Eleven men present from multiple AOs showed for the launch of the first F3 mountain bike beatdown at Blankets Creek in Cherokee County. With more than 15 miles of groomed trails, this venue is reknown as one of the best cross country mountain bike trails in the nation, and Lake Alatoona bordering the forested park, what better place to get a band of F3 men together for a beatdown?!
WARM UP: Gathering around the brand new bike fork frame FLAG created by Space-Balls himself, we completed in cadence 10 SSH, Weed Pickers, Michael Phelps and Mountain Climbers. As mountain bikers, one tends to want to rip up the miles. However, by incorporating miles and adding complementary biking exercises we allow everyone to get equally gassed, as well as allowing the 6 to get faster and all to be stronger. After the warmup, as Freddy Mercury sang in Fat Bottomed Girls – get on your bikes and ride!
BITING THE MOSQUITO: after the warm-up we bike-moseyed to the entrance of the Mosquito Bite loop. Upon completing a lap, drop the bikes and run back to the swamp bridges to complete 2 rounds of 10 box jumps and 10 merkins while the six appeared with the sweep (Space-Balls: thanks for being sweep). Rinse and repeat! Upon completion a quick 11 count (because Manning was not there to make it 12, or Homeboy for 13!) to ensure no one is left behind and then off to the entrance of Dwelling Loop.
The THANG: Dwelling Loop is ~4.2 miles with 4 benches located throughout the trail. Instructions: ride hard to each of the benches and perform the following exercises:
– Bench 1: 10 bike curls + 10 bike shoulder presses + 10 explosive squat jumps. Rinse and repeat and then move to next bench.
– Bench 2: 10 right leg Bulgarian split squats + 10 left leg Bulgarian spilt squats + 10 merkins and then run to the lake on the side trail. Rinse and repeat and wait on the 6.
– Bench 3: same as Bench 1.
– Bench 4: same as Bench 2 but no run.
Upon completion, we split into Hares/Tortises.
Hares: Sprint ride thru half Dwelling as fast as possible and go straight to flag.
Tortises: Completed South Loop approach plus extended introductory Loop and race back to flag.
At the flag, the honorary Lawdog was allowed to led the throng in some J-Lo and yours truly finished it off with Superman Jacks.
COT: thanks to everyone who showed. Exercises were selected to make us all stronger. Plans to ride in 2 weeks June 23 at Rope Mill. Will look to head to North Georgia for an epic ride before the summer is up. Thanks to God in how He works in our lives, especially from Pit Stop and the girls soccer team. Lawdog displayed a small injury to his shin similar to Spanx’s “horrible” injury on Wednesday at the Clinic.
In light of the early morning as well as the younger riders, we all partook in some nice warm java, or ice cold water or Gatorade – hanging out and cutting it up in the parking lot after the ride.
Great day enjoying the second best “man’s best friend” – the two wheeled beasts!