Category: Uncategorized

Backblast: AO Mastodon Scavenger Hunt
Date: 3/19/22
AO: #ao_mastodon
PAX: @Captain Crunch (AJ) @Jailbreak @TBTF (QIC)
FNGs: 0
Q: @TBTF
Total: 3
Conditions: Chilly and wet (but the rain held off!)
Warm-O-Rama: SSH (IC) x30, Copperhead Squats (IC) x15, Abe Vegoda’s x10, Tappy Taps x15The Thang: We simply went around the AO and found things on our list and performed the associated exercise. We came across a lot of dogs which means a good amount of burpees. It turned out to be rather challenging. The only item on the list we were unable to find was a person on a bike (bad weather for that).
1 – Dog = Burpees x10
2 – Person on a bike = Squats x25
3 – Squirrel = Merkins x25
4 – Pinecone = BBS x25
5 – Flower = Lunges x25 (2 is 1)
6 – stairs = American Hammers x25 (2 is 1)
7 – flagpole = SSH x100
8 – someone wearing something yellow (non-PAX) = Mountain Climbers (2 is 1)
9 – a stick taller than Captain Crunch = Bear Crawl (distance determined based on location of found stick)
10 – Abandoned kids toys/items= sprint (distance determined based on location of found item)COR/NOR/COT: Prayers for Ukraine, traveling/relocating PAX, Captain Crunch as his team continues to evolveMoleskin:

Date: Thursday, 03/17/22
AO: #ao_mastodon
PAX: @Abuna (respect) @T-Bone (respect) @Panda Express @Ranger Rick @TBTF @Hancock @Archive @Pink Drink @Sparrow @Jolly (respect) @Tortuga (respect) @Bo-Peep @Beaker @SAGA + FNG
FNGs: 1, Something Different (STD)
Q: @SAGA
Total: 15

Conditions: SAGA wearing a green woman’s coat in the cool spring air
Warm-Up: arm circles, abe vigoda, mtn climbers, mtn man poopers, mosey parking lot

THANG 1: B.L.O.K.E.S.
Do each of the following exercises and then sprint up Hoffa and complete 25 merkins at the top…

Blockees @ 25
Leprechaun (aka redrum)
Overhead Press @ 25
Kettle Bell Swings @ 25
Extend the arms (aka curls) @ 25
Skull Crushers @ 25
+ 25 American Hammers (2 is 1) w/no run & repeat above exercises

THANG 2: a short mosey

THANG 3: dice rolls to win the 4 Guinness (+ a free bag of potatoes for @Sparrow)

COT: prayers for @Sparrow’s upcoming trip and @Cookies transition

Announcements: @Archive’s run club tomorrow @ Ground Zero – relive the passion of the past!

MOLESKIN:

I arise today
Through a mighty strength, the invocation of the Trinity,
Through belief in the Threeness,
Through confession of the Oneness
of the Creator of creation.
I arise today
Through the strength of Christ’s birth with His baptism,
Through the strength of His crucifixion with His burial,
Through the strength of His resurrection with His ascension,
Through the strength of His descent for the judgment of doom.
I arise today
Through the strength of the love of cherubim,
In the obedience of angels,
In the service of archangels,
In the hope of resurrection to meet with reward,
In the prayers of patriarchs,
In the predictions of prophets,
In the preaching of apostles,
In the faith of confessors,
In the innocence of holy virgins,
In the deeds of righteous men.
I arise today, through
The strength of heaven,
The light of the sun,
The radiance of the moon,
The splendor of fire,
The speed of lightning,
The swiftness of wind,
The depth of the sea,
The stability of the earth,
The firmness of rock.
I arise today, through
God’s strength to pilot me,
God’s might to uphold me,
God’s wisdom to guide me,
God’s eye to look before me,
God’s ear to hear me,
God’s word to speak for me,
God’s hand to guard me,
God’s shield to protect me,
God’s host to save me
From snares of devils,
From temptation of vices,
From everyone who shall wish me ill,
afar and near.
I summon today
All these powers between me and those evils,
Against every cruel and merciless power
that may oppose my body and soul,
Against incantations of false prophets,
Against black laws of pagandom,
Against false laws of heretics,
Against craft of idolatry,
Against spells of witches and smiths and wizards,
Against every knowledge that corrupts man’s body and soul;
Christ to shield me today
Against poison, against burning,
Against drowning, against wounding,
So that there may come to me an abundance of reward.
Christ with me,
Christ before me,
Christ behind me,
Christ in me,
Christ beneath me,
Christ above me,
Christ on my right,
Christ on my left,
Christ when I lie down,
Christ when I sit down,
Christ when I arise,
Christ in the heart of every man who thinks of me,
Christ in the mouth of everyone who speaks of me,
Christ in every eye that sees me,
Christ in every ear that hears me.
I arise today
Through a mighty strength, the invocation of the Trinity,
Through belief in the Threeness,
Through confession of the Oneness
of the Creator of creation.

BACKBLAST: Black Diamond rerun (modified for 45 minutes)
Date: 3/9/22
AO: #ao_tar_pit
PAX: @Shiplap @T-bone @Banks @Bo-Peep @Crack @Jolly @Tortuga @Panhandle @Da Vinci @Katniss
FNGS: 0
Q: @Shiplap
Total: 10
Conditions: a pleasant 30+ degrees, no wind
WOR: SSH IC, Abe Vigoda x 10, Arm Circles, Michael PhelpsThe Thang: PAX partnered up. Cones were place about 20 yards away. PAX one complete the exercise while PAX 2 went to the cones. Every 8 minutes a timer went off and all PAX had to complete 1/4 mile in under 2 minutes. 5 penalty burpees for any group that had a PAX miss the markExercises
150 Burpees – Murder Bunny with Sandbag or coupon
200 Hand Release Merkins – Sand bag throws or broach jump
250 Thrusters – Burpees broad jump or sandee throwsCOR/NOR/COT:
Moleskin – Whenever you think you are doing great at something you will always be given a shock of reality.

Date: 3/15/22
AO: #ao_mastodon
PAX: @Shiplap @Panhandle @Crack @Jolly @SAGA @Tortuga @Sparrow @8-Track @TBTF @Beaker
FNGs: 0
Q: @Beaker
Total: 10WoR:

· Mosey to baseball diamond

· 5 T-bone burpees

· Arm circles (x10 ic)

· Bear crawl to SHOP

· Michael Phelps (OYO)

· Mosey to island

The ThangPAX divided in to partners.
In partners, each pair completed the assigned reps of one exercise. They then ran opposite directions around the short loop (~0.75 mi for the round trip). When they met, they completed the assigned reps of the exercise again, and returned the way that they came.Assigned reps/exercises:
50 Lunges (2 is 1)
100 Merkins
150 bbsu
200 Overhead claps
150 flutter kicks
100 squats
50 burpees

Moleskin:
A quote from a podcast I was listening to the other day, "The formula for satisfaction is not getting what you want, it is wanting what you have. We don’t need a ‘haves’ management strategy, we need a ‘wants’ management strategy."

One ‘wants’ management strategy is to practice gratitude for the good gifts we do have. It is easy to become unhappy with the details of life. to combat this, I encourage the PAX to start of every day with a prayer of gratitude for the many big things we have in life to be thankful for, including our Ms, 2.0s, jobs, homes, and most importantly, the gracious gift of the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.

COT:

Prayers for @Cookies and family as they deal with a positive COVID test, prayers for traveling mercies as @Crack, his M, and his daughter travel to England on Friday, and prayers for the situation in Ukraine.

Backblast: Super Dora Date: Thursday, 3/10/22
AO: #ao_mastodon
PAX: @Tortuga @T-bone @Da Vinci @Hancock @Katniss @Jolly @Banks @Beaker @Sparrow @Crack @bumble @Bo-Peep @Jailbreak @wet burrito @Captain Crunch (AJ)
FNGs: 0
Q: @Banks
Total: 15

WOR:
7x Motivators
15x Tin Soldiers IC
5x @T-bone Burpees

The Thang Part 1:
12x Burpees
10x Pullups

The Thang Part 2: Super Dora
We partnered up in teams of 3 for a Super Dora. 1 PAX at the C.O.O.T.I.E.S., one at the S.H.O.P., and one would run to the top of Hoffa and then relieve their fellow PAX. The Super Dora Reps were as follows:
100 Pullups
200 Table Presses
300 Merkins
400 Dips
500 Flutter Kicks
600 Squats

After all teams were done, we moseyed to the bottom of Hoffa and completed 2 Manrise’s sans squat holds despite @Tortuga’s desperate pleas.

COR/NOR/COT:
Praise for a beautiful morning, and prayers for the Ukrainian people, @Cookies and family as they prepare to leave on their journey, @Bo-Peep as he gets ready for upcoming nuptials, @Hancock as he starts a new job next week and for @bumble’s father as he prepares to launch a new church in the coming weeks.

Moleskin:

"If it doesn’t challenge you, it won’t change you." – When you are doing difficult things, remember that you are learning and getting better as a person. Do the hard things.

Date: Thursday, 3/3/22
AO: #ao_mastodon
PAX: @Hancock @Tortuga @Archive @Sparrow @8-Track @Da Vinci @Panda Express @SAGA @Jolly @Cookies @Beaker @Bo-Peep @Captain Crunch (AJ)FNGs: 0
Q: @Hancock
Total: 13

Conditions: 30 ºF, minimal ice left in pond under bridges.

Lent is the observance of the 40 days of fasting in the wilderness that Jesus went through before beginning his ministry.Note: anytime we do merkins where 2-is-1, they count towards the challenge as 1-is-1. I will announce the expected merkins count in the CoT, (if you didn’t modify.)WoR

• 40 SSH
• 20 merkins (2 is 1)
• 40 LBC’s
• Picking daisies OYO

Let’s start with the end first. Because… well, it fits my agenda better. Jesus will rise from the grave on the 3rd dayThang 1 @ base of Hoffa

• Run up the hill x 2, 10 merkins each at top
• Run up once, 10 merkins, come down
• Be sad for the first two, but happy for the last one.

Thang 2

• Mosey around AO to represent 40 days of Jesus moseying around in the wilderness
• 20 merkins (2 is 1)

What do we do during lent? Prayer and fasting and alms giving? Let’s go!Thang 3 @ base of Hoffa

• Prayer: hold an Al Gore, but instead of hugging a tree, we’re praying
• Fasting: sprints. Run around Hoffa.
• Group 1 does prayer while other does fasting. Swap once fasting partner returns.
• Alms giving: group 1 does “alms giving squats,” 40x. Group 2 does merkins, 40x. Switch.

Oh, we’re human! We have sinned! Angry invisible sky god must be appeased! We must show penance for our sins! Feel the shame! The guilt! The horror of your evil! Offer your human sacrifice at the top of Mount… Hoffa.

• Penance: run up hill, 10 merkins, come down (while pondering your shame in what you have done)

Oh, wait, this just in…“You humble yourselves by going through the motions of penance, bowing your heads like reeds bending in the wind. You dress in burlap and cover yourselves with ashes. Is this what you call fasting? Do you really think this will please the LORD?” (Isaiah 58:5, NLT)“Penance” like this isn’t really what God asks of us! Whoops! We’re supposed to repent! Turn from our sins, and turn towards Jesus.

• Repentance: back to back. Take the coupon from your partner on your left, curl in the middle, give to your partner on your right. 40x. Take your sin, give it to Jesus.

Thang 4

• Back extensions with hands at your side. Flopping like the fish that we’re allowed to eat on Fridays. 40x. Definitely NOT a cult.
• More merkins. 40x.

Thang 5

• more wilderness moseying.

CoT

• prayer for Ukraine
• Prayer for DaVinci’s friend’s nephew who was arrested in a protest across over there

Total merkin count: 200, if you only got 40 in during alternating alms giving. I am counting 20 “2-is-1’s“ as 40.Moleskin
We often think the opposite of peace is conflict. It’s not. The opposite of peace is chaos. You don’t have to have chaos with conflict, but I’ve always thought the two come hand in hand. Expand below on your experiences that highlight this.

BACKBLAST: First track work of the year
Date: 3/2/22
AO: #ao_tar_pit
PAX: @Cookies@SAGA@Bo-Peep@wet burrito@Gummi Bear@Tortuga@Panhandle@T-bone
FNGS: 0
Q: @Tortuga
Total: 8
Conditions: a pleasant 30+ degrees, no wind
WOR: SSH IC, copperhead merkins IC 10, copperhead squats IC 10, arm circles stretch your legs OYO.

Thang 1:
We started with 4 coupons at the start line and 4 halfway around the track.  All HIM started at the start line.  The reward for being the first four to arrive at the coupon station was to do 10 reps with the coupon.  If you arrived and all the blocks were occupied, you did 10 reps without a coupon.  The first time through the stations was squats, followed by merkins, thrusters, lunges, and burpees.  We spread out pretty quickly, so most reps were done with blocks.  I think the front runners got through the second round of lunges.

COR/NOR/COT:
Moleskin – You can’t follow from the front.  Instead of asking God to bless the plans you come up with, pray before making plans.  Ask God to give you wisdom and direct your thoughts and plans.  Follow Him.  Easy to say.  Hard to do.  I get out in front all the time.  It goes much better when I listen first.Prayers for @SAGA and a difficult interpersonal relationship, @Bo-Peep’s dad going through an investigation – hard on younger sibling, @Cookies has visas!  Prayers for flights especially in light of global conflict.

Backblast: March (merkin) Madness
Date: 3/1/22
AO: #ao_mastodon
PAX: @Beaker @Jolly @8-Track @Bloomer @Cookies @Panhandle @Panda Express @Bo-Peep @TBTF @T-bone @Hancock @Tortuga @Sparrow @SAGA @Ralphy
FNGs: 0
Q: @Ralphy
Total: 15
Conditions: High 30s and clear skies. Perfect conditions.WOR:
Side straddle hops x20, Michael Phelps OYO, Arm circles x10, Picking Daisies OYOThang 1:
Mosey to basketball court. Collectively complete 80 suicides and 500 merkins. Inspired by this movie clip from the movie "Coach Carter" … https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6p3GaCwvUoEThang 2:
Basketball Trivia. Split PAX into 2 teams. Trivia questions asked to both teams. 5 merkins and 1 mucho-leggo for a correct answer, 10 merkins and 2 mucho leggos for incorrect answer. 10 questions total.Thang 3:
Suicide up and down HoffaThang 4:
Spelling bee. Each PAX must contribute one letter at a time respectively to spell K-R-Z-Y-Z-E-W-S-K-I. For each incorrect letter given, all PAX ran halfway up and back Hoffa.COT:
Continued prayers for logistics and planning for@Cookies‘ trip.
Ongoing war with Ukraine/Russia.Moleskin:
Where are we placing our identity? Are we placing it in temporal things/people/jobs? The only place to find that true fulfillment is in the eternal savior.

Date: 2/19/22
AO: #ao_mastodon
PAX: @Noodles @Sparrow @Tortuga @Bloomer @TBTF
FNGs: 0
Q: @TBTF
Total: 5
Conditions: Cold, so cold
Warm-O-Rama:
SSH (IC) x50, Copperhead Squats (IC) x15, Copperhead Merkins (IC) x15, MoseyThe Thang:
Mosey to the pool house steps
Sheldon Cooper routine using Burpees/Squats/Merkins, we did a set of 10/10/10, ran to the opposite side of the parking lot and back, then did a set of 9/9/9 followed by another run to the opposite side of the parking lot and back. We did down to sets of 1
And then because it is a TBTF Mastodon workout you know we are going around the AO. We moseyed to the southeast corner of the Archive Mile and lunged the entire path to the beginning of Dan Taylor Alley.
Ultimately we moseyed back to the flag making a few more stops along the way to get some merkins in as well as other equally as fun exercise type activitiesCOR/NOR/COT:
I waited too long (again) and can’t remember but rest assure God heard us.Moleskin:
Life is busy but it is okay to slow down. Try being intentional about your time and invest it wisely.

Backblast: Run Club
Date: Friday, 2/25/2022

AO: #ao_ground_zero

PAX:  @Tortuga @Toto  @pillow mint  @T-bone @Gummi Bear @Bo-Peep @TBTF
FNGs: 0
Q: @Tortuga
Total: 7

WOR: Stretch on your own

Conditions: cold, calm, peaceful. Perfect blanket of cold dry snow.

Thang: Ran carefully on the snow covered PP north. Laid down some fresh tracks in an otherwise untouched Prairie Path.

Moleskin: My M was about to miss her flight at the Rockford Airport. As she sped up the steps, the security guard at the top yelled down to the gate, “What does she look like?” Jackie, knowing that he meant her, shouted, “She’s BEAUTIFUL!” as she hustled past him to the gate.
Two takeaways:
Tell your wife she’s beautiful. Often.
Own your identity. My wife is beautiful. You are a child of God. You are loved by the God of the universe unconditionally. Own it. Live into that reality. Tell people.

COT: Ukraine. Be a good role model to your kids: TBTF traffic stop with his 2.0.