, Portage, Bloomer, Lakers, Tortuga, LouGee, T-bone, Too Big To Fail (TBTF)

Date: 2026-08-04
AO: Mastodon
Q: Mr Roboto ,
PAX: Falsetto, Portage, LeMond, Mr Roboto, Spit Valve, Stock boy, Dumpster FNGs:
COUNT: 7
Conditions:

WOR:
Attempted to do Motivators to “Stayin’ Alive,” but the beat is 160 instead of 180, or at least that’s what I remember from Falsetto. Motivators counting down from 7
Copperhead squats x10
Copperhead Merkins x10
Abe Vigodas x10

The Thang:
Mosey around the AO, stopping every so often for 3-minute sets of ab exercises + 10 reps of others. Perform the ab exercise as long as you can. When you need a break, do 10 of the alternative exercise. – Dollys + Merkins
– Heals to Heaven + Squats
– American Hammers + calf Raises
– LBCs + Dips
– Chilcutt Plank + Bulgarian Split Squats

At Hoffa, for 5 minutes, do 20 of each exercise, running up Halfa in between sets. (End with the plank.)

Moleskine:
Ecclesiastes can seem depressing with all the “meaningless, meaningless” talk, but it calls us to find meaning in things that last. Our careers, families, etc. may not last, but they are things through which we can act out our ultimate meaning of loving God and neighbor.

Tags: Mastodon, Falsetto, Portage, LeMond, Mr Roboto, Spit Valve, Stock boy, Dumpster

Date: 2026-08-04
AO: Flat Earth
Q: Tortuga ,
PAX: Snatch (F3 NW HWY), Daniel Tebbe, Boomerang, White Noise, Bloomer, Lib, BigBlue, Spokes, Tortuga, Jolly, DQ, Y2K, Shiplap, Knuckleball, Hypotenuse, Panda Express, Homie, Stage Fright, FNGs:
COUNT: 18
Conditions: perfect

WOR: yes

The Thang: bowling

Moleskine: know your limits, push past them without breaking yourself

Tags: Flat Earth, Snatch (F3 NW HWY), Daniel Tebbe, Boomerang, White Noise, Bloomer, Lib, BigBlue, Spokes, Tortuga, Jolly, DQ, Y2K, Shiplap, Knuckleball, Hypotenuse, Panda Express, Homie, Stage Fright,

Date: 2026-08-03
AO: Downrange
Q: Noodles , Stock boy
PAX: Jolly, Noodles, Stock boy, DQ, Lakers, Brainfog, 0
FNGs: 1 0
COUNT: 6
Conditions: Dark and gloomy at first, sunrise came right on time for our beatdown.

WOR: SSH x30, Good Mornings x10, Batwings x15

The Thang: Today’s beatdown is credited to my Co-Q, Stock boy. The beatdown is worthy of a Hampe Park sandbag beatdown.

Hot Metal Potato – With an AC/DC playlist in the background, PAX moved clockwise between 7 stations (cones) of 20 reps a specific exercise: Merkins, Carolina Dry Docks, BBSUs, Squats, Shoulder Taps, American Hammers, and Lunges. If a PAX arrived at a station and found a hot potato (sandbag), you had to run it 3 stations ahead, drop it, and loop back to where you found it to do the exercise listed on the cone. Whenever music stopped and a fire alarm bell sounded for 30 seconds, PAX had to stop where they were and do 4 Sandees/Burpees. If PAX had a sandbag, they had to do 4 Sandees, and if a PAX did not have a sandbag they had to do 4 Burpees.

Moleskine: Quoted a little Ice Cube today, “Woke up in the morning, gotta thank God. I don’t know but today seems kinda odd…Today was a good day”. The message was short and a reminder to focus less on the day to day negatives and practice an attitude of gratitude. For PAX to continue thanking God for the daily blessings in our lives.

Tags: Downrange, Jolly, Noodles, Stock boy, DQ, Lakers, Brainfog, 0