17 PAX arrived in the gloom for a 2 hour a scenic jaunt through the Duke campus to commemorate F3 Durham’s second birthday. You know, most of the time, we talk about the “gloom” but it isn’t all that gloomy. Maybe its dark, or cold, or just early in the morning. Today, there was actual gloom. 45 degrees and rainy gloom. That didn’t stop these 17 stalwart gentlemen from dominating the course that we developed.

The Thang: 3.5 mile course through the Duke campus and gardens with 11 different stations and 5 different Qs (Floyd, Doogie, Seinfeld, T’eo, and Coco).

Run- Al Beuhler Trail to Science Dr. Parking Lot

Station #1 Warm-up (6 minutes) Floyd
Introductions
SSH x 20
Windmills x 10
LBAC x 20
Willie Mays Hayes x 10
Standard Merkins x 10 cadence
Mountain Climbers x 10 cadence

Run to Cameron Indoor Stadium

Station #2 Krzyzewskiville (10 minutes) Doogie
Walking Lunge x 25 yards
Bear crawl x 25 yards
Walking Lunge x 25 yards
Bear crawl x 25 yards

Partner carry x 50 yards switch and run back
Wheelbarrows x 50 yards, switch with partner and run back

More walking lunges

Run through Quad to Chapel

Station #3 Chapel (10 minutes) Seinfeld
Seinfeld gave us some history lessons about the architect and then we did a bunch of exercises to tie into the historical timelines. I don’t remember all the dates, but it worked at the time

32 burpees
57 Air squats
25 yards walking lunges and back
35 yards walking lunges and back
Wall sits x 77 count

Run to front of Duke South Hospital

Station #4 Hospital (10 minutes) T’eo
Split up into two groups.
Inchworm x 10 feet. Each group member is in plank position and puts their legs on the shoulder of the man behind them. Each group got two attempts to walk 10 feet. Group one managed it. Group two….not so much.

Planks
Genuflect to the Cancer center
Multiple different planks including Putins and Sarcosis
Low plank with 17 PAX 10 count each

Run through parking deck, down stairs to bottom floor

Station #5 Parking Deck Water break and Thunderstruck – Floyd
After some refreshing Deer Park water the PAX assumed the inclined plank position. Floyd blasted some AC/DC. Overtime Angus shouted the word Thunder….do an inclined merkin. It was a lot of merkins. A few of the PAX manned up and did standard merkins. They were men among boys. Props.

Run to entrance of Duke Gardens. Take a meandering path along the lake shore.

Station #6 Pond (3-5 minutes) Coco
Partner up. On partner holds the feet of the other who does Derkins. Then switch.
12 Derkins
11 Derkins
10 Derkns

Run up hill to Circular fountain

Station #7 Fountain (5 minutes) –Floyd
30 Dips, 20 count recovery
20 Dips, 20 count recovery
10 Dips

Run through Duke Gardens to Big Field

Station #8 Big Field in Duke Gardens- (10 minutes) Doogie

Usein Bolts
Two PAX run about 150 yards down a hill, across a field and up a hill. While they ran, the rest of the PAX did exercises:
Merkins, Air Squats, LBCs, Low slow flutters, Jump Lunges, Carolina Dry Docks, Freddy Mercuries

Jog down to small pond.
Merkins x 10 cadence

Run to Tunnel

Station #9Tunnel (3-5 minutes)– Floyd
Peoples chair while each PAX gives a 5 count
Balls to the Wall while each PAX gives a 5 count

Run through campus to Wallace Wade Stadium

Station #10 Wallace Wade (15 minutes) – Coco
Bear crawls up stadium bleachers to the top then run to bottom
Inclined Merkins x 10 cadence
Declined Merkins x 10 cadence
Run up stairs and down next row and up again and down again and up again….This was really hard. Cardiac was an absolute beast.

Indian (Redskins?) run around the top of the horseshoe

Run to turf Lacrosse Field

Station #11- Mary (6 minutes) T’eo
We did a 16 PAX round robin. Each PAX gave an exercise for a 10 count. My memory isn’t good enough to remember them all. Exercises included but not limited to:
Russian Hammers
LBCs
Tarheels to the heavens
Freddy Mercuries
V ups
Bows and toes
V-jacks
Butt scratchers
Supermans
Peter Parkers
WWII situps
Alternating leg V-ups

Run on Al Beuhler trail to cars

COT- Coco

Strong work men. Tclaps to everyone who braved actual gloom and got out of their beds. It is 9pm and I am still so sore.

Thanks to all the guys who came from other workout groups to help us celebrate including Chapel Hill, Wake Forest, and Raleigh.

What the hell is up with Duke padlocking port-a-johns? Its like seeing a mirage in a desert.

Thanks to Chester for helping organize this. He got sick at the last minute and physically could not attend. Wish him speedy recovery. I know he was upset at having to miss the fun.

Special Tclaps to Zamboni and Dial Tone who made their F3 debuts in a 2 hour brutal workout.

Total distance including running and stations 4.5 miles.
Total Time to complete 2 hours 6 minutes