11/7/2019
Site: Tempe
Q: Ticket
PAX: Longboard, Chief, Spaetzle, Ticket
With 2 mornings downrange in Phoenix in the books and wanting to post at the AO in Tempe, YHC reached out to the Tempe site Q, Longboard, to make sure there was a beatdown planned. Longboard confirmed there was a beatdown scheduled, but it wasn’t planned out yet, and he offered up the Q to YHC. After Qing at the Furnace that morning, YHC apprehensively accepted.
Unbeknownst to Longboard, YHC has led many runs and several rucks, but not too many beatdowns, and never planned one in less than 24 hours, much less for a site that he’d never been to. Not wanting to let the PAX of Tempe down, YHC scouted on Google Maps and consulted with Longboard. Having planned out a decent beatdown, YHC nestled in for a little shuteye, with plans to get out a little early in the morning to do a scouting run.
In the morning, YHC went to the south side of Tempe Town Lake to check out a baseball field that was planned to be a part of the beatdown. unfortunately, the gates to the baseball field were locked. YHC remembered seeing another grassy area on Google Maps the night before on the south side of Tempe Town Lake just east of Mill Ave and made an audible to move the beatdown to Neil Giuliano Park.
Time was ticking away on the scouting expedition. YHC got back to the north side of Tempe Town Lake, but traffic lights and divided roads slowed me down. YHC arrived at a parking lot under the 202, but it wasn’t the right one. After a little jog, YHC finally met up with the PAX at about 5:35.
After apologizing, YHC reviewed the mission of F3 as well as the 5 Core principles, and got the PAX warmed up with:
- Arm Circles – forward and back
- Michael Phelps
- 10 Windmills in cadence
- 15 Side Straddle Hops in cadence
Next, the PAX attempted 21s, with the first 5 Side Straddle Hops in cadence, and the remaining 16 in super secret silent cadence. If the PAX did not finish together, we would do 5 penalty burpees and try again, and repeat until we finished in unison. But, the PAX were ready to roll this morning, and finished together on the first try. With the PAX warmed up, YHC had the PAX run across the Mill Avenue bridge to Neil Giuliano Park for the next part of the beatdown.
Upon arrival at Neil Giuliano Park, YHC put out 4 cones in the shape of a diamond about 60 to 70 feet apart. First up for the PAX was 11s. PAX would run from “home plate” to “2nd base” and do 11 Squats, then run back to home plate and do 1 Merkins, then back to 2nd base and do 10 Squats. The back and forth would continue, decreasing the Squats and increasing the Merkins by 1 until doing 11 Merkins at home plate.
Next up was 7 of Diamonds. The PAX would do exercises in multiples of 7 and some kind of movement between the bases. The exercise and movement would change for each round, with the reps starting at 7 the first round and increasing by 7 for rounds 2-4 and decreasing by 7 for rounds 5-7. Since YHC lost his weinke when meeting up with the PAX at the start, we did the best from memory.
- Round 1 – 7 Burpees at each base and run between bases
- Round 2 – 14 Little Baby Crunches at each base and bear crawl between bases
- Round 3 – 21 Imperial Walkers at each base and duck walk between bases
After getting back from round 3, YHC called it since we were running out of time. The PAX were spared from Crawl Bears, Frog Jumps, Bonnie Blairs, Donkey Kicks, Carolina Dry Docks and more. We collected the cones and ran back to the north side of Tempe Town Lake.
Once back under the 202, there were a few minutes left for some Mary. We got in 20 Big Boy Situps (WWII’s for the locals) and some ABC’s.
We wrapped up with a COT, including Count-o-Rama and Name-o-rama. YHC shared the 6 with the Tempe PAX again and shared my story. After the 6, we had announcements, upcoming F3/FIA/2.0 convergence at the end of the month, and a 3rd F opportunity for the Impact Challenge building bunk beds. We ended with prayer intentions for Slice’s family, Longboard’s mentor’s health, and the troops and first responders.
Longboard, thanks for getting me out of my comfort zone to plan a last minute Q. I needed it for me and for my fellow PAX back in Toledo. It was an honor and a privilege to lead you men. I’m looking forward to my next visit to Phoenix. Aye!
F3 Phoenix 